Today -100: August 21, 1926: Of exaggerated consumption, wets, lawyers, and lyricists

France orders restaurants to serve only two meats per meal – ONLY TWO MEATS PER MEAL! – “to put an end to exaggerated consumption, particularly in luxury establishments especially frequented by foreigners.” Also, only stale bread will be sold, to decrease consumption of flour.

Columbia President Nicholas Murray Butler refuses to run for NY governor. He faced opposition from up-state Republicans over his strong opposition to Prohibition. They want a candidate who’s Wet, but not that wet. Sen. James Wadsworth says the Republicans will evade the Prohibition issue entirely by saying their gubernatorial candidate will abide by whatever the upcoming referendum says.

Stalin continues the purge of his opponents in particular and Old Communists in general, removing Lev Kamenev from his post as Trade Commissar. Kamenev can now devote his time to writing a biography of Lenin.

Lawyers who are members of the Italian Fascist Party will no longer be allowed to represent anti-Fascists.

Paul Schindler, theatre director and composer of such musicals as “The Geezer of Geck” and “The Wizard of Oz,” commits suicide. I can’t find a trace of this alleged version of Wizard of Oz, but it provides an excuse for me to mention that the lyricist for all the songs in the 1939 movie version, “Yip” Harburg, also wrote “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime” (1932), “Lydia the Tattooed Lady,” “Finian’s Rainbow,” and  a musical about Amelia Bloomer. He was blacklisted in the '50s.

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Today -100: August 20, 1926: Calles says no

Mexican Pres. Plutarco Elías Calles rejects yesterday’s appeal from the Catholic Episcopate for a deal, which would consist of the government suspending the clauses in the Constitution relating to religion and the laws enforcing them, and the Church in return doing, um, nothing. He suggests they try to appeal to Congress and the court rather than him.

42 are indicted for using the mails in Florida land frauds, including Merle C. Tebbetts, which is a very Florida-land-fraudster name. The state of Florida is pretty much wall-to-wall land fraud at this point.

Someone takes up Lady Astor’s offer to pay for the passage of anyone wants to go to Russia, provided they stay for two years. A J. Morton of Liverpool, with his wife and 2 children have set sail. The Soviet gov. has promised to find him work.

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Today -100: August 19, 1926: Of conferences, chrysopoeia, and duels

Philippines Sen. Sergio Osmeña says that when he visited Washington, Coolidge told him that the US intends to free the Philippines, you know, eventually, after building up its economy. Osmeña seems to trust him absolutely. Osmeña proposes a small conference – in Washington – of a handful of men from each side. “I am sure the Filipinos would accept the decision of such a conference.” He expects such a conference to decide to hold off independence and obviously Filipinos would just say, “Well, if a conference of some randos thinks we’re not ready to rule ourselves, then we must not be.” Osmeña will be the Philippines’ vice president from 1935, succeeding to the presidency on Manuel Quezon’s death in 1944, during the Japanese occupation.

The Philippines Senate votes unanimously to override Gov. Leonard Wood’s veto of the bill for an independence referendum, without even waiting on the decision of Osmeña’s conference.

Gen. Erich Ludendorff, who just keeps showing up in the news, whether it’s his divorce or his tax-dodging, is tricked by a locksmith’s apprentice into buying a process to turn any metal into gold.

German student Erwin Behr is killed in a friendly sabre duel (mensur), which is a thing which is still going on.

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Today -100: August 18, 1926: Of reserves

Rep. Ogden Livingston Mills is the NY Republican Party’s “reserve candidate” for governor if Columbia Pres. Nicholas Murray Butler continues to refuse to accept the nomination. Mills meets the requirements the R’s think are essential for success: he’s from New York City and is a Wet. Like Alfred Smith, Mills would be a reluctant candidate, preferring to run for re-election to Congress and then for Senate in ‘28.

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Today -100: August 17, 1926: Like a big boy

Secretary of State Frank Kellogg says Mexico’s crackdown on the Catholic Church has affected no American citizens or property protected by treaty rights, so there’s no reason for the US to intervene.

The Polyclinic Hospital issues a statement on Rudolph Valentino: “Like a big boy, Valentino is very thankful to the nurses who have taken care of him.”

