davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22

Three committees Of East side
women interviewed Mayor Mitchell yes
terday noon and begged, wept and
threatened in an effort TO get him 10
take action sgainst the high price oil
food in New York City.
They returned TO the hundreds OF
their sisters who waited in City Hall
Park for the outcome of the interview
disheartened. for Mr.. Mitchell told them
kindly but firmly that the regulation
of the cost of provisions was matter
for the state to deal with-not the city
Meanwhile another band of East Side
mothers, united under the name OF
"The Mothers Anti-High Cost League,
forwarded an appeal to the Speaker
of the House of Representatives and
the Chairman Of the Ways and Means
Committee at Washington, begging
Congress to authorize the Interstate
Commerce Commission to give food
precedence over all other freight on
the railways.
A third and less formal protest
against the present economic pressure
occurred on Belmont Avenue, Brook
lyn. when a mob of two hundred
women attacked a line Of pedlers'
wagons, overturned vegetables, fruits
and pickles, and pelted their owners
with their own high-priced wares. 70
licemen who tried TO scatter the mop
were also bombarded, and four women
arrested.
Beg for Food
The pleas of three committees of
weeping East Side women, mostly
mothers, who asked for million dollar
appropriation to relieve the present
food situation, led the Mayor to prom
Use that the Board of Estimate would
look into the matter tomorrow, to de-
terminc whether the city government
may legally take up the purchase Of
focG direct from the farmers. He could
cffer them little hope that 1t would be
possible, he said.
When the women of the committee
cried out against even days delay, in
YiGGish, in Italian, and broken English,
the Mayor said that he would order a
Beard of Health investigation of East
Side conditions at once, as well as by
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
FIVE VEGETABLES
UNDER BOYCOTT
Two Inquiries Begun by
City Departments at
Request of Mayor

The five fresh vegetables that have
risen most rapidly in price-potatoes,
cabbage, onions, spinach and kale-are
now under boycott by hundreds OF mer-
chants throughout New York City, in
spectors Of the Department of Weights
and Measures reported yesterday to
Commissioner Joseph IIartigan.
So far as could be learned, there has
been no specific agreement among deal
ers to boycott these foods. The action,
rather, has been more automatic than
premeditated. So greatly has the de-
mand for the foods decreased since the
prices became unreasonable, Commits
sioner Hartigan's men report, that deal
ers find it Improbable even to handle
them in small quantities, and are omit
ting them from their stocks.
To the many other sky-rocketing
prices must now be added that OF
few days, il was learned yesterday. the
wholesale price of tea has advanced 10
cents the pound and coffee 3 cents the
pound.
Thus far the advance has not been
fen in the retail trade. Commissioner
Hartigan predicted that within q week
the advances would begin to affect the
consumer.
The retail price of sugar advanced
one half cent a pound yesterday.
Most of the larger stores have been
selling it at 81. cents the pound for
several weeks; yesterday they asked
9 cents. In many stores. Commissioner
HaEigan's investigators discovered, a
rub has gone into effect under which
no customer could purchaJe more than
FIVE pounds of graduated sugar at a
time.
Only beef, it is evident from a study
of comparative price lists issued yes
terday, is retaining anything like a
normal price in the food crisis. The
best native steers were selling yes
terday wholesale at SIS per hundred
pounds, and the lower grade stock
as cheaply as $l1.50 per hundred
pounds. These prices are actually
lower than those prevailing in February
two years ago.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
Brownsville Women Attack
Patrolman, Wrecking Carts

Two hundred Brownsville women,
shouting and shaking their fists,
marched up Belmont Avenue yesterday,
spied a pushcart with load of pickles
and overturned the contents into the
gutter. In few moments more than
two dozen other pushcarts on Belmont
Avenue and Thatford Street were over
turned and food was rolling in the
mud-soaked streets. Picking up arm
fuls Of vegetables and fruits, the
women began pelting the erouching
pedlers.
The women next turned their atten-
ton to Patrolmsn Carl Nuremberg, who
was attempting TO quell. the uprising.
Raining blows on his face and body,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
East Side Mothers Forward
Price Protests to Wilson

