The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-26
HUGE TKR0NGS |
BOIL OVER; COPS
BARRIER FUTILE
Tremendous Human Mass
Swarms Into Street, Halts
Marching Heroes.
POLICE HORSES STUMPED
Every Window Frames Human
Forms; Trees Groan Under
Weight Of Boys.
POLICE HORSES sTUMPED

To say that New York overdid n self
In the welcome of the beloved Twep ty-
seventh is no mere figure OF speech. 1rhe
crowds. greatest in the memory OF the
most grizzled Of police officers. broke 1 he
police lines from Twentieth to Thirt "
eighth street. from Forty-third to Forty
sixth and between 6eventy-seventh and
eeventy-ninth streets. They surged otIt
into the roadway until there was barely
roou, for a squad OF four to pass.
As result the movement of the pa.
rade was seriously delayed. The effec-
tive platoon front close order formation
was broken up. and though after passing
these human walled bottle necks platoon
front was again resumed the orderly in
tervals of the parade were spoiled.
To begin with there were not enough
policemen in the sections where the break
came. The hundreds OF men Who were
there were helpless before the solid hui
man tidal waves Had II not been for
the aid they impressed into service from
every man In uniform. soldier, sailor.
Canadians. British. French. and had II
not been for some cool headed persons In
the crowd itself, who linked elbows and
helped, Fifth avenue at the points named
might never have been cleared. As 1t
was the breaking of the lines cost the
life OF one police captain. the serious In
jury OF a patrolman and minor injuries
without number to persons In the crowd.
It strewed the pavement of Fifth avenue
with parts of womens hats and thou
sands OF big buttons Off women's coats.
II kept ambulances busy at every point
where they could be got near the persons
crushed. uampled and fainting
Police Kept Temper.
Women and children were of course
the chief sufferers. They formed the
front ranks OF the crowd. In the main
the police kept their temper and though
they had to put their shoulders and
backs against that front rank and heave
like piano movers, most OF them were
as careful as possible of the small and
the feeble. There were exceptions, how
ever: At several points in the melee
policemen handled women with roughness
amounting to brutality. In many in
stances the trouble was distinctly the
fault OF the police. The crowd resented
rough tactics and refused to move
Elsewhere sergeants, lieutenants and
captains got to the real persons re-
sponsible for the pushing-those behind
and induced them to move back.
But at other points this was impos-
sible. The human pressure filled every
nook ana Granny DttW tle blueWdlS
and the front lines. Those in front were
forced irresistably forward by the ever
increasing numbers that sneaked from
the side streets into the rear of the
crowd on the avenue as each succeeding
bulge OF the front line gave them an
. opportunity to do so.
At many points even police horses
veterans of the service who have nosed
and shouldered and buttocked crowds for
al t. AL g.. 49, Al Al.
impossible. Automobiles were called
into service then. The long double line
OF motor cars carrying wounded men
were spread as far as possible toward
each curb But there Is something a
little too definite about nudging a man
with sixty horse power machine, some-
thing a little bit sickening about the
same trick when applied TO women and
children. and for the most part the ma
chimes were useless in moving back the
throngs.
Cars Used to Herd Crowds.
cars. members OF the Red Cross or of
the Women's Motor Corps. were seen
to set their teeth grimly and try to
swing the steering wheel over to nose
their big motors into the human hedge.
the while red necked cop on the run
ming board beloved a warning fiercer
than the notes OF the motor cars electric
horn.
It was useless Where the whole
heartedly applied Drawn OF the police
men themselves could not move a crowd
that had no place to move TO a threat
of crushed feet or bruised shins brought
only frightened and hysterical appeals
for help.
Just before the head of the parade ar
rived at Thirtieth street this congestion
OF automobiles threatened TO tie up the
whole procession. Lieut. Col. J. Leslie
Kincaid OF Gen. Organs stan after n
Anal scouting trip over the route of
march was trying TO get back TO his
chief, riding in a high powered road
ster, when he met the line OF cars carry
ing the wounded. So great was the jam
that II was absolutely impossible for the
police TO clear space in which three
cars abreast could stand. and the cars
containing the wounded had to be
SIX med GGst ths- siam car T.; 49, Re G's
Col. Kincaid finally got through and
gave the orders which put the marching
men in columns OF squads.
All Of this milling and hauling in the
lower streets put the crowd In bad
humor. There was little or no cheering
after the first of the regiments went by,
except for the greetings yelled to mon
a VINO WtIo from Ine Sidewalk.
The crowd manifested its testiness when
the battalion commanders, finally freed
OF the congestion near Fiftieth street, en-
deaNored to resume their formation. To
do so double time was necessary. Hardly
had the first outfit broken into a run
when yell of protest came from the
crowds. Women's voices predominated
walk your men! 20 they Yelled
Don't do IT! Rotten! Rotten /" came
their cries.
Boys Enjoyed Running.
This was sympathy entirely wasted
OF the lads who had trotted over half Of
northern France. They seemed to relish
the little break into a dogtrot after their
two miles OF steady ploddlng, and wher-
ever Il double time order was given
throughout the parade the men went to
not like was the endless marking time,
the endless hating and quick moving on
again that occurred at the points below
the congested area.
The first real break In the police lines
occurred at Madison Square. just before
the head Of the parade reached Twenty
third street. 1t was so serious, the
crowd fought SO hard and the weight OF
human flesh in the wide open spaces
there was so terrific that the head OF the
column was delayed over a half hour
until even little passageway could he
cleared. As II was almost the entire
effect OF the Court of Honor and the
Victory Arch was spoiled for the march
era. The Altar of IJhartv u,t,I a..