British authorities open the coffin that purportedly contains the body of Lord Kitchener, recovered from the sea. And by British authorities, I mean Lambeth coroner Ingleby Oddie and pathologist Sir Bernard Spilsbury. Just luxuriate in those names for a moment. Anyways, the coffin is... empty.

Philippines Governor Gen. Leonard Wood vetoes a bill passed by the Philippines Legislature for a plebiscite on Philippine independence, saying the Lege doesn’t have that power.

Canberra goes dry.

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Today -100: August 16, 1926: Of nullification, valentinos, and lynchings

Rep. George Holden Tinkham calls on Attorney Gen. John Sargent to institute criminal proceedings against the Anti-Saloon League for violations of the Corrupt Practices Acts and for perjury, covering up its fundraising and spending amounting, Tinkham says, to $50 million over the years, including paying congresscritters, to buy the 18th Amendment and enforcement laws. Tinkham attacks the Justice Dept’s failure to enforce the Corrupt Practices Act of 1925 which, he says, amounts to nullification.

Rudolph Valentino is operated on for a gastric ulcer and appendicitis (he didn’t actually have the latter, I gather).

A masked mob storms the Wythe County, Virginia county jail and lynches a black man, Raymond Bird, shooting him, then hanging him from a tree.

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Today -100: August 15, 1926: I don’t believe that any man can be successful who seeks great political honors

NY Gov. Al Smith attends a private dinner in his honor at the Hotel Statler in Buffalo. After Erie County Democrats give, like, 15 speeches in a row about how he needs to run for re-election, Smith says he doesn’t wanna and it would damage his health and it’s bad to act like only one person can lead the party, and...

He adds that of course if the State Convention nominates him anyway (on Sept. 28 for a Nov. 2 election day), he’ll just have to suck it up.

One Frank Power (not his real name, it will come out) claims to have in his possession the body of Lord Kitchener, whose ship was torpedoed in 1916. The alleged corpse was allegedly recovered by an alleged Norwegian fisherman. “Power” has brought a coffin from Norway to London.

The Supreme Lodge of the Knights of Pythias rejects a proposal to help lepers in the Philippines.

In a letter to the League of Nations, Italy defends its accord with Britain establishing “zones of influence” in Abyssinia, echoing Britain’s earlier letter to the League in saying that the agreement was for Abyssinia’s good and certainly wouldn’t violate its rights. Neither country explain why they negotiated in secret from the world in general and Abyssinia in particular.

Lawsuits between Gen. Erich Ludendorff and his banker, Dr. Borchardt of the, ahem, Sinner Banking House, lay bare some top-shelf tax evasion on the general’s side. General L accuses his banker of keeping some of the money he moved offshore (if Switzerland counts as offshore) and the banker responds that the general was asking him to do illegal things and wanted his account hidden under someone else’s name. This all might give impetus to the left’s demand that Ludey be stripped of his pension.

Italy is preventing Italians from touristing abroad. Even Swiss women married to Italian men are not being allowed to visit their relatives.

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Today -100: August 14, 1926: Yay! they’ve found a woman to blame!

Several of Mexico’s episcopate meets to protest against a possible prosecution of the archbishop of Mexico City for statements he made to a newspaper. The government has said won’t happen but I guess the archbishops called the meeting before that happened. The episcopate blames the laws affecting the Catholic church on Belinda Zarada of the Anti-Clerical League.

Coolidge approves the first two airway routes.

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Today -100: August 13, 1926: Of budgets

Coolidge’s 1928 budget will include a large increase in Prohibition enforcement spending. Since he’s still committed to reducing spending overall, that money will  come out of the Army and Navy, which won’t need it after the League of Nations Arms Conference leads to all sorts of disarmament, probably. Already previously congressionally-approved battle cruisers will not be built and naval maneuvers will be canceled due to lack of fuel. So Coolidge is doubling down on Prohibition enforcement ahead of his re-election run.

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Today -100: August 12, 1926: Of property seizures and kloters

Mexico orders the seizure of property controlled by members of the Catholic clergy, some of it hidden under the names of private citizens.

