The justice commissioner, William Howley, tried to get around trouble by meeting with several members of the Committee. He wrote a letter to Puddester asking him to think about some of their demands. "I am inclined to agree with the contention that the present allowance is insufficient. It is barely enough to keep body and soul together," he wrote on 14 February.¹⁹

But the commissioner for health and welfare didn't like Howley's butting in. John Puddester rejected the Unemployed Committee's claims and demands.

On February 25 the Unemployed Committee advertised another parade. Joseph Milley had been a member of the Committee almost from the start. He was also Pierce Power's friend. Police reported seeing Milley parading up and down Water and Duckworth Streets at 3 p.m. He had a dog with him and two boys. The dog pulled a sleigh with a banner on it. "Remember your rights tomorrow; 50 percent increase in dole; quarter ton of coal every ten days and clothing allowance," it read. One of the boys rang a bell so people would notice the display.

The next day about 1,000 people arrived at the grounds. Many had refused to work for their dole until their demands were heard by the commissioner for health and welfare. Power led them in a parade to the Colonial Building. They were met by the police. The crowd shouted for Power to go into the building and ignore the constabulary. Power as usual took the legal route. He got permission and then sent in a committee to meet with the commissioner. Several days later they got their answer. Cabbage and turnips had been added to the dole orders. Nothing else had changed. But Power was now sure that protests could bring change. They needed to stick together. They needed to keep protesting and pressuring the commissioners.

"You have secured an increase in dole. Why?... Is it their charitableness? No. The reason you got this increase is because you organized and looked for it," he told a crowd of men and women at Beck's Cove on 8 March. ²⁰

Throughout the winter and into the spring the unemployed people of St. John's met outside in the cold. They listened to speeches and grew angry. Pierce Power was refused any work on the docks because of his protests. He and his Committee made plans.