Today -100: February 8, 1918: Fungus among us

Headline of the Day -100:

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Today -100: February 7, 1918: We might as well abdicate

The SS Tuscania, carrying 2,013 US soldiers to Europe, is sunk by a German u-boat. 200+ crew and passengers are killed.

7 Berlin newspapers – conservative papers for once – are suppressed for publishing details of the court-martial of Independent Socialist Reichstag deputy Wilhelm Dittmann. Evidently it was supposed to be a secret.

The Brest-Litovsk talks seem to have broken down again, this time over the German wish to include reps from the regime in Poland. Trotsky says he’s ready to recognize Polish independence, but military occupation makes recognition of the puppets impossible. Also, a state without boundaries or a king is neither a state nor a kingdom.

The Russian government is not in contact with its negotiators because the telegraph wire from Brest has been “accidentally” damaged by the Germans. So Lenin “accidentally” damages the line between Petrograd and Berlin used by the Austro-German delegation.

King George V says the US’s entry into the war has “united practically the whole civilised world in a league of nations against unscrupulous aggression”.  Unscrupulous aggression is the worst kind.

Woodrow Wilson is pushing a bill to allow him to “co-ordinate and consolidate” all governmental activities as a war measure, disregarding the laws organizing government agencies and creating or shutting agencies without further congressional input. “We might as well abdicate,” say some senators.

Theodore Roosevelt has surgery for an abscess on his... well, the NYT says thigh. It is not his thigh. You do not want to know where it really was. Also a fistula. Also more abscesses in his ears, one of which will never work again.

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Today -100: February 6, 1918: This work is the work of Satan

Britain: The Representation of the People Act passes into law. It tinkers with the electoral system in all sorts of ways: changing registration requirements, expanding the suffrage (men in the military as young as 19, women over 30 for Parliament, people receiving poor relief, adult sons living with their parents, etc), reducing it (convicted conscientious objectors), redistributing seats, proportional representation (the alternative vote system) here and there, etc. The big news is of course women’s suffrage.

Fog of War (Rumors, Propaganda and Just Plain Bullshit) of the Day -100: Germany claims that Polish forces have seized the Russian military’s commander in chief, Ensign Nikolai Krylenko and the entire general staff. They haven’t.

9 Germans and 2 Americans are convicted in federal court in New York for attempting to blow up a British ship. At one point during the trial the jury’s foreman became faint and it was agreed that he might benefit from a stimulating beverage, so the DA went to the courtroom next door where someone was being tried for selling alcohol to soldiers, and grabbed Exhibit A, some of the good stuff, which stimulated the foreman sufficiently for the trial to continue, which it did, quickly before any of the other jurors became suddenly faint. The defendants only get 18 months, the maximum possible at the time the crime was committed, although the law has been toughened up since the war started.

Headline of the Day -100: 

The Bolshevik government decrees the separation of church and state and seizes all church property. Congregations can continue using churches, except I guess where they can’t. When the government seizes Alexander Nevsky Monastery in Petrograd, Patriarch Tikhon issues an anathema threatening to excommunicate the Bolsheviks, which, yeah.

In a story dated more than 2 weeks ago, a newspaper editor says he told Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg that there will be no food in Germany by May. Hindenburg replied that by April he will be in Paris.

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Today -100: February 5, 1918: Of strikes, matzoh, and upholstered seats

The German military breaks the strikes. A military court-martial sentences Reichstag deputy Wilhelm Dittmann (Independent Social Democrats - USPD) to 5 years for treason.

The Manischewitz Company (I think) asks Food Dictator Herbert Hoover to lift the restrictions on flour to meet Jews’ Passover matzoh requirements.

Glad I caught my typo “Good Dictator.”

A reporter catches up to Rep. Fiorello La Guardia, currently serving in France, and informs him of the petition got up in December to unseat him because he is in the military rather than doing his job in Washington. Evidently he’s just now hearing about it. He says “if any signers of the petition will take my seat in a Caproni biplane, I shall be glad to resume my upholstered seat in the House.”

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Today -100: February 4, 1918: Of strikers’ choices and hymns of hate

Headline of the Day -100: 

After a proper court-martial, of course; they’re not animals.

Strikers are actually shot in St. Louis. 3 street-car workers. Shot by whom the NYT does not say. And the police raid the local IWW hq on general principles (this is not an IWW strike).

The US government informs the 20,000 speakers it’s using to explain the war to the masses that they should avoid giving “hymns of hate.” The government says soldiers are too busy to hate the enemy and the best soldiers are “good sports.”

