Today -100: September 7, 1917: One city, one loyalty, one people

Germany and Austria have decided that, since Poles seem to be unwilling to volunteer to be soldiers for them, they won’t get an independent state after all, and Poland will continue to be partitioned, though between 2 countries rather than 3, with Germany getting 1/10th of Russian Poland and Austria the rest. Austria will proclaim a new kingdom of Poland, with its emperor getting the crown, to add to his collection of pretty, pretty crowns; the Dual Monarchy will become the Threesome Triple Monarchy. Poland will get its own subordinate parliament, so Polish deputies will be kicked out of the Austrian Reichsrat, making that body less Slavic and more Germanic in composition.

When Kaiser Wilhelm visited occupied Brussels last week, the Bruxellois ignored a “request” to fly flags and instead put out “closed for national mourning” signs.

The feds raid the offices of four Chicago newspapers, which the NYT describes as socialist but at least 3 of which are German-language.

A Gertrude Goodstein of Brooklyn admits to bigamy but says she thought her first marriage was dissolved by the fact that her husband did not support her. She’s coming forward because she’s heard that he’s claiming exemption from the draft because she’s dependent on him, which she isn’t. Oh, and she’s 15. The first marriage was contracted when she was 13.

Chicago Mayor Big Bill Thompson feels a little beleaguered. He’s suing the Chicago Herald for $250,000. The Herald says, “We accept the compliment.” Thompson says his enemies have bored holes in his walls to install dictographs.

Hungary orders foreigners to leave Budapest. This includes Austrians, particularly from Vienna, who have moved there because food is more freely available.

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The mayor’s Commission on National Defense claims that NYC is 80% foreign in birth or speech and must be Americanized. “One city, one loyalty, one people” is their slogan. Which, ironically, sounds better in the original German.

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Today -100: September 6, 1917: German loyalty will bring to nought every attempt to separate the German people and their Kaiser

Russia arrests some more grand dukes and countesses.

The US arrests IWW president Big Bill Hayward and raids IWW offices all over the country. Also the Socialist Party’s hq in Chicago. The Wilson administration has decided to destroy the IWW, and it pretty much will. The NYT claims from an unnamed source that the IWW had a nation-wide plot to burn corn and wheat crops, disrupt mining, and commit “a multitude of crimes” to disrupt the war effort.

The grand jury that issued the IWW search warrants is rumored to also be investigating Chicago Mayor Big Bill Thompson (yes, everyone named Bill in 1917 was nicknamed Big Bill, it was the law) and the pro-Thompson newspaper The Republican.

The Justice Department is also investigating the German-language press for possible prosecutions.

Kerensky sends the governor-general of Finland back to Helsinki with dictatorial powers to put down any moves towards independence.

Kaiser Wilhelm finally responds to Woodrow Wilson’s reply to the pope, saying “German loyalty will bring to nought every attempt to separate the German people and their Kaiser.” It probably sounds even more pompous in the original.

With male elevator operators all off to the front, Greenhut’s department store on 6th becomes the first to employ elevator girls.

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Today -100: September 5, 1917: Of envy, plots, Pankhursts, grand dukes, and the Lusitania’s revenge

Woodrow Wilson says he feels “genuine envy” for the soldiers about to go overseas.

The Chicago City Council votes 42 to 6 praising Gov. Lowden for attempting to ban the convention of the People’s Council of America for Democracy and Peace and by implication rebuking Mayor Big Bill Thompson for allowing it. The Society of Veterans of Foreign Wars holds a mock lynching of the mayor.

An alleged plot to blow up the Canadian Parliament building and assassinate Prime Minister Borden is thwarted. The plotters oppose conscription. The police claim German gold was behind it all.

Adela Pankhurst, daughter of Emmeline, sister of Christabel and Sylvia, is sentenced to 9 months in prison for holding a demonstration against conscription in Melbourne. This while she was out on appeal of a 1-month sentence for holding a demonstration last month against food prices. And she’ll find time this month to get married. Mazel tov! They’ll both go to jail next month, which is a Pankhurst’s idea of honeymoon (they’ll also both be interned during the Second World War). Her mother denounced her in a letter to Australian PM Hughes earlier this year.