A protest against the cost of living
was sent to President Wilson and Con-
gress yesterday by the newly organized
Mothers Anti-High Price League. or
gained on the East Side.
The Ways and Means Committee of
Congress was requested to reincorpo-
rate in the civil sundry bill the pro-
vision calling for an appropriation of
100000 to investigate the causes OF
the present high prices of food, TO APP
point a commission and to authorize an
appropriation providing for the esta0-
lishment in all cities Of markets where
food could be sold at cost.
In a separate communication Presl-
dent Wilson was asked to insist that
these suggestions be put into effect.
The appeals were signed by Mrs. Jacob
Panken, the chairman Of the league.
Headquarters Opened Here
Headquarters have been opened IN
the Forward Building, 175 East Broad
way. The leaders of the league met
there late yesterday. appointed an ex-
ecutive committee, consisting of Mrs.
Panken, Mrs. Hannah Pastor. Mrs. Bella
alderman and Abraham Plotkln, and
made arrangements for a city-wide
fight in behalf Of hungry women and
children.
Open air protest meetings will be
held to-day in The Bronx and Harlem
but the great demonstration will take
place Saturday morning and afternoon
An estimate Of the number of partic'
ipants is placed as high as 100000.
at will not be an organized parade
said Mrs. Panken. There will be no
leaders. II will be q spontaneous
demonstration, like the demonstrations
at City Hail."
According TO present plans the
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22

the crowd had soon Invested the police
man Of his hat and coat. With assist
ance Nuremberg managed to arrest -four
women, who gave their names and ad-
dresses as Mrs. Fannie Scheffer, OF 1910
East New York Avenue; Mrs. Lillian
Crawitz, Of 447 Rockaway Avenue;
Mrs. Rebecca Reimer, of 400 Livonis
Avenue, and Mrs. Mollie Seckofsky, OF
571 Blake Avenue.
The mob stormed the doors Of the
Brownsville station, and 1t was found
necessary to lock them. The four pris-
oners we're arraigned before Magls'
trate Manner, in the New Jersey Ave
nue. police court, on charges Of dis
orderly conduct.
The disturbance in Brownsville was
the only serious one of the entire day
throughout greater New York. Few OF
the pedlers. If any, ventured into the
usual pushcart lanes Of The Bronx
Harlem. Williamsburg and the East
Side. Such peders as were to be seen
carried line Of goods far different
than their general merchandise.
think bad of u.s." said Morris Wisofsky
Of 1863 Madison Avenue, who generally
employs three or four men in the Park
Avenue district. "The prices arc high
for us and high for them. We must
make a small profit, and you can be,
lievc me when ! tell you IL is so small
that We can hardly squeeze out liv'
ing"
An attempt 10 overturn three or -four
pushcarts In Delaney Street yesterday
was checked by grsy-besrded patri'
arch, who stopped the women.
Let them be-" he said. What have
you against these men? II is not their
fault that prices are high"
In Williamsburg hundreds Of Jewish
women gathered, AZ on the previous
day, on the street corners. A canvass
Of twelve grocery stores in that district
revealed the fact that not one OF the
proprietors had ordered onions or po'
tatoes.
"Eat an onion or a potato with prices
80 highl" shouted little old woman
with shawl about her head. 81 would
rather that my children starved"
Moses Pertez. Of South Fourth Street
and Havemeyer Avenue, was the only
one seriously hurt by tire women Of the
Williamsburg section yesterday. VerJ
few psdlers inhabited the streets. None
% these parties carried any sreengro-
erricB.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
RELIEF FUND SENT TO PARIS
Mrs. whitney Warren RENTS 100000
Francs Through Clearing House

Mrs. Whitney Warren, treasurer OF
the Secours National Fund for the Re-
lief of French Women and Children,
with headquarters at Is East Forty
seventh Street, has RENTED draft
for 10000 francs through the Ameri-
can Relief Clearing House in Paris TO
be used in relief work in various parts
of France.
Sums Of 10000 francs each will be
turned over to the Bishop of Scissors
for relief work in his diocese; TO Car
dinal Lucon, of Rheims, TO alleviate
suffering in that city; to Bishop Ian
drieux, Of Dion, for distribution
among refugees; and TO a general fund
for widows and orphans of soldiers.
Sixty thousand francs will be used TO
aid wounded end crippled soldiers and
an equal sum devoted TO general
charitable work in the invaded prov
inces. A special sum Of $4,000 francs
will be turned over to Mrs. Edward
Post, who has charge of the work Of
caring for 10000 tubercular patients
in Brittany.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22

