Monday, August 23, 1926. Rudolph Valentino passes, as does Dr. Charles William Eliot.

Legendary silent screen leading man Rudolph Valentino died of peritonitis at age 31.

A huge star of his day, he remains a well known figure of the era.

Dr. Charles William Eliot, the longest serving president of Harvard, died at age 91.  He transformed the university from a respected provincial college into a preeminent research university. 

Theodore Roosevelt called him "the only man in the world I envy."

Last edition:

Sunday, August 15, 1926. Martyrs of the Cristero War and open rebellion.

Labels: 1920s, 1926, 1926 Election, actors and actresses, Catholic, Christianity, Crime, Cristero War, Disease, Mexico, Movies, Politics, Railroads, religion

Sunday, August 15, 1926. Martyrs of the Cristero War and open rebellion.

He was rushed to hospital and operated on immediately for a ruptured appendix.

As noted yesterday, Father St. Luis Bátiz Sainz, Manuel Morales, David Roldán Lara, and Salvador Lara Puent were executed by firing squad.

In response, ranchers led by former colonel Pedro Quintanar seized the municipal treasury of Chalchihuites and declared themselves in open rebellion.

After attending a party the prior evening, recently ailing Rudolph Valentino collapsed at the Hotel Ambassador in New York City. 

A mail train was robbed in Wyoming:

I'm not sure what was going on with the local elections, but a candidate was really mad at a newpaper editor:

Last edition:

Saturday, August 14, 1926. More killings in Mexico.

Labels: 1920s, 1926, Art, Catholic, Christianity, Cristero War, Ethel Hays, Exploration, Mexico, Norman Rockwell, religion, The written word, USSR, Women, Wrangel Island

Saturday, August 14, 1926. More killings in Mexico.

The Mexican Government arrested Father Luis Bátiz Sainz at a private house.  He and three members of the Mexican Association for Catholic Youth would be driven out of town, and then shot, the following day.

Before the closure of the churches, he had spoken at a gathering where the topic of armed resistance to suppression of the Church had been discussed.

He was later canonized.

The USSR claimed Wrangel Island.

An Ethel Hays' cartoon for the day.

It was a Saturday

Last edition:

Tuesday, August 10, 1926. Executions in Mexico, Hurricane in Nova Scotia.

Labels: 1920s, 1926, boats and ships, Cartoons, Cristero War, Disaster, J.R. Williams, Mexico, Nova Scotia, Weather

Tuesday, August 10, 1926. Executions in Mexico, Hurricane in Nova Scotia.

The Mexican government executed 20 people by firing squad. They'd participated in the uprising several days prior.

A hurricane struck Nova Scotia, sinking two fishing boats and causing the death of 26 crewmembers.

Out Our Way featured the cowboys for today.

Last edition:

Saturday, August 7, 1926. Calles rejects foreign mediation.

Labels: 1920s, 1926, Art, Automobile racing, Cristero War, Italy, Plutarco Elías Calles, Spain, United Kingdom

Saturday, August 7, 1926. Calles rejects foreign mediation.

Calles rejected foreign mediation which had been offered in hopes of resolving the crises brought about by the Calles Law.

Spain, led by the dictator Miguel Primo de Rivera, and Italy, led by dictator Benito Mussolini, signed a Treaty of Friendship.

The first British Grand Prix was held.

It was a Saturday.

Last edition:

Tuesday, August 3, 1926. Uprising in Mexico.

Labels: 1920s, 1926, Automobiles, Catholic, Christianity, Cristero War, England (London), Fascism, Italy, Liga Nacional Defensora de la Libertad Religiosa, Mexico, Mexico (Guadalajara), religion, Texas (San Antonio)

Tuesday, August 3, 1926. Uprising in Mexico.

The Liga Nacional Defensora de la Libertad Religiosa commenced an uprising in Mexico, although appreciating it as such was probably not evident to anyone at the time. 400 armed faithful barricaded themselves in the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.  Fighting continued until they ran out of ammunition.  18 people were killed and 40 wounded.

On this day, the Diocese of San Antonio was elevated to a metropolitan archdiocese. It'd become a place of refuge for fleeing faithful and clergy from Mexico.