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Today -100: February 3, 1918: Of reason in Ulster, the spirit of 1776, and red armies

A couple of weeks ago, Sir Edward Carson resigned from the British War Cabinet. He explains that this was because the Irish Convention might break down and he didn’t want to be bound to support whatever action the British government took in response. He always wants to hold the treason card, does Sir Edward. He suggests that any agreement is likely to be a surrender and Northern Ireland wouldn’t be unreasonable to resist: “Ulster alone in Ireland has shown any reason at all.” Because when you think pure, dispassionate reason, you think Northern Fucking Ireland.

A Federal District judge in Los Angeles rules that the movie “The Spirit of 1776” can be seized by the government because its scenes of British atrocities during the War of Independence (which was evidently fought because King George III wanted to make his half-Native-American mistress Queen of America, or something; also, King George is seen beating up Benjamin Franklin) would create dissension between the people of the US and Britain, which is evidently illegal now. The film’s author Robert Goldstein will soon be sentenced to 10 years under the Espionage Act solely for writing this screenplay. The film is now lost.

The Espionage Act is also being used to ban a Sinn Fein newspaper from the mails.

Name of the Day -100: the Chicago chief censor, who seized “The Spirit of 1776” when it played there last May, is one Metallus Lucullus Cicero Funkhouser.

Germany declares martial law in 7 striking factories in Berlin.

With peace talks going badly, Russia gingerly works at re-establishing a military, consisting only of people who volunteer and support the ideals of the Revolution. A Red... Army, if you will.

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Today -100: February 2, 1918: Of prisoners of war, strikes, grand dukes and ex-czars

Fog of War (Rumors, Propaganda and Just Plain Bullshit) of the Day -100: American soldiers claim to have captured German military documents ordering that American POWs should be kept for 4 days in cages without food, standing at all times.

The German military is cracking down on the strike movement, conscripting strike leaders, censoring news of the strikes, banning meetings, and threatening to fire on any “disorders.” Needless to say, Chancellor Herdling refuses to meet with representatives of the workers. The London Daily Mail thinks the whole thing is a plot by the German government to stimulate copycat strikes in Britain and France, at which point Germany will pounce, POUNCE I tell you!

Some deputies in the Baden Landtag ask the Grand Duke of Baden to kindly pay some fucking taxes because there’s a war on. He says no. Must be nice to be a grand duke.

Not so nice to no longer be a czar. A New York state Supreme Court judge rules that Nicholas Romanov can be sued now that he is just an ordinary person. The Maritime Transportation Company is suing him for breach of contract.

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Today -100: February 1, 1918: The real terror has yet to come

At Brest-Litovsk, Germany has been holding parallel talks with a delegation from the Ukraine Rada (parliament). Now there will also be a delegation from Ukrainian Bolshevik soviets. The problem for Russia is that it’s trying to split Austria from Germany and come to a separate peace, but the Austrian section of the eastern front is not with Russia but with now-sort-of-independent Ukraine, so if Austria comes to an arrangement with Ukraine, it doesn’t have to deal with Russia at all.

Did Lenin really boast “the real terror has yet to come”?

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Today -100: January 31, 1918: We have left the imperialistic war and shall never return to it

Russia sends journalist John Reed back to New York to act as consul for Russia. Although in his absence, Reed was indicted under the Espionage Act...

Trotsky addresses the All-Russian Assembly of Soviets, before returning to Brest-Litovsk: “The bourgeois governments can sign any kind of peace. The government of the Soviets cannot.” “We have left the imperialistic war and shall never return to it.”

The new New York Mayor John Hylan is opposed to the police clubbing people.

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Today -100: January 30, 1918: Blasphemy in the sight of blood-covered Europe

Russia and Romania are conducting a, to coin a phrase, cold war over Bessarabia, whose regional council declares independence from Russia. Russia breaks relations with Romania.

Russian Foreign Minister Leon Trotsky tells the Congress of the Council of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Delegates that Germany “thought Russia needed peace at any price. They were mistaken... We still insist on a democratic peace.” Unless, you know, Russia is exhausted, then it will totally give in to an undemocratic peace. He also indicates that a separate peace is entirely possible: “To call a separate peace a disgrace is blasphemy in the sight of blood-covered Europe.”

Germany responds to strikes by arresting of Independent Socialist leaders and newspaper editors and barring Social Democratic Party leader Philipp Scheidemann from speaking at a meeting scheduled for next week in Leipzig.

Germany warns the US that it is expanding the zone of its naval blockade, enforced by u-boat operations, to the Azores and Cape Verde Islands.

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Today -100: January 29, 1918: Of civil wars, not ladylike but strong telegrams, unlikely Bolsheviks, and bread

The full-scale civil war everyone knew was coming in Finland has arrived, with Russians aiding the Red side. The Finnish ambassador complains and is told that Russia, “true to its principles, is in duty bound to support the proletariat in Finland in its battle against the Finnish Bourgeoisie.” Well, when you put it that way...

