Today -100: February 8, 1913: Of warships, rubber atrocities, dreadnoughts, and intermarriage

Pres. Taft sends warships to several parts of Central America, in the belief that there are plans for revolutions in every single country there (except Costa Rica), because of the election of Woodrow Wilson.

Pres. Taft sends a report to Congress on atrocities in the rubber industry in Peru (Indian debt slaves and just plain slaves are killed and mistreated, imagine that). The government of Peru promises to do better, sending troops and missionaries to the rubber-producing regions.

German’s secretary of the Navy, Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, owner of a rather amusing beard, signals an acceptance in theory of a ratio of 16:10 between British and German dreadnoughts, potentially ending the naval arms race of the last few years.

Washington State bans inter-racial marriages unless both people are American citizens (in other words, it’s aimed at stopping Japanese men from marrying white women).

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