Today -100: December 12, 1916: Of traitors, dark forces, offended Japanese, and controlled meat

Pierre Brizon, a socialist deputy in the French Parliament, tells it that France should not fight just so Russia can acquire Constantinople. Shouts of “Traitor” follow and accusations of being paid by Germany and Brizon throws a glass at some deputies. Which isn’t the most pacific act a pacifist could do.

The Russian Duma demands a new government responsible to it rather than to the czar, and a purging of “dark forces” such as pro-Germans, Rasputin and oh so many dark forces.

Germany levies a $10 million “tax” on Bucharest.

The Senate is again discussing a literacy requirement for immigrants (which Wilson promises to veto). It went behind closed doors “to prevent giving offense to Japan through anything that might be said in debate” because the Senate is just classy like that. James Vardaman (D-Mississippi) offers an amendment for the Supreme Court to be asked whether the 14th and 15th Amendments were properly adopted.

Dirty-Sounding Headline of the Day -100:

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