The New York State Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage meets and agrees to push for a new referendum in NY to rescind women’s suffrage. The NYSAOWS president, Mrs. (Alice) James Walcott Wadsworth, is not present, but its secretary suggests that a good candidate for governor would be Sen. James Walcott Wadsworth. Speakers are worried by the prospect of immigrant women voting. Henry Wise Wood says that when Bolshevism fails in Russia and autocracy returns, all the Bolsheviks will flee to the US, and vote. The meeting resolves to send telegrams – “not ladylike, but strong” – to members of the Legislature to defeat the federal amendment.

Doubtful Headline of the Day -100: 

That’s Edward Ross, professor of sociology at U Wisc-Madison, who’s been touring Russia and says the revolution is swell. Ross is a famous opponent of Chinese immigration (for which view he was forced to resign from Stanford), a eugenicist and, somehow, a future head of the ACLU.

Bread rationing is introduced in Paris.

We’re all picturing a Parisian on a bicycle with a beret and a Gauloise carrying HALF a baguette, right?

Thought so.

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Today -100: January 28, 1918: Of black storks, ruling by force, and happy independence day, Ukrainia!

Dr. Harry Haiselden of the German-American Hospital in Chicago allows yet another baby with birth defects to die, because “it... would have been a burden to itself and its parents.” I think the pronoun you’re looking for is “she,” doctor. This is at least the 5th time he’s done this, one of which resulted in a 1915 coroner’s trial in which he was acquitted. He then gave lectures on eugenics and even acted in a movie about the case, “The Black Stork” aka “Are You Fit to Be Married,” playing a eugenicist doctor named Dr. Dickey (!).

Ukraine’s parliament (Rada) votes 508-4 for complete independence for Ukraine.

German Foreign Minister Richard von Kühlmann accuses the Bolsheviks of “ruling by force.” And your point is?

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Today -100: January 27, 1918: Of the Marseillaise, separate peaces, wheatless days, and Tarzan of the Apes

German Social Democratic Party leader Philipp Scheidemann responds to Chancellor Georg von Hertling’s speech, saying Germany’s leaders will be “hurled from power” if peace is not made with Russia. He says they wasted the opportunity for peace arising from the February Russian Revolution by escalating u-boat warfare and bringing in the US. He notes that unlimited submarine warfare was supposed to end the war in 6 months, but, you know, didn’t. However, he insists that Germany will keep Alsace-Lorraine.

Meetings held by the annexationist Pan-German Fatherland Party’s have lately been broken up by peace supporters. In Munich the pan-Germans tried to over-awe the disrupters with a rousing round of Deutschland Uber Alles, only to be drowned out by the Marseillaise.  That’s in Germany, not Casablanca.

Supposedly Austria has told Russia it’s willing to come to a peace agreement separate from Germany.

Food Dictator Herbert Hoover calls for 2 wheatless days a week, 2 porkless days, 1 wheatless and 1 meatless meal per day, and “Victory bread” which will be 20% non-wheat (corn, sawdust, that sort of thing).

Happy 59th birthday, Kaiser Wilhelm!

Now playing: The first Tarzan movie, starring Elmo Lincoln and Enid Markey.

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Today -100: January 26, 1918: Of the unbroken joy of battle

German Chancellor Georg von Hertling responds to Wilson’s 14 Points speech and Lloyd George’s speech in an address to the Reichstag. He complains that Wilson and LG “speak with respect of Germany’s position, but their conception, ever afresh, finds expression as if we were the guilty who must do penance and promise improvement.” He says the army is in a great position right now and “in the officers and the men lives unbroken the joy of battle.” And Germany won’t give up Alsace-Lorraine, because it’s German! German! German! My favorite part of the speech is when he deals with Wilson’s 13th point, on Poland, saying that no one ever cared about Poland when Russia was “crushing her national characteristics,” but Germany and Austria-Hungary “liberated” Poland and can safely be trusted to come to an agreement on Poland’s future.

A deserter from the Germany Navy says there have been several recent revolts in the Navy, especially on mine-sweepers. He says a motorboat used its machine guns to break up one such mutiny, killing 44 sailors.

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Today -100: January 25, 1918: Of treason, candy, and price increases

The Russian negotiators reject German demands that Russia give up Courland and the Baltic provinces.

The German socialist newspaper Vorwärts is suspended, as was the custom. This time it’s for reporting on the strikes in Austria. Also the Tageblatt, for the same reason. German military censors are only allowing the German public to be told that the strikes are because of food rations, rather than for peace and against German negotiating tactics that are prolonging the war.

The first US treason trial of the war begins. Paul C.H. Hennig, a naturalized US citizen from Germany, who worked in a Brooklyn torpedo-manufacturer and is accused of tampering with their gyroscopes. He says it’s a conspiracy by workers under him who resented his Germanic discipline.

