Saturday, March 30, 2013

Today -100: March 30, 1913: Of riddles, dirigibles, governors overboard, segregation and more riddles


Headline of the Day -100: “Mayor Riddle Arrested.” The Riddler became the mayor of Gotham City and... Actually the mayor of Atlantic City, pinched for procuring false testimony. The prequel to Boardwalk Empire, I guess.

The German Navy plans its own fleet of aircraft, in addition to the army’s fleet of aircraft, because everyone wants their own fleet of aircraft. They plan to spend $12½ million over five years (1914-18), mostly on dirigibles.

Huerta’s forces seize the governor of Sinaloa, put him on a ship to send him for trial in Mexico City, whereupon he “falls overboard,” as was the custom.

The LAT reports an alleged plot to divide Mexico, with the northern states joining the United States.

There has been some discussion recently of “segregation” in various legislatures (California, NY, Colorado) and in the letter pages of the Times. “Segregation” here meaning forcing prostitutes into red-light districts. One such measure just failed in the Colorado Legislature. The NYT explains how it happened:
Mrs. Agnes Riddle [the first Republican woman CO state senator, elected 1911] attacked it on the ground that “fallen men should be segregated the same as fallen women.”

Representative Biles announced his willingness to insert a section providing for her suggestion.

“But there would be no men left,” objected Mrs. Riddle. [She may actually have said that there would be no men left IN THE LEGISLATURE, but I’m not sure how trustworthy my info is]

The House burst into laughter, which lasted ten minutes. Just before the roll call on the bill, Mrs. Riddle arose and said:

“Let him among you who is without sin cast the first vote.”

No one voted.

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