New-York tribune., 1919-04-02
New Breadlille.
800 Men Long.
Forms In City
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in the crowd. Service buttons and in
signals adorned the frayed coats of
some, while badges such as is worn by
employees of munition plants and ship
yards appeared against background
of thin, stained cloth.
There was no crowding, no splitting,
reached at o'clock The air was close
and stufy.
Then Mr. Ledoux made an alarming
discovery. There was not enough
bread for all. He mounted a table and
announced this, ending up with an ap-
peal for contributions. A cup was
passed through the crowd and into it
clattcrcd-pennies. Some gave one,
some two cents, but most Of them
gave nothing they couldn't.
Mr.. Ledoux counted the rcccipts-o7
cents.
Kitchen Force Contribute
To this four dollars was added by
the illustrious kitchen personnel,
enough for bread, and, as MIR. Ledoux
announced in a frenzy of cheering, for
soup and bread tomorrow noontime.
There is no rich foundation or organi-
zation behind this greatest "recon-
struction" brcadline. Mr.. Ledoux and
his friends give everything.
The bread was piled high and the
coffee poured into the tin cups. The
line was ready to pass before the
counter for supper when Mr. Ledoux
took the statistics he hopes will bring
out the need of speedy economic recon
StructlOn.
"How many men were engaged in
war work." he asked. Two hundred
hands, most of them calloused, were
raised.
"How many were soldiers?" was his
next query. Twentyfour hands went
up and voice from the crowd shout
ed, "Ive been a sailor"
Long Out of Employment
"How many have been out of en-
ployment for more than one week 2"
The room resembled a forest of arms
221 being lifted. More than 1870 said
that they have been jobless for over a
fortnight, while 1925, so per cent of the
gathering, sgnfed that they had
walked the streets for one month.
Mr.. LcdouX called for a show of
hands from the skilled mechanics, and
40 carpenters, electricians, bricklay
ers and others responded. A census on
the number who had partaken of the
monday meal at al Bowcry brought up
fifteen hands.
"What is the trouble? Why can't
you get work." Mr.. Ledoux asked. The
replies came tumbling up from the as
semblage, with criticisms of the United
States Employment Service predominant
ing.
"The last office on the East Side
with newly bandaged cut on his head,
sustained when he "got kind of weak
and hungry like and fell down the stairs
of a place that didn't have no jobs"
Another said he had waited for six
hours in the main office of the En-
ploymcnt Service on East Twenty
second without being sent to
single establishment. The private
employment agencies were hoarsely
accused of profiteering.
Demand Pay for Job
"Thcy told me at one place." said
a middleaged, well-spoken, typical
American. that they could get me a
job running steam roller. am q
beyond words and started for the door
The man in charge called me- back and
asked for $4.55, the ageucy's fee, and
me with 3 cents in my pocket. | swOrc
that ] would pay him out of my first
earnings, but he wouldn't listen"
Almost one hundred other men in the
room shouted out similar indictments
of private agencies. Mr.. Lcdoux de-
scended from the table and the line
moved past the service counter. There
was no pushing or crowding Those
who were at the foot of the line were
content to watch the others eat until
their turn came. A dozen volunteered
to collect the cups after their COM
panions had dined.
One of the first to finish was a
slender young man. q discharged artl-
leryman still in uniform. He seated
himself at an ancient piano at the side
of the room and, as the line marched,
he played, softly at first and then,
gaining confidence, broke out into an
inspiring march. Coffee and bread had
shown their power to light UP faces,
but the proverbial charm of music was
shown in countenances that fairly
tossed off their care.
Spend the Night There
After the meal the men seated them
selves about the room. Mr. Ledoux an
nounced that they could spend the
night there. sleeping on the benches
and under them, on the piano, the
counter, in the coal bln-anywhere In
the morning, he said, he would have a
dozen papers read for advertisements
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| coffee and bread breakfast.