Deposed Czar Nicholas’s brother Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich and his wife are arrested for a supposed counter-revolutionary plot.

The US denies that it’s telling Germany to depose Kaiser Wilhelm and the Hohenzollern dynasty. But a change must be made such that the US can trust the German government, whatever that means.

Walther Schwieger, the captain of the U-boat which sank the Lusitania, is killed when his current u-boat hits a mine.

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Today -100: September 4, 1917: Of rigas, stürmers, and milk

Germany occupies Riga.

Czar Nicholas’s foreign minister & prime minister Boris Stürmer dies in prison.

France bans milk from all restaurants, cafés, etc. after 9 a.m. It may begin local rationing of milk.

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Today -100: September 3, 1917: A prince, a general, and a bishop walk into a bar...

A monarchist counter-revolutionary coup plot is uncovered in Russia. Many arrests are made. The government says, seemingly as a non sequitur, that it has no intention of replacing Gen. Lavr Kornilov as Commander in Chief of the Russian armies, giving no hint (perhaps it wasn’t clear to them yet?) that the plot is Kornilov’s. He was evidently attempting to march on Petersburg and put himself in charge, although it didn’t get far enough for his plans to become clear.

Germany replaces the Polish State Council, which just resigned, with a regency consisting of a prince, a general, and a bishop.

The People’s Council of America for Democracy and Peace hold a public meeting in Chicago after all, after being dispersed by police acting under Gov. Frank Lowden’s orders yesterday. This time, they’re under the protection of  Chicago police by order of Mayor Big Bill Thompson, who seems to have even arranged a venue for them. Gov. Lowden sends militia from Springfield to break it up, but they arrive too late. Thompson is now being threatened with prosecution and impeachment (which is not actually a thing under Illinois law).

The conductor Arturo Toscanini gets a medal for keeping his military band playing during the Battle of Monte Santo. Not many First World War battles had musical accompaniment, but this one did. Toscanini wrote to his son, “We played in the Austrians’ faces, and we sang our national anthems.”

NYC policemen are “mildly excited” by rumors that they may soon be required to wear wristwatches. One patrolman says that if ordered to wear one, will do so above the elbow, while others will probably strap them to the small of their back (which is evidently a thing), “but as I understand it that practice is not followed in good society.”

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Today -100: September 2, 1917: Pacifists are law-abiding citizens

A meeting of the organization committee of the People’s Council of America for Democracy and Peace has now been banned or actually expelled from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Utah, and Illinois. The latter came from Gov. Frank Lowden, after Chicago Mayor Big Bill Thompson refused to, saying “Pacifists are law-abiding citizens.”

Not only are German-American organizations refusing the demand of the National Security League that they tell their fellow Germans in Germany that they stand with the United States, but they point out that such communication with the enemy would be illegal.

Racial fights in Lexington, Kentucky, from aggression by white soldiers against local blacks.

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Today -100: September 1, 1917: Of hearsts, Polands, and Jewish regiments

William Randolph Hearst will not run for mayor of New York after all.

Pan-German newspapers in Germany are now saying that the resignation of the Polish Council is a perfect opportunity to rescind that whole “independent Poland” thing.

The British Army now has a Jewish Regiment, but leaders of the Jewish community object, and Minister of War Lord Derby promises to change the name.

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Today -100: August 31, 1917: For the salvation of the country we will kill with all our souls

Kerensky says that as minister of war he is re-establishing the military death penalty that he abolished when he was minister of justice; “this re-establishment hurts to the very soul, but for the salvation of the country we will kill with all our souls.”

The city of Spartanburg, South Carolina, objects to the War Department’s plans to station black troops in the training camp there. Mayor J.F. Floyd worries that, “with their Northern ideas about race equality, they will probably expect to be treated like white men. I can say right here that they will not be treated as anything except negroes.” The Chamber of Commerce says, “It is a great mistake to send Northern negroes down here, for they do not understand our attitude.” Oh, I think they understand it very well.

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Today -100: August 30, 1917: In which is revealed how French people recognize American troops

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How can it be an “anti-British campaign of sedition,” NYT?

