April 16: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
ON THIS DAY IN 1912, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “‘The news is that Captain Smith went down with the ship. That is as it should be. It is as he would have had it. He would have gone mad had he lived. There was never a finer or more high-minded man sailed the sea.’ This statement was made to the Eagle today by Captain John N. Smith, who is employed by the White Star Line, though in a minor capacity. But Captain John Smith was a sailing ship captain thirty years ago, under the merchant firm that gave Captain Edward J. Smith, commander of the ill-fated Titanic, his first command. He has had a life-long
acquaintance with the man who was in charge of the ship that was lost. ‘What could have caused the disaster?’ Captain Smith was asked. ‘God only knows,’ he replied. ‘Captain Smith ranked all men in the service, and he ranked them because of carefulness, prudence, skill and long and valuable service.’”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1937, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON (A.P.) — Informed senators said today that many of the proposals being publicly discussed as compromises for the Roosevelt court bill were submitted privately to the White House weeks ago and have been ignored. Nevertheless, talk of compromise persisted as the Senate Judiciary Committee neared the end of its long hearings on the court measure. James E. Freeman, Episcopal Bishop of the Washington Diocese, was the opposition’s
leading witness today in what may prove to be the last session of the hearings. He was to be followed by former Senator Brookhart of Iowa, a supporter of the bill. The committee will meet tomorrow in closed session to vote on a motion by Senator Hughes (D., Del.) to close the testimony. Members said the motion probably would carry.”
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