February 7: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
ON THIS DAY IN 1919, a Brooklyn Daily Eagle editorial said, “A Boston doctor writes a piece for the papers saying that influenza is due to wearing too many clothes. He fails to explain why the flu has ravaged many of the islands of the Pacific where the climate is tropical and where very few clothes are worn. Theorists are prone to build up their whole case on local observation and to forget that there is any other part of the world.”
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ON THIS DAY IN 1946, the Eagle reported, “LONDON (U.P.) — A second Soviet-British dispute — Ukrainian charges that British troops in Indonesia threaten the peace — faced the UNO Security Council today after a hard-fought compromise settlement of the Russian-British quarrel over Greece. Observers believed the Ukrainian charges might be withdrawn when the council convenes as a result of the Greek settlement. The U.S.S.R. and Soviet Ukraine charges had been filed simultaneously. Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin was generally considered to have won a major victory for Britain in the Greek case, which ended when Russia withdrew her charges at the council last night. A simple statement by the council chairman, N.J.O. Malkin of Australia, that the council had heard the discussion and considered the case closed brought an end to the acrimonious debate which threatened the infant organization’s unity. The compromise settlement resulted from a statement by Andrei Vishinsky, Soviet vice foreign commissar, that Russia agreed not to press her charges against Britain and did not insist that the council should pass a declaration that British troops should leave Greece. Mr. Bevin studied Mr. Vishinsky’s offer for 30 intense minutes, then accepted it. Mr. Makin moved that the council proceed to the next item of business. His proposal was accepted by acclamation by the council and drew cheers from the galleries. Mr. Bevin and Mr. Vishinsky shook hands with Edward J. Stettinius Jr., chief American delegate who prepared the compromise formula.”