Italy banned parades, ceremonies and public demonstrations that were not authorized as "effectively useful".

London's first traffic lights went into operation.

Last edition:

Saturday, July 31, 1926. Calles Law takes effect.

Labels: 1920s, 1926, Art, Catholic, Christianity, Cristero War, Dogs, Economics, France, Mexico, Plutarco Elías Calles, religion

Saturday, July 31, 1926. Calles Law takes effect.

The "Calles Law" went into effect.

Rioting broke out.

The French Chamber of Deputies voted in favour of Prime Minister Raymond Poincaré's drastic tax increase plan to save the nation from bankruptcy.

The gutless U.S. Congress should do this right now, but it's too spineless to do so.

Various magazines hit the stands in the English speaking world with summer themes.

The New Yorker depicted men sleeping outdoors to escape the heat.

The British journal Country Life went with scenes of Scotland

Taking a different theme entirely, the Saturday Evening Post depicted dogs.

Last edition:

Whatever It Is, I’m Against It: Today -100: July 30, 1926: If Catholics, scarfaces...

Labels: 1920s, 1926, Blog Mirror, Catholic, Christianity, Crime, Criminal Organizations, Cristero War, Illinois, Illinois (Chicago), Mexico, Protestant, religion

Whatever It Is, I’m Against It: Today -100: July 30, 1926: If Catholics, scarfaces...

Whatever It Is, I’m Against It: Today -100: July 30, 1926: If Catholics, scarfaces...: The Mexican government is expecting trouble when the anti-Catholic Church law comes into effect. Catholics are ordered disarmed, newspaper ...

Last edition:

Thursday, July 29, 1926. Fascist mindsets.

Thursday, July 29, 1926. Fascist mindsets.

The fascist government of Italy prevented 2,000 Italian pilgrims from visiting the church of Madonna del Sasso in Locarno, Switzerland, on the basis that Italians should spend their money in Italy.  

It was the first time the pilgrimage had been disrupted in 400 years.

Sounds like something the Orange Mussolini would do today.

The Convention and Statute on the International Régime of Maritime Ports providing freedom of access to maritime ports without regard to a ship's nationality or maritime flag, went into effect.  Sounds like something the Orange Mussolini would oppose today.

Al Capone was freed after having spent a night in jail after being arrested on charges arising from the April 27 murder of assistant State's Attorney William McSwiggin and two friends, James J. Doherty, and Thomas "Red" Duffy. The new assistant State's Attorney, George E. Gorman, stated that evidence was insufficient for the charge.

Still living Polish literary and anti communist figure, after having been a communist, Jacek Bocheński was born in Lwow, which is now in Ukraine.

Last edition:

Tuesday, July 27, 1926. The Filipino House votes for an independence plebiscite.

Labels: 1920s, 1926, 1927, Diplomacy, Philippines, Politics, Prohibition, The Press, U.S. Territories, United Kingdom, United States

Tuesday, July 27, 1926. The Filipino House votes for an independence plebiscite.

The Philippine House of Representatives voted to approve a resolution calling for a plebiscite on independence for the U.S. Territory.  It was vetoed by U.S. Military Governor, Leonard Wood, but the legislature overrode the veto and the measure then went to the final consideration of U.S. President Coolidge, who vetoed the measure the following year.

The US and UK entered into an accord to address alcohol smuggling.

Hearst newspapers ran this editorial:

Last edition:

Monday, July 26, 1926. Ports of call.

Labels: 1920s, 1926, Abraham Lincoln, Bahamas, Diplomacy, Mountain Climbing, Straits of Hormuz, Swiss Army, Switzerland, United States and Israel v. Iran, Weather

Monday, July 26, 1926. Ports of call.

Robert Todd Lincoln, the only surviving child of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, died at age 82.

A severe hurricane struck the Bahamas.

Swiss Army officers took 600 recruits on an ascent of the 10,650 feet high Devil's Mountain.

Reaching the summit at 8:30 am, they then descended without a single serious injury of any kind.

The still in effect Convention and Statute on the International Régime of Maritime Ports, providing that in peacetime, ships of all nations shall have freedom of access to maritime ports regardless of their maritime flag, went into effect.