Texas Gov. Miriam “Ma” Ferguson officially states that she’s not dropping out of the re-election race or resigning after losing the first primary, as she promised to do. She says Attorney Gen. Dan Moody only won the primary because of the Klan vote.

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Today -100: August 11, 1926: Persecutive religious laws are the worst kind of religious laws

Headline of the Day -100:

The Vatican’s Osservatore Romano says there will be no negotiations with Mexico unless it withdraws its “persecutive religious law” but will trust to the “invincible arms of prayer.” The invincible arms of prayer and a nickle will get you a cup of coffee.

Pres. Coolidge refuses to receive a deputation from the Knights of Columbus who want the US to intervene in Mexico’s religious affairs. He considers those a domestic matter for Mexico, which is a refreshing change of pace for US policy towards Mexico.

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Today -100: August 10, 1926: Of quiet cities and sore losers

FACT CHECK! The Associated Press investigates rumors that Stalin is dead in a revolt and army mutiny and that Trotsky has fled Moscow. They find that “Moscow is as quiet as any American city on Sunday morning.”

Texas Gov. Miriam “Ma” Ferguson has reneged on her promise not to stand in a run-off if she failed in the Dem. primary, which she very much did. So there will after all be a run-off on the 28th. She’s also trying to get Attorney Gen. Dan Moody thrown off that ballot for alleged campaign finance irregularities (contributions from candidates for other offices) and miscounted ballots.

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Today -100: August 9, 1926: Of power in the Philippines

Coolidge’s envoy to the Philippines, Col. Carmi Thompson, says the status of the Philippines should be settled – annexation, autonomy, whatever – for a long period during which there will be absolutely no reconsideration of independence, in order to create the settled conditions needed for Firestone to build the giant rubber plantations that Filipinos do not want. Gov. Gen. Leonard Wood wants to be given more power, including the power to make appointments without the approval of the Legislature, which has not been compliant lately no matter how many times he nominates the same people. He also wants Americans heading departments, he wants control over the cops, the annulment of laws passed by the Lege limiting his power, etc.

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Today -100: August 8, 1926: Thousands of priests have come here to make our people fanatics and sink them in ignorance

Katherine Langley (not that you’d know “Mrs. John W. Langley”’s first name from the NYT) wins in the Republican primary for Kentucky’s 10th congressional district, the very seat her husband John resigned in January as he faced a prison term, which he is currently serving at Atlanta Penitentiary, for Volstead violations including securing “medicinal” alcohol for bootleggers and attempting to bribe a Prohibition agent.

Mexican Pres. Plutarco Elías Calles tells US reporters “in our Latin-American countries foreign priests have meant calamity, especially Spanish and Italian Catholic priests. They have all been outcasts from Rome... Thousands of priests have come here to make our people fanatics and sink them in ignorance.” He says he will accept no foreign mediation. He says he considers the boycott “as ridiculous as if I should dress as a clown and got out into the streets.”

Mexico’s (possibly Mexico City’s?) Health Department bans the Charleston from public dance halls because it might cause heart failure.

Col. Carmi Thompson, the former US treasurer, who Coolidge sent to the Philippines to check on conditions, says that while many, many Filipinos want independence, they have no actual grievances.

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Today -100: August 7, 1926: If it could be done, it had to be done, and I did it

Gertrude Ederle of New York, 20, who won a gold medal at the 1924 Olympics, becomes the first woman to swim the English Channel. 5 men have previously done so, but none as quickly (14 hours, 31 minutes), and that with a choppy sea that greatly increased the length she had to swim. Her 2003 obituary says she sang “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” while she swam to set a rhythm. She says “I just knew if it could be done, it had to be done, and I did it.” Also, she was promised a red roadster if she did it.

The Vatican’s Osservatore Romano says Mexico’s new laws constitute a “real and true substitution of civil power for that of the Church.”

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Today -100: August 6, 1926: Anyone can do it

The Knights of Columbus asks Pres. Coolidge and the State Department to “put an end to this ignominious contempt that has been shown by President Calles for American appeal,” claiming that in its actions against the Catholic Church, Mexico has “insulted, degraded and expelled American citizens, men and women, under circumstances that are abhorrent to our conception of constitutional government.” My favorite sentence of this article: “Demand was made for protection of American citizens and that they be treated with the same consideration and respect that is shown to Mexicans in this country.” Be careful what you wish for.

