December 15: ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

December 15, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle History

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ON THIS DAY IN 1911, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported, “Kilauea, in Hawaii, the largest active volcano in the world and at the same time the safest, is recommended to become part of a national park by Governor [Walter F.] Frear of the territory to the Secretary of the Interior. The proposed park would include the volcano and the country surrounding it. A survey already has been made, says Governor Frear, of the country around the crater, much of it being public land, while the private land involved is of comparatively little value.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1925, the Eagle reported, “The White Cross, international anti-narcotic society, with headquarters at 34 W. 49th St., Manhattan, has organized a ‘Committee of One Thousand’ to raise $235,000 or more to carry out its program to curb the traffic in dope, educate the public, secure legislation, enforce the law, and develop a policy of proper medical care and opportunity for the care of drug addicts. Previously this work of fighting the dope peddler and the alarming increase in drug addiction and its attendant increase in crimes of violence has been borne by the philanthropy of a few individuals, aided by an annual appropriation from the Community Chest of Seattle, Washington. These funds have been found inadequate to make a real stand against the encroachment of a scourge that enables a few people to make huge profits out of human misery and degradation.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1946, the Eagle reported, “Solution of the country’s economic ills cannot come from radicals, whether they represent the ‘right’ or ‘left,’ but must be provided by middle-of-the-road, hardworking Americans who do not want great corporations or great labor organizations running the country, Gov. Edward Martin, Republican United States Senator-elect of Pennsylvania, declared last night in a speech outlining the spirit in which the next Congress should approach the nation’s problems. Governor Martin, guest of honor at a dinner of the Pennsylvania Society of New York at the Hotel Waldorf-Astoria, where he received the society’s gold medal award for distinguished public service in 1946, voiced the view that there was no need for ‘restrictive’ laws for any part or group of the people, but asserted at the same time that no section of the people should be given any ‘special privilege.’ If the nation came together ‘in one common purpose for the interest of all the people,’ he asserted, ‘there can be no reason why we must have labor strife. Certainly we should not have it if labor, agriculture and industry assume their responsibilities to the country.’”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1953, the Eagle reported, “PARIS (UP) — Gen. Alfred M. Gruenther, supreme Allied commander, said today the build-up of his North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces has been ‘fantastic’ and that they soon will be given added power in the form of atomic weapons. There is no word but ‘fantastic’ to describe the increase in Allied power against Communist aggression since the dark days of 1951 when Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived in Europe to organize Allied Supreme Headquarters, General Gruenther told the North Atlantic Council of Ministers. But the prospect of atomic weapons does not mean ‘an automatic reduction of forces’ will be possible, General Gruenther warned. He said Allied leaders must keep open minds and ‘resist popular pressure’ to cut troop strength.”

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ON THIS DAY IN 1962, an Eagle editorial said, “Have you been missing your subway stops the past few days? Judging by the complaints we’ve been receiving, hundreds of straphangers have been. The reason they cite is not mechanical failure for once. Rather it’s the enormous number of 17-by-22-inch advertising broadsides that have been pasted over train windows by advertisers trying to soften the effects of the newspaper strike. People simply can’t see through them. When asked whether these unusual window shades were permitted by regulations, a spokesman at the Transit Authority admitted they weren’t. Normally, he said, only authority notices, such as those explaining a change in service, are allowed. Why then were the rules being broken? ‘It brings in increased revenue,’ the spokesman said, ‘and because of the gap in newspaper advertising it benefits both advertisers and the public.’”

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Garrett Wang
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP

NOTABLE PEOPLE BORN ON THIS DAY include Pro Football Hall of Famer Billy Shaw, who was born in 1938; former Supremes member Cindy Birdsong, who was born in 1939; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dave Clark, who was born in 1939; former baseball manager Jim Leyland, who was born in 1944; drumming legend Carmine Appice, who was born in Brooklyn in 1946; former N.Y. Mets manager Art Howe, who was born in 1946; “Miami Vice” star Don Johnson, who was born in 1949; Fuzztones singer Rudi Protrudi, who was born in 1952; theater and film director Julie Taymor, who was born in 1952; “Supergirl” star Helen Slater, who was born in 1963; former N.Y. Knicks player David Wingate, who was born in 1963; “Star Trek: Voyager” star Garrett Wang, who was born in 1968; “Stargate SG-1” star Michael Shanks, who was born in 1970; “The O.C.” star Adam Brody, who was born in 1979; “Downton Abbey” star Michelle Dockery, who was born in 1981; and N.Y. Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux, who was born in 2000.

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LAW OF THE LAND: The first 10 amendments to the Constitution — known as the Bill of Rights — became effective on this day in 1791 following ratification by Virginia. The anniversary of ratification and effect is observed as Bill of Rights Day.

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POP THE CORK: The 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution became effective on this day in 1933. It repealed the 18th Amendment, which instituted a nationwide prohibition on alcohol beginning in 1919. It’s the only amendment that repeals another.

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

Quotable:

“They say if you remember the ’60s, you weren’t there. Well I remember the ’60s, I was there and I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

— Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dave Clark, who was born on this day in 1939