Thursday, August 18, 2016

Today -100: August 18, 1916: Don’t be disturbed. We will not declare war over this


Facing stonewalling from railroad company managers, Pres. Wilson tells their bosses, the company presidents, to show up at the White House. The companies are making a big deal about supporting arbitration as a matter of principle (meaning they really don’t like strikes).

A customs officer in Honolulu beats up an Asian man, thinking he is Japanese, as was the custom. He turns out (the Asian man, not the customs officer) to be Prince Mahidol of Siam. Brother of the king (to be fair, the King of Siam had 32 brothers) (and 44 sisters). The prince reassures us, “But don’t be disturbed. We will not declare war over this.”

Mexico decrees that foreign individuals and companies who want to buy public lands, water rights, timber rights, etc., must renounce the protection of their home governments and have only the same rights and privileges in Mexico as Mexicans. The US will respond that an American citizen can’t renounce his treaty rights or the “protection” of the US government.


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