In Kansas’s Republican primaries, all the candidates backed by the Ku Klux Klan lose. The anti-Klan Emporia says, “The Klan now stands a busted community in Kansas. Any one can afford to kick it around and revile it. When the Klan endorses a candidate now, he will clod it away like a mangey dog.” A note to Kansans: clod away all the kluxers you like but leave the dogs the fuck alone.

There’s a smallpox outbreak, 5 cases so far, in Brooklyn.

The union of movie cowboys protest the Army & Navy renting out troops to movie studios.

Harry Houdini, 52, stays in an airtight coffin underwater in the Hotel Shelton swimming pool for 91½ minutes. This isn’t an escapology thing or a trick but purely controlled breathing. He has a telephone and a buzzer so he can periodically indicate that he doesn’t need rescuing. After being released he says “Anyone can do it.”

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Today -100: August 5, 1926: No more wars for oil!

R.T. Haslam, MIT professor of chemical engineering, says new techniques to extract oil from coal will eliminate wars for oil, so that’s good.

Montgomery Ward, hitherto solely a mail-order company, plans to open 1,000 brick-and-mortar stores.

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Today -100: August 4, 1926: The Church will refuse to listen

Bishop Pascual Díaz, Secretary of the Mexican Episcopate responds to reports that the Church is seeking unconditional mediation with the Mexican government. No, he says, there will be no mediation unless the government revokes or suspends all its laws and decrees on religious stuff; “Otherwise the Church will refuse to listen.” Wow. “The government is trying to corrupt the Church and we refuse to permit it.”

A US Navy court of inquiry decides that the Lake Denmark, New Jersey naval depot explosions last month were no one’s fault, it was an act of God, with the lightning and all. Nonsense, the depots were too close together and set off a chain reaction.

The British send an ultimatum to the Nizam of Hyderabad demanding that British officials be given key posts in the princely state. They’re claiming massive corruption.

Mussolini issues a decree banning non-Fascist intellectual, charitable or sporting public events.

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Today -100: August 3, 1926: Of national sovereignty, piety, and war bread

British Foreign Secretary Sir Austen Chamberlain defends the British-Italian pact establishing zones of influence in Abyssinia. He claims his Lake Tsana plans were more or less approved by the late Emperor Menelik; whether he has any proof of this is unclear. He will tell the League of Nations that the pact doesn’t involve any question of national sovereignty, which isn’t complete bullshit at all.

After several incidents of non-Catholics visiting the Vatican refusing to kneel before the pope, applicants for an audience will be questioned about their intentions and levels of piety.

Mussolini asks Italians to help the financial situation by eating “war bread,” with a maximum of 80-85% wheat, to cut down on wheat imports. Pastries and luxury breads made with wheat flour will be banned.

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Today -100: August 2, 1926: Of poniards and Zangwill

A Catalan anarchist tries to assassinate Spanish dictator Miguel Primo de Rivera by throwing a dagger (poniard) at him as he drives by, as was the custom. It misses.

Mexico claims to have uncovered a plot to assassinate Pres. Plutarco Elías Calles.

Israel Zangwill, British novelist (pioneering locked-room mystery The Big Bow Mystery [1891]; Children of the Ghetto: A Study of a Peculiar People [1892]), playwright, Zionist, dies at 62.

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Today -100: August 1, 1926: It’s a miracle!

The cross on the spire of the Church of San Jerónimo in Mexico City has started shaking, obviously in protest at the government persecution of the Catholic Church.

The Catholic boycott campaign includes 2,000 car owners in Mexico City canceling their licenses.

Manuel Quezon, president of the Philippines Senate, says Filipinos want Governor-General Leonard Wood, who he calls “an amiable gentleman,” replaced by a civilian, even an American (Quezon will be president in a few years). He’s cautiously interested in US plans, promoted by Harvey Firestone, to grow rubber in the Philippines but doesn’t want the development of large plantations.

Texas Democratic county conventions meet and unanimously tell Gov. Miriam “Ma” Ferguson to resign – now – as she promised to do if she lost the primary.

Headline of the Day -100:

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