women will begin modelling at noon,
at Rutgers Square and Hamilton Fish
Park on the lower East Side; on Eighth
Avenue. somewhere between Thirtieth
and Fortieth Streets; at 10th Street
and Fifth Avenue, Harlem; and at
points in The Bronx.
At all these they will first listen to
speakers. and then, it is said, march
to Madison Square and Union Square
for the big demonstrations. There the
women will be informed of the sue
cess of a committee of twenty-five
which will appear before the Board OF
Estimate tomorrow and urge the APP
preparation of Sl,000,000 for establish
ing cost price food markets.
Pushcart Men Call
A delegation representing thirty-four
East Side pushcart men called at league
Headquarters yesterday afternoon Ia
ask for protection in disposing of thei,
present stock of potatoes and onions
which will be a dead loss unless they
are promptly disposed of. They SAID
thew would sell their wares at cost If
they had protection, and offered to CO.
operate even to boycotting wholesale
food dealers.
we told them that it was nice of
them to offer their potatoes and onions
at cost" Said Mrs. Panken, but we told
them that we were not empowered to
do anything for them in the way o.
Offering protection"
The pushcart men left in a gesticu'
lating group, having decided. it was
said, to offer their stocks at cost price
anyway.
Open air protest meetings in the
Bronx will be held this afternoon in
Bathgate Avenue and Hath Street
Washington Avenue, near Claremont
Parkway; Washington Avenue, near
159th Street. and Brooks Avenue, near
10th Street.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
$4,000 FOOD RIOT
PLOT IS CHARGED
German Agents Instigated
Recent Disturbances,
City Official Hears

Agents of the German government,
at a cost of $4,000, instigated and
carefully engineered all the food riots
that have occurred in New York City
in the last three days, according to
report which reached city official late
last night.
By continued rioting, this rumor has
it, the German agents hoped 70 focus
the attention of the great mass Of
American people upon the high food
prices and 10 incite them 10 demand
rigid food embargo. Such A measure
would greatly inlure the Allies, espe-
cially England.
A German-American bank is said to
have been the depository of the riot
fund. High Central Powers officials
in this country are said TO have d.
rected the expenditure Of the fund and
six men are alleged to have acted as
paymasters.
Two women are declared to have
found it greatly to their profit TO take
a major part in the food riots One
was a conspicuous figure in the throng
of frenzied women that surged down
upon City Hall from the East Side
day before yesterday. The other, It Is
charged. overturned the first pusheart
in one Of Tuesday mornings riots.
According to this rumor, the s2OOoV
which financed the riots was deposited
less than a fortnight ago. 1t was
brought in cash by a German agent,
said to have been acting at the diree'
ton of high Central Power diplomatic
officials. who were working in conjune'
ton with two officials of a German
steamship line which has many vessels
informed here.
An East Side dentist. it is asserted,
was made the chief paymaster. With
him are associated five sub-paymasters.
To these six men the bank is alleged
to have turned over the entire $4,000
riot fund. No checks were used. Every
transaction was on q strictly cash
basis. and payment was literally made
in advance, it is alleged.
One of the women, who was leader
OF the mob that stormed City Hall Park
on Tuesday, received $4,000 for her
work, the report which reached the Of,
fetal said. Similar amounts were PAID
other women rioters. strategically post
ed throughout the city, for setting the
avalanche of disorder dpder way, II is
asserted.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
Federal Attorney in Bos-
ton Will Start Plot
Hunt on Tuesday
WANTS GOVERNMENT
TO HOLD CONTROL
Women Lose Attempt to
See Massachusetts Gov
ernOr in Protest

Boston, Feb. 21.-The jump in food
prices will be the subject of special in
vestigation by the Federal Grand Jury,
United States Attorney George ". An
derson announced tonight. The in
quiry, which will begin Tuesday, he
said, would be directed to determine
show far, if at all, these marked in
creases are due to acts obnoxious to
the Federal antitrust laws. The Fed
eral government purposes using Its fuii
power to prevent extortion."
at should not be overlooked that
many of these recent high prices are
not improbably due TO local intrastate
combinations. With these, state, coun-
ty and city authorities, and not the
Federal government, must deal" ne
Continued.
Sees Main Causes
aft may be worth while to call atten-
ton that under existing law, state or
national, some of the main causes for
high prices are:
1.-THE imitation of money due TO in
creased gold supply-the increase OF
money alone accounts for the money
cost of living being double what 1t was
twenty years ago-the great European
war; ali the main food crops for 1915
except rice, were somewhat below the
average; the incredible waste and in
efficiency of American industrial and
domestic life, and inadequacy, inefii-
cheney and lack of coordination or our
transportation system.
these do not account for the panic,
runaway prices Of the last few days,
which are undoubtedly due partly TO
newspaper clamor, partly TO panic ana
partly to schemes of eXtortlon whlch
ought to be punishable by law"
Government control of the country's
food supplies was recommended to-day
bv Governor Mccall, after two delega-
tions of women had called in an at
tempt to see him regarding food con-
dltions.
Ground for Interference
"If there is ground for interference
in England and upon the Continent,
he said, "there is certainly as much
ground for interference in the United
States and for action in defence OF oui
people, many of whom are threatened
with starvation"
The State Cost of Living Commits
sion. in a report to Governor Mccall
to-day. recommended increased produc'
ton, the popular use of FISH and MILF
instead Of more expensive foods, and
more general system of food distribu'
ton by trolley lines throughout the
state.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22

