January 30: ON THIS DAY in 1948, Gandhi assassinated

January 30, 2019 Brooklyn Daily Eagle

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ON THIS DAY IN 1915, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “In three weeks, with ceremonies entirely novel in character, the gates of the Panama-Pacific Exposition will be thrown open to the world, the first case on record when an international exposition has been opened, complete, on schedule time to the minute. Ground for the Palace of Machinery, the first of the 11 great exhibit palaces to be constructed, was broken Jan. 1, 1913 — little more than two years ago. Forty-one foreign nations and forty-three states and territories of the American Union are participating in this governmental celebration of the completion of the Panama Canal. Of the nations now at war, France, Japan, Turkey and Belgium are participating officially, while private exhibitors come from all the belligerent countries.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1932, the Eagle reported, “Pasadena, Cal., Jan. 30 (AP) — A proposed 200-inch telescope, twice the size of the largest now in existence, may give definite proof that space is curved and that the universe is expanding and contracting in cycles, is the belief of Dr. Albert Einstein, noted German physicist. Addressing a group of scientists last night at the California Institute of Technology, Dr. Einstein said he is certain that space is curved and that he believes such curvature will be revealed when additional observations are made. The telescope is to be set up at the Mt. Wilson Observatory.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1944, the Eagle reported, “The U.S.S. Missouri, one of the four mightiest battleships in the world, was launched in the Brooklyn Navy Yard at 1:05 yesterday. Exactly on the minute, her sponsor, Mary Margaret Truman, daughter of U.S. Sen. and Mrs. Harry Truman of Missouri, smashed a metal-encased bottle of champagne on her broad, duckbill prow and the huge vessel moved with smoothly accelerating speed stern-first into the water.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1947, the Eagle reported, “To the Coronet Theater last night came a play by a young man named Arthur Miller, who will hereafter be classified as one of the best of American dramatists. He writes boldly, is not afraid to face such situations as only the most expert dramatists dare get themselves into and often find it difficult to get themselves out of, and makes it look as if he might be another Lillian Hellman almost any day. ‘All My Sons’ has a terrific kick … Mr. Miller writes natural dialogue that in addition to its naturalness reaches the vital spot quickly and without fumbling. And when facts explode in the faces of his people they do not have to change their characters, they meet them head on with new but consistent manifestations of their natures. Something unexpected happens at every turn of the plot. The spectator sits still, listening for every word. Mr. Miller is a fine story teller.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1947, the Eagle also reported, “Eugene O’Neill’s ‘The Iceman Cometh’ gives its 100th performance at the Martin Beck Theater on Saturday. It is the 11th O’Neill play to be performed 100 or more times during its initial New York presentation.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1948, the Eagle reported, “New Delhi, Jan. 30 (UP) — Mohandas K. Gandhi, saint of India, was shot and killed today in an assassination which may set the whole subcontinent of India ablaze with warfare between Hindus and Moslems. The 78-year-old wisp of a man, his body even more frail than usual after a fast which ended a scant fortnight ago, was shot down by three bullets as he walked to the prayer grounds of Birla House for his evening devotions. He was carried into the great mansion, home of one of India’s greatest industrial magnates, in the arms of his weeping disciples. There he died at 5:45 p.m. (7:15 a.m. Brooklyn time), a martyr to the cause for which he had dedicated his life — India’s freedom.”