Headline of the Day -100: 

As if the torpedoes weren’t bad enough. Navy canteens will no longer sell

candy, because impurities (possibly glass) have been found in some, whether from enemy agents or because the Navy bought from the lowest bidder is unclear.

From tomorrow, all New York newspapers currently selling for 1¢ will sell for 2¢. Other cities did this a while ago.

The cost to you to read this blog will therefore also double. There’s a war on, you know.

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Today -100: January 24, 1918: Teddy’s back

Headline of the Day -100: 

Well, not really. Some Republican guests at TR’s son-in-law’s house seem to accept the “Colonel’s” leadership for 1920. One topic of discussion: whether it is patriotic to publicly criticize Wilson’s management of the war. I leave it to the reader to guess on what side of that argument Roosevelt falls.

TR wants Republicans to push for 1) compulsory military service, forever, 2) a War Cabinet and a Munitions director, 3) wartime measures such as control of the railroads expiring when the war ends.

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Today -100: January 23, 1918: Of peace strikes and anthracite pools

Maxim Litvinov, the former revolutionary exile from Russia who is now serving as unofficial ambassador to Britain (because Britain doesn’t recognize the Bolshevik government), attends the annual Labour Party congress in Nottingham. He calls for revolution in Britain to end the war.

There’s a big peace strike in Austria. Some of this is standard dissatisfaction with the endless war, some of it is resentment that expansionist Germans are running the Brest-Litovsk negotiations with complete disregard for Austria.

Headline of the Day -100: 

He’ll stick to plain ol’ water.

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Today -100: January 22, 1918: No longer necessary in a socialist state

The Romanovs are to be tried for treason. With lawyers and everything.

Idle Monday yesterday not only shut down factories but offices in skyscrapers whose elevators were not operating.

Woodrow Wilson denies that there is any inefficiency in the military establishment and says he will fight the moves in Congress to correct that inefficiency, such as creating a Director of Munitions and a streamlined War Cabinet.

Wilson “desires and enjoins” members of the military to follow the sabbath.

The decree dissolving the Russian Constituent Assembly issued by the Executive of the Congress of Workers’ and Soldiers’ Delegates says that after the February Revolution, the Congress “perceived the illusion of an understanding with the bourgeoisie and its deceptive parliamentary organization”. Lenin says, “The Constituent Assembly is the highest expression of the political ideals of bourgeois society, which are no longer necessary in a socialist state.”

The Supreme Court rules that Puerto Rico is not a territory of the United States and the Constitution does not apply there.

The NY Philharmonic will no longer play music by living German composers. Beethoven is still okay, but sucks to be you, Strauss.

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Today -100: January 21, 1918: At 4:00 this morning the Constituent Assembly was dissolved by sailors

The conscription authorities in the UK accidentally discover a female factory worker “masquerading in male attire,” one Ellen Harriet Capon (!), or Charles Brian Capon as she’s been calling herself. She says she did it in order to earn more money, although she was also dating a woman, so make of that what you will. That phrase, “masquerading in male attire,” is actually what Capon is charged with, because that’s actually a crime (I think the police court just called her a naughty girl and let her off, and she went back to work).

Lenin dissolves the Constituent Assembly, invoking authority that he pulls out of his ass, as was the custom. His decree reads in part: “At 4:00 this morning the Constituent Assembly was dissolved by sailors. Today a decree dissolving the Assembly will be published.”

The US War Dept will run psych evaluations on all soldiers.

Italy is pissed off at a speech by British Prime Minister Lloyd George in which he mentioned Alsace-Lorraine, Belgium, Palestine, and Mesopotamia, but did he mention Italian territorial aspirations? No he did not.

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Today -100: January 20, 1918: Of constituent assemblies, idle Mondays, and peace talks

The Russian Constituent Assembly meets and elects Viktor Chernov of the Social Revolutionary (SR) Party chair rather than the Bolshevik candidate. Chernov tells a reporter he doesn’t think the Bolsheviks will dissolve the Assembly. The Bolsheviks and Left SRs pull out after the Assembly refuses to give the Lenin government veto power. Armed sailors posted by the Bolsheviks loom threateningly and occasionally tell the delegates to go home.

Fuel Administrator Garfield agrees to allow theatres, cinemas, pool halls, bowling alleys and other places of amusement where booze is not sold to remain open on Idle Mondays – but they have to close on Tuesdays.

The Best-Litovsk peace talks are suspended, again. Germany is willing to commit to referenda in Poland, Lithuania and Courland about whether they want to be absorbed into Germany, within a year after the end of the war, but won’t commit to not occupying those areas militarily while the referenda are conducted.

Would you like to read an article in the Sunday NYT Magazine section entitled “Vivisection’s Many War Achievements”? Yeah, me neither.

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