April 9: ON THIS DAY in 1938, new deal shocked by bill’s defeat

April 9, 2019 Brooklyn Eagle

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ON THIS DAY IN 1849, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Why You Can’t Go To California in a Balloon. – Professor Mapes has been lecturing before the Jersey City folks, explaining why the air line to California cannot succeed. The reasons consists in the nature of hydrogen gas, which is a fluid so subtle, that no substance, except a vitrified surface, has yet been found capable of confining it. Thus hydrogen makes its way through the walls of a house as if nothing intervened. This process of the escape of the gas goes on at a rapid rate, even while the balloon is floating with the wind; but if you oppose the motion of the balloon to the direction of the wind, the escape of the gas becomes accelerated from the increased pressure. This is a formidable difficulty to steering the balloon.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1904, the Eagle reported, “The Times rejoices editorially because the Board of Aldermen decided to name Longacre Square, in Manhattan, Times Square, from the newspaper that has its handsome new building on ‘Times Square.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1917, the Eagle reported, “Paris, April 9 – Easter Day here has been like July 4 at home, for the American flag is everywhere. President [Woodrow] Wilson’s address is posted all over France and is being read in the public schools, and the growing enthusiasm over America’s decision is touching even the commoner walks of life in France. America is now looked up to more than ever as the savior of the nation and the whole country is alive with a new courage. Sentiment for America and of Americans was at its height yesterday at the Easter service in the American Church on the Rue Berri. The edifice was decorated with the flag of the United States and the Rev. Ernest Warburton Shutleff preached a patriotic sermon in which he called the war a holy one and waged for justice. Every seat was filled. The French people are hoping that Americans will realize early help will be most effective, and that the war will drag on as it has been unless America puts forth its utmost efforts immediately.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1936, the Eagle reported, “Bordeaux, France, April 9 (AP) – Havas (French) News Agency reported tonight that the new German Zeppelin Hindenburg, on the way back from Brazil, had signaled that it was having grave engine difficulty over the Moroccan coast. The agency said the Hindenburg had asked emergency authorization to fly over France, which was granted.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1938, the Eagle reported, “Washington, April 9 (AP) – The House sent to a stunning defeat last night the administration’s government reorganization bill – the measure that prompted President [Franklin] Roosevelt to say he did not want to be a dictator. Ignoring fervent pleas of party leaders not to proclaim to the nation a ‘lack of confidence’ in the chief executive, 108 Democrats revolted and joined Republicans to bury the measure in a committee pigeonhole, 204 to 196. The death blow to the measure, which some foes asserted would make a dictator of the president, came as a surprise and a shock to Democratic chieftans … That an avalanche of telegrams and letters from constituents asking defeat of the bill influenced the votes of many Democrats who opposed the bill was conceded on all sides.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1940, the Eagle reported, “London, April 9 (U.P.) – Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain announced today that Great Britain and France were rushing ‘full aid’ to Norway against a lightning German invasion of Scandinavia and that powerful Allied naval units ‘are now at sea.’ ‘This fresh and rash and cruel act of aggression will redound to Germany’s disadvantage and contribute to her ultimate defeat,’ the prime minister told a cheering House of Commons … The prime minister’s announcement was made the House of Commons at the same hour the Oslo radio – in German hands – had ordered Norwegians to cease evacuation of the capital immediately.”