The puppet Polish Council of State resigns en masse. For months the Council has been in conflict with Germany, which isn’t prepared to hand over much power to them. The final straw was Germany’s decision to make Lithuania and Courland, territories wrested from Russia, into German protectorates. The Poles wanted Lithuania for themselves. (Update: tomorrow’s paper will say that the resignations were over an order that Polish sharpshooters be placed at the disposal of Austria, to reinforce its failing position on the Italian front.

Since it hasn’t decided whether to accede to Southern and Texan demands to keep black soldiers out of their states, the War Department will temporarily stop drafting blacks.

Gen. Lavr Kornilov, the Commander in Chief of the Russian armies, shows up at the National Convention. Soldiers who are delegates from the Soldiers’ and Workers’ Soviet refuse to stand for him. He gives a speech. The Times doesn’t quote a word of it, but evidently “It was a quiet but terrible and merciless exposé of facts that chilled his listeners with a sense of the cold breath of utmost calamity.”

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Today -100: August 29, 1917: Go on Kaisering and we will smash you

Woodrow Wilson responds to Pope Benedict’s peace proposals: it’s a no. He refuses to talk with Germany unless and until it changes its rulers and its form of government and its national flower. The knapweed is a bullshit flower and everyone knows it, Germany.

(Update: George Bernard Shaw summarizes Wilson’s note thusly: “Become a republic and we will let up on you; go on Kaisering and we will smash you.”)

The cops raid the Hamilton Detective Agency on Broadway. The agency was kidnapping sailors on leave, holding them until they’d overstayed their leave and then turning them in for the reward money ($25 for stragglers, $50 for deserters). When the cops arrive to check out the story of previous victims of the scheme, they find two sailors on the premises, although one turned out to be someone who was just masquerading as a sailor for some reason – free drinks?

Minnesota Gov. Joseph Burquist (R) bans a meeting of the People’s Council of America for Democracy and Peace.

On the Brooklyn waterfront, 50 Russian sailors fight 50 American sailors/marines, with some of the Russians firing guns. The Russians are drunk, as was the custom, and think the US sailors might be Germans, crew from one of the interned German liners. And then the Americans think that that language the Russians are speaking might be German, and hilarity ensues.

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Today -100: August 28, 1917: Supreme power alone can assure the salvation of the country

The NYC magistrates’ Board, looking for a way to crack down on street-corner speeches by pacifists, decides that the laws on disorderly conduct cover them.

The Wilson administration plans to create a commission to investigate the IWW threat.

The members of the Texas congressional delegation petition for the withdrawal of black troops from the state. The NYT says that the urgent need to train soldiers for the war outweighs any consideration of whether the federal government has the right to train black soldiers in the South: “time is precious and the inevitable results of the ill-feeling caused by the spectacle of armed negroes in the South should be avoided.” It’s funny how ill-feeling felt by black soldiers – armed negroes, indeed! – isn’t even a factor in their thinking.

Kerensky warns military conspirators and Bolsheviks alike:

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Today -100: August 27, 1917: Of craps and divided Belgians

American soldiers are wandering around London, spending their pay at the best restaurants, and introducing the locals to the game of craps and letting them win... at first. But they can’t figure out British coinage, so it probably evens out.

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Today -100: August 26, 1917: Of soldiers, hearsts, and near victory

Texas would really like to prosecute the members of the 24th Infantry who shot up Houston, but the army won’t surrender jurisdiction and will try them in New Mexico. The judge who issued an arrest warrant for 34 black soldiers says their crimes were committed before martial law was declared and is pissed at the sheriff who handed them over to the military authorities.

Tammany Hall is divided over whether William Randolph Hearst should be their candidate for NYC mayor. Some office-holders, including Sheriff Alfred E. Smith, threaten to withdraw from the ticket, after the primary, if he is chosen.

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Today -100: August 25, 1917: The New York Times is tired of free speech

Following the events in Houston yesterday, Sen. Morris Sheppard (D) demands that black troops be removed from Texas and Secretary of War Newton Baker agrees, or so Sheppard says. Baker denies making any such promise. There is a general demand in the South that no black soldiers be stationed for training there, and the NYT agrees.

The NYT wholeheartedly supports NYC Mayor John Purroy Mitchel’s plans to crack down on anti-war speech: “The people are tired of the toleration of ‘free speech’ which is intentionally treasonable and is uttered in sympathy with our enemies.”