Which should mean that Iran and the US, which the US hasn't declared war against, shouldn't be monkeying with ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

Last edition:

Sunday, July 25, 1926. Last services before the Calles Law.

Labels: 1920s, 1926, Arizona, Catholic, Christianity, Cristero War, Joseph Stalin, Judaism, Mexico, police, Prohibition, religion, Stalin's' Purges, Tunisia, USSR

Sunday, July 25, 1926. Last services before the Calles Law.

Thousands of Mexican Catholics pilgrimaged to Tepeyac the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, as well as to other shrines and churches in the country a week before the Calles Law was to take effect.  The event took place following the newspaper publication of a pastoral letter, signed by the Archbishop of Mexico City, José Mora y del Rio, as well as seven other archbishops and 29 bishops, ordering the suspension of services in all Catholic churches and directing all priests to stay away effective July 31, a move I frankly don't understand.

Advertisements called for a boycott of businesses supporting the Calles Law.

Border Patrol Inspector William Llonzo Parker was killed in a battle with Mexican liquor smugglers near the Wills Ranch, west of the Huachuca Mountains, Arizona.  The body of smuggler Artilio Espinosa was found during the investigation, indicating that Parker had killed at least one of his opponents. 

Grigory Zinoviev was removed as chair of the Comintern after opposing Stalin.  It would ultimately cost him his life.

Young Tunisian Jewish woman, published in Forverts, July 25, 1926.

Last edition:

Tuesday, July 20, 1926. Turning up the heat.

Labels: 1920s, 1926, British Army, Calvin Coolidge, Diplomacy, Food, France, French Army, Haiti, The Press, United Kingdom, USSR, Weather

Tuesday, July 20, 1926. Turning up the heat.

 

Coolidge gave a press conference at White Pine Camp.

Secretary Davis and I discussed only incidentally the question of munition depots. He said that there was a location in Utah that would he available, but the expense of moving our munitions out there would be pretty heavy. I think he said that none of the munitions that belong to the War Dept. have been exploded. What he did say which was of most importance was that careful studies were being made to make the locations of munitions as safe as possible.

I am not just certain when I shall go to Plymouth. I had rather expected that I might go last week some time, but I wasn’t able to get away. I haven’t any definite plan about it. What would the members of the conference prefer, to go by automobile or by train?

Press: Train.

President: Seems to be unanimous. Well, I think I can arrange to take you over there by train, if that would suit you better. I will do what I can in that direction. I suppose I will have to set down a time when I have made up my mind to go and then stick to it. Otherwise there is something coming up all the time that seems to make it desirable for me to be here. I got word that the Secretary of War was coming up, and now the Secretary of State is coming up here later in the season. He is going to speak at Plattsburg at the celebration there of the MacDonald victories on Lake Champlain.

The resignation of Commissioner Fenning is in the hands of the Attorney General. It was received just about the time we were leaving Washington. He has some small matters that we wish to have him clear up before he relinquishes the office. That will take but a few days and then he is to retire. I suppose that he would have given in his resignation any way, but I did send a request to him that he should retire.

Press: Was that request since you have been up here?

President: Why no, I said I got the resignation just as I was leaving. The request was made just before I came away.

There isn’t any particular significance in the visit of Senator Fess. He told me while I was in Washington that he was to be in the Adirondacks this summer. He has some friends up here. I think he makes it a practice to come up here every summer. They are located within 30 or 35 miles. I understood he was to be at Tupper Lake, but he is at Loon Lake. Perhaps he was going to Tupper Lake later, and I told him of course that if he was here I hoped very much ae would have a chance to come and stay a day or two with me.

I am not expecting to speak at Plattsburg at the unveiling of the MacDonald monument. As I indicated before, the Secretary of State will be there. I understand there will be some representatives of the Canadian Government there, which makes it especially appropriate for the Secretary of State to be present.

Press: Do you think you will go over, Mr. President?

President. No.

