Today -100: March 17, 1920: Of leaves, grave concerns, putsches, and blizzards

Gen. Leonard Wood gets a two-month leave of absence from the Army so he can campaign for president.

Republican senators come up with a compromise reservation to the Peace Treaty: if the “freedom and peace of Europe” is again threatened, “the United States will regard such a situation with grave concern, and will consider what, if any, action it will take”. Not sure you really need a formal treaty to promise to regard a situation with grave concern. Oh, and St Patrick’s Day is coming up, so there WILL be talk in the Senate about recognizing the Irish Republic. And maybe Korea. And Egypt.

The Kapp regime is reportedly bombarding Kiel, where there has been fighting. The Imperial Finance Minister, following Pres. Ebert’s orders, refuses to pay the troops acting for Kapp. The general strike is spreading. Lüttwitz, Kapp’s defense minister, threatens to execute anyone fomenting the strike. Hindenburg (finally) announces that he has nothing to do with the putsch. Pres. Ebert denies that he is negotiating with Kapp.

Hiram Johnson wins the North Dakota Republican primary, which takes place in a blizzard, as is the custom. He was the only candidate on the ballot.

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