1917.02.25: MAMMOTH FOOD PROTEST PARADE IS HELD

February 25, 1917

MAMMOTH FOOD PROTEST PARADE IS HELD

GOTHAM THRONG DEMANDS PRICES BE MADE LOWER

Six Thousand Persons Participate In Demonstration Surrounding Madison Square

President Will Get $400,000 Investigation By Federal Trade Commission If House Holds

NEW YORK, Feb. 24.—Within the shadow of famous Madison Square Garden, where, during the past few days, certain New Yorkers have paid as high as $1,000 for a dog, other New Yorkers gathered this afternoon, and demanded that the price of bread and potatoes be brought within their reach. It was a new throng Madison avenue, Fifth avenue and Madison Square saw today. It was a throng of women and children, marching and crying their protest against prevailing food prices.

There were some 6,000 of them. Mothers carried babies in one arm and banners in the other.

"Open the warehouses. We demand food for our children," one banner read. The women came from Rutgers square, from the Brownsville section of Brooklyn from the Bronx and from Harlem. The Harlem delegation, 3,000 strong, marched down Fifth avenue.

The marchers carried potatoes, onions and other vegetables stuck on spiked sticks. A boy, who addressed the marchers after they had massed in Madison Square, held up a huge ring upon which a potato and onion was mounted.

"Diamonds today" read an inscription appended.

NO DISORDER REPORTED.

The demonstration was without the slightest disorder. Some of the women had walked miles to take part. Most of them were muffled in shawls. They represented numerous nationalities but in their outpouring they demanded action from the representative officials of their adopted country. At one time during the afternoon, speakers were addressing the women and children from a half dozen different improvised rostrums.

There was no set program, no idea of organization, simply a concerted march and protest. In the meantime, Governor Whitman was meeting with George W Perkins, chairman of the state food investigation committee. The governor said he was willing to send an emergency message to the legislature Monday, empowering the city to purchase and sell food supplies in an effort to break the present prices. A food and market bill is now pending before the legislature, and upon the results of his observations here will probably depend Whitman’s decision.

A section of the paraders, following the demonstration in the square, started out to look for the governor. He was at the St. Regis. But the leaders of nearly 3,000 paraders who marched up Fifth avenue were confused and the throng of poorly clad women and children halted before the Waldorf-Astoria. Keen eyed East Side women, with shawls drawn tight over their heads and shoulders, tried to crowd their way into the great hotel of New York’s wealthier citizens. Behind them their “comrades” showed:

“We want bread. We must see the governor.”

TRAFFIC IS BLOCKED.

Traffic was blocked along Fifth avenue and Thirty-fourth street, but the marchers created no disorder, beyond trying vainly to push by the doorman and policemen of the hotel. Reserves who had followed the throng from Madison Square aided in coping with the new demonstration. In the Bronx borough, at the same time, demonstrations were on in Manhattan, several hundred persons marched to the Borough hall and pleaded with President Mathewson to take some action to relieve the food situation.

The parade of thousands in Manhattan was cheered by workmen homeward bound and attracted throngs of people. A great truck carried a representative group of women and children, many of them haggard in appearance and from a sign on its sides glared the message:

"America first. We appeal to you for mercy and justice. Our children are starving. Come down with the prices."

Awkwardly lettered signs carried many messages of protest, some of which follow:

"Uncle Sam: Why feed murderers? Feed your own children."

"Poor, hardy, needy, hard-ups."

"Mr. Mayor, never mind Riverside Drive. We want bread."

"Avoid rioting with peddlers."

Below a mass of potatoes, onions and other vegetables on a forked stick, one parade carried the sign:

“Keep away you slaves. Down with high prices.”

MANY GIVE TALKS.

Mrs. Anna Pastor and Mrs. Bella N. Zilverman were speakers at Madison Square. Many others mounted boxes and talked to the crowd in Yiddish and Italian. There were calls for “Sweet Marie” Ganz, who led the march on City Hall several days ago, but she failed to appear.

Ben Retiman [sic] declared the government protected the men who were responsible for high prices and should also protect the poor, who were the victims. The sight of mothers with children at their sides, walking five miles to show their need of food should have a great appeal for those in power in the government, Reitman declared.

“If that doesn’t have an appeal, what will?” he asked.