Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-02-23
FOOD RIOTERS
IN NEW YORK
Women Carrying Babies Cry ''We
Want Bread"
MAYOR is ASKED TO HELP
City Authorities Renew Efforts to
Curb Rising Cost of Food--Rep.
London Says Problem Will
Force Extra Session.

Ghetto and the East side tenement
there swarned hundreds of women
screaming I'VE are starved, we want
bread" They swooped down upon
the city hall, where rioting and scenes
of disorder followed
Thousands of women of the tene-
ment district fell into the line, led by
Sweet Marie" Cans In long line
they came, old women, hobbling and
stumbling, shawl-wrapped heads and
young mothers, holding aloft pale and
wan babes Their screams rent the
air as traffic officers attempted to
break up the parade of protest.
Their numbers had dwindled by the
time they reached the city han and
began loud cries of hunger Plaintive
walls from crying babes, and the
shrieks of enraged women, Ike an
echo of the peasant revolutions of
Europe, all added to the intense ex-
citement. Demands for Mayor Mitch
el failed to bring out the chief execu-
tive, but instead there came mounted
policemen.
Cry I'VE Want Bread"
A line of police was formed about
the city hall and stormed by the
screeching women. many of them hold
ing babies aloft and crying out:
You see them. they are starving!
We wt.nt breadw
Lieut. William Kennel, the mayors
aide, finally appeared at the doors of
the city hall. The sight of the uni
formed aide was the signal for a new
outburst from the mob. Finally ii
Quoted sufficiently for Kennel to an
nOunce the mayor would receive a del
egatiou of four of the women. There
were immediate cries for Marie, Ma
rie, Sweet Marie"
A little woman made her way up the
city hall steps and there were loud
cheers for Marie" Sweet Marie"
Cans, the first delegate to the mayor
She chose for her associates. Mrs Ida
Harris, president of the Mothers Vigi-
lance league of the East side; Mrs.
Tillie J. Plosky and Mrs. Annie Walk
err, both leaders in the tenement dis
tricts.
Once in the corridors ofvthe city hall
the delegation found they had been
deceived. Mayor Mitchell was not in
his Office and ii was announced he
might not be in all day.
Rushing out to the city hall steps
Marie Cans told the crowd they had
been betrayed and haranguing her fol-
lowers, she succeeded in starting anew
the sCreeching and yelling Suddenly
she was seized from behind by four
husky policemen and dragged into the
building where she was detained and
then arrested for dis0rderly conduct.
The city authorities renewed their
efforts to curb the rising cost of food.
which was responsible for riots in
three different places In the tene-
ment districts.
The situation resulted from an unpre-
cedented jump in the price of staples,
particularly potatoes and onions, vari-
ously ascrihed to short crops, heavy
demand. speculation and railway con-
gestion.
Price Boost Causes Riots.
The Indignation of housewives in
the lower East side of Manhattan and
the Williamsburg and Brownsville dis
tricts of Brooklyn overfiowed when
the produce peddlers quoted potatoes
from 8 to Z cents a pound. The po-
lice estimated that at least 1000 wom-
en- took part in the riot in Browns
vile. Push carts We're overturned and
set afire and vegetables were doused
with kerosene Oil. There were sim
liar scenes elsewhere. and the police
had their hands full dispensing the
angry women.
Congress to Deal With Problem.
Washington. Feb. 21.-Food short
age will force an extra session of
congress. Representative London of
New York. Socialist. predicted.
II object to the term riot as APP
piled TO the protest OF the people of
New York against the high price of
food" London said. "They are not
riots. They are cries of agony for
food. l have been wondering how it
is possible Tor the poor to live during
these tires"