War is hell (French version):

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Today -100: August 24, 1917: Of murderous riots and watermelon parties, or indeed watermelon riots and murderous parties

Headline of the Day (Houston Chronicle): “Murderous Riot Replaces Negro Watermelon Party.” Black soldiers at Camp Logan, Texas, get into a tussle with Houston police after the cops break up a craps game being played by some black youths and shoot at a couple of them, as was the custom. Passing soldiers object and are beaten and arrested, as is a black MP who goes to check on them. A good portion of the 24th Infantry, some of whom believe rumors that a white mob is coming for them, arm themselves, go off in search of cops and shoot randomly in the streets. By the end of the day, 20+ are dead, including 4 cops, but mostly innocent bystanders.

One frequent source of contention for negro soldiers, mostly from the North, who are stationed in Texas was their refusal to abide by Jim Crow rules in street cars, restaurants, brothels and the like, as well as disrespectful and violent treatment by the notoriously racist Houston PD (which did have 2 black officers out of 150; they were only permitted to arrest black people), which was anxious to prevent this lack of subordination to white supremacy spreading to black Houstonians.

Courts-martial will convict 95 soldiers, sentencing 24 to death (13 will be hanged, including the corporal who started the whole thing by brazenly being shot by Policeman Sparks) and 53 to life imprisonment (although all will be released by 1938), while 7 will be acquitted and 1 released on grounds of insanity.

German forces take Riga. Russian soldiers are simply refusing to fight at this point. Petrograd is now threatened.

With conscription soon to be enacted in Canada, authorities are getting a little concerned about all the gun purchases in Quebec, which remains fiercely opposed to the draft, as does Quebec PM Lomer Gouin.

The Texas House votes to impeach Gov. James Ferguson.

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Today -100: August 23, 1917: Loyal Americanism is mocked at and the police stand by indifferent

The full Senate overturns the Finance Committee’s proposed tax increases in favor of a Robert La Follette proposal for higher income tax on the rich in steeply progressive tax rates reaching 50% for incomes over $1 million.

This will be reversed tomorrow.

Cleveland Moffett of the Vigilantes Committee in NYC and 100 or so of his vigilantes (still, just barely, a term “respectable” people could apply to themselves) attend a meeting of the Friends of Irish Freedom. Moffett tries to get the cops to arrest Stephen Johnson for saying not-nice things about US ally England. And Johnson tries to get the cops to arrest Moffett. The cops aren’t biting. Moffett complains, “Loyal Americanism is mocked at and the police stand by indifferent.”

At the hearings into possible impeachment charges against Texas Gov. James Ferguson, he refuses to say who lent him $150,000 to pay off his bank debts.

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Today -100: August 22, 1917: Slow news day

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Today -100: August 21, 1917: The theme of the day seems to be “two years in prison”

In Hungary (which has a new prime minister, Sándor Wekerle), food is now so scarce that they’re letting out of jail everyone whose sentence is less than 2 years, and some with longer sentences.

The two members of that NYC draft board who were arrested for selling draft exemptions plead guilty, although they claim they only took bribes from people who were physically unfit anyway (meaning they were only cheating those people rather than the US government, a lesser crime legally but a more dickish one). That argument went over as well as you’d expect. They’re sentenced to 2 years.

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Today -100: August 20, 1917: Alas, Cornelius Cleary, we hardly knew ye

Idaho national guards under the command of the War Dept raid IWW headquarters in Spokane and arrest 27 Wobblies. The IWWers are told they are military prisoners. This is in response to a planned strike of agricultural and construction workers. And members of the Washington State National Guards, under the command of no one, attack IWW hq in Port Angeles and wreck it.

A 100-yard race between men of the army and navy reserve on Staten Island begins with a Marine sergeant firing a starting pistol and accidentally shooting a spectator with a truly stupendous and alliterative name, Cornelius Cleary, in the head.

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Today -100: August 19, 1917: No, thank you

Austria responds to China’s declaration of war by saying no. I didn’t know you could just do that. The Austrian ambassador informs China that the declaration was illegal and unconstitutional, because it should have been passed by both houses of Parliament.

Finland’s Diet refuses to accept being dissolved by the Russian government.

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