Purchasers asking TO buy potatoes
or onions we're viewed with suspicion
bordering on open hostility. we won't
sell potatoes or onions" they were
told. Dealers gave as a reason the
strike of housewives against the ex-
orbitant price asked for both prod
ucts, and said that if they were to
sell them, onions would cost 10 cents
and potatoes cents a pound
Other products IN common use
brought: Flour, 80 cents, 31s pounds;
sugar, cents pound; rice (poorest
grade), d cents pound; barley, 7
cents a pound; lima beans (dried), IL
cents a pound; yellow split peas, 9
cents pound; carrots. cents a
pound; soup greens, Is cents a pound !;
tea, 80 cents pound, and coffee, %
cents n pound.
Butter was sold at 48 cents pound;
cheese (Amerlcan), 81 cents pound !;
rye bread (one-pound Loaf, ~ cents;
milk quartz cents; behring's, 4
cents; founder (frost). 8 cents a
pound; carp (fresh), 20 cents a pound;
smoked salmon, % cents pound; soup
meat. IL cents "a pound: steak, 90 cents
n pound, and breast of beef, % cents a
pound.
Eggs were described by dealers as
being of two kinds, cook eggs, 60
cents n dozen, and "usiks." ~ cents a
dozen. The former are fresh, while
"uslks' arc not so particular.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
SOCIALISTS AID
RIOTS OF WOMEN
Leaders Mingle Appeals
for Votes with Denuncia-
ton of High Prices

Back of the food riots among the
Jewish women of greater New YORK
have been prominent men and women
Socialists and l. w. w. leaders of the
city.
The meeting in Forwards Hall. 10
East Broadway, Tuesday night, when
10000 women attempted to get in. was
arranged by the Socialist leaders of the
Hebrew trade unions, Jacob Panken and
William Karlin. Street corner speak
ers capitalized the opportunity of de-
nouncing the high price of foodstufs
yesterday by appealing to the women to
urge their husbands to vote the Social
ist ticket at the next election.
Among those who are leading the
Jewish women in the present food crisis
are Mrs. Ida Harris, president of the
Mothers Vigilant League, a prominent
radical; Mrs. Hannah Pastor, mother
of Rose Pastor Stokes, the Socialist
lecturer; William Karlin, another
prominent Socialist; Mr.. and Mrs. Jacob
Panken, the former the most popular
Socialist leader in the East Side, and
Representative Meyer London, who, II
is reported. is advising the other lead
ers as to the best way to conduct the
campaign against the high cost OF Nv
ing.
Votes for Socialists Urged
Mrs. Eva 'Weissenbaum, of l20 South
First Street, who has appointed com.
mittee to visit the school principals OF
Williamsburg to enlist their aid, yes
terday said to her many audiences:
There is only one way in which TO
permanently dethrone the robbers who
take the bread from our mouths. Tell
your husbands to vote the Socialist
ticket. Remove the Congressman and
city officials who have promised you
better living conditions and have not
kept faith"
"The Forwards" the leading Jewish
organ of the Socialists and |. w. w
in the city, yesterday appeared with
the following headlines:
America has at last heard the cry
of the poor women. The entire press
Of the country is shrieking with the
cries of the housewives against the ter
rible prices now prevalent.
At Forwards Hall and New Plaza
Hall. at Havemeyer and South Third
streets, Williamsburg, the radical lead
ers yesterday opened headquarters for
conducting the campaign.
There Jacob Pankin issued state
ment, in which he said:
"The city administration cannot be
held entirely to account. But the city
can do something. There's plenty OF
food if you have the money to purchase
il. The city should and must appro.
pirate 81 ,000,0 70 buy foods to be sold
at. cost or below cost to the people.
"No family uses more than so cents
worth of potatoes a week. The million
dollars would buy potatoes for the
million families of the city for two
weeks. Thousands of women will dc
the work of selling for the city, II
need be.
81 have been assured that a large
part Of the Italian section of the lower
East Side will participate in Saturday.
outpouring. Members of the Mothers
Anti-High P,sce League, which has just
been organized, will wear buttons, and
it won't be long before these buttons
will be so universal as to show that the
entire populace of the city Is in pro-
test"
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
ARMS EMPLOYE FREED
IN $1,000 THEFT CASE
Former Excellent Record Wins Glenn
ency for Gillette, Yale Graduate

