The sun., 1916-12-12
ESQ BEG MAYOR TO
CUT COST OF LIVING
Men and Women With Pale
Faced Babies in Their Arms
Visit City Hall.
SAY: FEED AMERICA FIRST
Socialist Spokesman Urges
Seizure Of All Food Held
by Spectators.

A delegation of $50 men and women
many Of the women carrying thin. pale
faced babies in their arms-appealed to
Mayor Mitchell yesterday at City Hall to
DO something to lower the cost OF LIVING.
Feed America irst'' was the slogan Of
ZONE Of the speakers. while Mrs. Theresa
s. Malkiel. president Of the Mothers Asso-
citation Of Public School 40. said that
because Of the exorbitant food prices
thousands OF poor people in the city are
In desperate straits.
The mothers Of this city cannot con-
tinue to bear children. they cannot guar
antee a healthy race of offspring. unless
something Is done to keep them properly
fed" she exclaimed earnestly.
Mayor Mitchell told the delegation that
Il was up TO the State and Federal
governments to take drastic action in
the present situation. The city govern
ment, he said. could do little. but what
ever can be done surely will be done. he
said. He added that at the conference
IN this city next Friday OF New York
State Mayors he would offer . number
OF suggestions which II adopted may
cause a reduction In o prices.
Socialist lead Delegation.
The delegation was headed by Henry
L. Siobodln. State chairman OF the So
cialist party: Joseph y. Cannon OF the
Western Federation Of Miners, Joseph
the Twenty-irst district, and Mrs. Mall
kiel.
Chairman Slobodtn presented TO the
Mayor a petition containing a list OF de-
mands which he asserted must be put
into force to bring down the cost OF
food. They included the following:
Seize all ~foodstufs and coal held
by Spectators In the city.
Establish city markets to sell neces-
stiles of life at cost.
City to obtain coal mines. dairy
farms and cattle ranches TO supply
the needs of the citizens.
City operated bakeries. butcher
shops. milk and egg depou.
City owned terminal mArketA
City TO buy direct from farmers and
sell In its own shops.
Luncheons for school children
City to demand that Federal and
State governments lower freight rates.
Prosecution OF food pirates and
famine manufacturers
Embargo On Feed Demanded.
Joseph d. Cannon declared h a the
United States should put an embargo on
f~oodstuffa
I'VE ask an embargo on food hs
stated. MOT . complete embargo. ou'
one that will guarantee that America
will be FED nrst.' What good does II dc
us TO read that American ships are en-
tering every port loaded to the waters
edge with American exports II We have
not enough at homer Let us keep wha'
We need and let the rest go abroad
Place humanity nrst. Mr.. Mayor. not thu
dollar"
Mrs. Malkiel. whose declaration thai
thousands OF children and mothers are
underfed in the city was strikinsly cor
roborsted by the p!nched faces OF TN
women and children present. made a
long plea for he women.
Mr.. Mayor" abe said. I'VE women arr
always placed last on these occasions
Do you realize why these housewife
and mothers are here to-day? II 10 be
cause the burden they are carrying II
too heavy. Really. Mr.. Mayor. the CT,
OF the children for bread 10 growing
louder. Have you ever heard the cry o'
children for food? ] would hope that NJ
one might hear II. but these wonen hea,
IL, and they hear II growing louder
every day.
The price OF food and coal has Gon,
up beyond our reach. l know OF a cas-,
where a family has been forced to sent
one of the children TO the butcher shot
for 10 cents worth Of cat meat, n TIT
cat meat. IL eaten by the family"
Assembiyman-elect w~h!tehorn warne<
the Mayor that unless conditions wer,
h.AaA arA rnAa s,Nts v1,,t<
result.
"Laborers are working day aftel
day he said. but they are not able I,
earn enough to purchase what food Il
required for their families. And let IN
tell you. Mr.. Mayor. that men are no
going to sit quiet while their wives an,
children starve to death"
The Mayor. in closing the audiences
expressed deep sympathy for the poo
and promised 70 continue doing all II
his power 10 remedy conditions.