The sun., 1919-11-02
POLICE SCATTER
SOVIET PARADE
BY WOMEN HERE
Surround Sympathizers
With Russia at the Hotel
Commodore.
LEADER MAKES PROTEST
Followers Grow Faint Hearted,
However, at Display of
Authority.

Mounted police and a squad of re-
serves under Inspector Thomas Under
hill broke up an attempted parade of
women led by Miss Helen Todd, suf
frsgist and reformer, in front of the
Hotel Commodore yesterday afternoon,
presenting a show of force that fright
ened many of the women and sent
them scattering. Others stuck to Miss
Todd's side. resisting the orders of In
srector Underhill and stubbornly de-
clining to desist from the attempt
There were no arrests. but the cries
that rent the air against police domi-
nation were shrill and denunciatory.
The affair started when Miss Todd
bolted meeting of women in the Com
modore which had met to DISCUSS the
allied blockade OF Russia. There speak
ers who argued against lifting the
blockade on the ground that food sup
plies sent through intended to relieve
the suffering would be seized by the
Reds were hooted and hissed. Miss
Todd heI sell demanded action declared
that public sentiment must be aroused
and she was willing to take up the
task Of arousing it. She got so little
support that she withdrew Indignantly.
Women Ready to March.
When Miss Todd got to the lobby she
was greeted by a flutter of applause
from her cohorts. About seventy-five
women, beribboned and wearing muslin
signs lettered with demands for relief
Of starving Russian children, gathered
about for orders. Miss Todd led them
TO the street and was pairing them of
for grand march which was to have
led through Forty-second street to Fifth
avenue and thence uptown.
Then came the police. Inspector I'm
derhill stood on the curb surrounded by
half dozen special detectives. In the
offing was a squad of mounted police,
and reserves from the East Fifty-first
street station deployed strstegically
about the suddenly formed arena. Miss
Todd took the situation in at a glance.
Turning to her followers she exclaimed
dramatically:
THE police are here! Come on, you
American women, and show them you
are not afraid"
The challenge was taken up avidly by
some but the others were visibly faint
hearted, Several of the women turned
back into the hotel To the remainder
and 10 the police audience Miss Todd
raised protesting voice. She said she
had obtained permission a few days ago
from police lieutenant to hold the
parade, and was going on with it.
No Parade, Says Underhili.
"There'n be no parade to-day" said
Inspector Underhill grimly.
He waved his hand and the policemen
began TO close up. Several of the bellig-
erent followers of Miss Todd screamed
She was for moment the centre of a
very frightened throng. Then, under
the domination of her personality, the
women began TO spread out by twos
Those at the foremost tried to push
through the police lines. They made
only few steps. The police pushed
them back, none too gently.
This Is an outrage" exclaimed Miss
Todd
You can't block traffic. that's ali
there Is 70 it," said Inspector Underhill,
You might as well make up your mind
10 call ii off and go home"
The parley lasted several minutes.
while the crowd that had been attracted
ny the clash thickened by the thou
flnds Miss Todd said that the parade
was only TO be an orderly demonstra-
ton and that it had the sanction of such
women as Mrs. Harriet Stanton Blatch,
Vida Mllholland, Mrs, John Rogers and
MrE. William Hart
In the end the women gave II up.
Some OF them did stroll along Fifth ave-
nue. with their bright banners, and some
headed doTn Fifth avenue continuing TO
Washington Square. But there was nc
masSed parade. The reason for the
strong police Interference did not fully
appear. Inspector Underhill had evil
denty been prepared for trouble, II may
have been that the subject Soviet Rus
sia,' which was announced for discus
sion at the League of Free Nations
meeting in the Commodore, attracted his
attention.
Reports of the meeting had II that
group of radicals were present and
mad booed the name OF President Wilson
After Miss Todds withdrawal the meet
!nT petered out The League OF Free
Nations officers denied they had any.
hing 10 do with the parade that fol
Owed