Today -100: January 23, 1921: As popular as baseball

Snow falls in Hollywood. The end of the world is nigh.

Woodrow Wilson proposes to the League of Nations that the great powers pledge to guarantee Russia from attack, putting to the test Russia’s claim “that they are afraid to demobilize because they fear new attacks.” This idea will gain just about as little traction among the Powers as you’d expect.

New French Prime Minister Aristide Briand’s plan on German reparations is not to set a fixed amount until the German economy has recovered, but in the meantime to demand 3 billion gold marks, which is the equivalent of some money, for each of the next 5 years. And then, presumably, the sky’s the limit, for decades to come.

Ireland Secretary Sir Hamar Greenwood inspects the Black and Tans, and tells them they are the custodians of civilized government in defeating the Sinn Féin “conspiracy.”

The new business manager of the Chicago Opera Association says “We intend to make opera as popular as baseball.” Men will even be allowed wear overalls instead of tuxedos. Hell, it’s Chicago, overalls are probably mandatory.

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