1925.02.24: Motherhood Has Changed "Sweet Marie"

February 24, 1925

Motherhood Has Changed "Sweet Marie"

Brooklyn, N.Y.—Almost any pleasant day in a quiet residential district infringing on Flatbush you may see a baby carriage. She’s Mrs. Nat Ferber now, but in the hectic “Red” days of 1914-1917 she was “Sweet Marie” Ganz, one of the most picturesque and reckless agitators of the day. “Sweet Marie” got the name because an [in]triguing smile and an engaging personality, but she had a pistol and was quite ready to use it.

“Sweet Marie” no longer believes in pistols and violence. Her mind is more set on rompers. She is married to Nat Ferber, young social worker, now a newspaper man, who led her out of her wilderness of anarchy and persuaded her to see the light.

“Sweet Marie” has been tamed by time and circumstance. Her days in prison are remembered, but she would prefer to forget. The volcanic little firebrand of 1914 is now a rebel in retirement—one of the millions of plump mothers whose sole absorbing occupation is motherhood. She is more interested, just now, in teaching her three-year-old daughter how to ride a bicycle than she is in capitalists. Like most of the agitators of ten years ago, she no longer believes progress is dependent upon violence. She now abides by the protest provides by the ballot. On election day she voted for La Follette.

“In the old days,” she says, “when I worked in a sweat-shop my mind and heart were outraged at the distress I saw. I couldn’t understand why society permitted such things, and I can’t even now. It wasn’t that I believed so much in anarchy that I associated with Berkman, Caron, O’Carroll, Goldman, Tannenbaum, Edelson and the rest. I was concerned almost entirely with the poor and the problems with which they had to contend. I knew just how they suffered because my family suffered the same way.

“Politics didn’t interest me particularly. I worked with the radicals because they protested vigorously and violently instead of submitting to conditions and to the hypocrisy of professional politicians. With the exception of Emma Goldman, I respected the sincerity of nearly all those with whom I worked. Goldman, I always thought, was insincere. She went around the country lecturing and living comfortably while the rest of us—her ‘comrades’—starved and waged our fights on empty stomachs. More than anything else, perhaps, it is an empty stomach that makes a read radical. This is a fact which should compel vital attention from leaders of all parties even today.”

1920.04.13: Love Turns 'Red' Pale Pink; 'Sweet Marie' Ganz Tells How She Has Been Tamed

Love Turns 'Red' Pale Pink; 'Sweet Marie' Ganz Tells How She Has Been Tamed
No Dynamite, Mob Rule or Bitterness in New Creed Outlined by Husband to Be.

1920.02.27: DESERTS THE "REDS"

“Sweet Marie” Ganz, who threatened the life of John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and served time in jail for it, has renounced her allegiance to the red flag.

 

1920.02.22: Overdose of Anarchy Cured "Sweet Marie"

1917.02.26: This Is the Story of Sweet Marie!

February 26, 1917

This Is the Story of Sweet Marie!

GLORY TO BETSY, GRACIOUS GEE

New York, Feb. 26.—"Sweet Marie" Gans [sic], leader of New York's east side food rioters, is the lady who:

Threatened to kill John D. Rockefeller, Jr.

Led the free speech fight at Tarrytown.

Gave up the stage for the soapbox.

And, they say, swears like a trooper.

The latter is given as the reason they call her "Sweet Marie," a name the police handed her. She's 26, has been an expert saleswoman, ranging from delicassen [sic] to laces. Lately her salesmanship has been that of the street corner, with the anarchist magazine, Mother Earth as the wares. 

Sweet Marie is a member of the "Red Angels," anarchist group that has been the "flying squad" in many a radical gathering. Every member is put down in the policeman's mind as a "dangerous girl."

Miss Gans, first a "private" in the ran[k]s, became a "corporal," displacing Becky Edelson; now she's the recognized leader among this particular group of adherents of Emma Goldman.

The neatest thing about her is her tongue, which is drilled in harangue and repartee. Anybody that starts an argument with Miss Gans has to dig for cover.

Her unkempt garments drape and conceal the figure of a cloak model; for Sweet Marie believes no longer in milady's toilette.

Her eyes are blue and her teeth are perfect; she has the complexion of a rural belle, and her laughter ripples like the waves of the Danube beside which she was born. You'd take her for Irish, but she really is an Austrian Jew.

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.