George Z. +. Gillette, Of New Haven
Conn. charged with having stolen
$1,000 from the Remington Arms
Union Metallic Cartridge Company
while in its employ, was released under
suspended sentence by Judge George -
Tenant in the Hudson County Cour,
Jersey City, yesterday. v,.
Gillette, who is a graduate OF fsie
and a former inspector Of the Cruelols
Steel Company's works at Harrison,
n. j.. where the Remington COMPANY
has been manufacturing nutritious
originally entered a plea Of not gullll,
but changed this week ago 10 no.
vult. According to the charge egains.
him, he carried men employed BY inc
Crucible Steel Company on the REM
ington payroll.
In setting him free Judge TennSn,
spoke of his former excellent recO.St
and the fact that the best Interests O.
his son would be served by his feleass'
He also said that the complainant con-.
pany had no wish to have hlm pun
ished further.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
"Come Out of the
KitCh en-" into the


world of brightness and
beauty. No need of spend
ing all your time in the
kitchen, however attrac-
tive It may be, when you
know Shredded Wheat. 1t
h made Of the whole wheat
and Is ready-cooked and
ready-to-eat. With Shred
ded Wheat you can prepare
q delicious, nourishing meal
In a few moments for hus-
band who must hurry off to
business, for children who
must hustle off to school-a
meal that supplies all the
nutriment for work or play
at a cost of a few cents.
For breakfast with milk or
cream, or for any meal with
fruits. Made at Niagara
Falls, N. Y.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
HUGE TANK C0LLAPSES
AT CITY FILTRATION PLANT
Rumors Of Dynamite Plot Follow Acct
dent at Springfield Works, Queens

An accident in the filtration plant OF
the Springfield Water Works, at Spring
field Avenue. Queens. gave rise to the
report last night that the structure
had been dynamited. Credence was
given to this when, after the blast, it
was discovered that the side of the
frame building next to the pumping
station had been blown away with such
force that foundation stones we're
hurled some distance.
Further investigation, however. dis
closed the fact that one of the six
$4,000 gallon tanks which the building
contained had collapsed OF its own
weight, and the onrushing water had
caused the damage.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
STATE INSTITUTIONS FEEL
INCREASED FOOD PRICES
s9I5,O5S Is Needed to Garry Them
Through TO July
IBy Telegraph to Tho Tribune. J

Albany, Feb. 2l.-The high cost of
living in the state institutions was
called responsible for about three
fourths Of the emergency deficiency
appropriation bill, totalling 1881 ,s0s,
introduced In the Legislature to-day.
Prisons, state hospitals and other
state charitable institutions need
s915,05S to carry them through TO July
because last years appropriations for
their maintenance, based on market
prices Of food, coal, clothing and other
supplies prevailing then, have been
swallowed up by the increases since
then.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
COAL FAMINE TIES UP
MOVEMENT OF POTATOES
5000, ZOO Bushels In One County OF
Mainc-Prices High

Bangor. Nc, Feb. 2i.-Millions Of
bushels of potatoes needed TO help re-
lieve the countrywide shortage are
threatened with a tie-up because the
Bangor & Aroostook Railroad is unable
10 obtain coal.
IL Ia estimated that there are 5,o00,-
900 bushels of potatoes in Aroostook
County. The demand for them is
heavy, at rcco.d prices. and At Caribou
1000 barrels were sold At 1915 "A
barrel to-day. At Fort Fairfield the
price ranged from $3.50 to $500 a
hAxSsl
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
STORAGE PLANTS GUARDED

Troy. n. Y, Feb. GA special detail
Of police is guarding two cold storage
plants in South Troy.
Persistent rumors have been heard
that the places were to be blown up by an
agent Of secret organization pledged
TO reduce The price OF foodstufs.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-22
East Side Dinner
For Five Now Costs
AT Least 81 Cents
Prospective Purchasers of Pota.
toes and Onions Are Viewed
with Suspicion

Foods for these dinner menus. for
five persons-such as are used by East
Side families-were purchased there
last night: