Today -100: March 5, 1915: Englishmen do not think it necessary to put up the shutters whenever they are engaged in war

As Italy removes its troops from the interior of Libya just in case it needs them... someplace else... the natives begin a revolt.

Woodrow Wilson signs a Congressional resolution giving the president powers to enforce the neutrality laws against exports of munitions to belligerent countries, but not the absolute power to do so (I don’t understand the distinction, to be honest), which Wilson objected to as giving him too much power, if you can wrap your head around the idea of a president ever thinking such a thing.

The London Times suggested that horse racing be shut down for the duration. Lord Rosebery writes in to disagree: “You say that our Allies ‘cannot understand how Englishmen can go to race meetings when their country is engaged in a life and death struggle.’ With all submission I think our Allies understand us better than this. They know that Englishmen do not think it necessary to put up the shutters whenever they are engaged in war.” Rosebery is worried that thoroughbred lines would disappear, as it’s too expensive to keep them around “for the mere pleasure of looking at them in the stable.” The Epsom and Ascot races were held during the Crimean and Napoleonic wars, he points out.

Headline of the Day -100:  “Russian Amazons Capture Soldiers.” Actually peasant women who hadn’t evacuated the war zone.

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