August 11: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

August 11, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1913, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “A great divergence of opinion as to what power the present Legislature possesses in the matter of possible impeachment proceedings against Governor [William] Sulzer exists among local lawyers and former legislators. There are no half-way opinions. Those who believe that the Legislature has the power of impeachment, though in extra session convened, are just as positive as those holding the contrary view. It is admitted that the whole question hinges on the following sentences from Article IV, Section 4, of the State Constitution: ‘He [referring to the governor] shall have the power to convene the Legislature or the Senate only on extraordinary occasions. At extraordinary sessions no subject shall be acted upon, except such as the governor may recommend for consideration.’ One view is that this refers only to legislative matters, or the making of new laws, while others maintain that this provision absolutely prohibits all action by the Legislature on any subject not referred to it by the governor. In other words, that the Legislature is tied hand and foot in all impeachment proceedings until next January when the regular session begins.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1932, the Eagle reported, “EXECUTIVE CHAMBER, ALBANY — Governor [Franklin] Roosevelt announced at the opening of the public hearing on the Mayor [Jimmy] Walker ouster charges here this afternoon that he would permit the mayor to examine any witnesses who did or did not appear before the Hofstadter Committee. This victory for the mayor was tempered, however, by the declaration of the governor that he will hold the mayor to strict accountability on the charge growing out of his first term of office as well as those having their genesis in his second. Roosevelt convened the hearing on the Seabury-Schieffelin-Finegan charges in the executive chamber at 1:36 o’clock. Walker was 15 minutes ahead of time, the governor six minutes late.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1933, the Eagle reported, “HAVANA (A.P.) — Members of the executive committee of President Garardo Machado’s own Liberal party said today that the government had submitted to Ambassador Sumner Welles a counterproposal by which the president would surrender his office to Gen. Alberto Herrera, the present secretary of war. By this plan the present secretary of state, Orestes Ferrara, would resign and General Herrera would be appointed by President Machado to his post. Thereafter General Machado would ask Congress for a leave of absence, thus opening the way for General Herrera to succeed to the presidency in conformity with the provisions of the Cuban constitution. General Herrera’s occupancy of the presidency would be transitory, it was said. The reason behind the proposal that he take the position at all is that the Liberal party, to which President Machado belongs, is unwilling to surrender power immediately without a period of readjustment. General Herrera also is a Liberal. Once he ascended to the presidency, General Herrera would form a national cabinet representing all the political factions, and the work of mediation in the nation’s political conflict would be continued.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1952, the Eagle reported, “TEHRAN, IRAN (U.P.) — The Iranian Senate backed down today before Premier Mohammed Mossadegh’s threat to resign and voted him the dictatorial powers he had demanded to meet Iran’s economic crisis. By a vote of 32 to 1, the upper house of Parliament gave Mossadegh’s emergency powers bill the third and final reading it had refused Saturday. The sole dissenter was Dr. Matin Daftari, Mossadegh’s son-in-law. The Senate said it was satisfied Mossadegh would not abuse the extraordinary powers. The bill already has been approved by the Majlis, the lower house, and will become law upon signature by the Shah. The measure empowers Mossadegh to rule by decree for six months in an attempt to save Iran from bankruptcy threatening it as a result of the loss of oil revenues in the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company dispute. The Senate had refused to approve the bill Saturday on grounds it was unconstitutional and sent a 10-man delegation to see the premier. He threated to resign unless the Senate adopted the legislation.”

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Viola Davis
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “Journey to the Center of the Earth” star Arlene Dahl, who was born in 1925; FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith, who was born in 1944; “Star Wars” star Ian McDiarmid, who was born in 1944; columnist and author Marilyn vos Savant, who was born in 1946; “All by Myself” singer Eric Carmen, who was born in 1949; Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Wozniak, who was born in 1950; World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan, who was born in 1953; Oscar-winner Viola Davis, who was born in 1965; comedian and podcast host Joe Rogan, who was born in 1967; “Hotel Rwanda” star Sophie Okonedo, who was born in 1968; “Boy Meets World” star Will Friedle, who was born in 1976; “Thor” star Chris Hemsworth, who was born in 1983; former Yankees outfielder Melky Cabrera, who was born in 1984; and political commentator and TV host Tomi Lahren, who was born in 1992.

Joe Rogan
Screenshot via Wikimedia Commons

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STAR MAKER: “American Graffiti” premiered on this day in 1973. Written and directed by George Lucas, the coming-of-age comedy documented the cruising culture of the early 1960s. It featured a large ensemble of future stars including Harrison Ford, Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Cindy Williams and Suzanne Somers. Made on a budget of less than $1 million, it earned more than $50 million in its initial release and gave Lucas the clout to go ahead with another project, the “Star Wars” saga.

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GOLD STANDARD: Carl Lewis attained Olympic glory on this day in 1984. In Los Angeles, the 23-year-old became the second track-and-field athlete to win four gold medals in a single Olympics, equaling Jesse Owens’ performance in the 1936 Games in Berlin. Lewis even took the gold in the same events: the men’s 400m relay, the 100m dash, the long jump and the 200m dash.

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Special thanks to “Chase’s Calendar of Events” and Brooklyn Public Library.

Quotable:

“What is the essence of America? Finding and maintaining that perfect, delicate balance between freedom ‘to’ and freedom ‘from.’”
— Marilyn vos Savant, who was born on this day in 1946