February 24: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

February 24, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1920, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “LONDON — The Allies will decline to deal with Soviet Russia ‘until they have arrived at the conviction that the Bolshevist horrors have come to an end,’ it was announced after a meeting of the Allied Supreme Council today. The decision of the Supreme Council, it was recognized, precludes diplomatic relations between the Allied Governments and the Moscow administration in the immediate future. The Council expressed itself as pleased that the International Labor Bureau had decided to send a delegation to Russia to study conditions, but it stated its belief that supervision of the delegation should be under the Council of the League of Nations, giving the investigators greater authority. The Council, it was stated, decided that the Allies could not accept the responsibility of advising the border States to continue war against the Bolsheviki, which course by such States might be injurious to their interests. If the Bolsheviki attack within the territory of the border states, however, the Allies promise ‘every possible support.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1952, the Eagle reported, “LISBON, FEB. 23 (U.P.) — The North Atlantic Treaty Organization today gave unanimous approval to a three-year, $300,000,000,000 program to make Europe secure against the threat of Soviet aggression. The huge defense program — which pledges West Europe to put guns ahead of butter — calls for $75,000,000,000 to be spent during 1952 to provide Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower with 50 divisions and 4,000 war planes. There was not a dissenting vote as the 14 NATO powers accepted the report of W. Averell Harriman of the United States and representatives of the 12 original NATO nations for the vast, three-year defense buildup. The Harriman Committee report placed the $300,000,000,000 limit on what the NATO powers could safely spend for defense during the next three years without wrecking their economies. Goals beyond 1952 were tentative, but look toward an eventual armed force of 100 divisions to defend Europe.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1954, the Eagle reported, “TOKYO (U.P.) — Marilyn Monroe, who caught a cold wearing summer clothing in freezing Korean weather, was put to bed today aboard a passenger plane before it took off for home. ‘I just don’t feel good,’ Marilyn whispered in a hoarse voice to newsmen as she and her husband, Joe DiMaggio, boarded the Pan-American Stratocruiser. Even though she appeared unusually nervous and tired as a result of her ‘something for the boys’ tour of Korea, Marilyn smiled and waved for photographers at the airport. The plane left Tokyo five minutes late because DiMaggio, the great Yankee baseball player who became a forgotten man for four long days, was besieged by fans at the airport entrance. ‘Where’s my husband, where’s my husband?’ Marilyn kept asking customs officials, while Joltin’ Joe was trying to elbow his way through the throng.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1963, the Eagle reported, “WASHINGTON — While Russian military activity in Cuba continues to stir up a row in Congress, the Senate Internal Security subcommittee has quietly resumed its investigation of the ‘Fair Play for Cuba Committee.’ The subcommittee has been conducting closed, unannounced hearings under the direction of Vice Chairman Thomas J. Dodd, D-Conn. While senators have been reluctant to talk about the inquiry, they deny that it has any bearing on the Cuban military controversy. The probe is reported to be an extension of 1960-61 hearings into the organization’s activities in the U.S. It is said to involve the current status on the ‘Fair Play’ group, which has remained active. Sen. James O. Eastland, D-Miss., subcommittee chairman, announced in August of 1961 that the investigation ‘established that the operation of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee on the national level is substantially Communist-financed and Communist-dominated.’ The subcommittee report also said the organization was established with substantial financial support from the Castro government and had been supported by the Communist Party in the U.S.”

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Bonnie Somerville
Paul A. Hebert/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include “The Sopranos” star Dominic Chianese, who was born in 1931; singer and actress Joanie Sommers, who was born in 1941; former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, who was born in 1942; former Yahoo! Incorporated Chairperson Terry Semel, who was born in Brooklyn in 1943; “Spin City” star Barry Bostwick, who was born in 1945; “Bad to the Bone” singer George Thorogood, who was born in 1950; “That ’70s Show” star Debra Jo Rupp, who was born in 1951; Baseball Hall of Famer Eddie Murray, who was born in 1956; journalist Paula Zahn, who was born in 1956; “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” star Beth Broderick, who was born in 1959; “NYPD Blue” star Bonnie Somerville, who was born in Brooklyn in 1974; and ice dancer Madison Hubbell, who was born in 1991.

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A TRYING TIME: Impeachment proceedings against President Andrew Johnson began on this day in 1868. The primary motive was Johnson’s dismissal of Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, which the House of Representatives declared a violation of the 1867 Tenure of Office Act. Johnson was acquitted of the charges in May 1868 and the Tenure of Office Act was repealed in 1887.

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JOBS CREATED: Steve Jobs was born on this day in 1955. Jobs co-founded Apple Inc. with Steve Wozniak in 1976. Eight years later they released the Macintosh, which solidified the Apple brand. Jobs also helped to revolutionize communications with the iPod, iPhone and iPad. He was 39th on the Forbes Richest People in America list when he died of cancer in 2011.

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

Quotable

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

— Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs, who was born on this day in 1955