I haven’t any information about what Chairman Parker or other members of the House Commerce Committee are contemplating in relation to coal legislation for a conference with the coal operators and coal miners during the vacation. I knew that Representative Parker had prepared a bill, or that his Committee had, I coal legislation, which they were proposing to take up immediately on the convening of Congress. There didn’t seem to be time to take it up at the last session. I think I have said enough to make that plain. I didn’t know anything about a plan for trying to make an adjustment between the operators and miners, other than what I have seen in the press. I think I indicated at a conference that was held long ago that perhaps the railroad legislation which was passed at the last session might furnish a foundation principle for legislation and adjust in the coal industry. There are two or three things that I wanted as coal legislation. The first was the opportunity to call in a temporary Board to adjust differences whenever an emergency might arise, and the second was an opportunity have a coal administration whenever a scarcity was threatened. Those are the principal things.

There isn’t any comment that I can make on the fall of the French Cabinet. It is hardly appropriate to comment on a matter of that kind.

I hope that I may have a chance to go to the training camp at Plattsburgh some time during the summer. That is about 50 miles away and I judge we could go over in the morning and return in the afternoon.

If I go by train to Plymouth I shall go to Ludlow, and I think the members of the press would find accommodations at Ludlow or at Tyson, which is about 6 or 7 miles from Plymouth. It i s in the town of Plymouth, but that is post office name, 5 miles toward Plymouth from Ludlow. There Is a very good hotel there that was opened long ago but has been closed quite a good deal and reopened last summer. I went down there to lunch with Secretary Mellon and Senator Smoot when they came to Plymouth to confer with me relative to the Belgian Debt settlement, so that I know that it is a very comfortable place. And there is also at Woodstock a very good Inn that some of you are already acquainted with.

I haven’t had any report from the Secretary of Agriculture relative to his work in putting into operation the bill that was passed at the last session relative to cooperative marketing.

And I haven’t any information other than that which has appeared in the press about bank failures in southern states. That seemed to be due to some local conditions there. It i s my understanding that those were mostly state banks and not national banks.

I also expect to visit the Saranac Veterans Bureau Hospital for tubercular patients while I am here.

The Adirondacks climate is very much like that with which I am acquainted over in Vermont. I noticed that a number of the old-timers over here came from Vermont. Paul Smith came from Milton. A man named Plumbley, a very famous Adirondack figure for a good many years, came from Suesbury, next to Plymouth. Suesbury is even more like the Adirondacks region than Plymouth is. The fishing is better here than it is in Vermont.

I have an inquiry about the appropriations. If anyone is interested to analyze the increased appropriations for the present year you will find that there is a very complete study of that in the remarks of Martin B. Madden, as you know, the Chairman of the Appropriations on the part of the House. It is in the Congressional Record for Monday, July 12, 1926, beginning on Page 13,006. Of course our Post Office Department is a growing Department. We mean to keep it practically self-sustaining. Sometimes there is a deficit. There has been all the time since I have been President. Wages have been greatly increased in the Post Office Department since 1914, increased about 50%. Those that were getting $1400 at that time are now getting $2100, and the general average of increases in the postal service is very close to 50%. That accounts for a very large part of the increase in the appropriations for 1926 and 1927, that is the budget that has just passed. The Government expenditures are $273,000,000 greater. There is $100,000,000 of that which is accountable for on account of the adjusted compensation, or the bonus law. The first year that it went into effect it was estimated that the expenditure would not be known and that an appropriation I believe of $50,000,000 would take care of it , so that for this year we made up that deficiency with $100,000,000 I think put in the regular appropriation for the bonus bill. As I recall, it was $125,000,000. I won’t be sure about that. I know it is $100,000,000 extra we had that we put in. So that the Veterans Bureau has $173,000,000 more in the present budget than it had in the last budget. Than there was a great deal of money that came due on the matter of roads. We had been making appropriations that took care of the current needs, but last year there were very large bills that came in, so that the appropriation for this year is $26,000,000 greater. Than we have adopted the public buildings bill. Haven’t had a public buildings bill for 12 years, and that accounts for $14,000,000 more. Prohibition costs are $13,000,000 more. Rivers and Harbors carries $10,000,000 more. That is for special work that is being done in the Mississippi Valley, notably from Kansas City, or rather from St. Louis to Kansas City going up the river, or from Kansas City to St. Louis down. If you are reporting for the Kansas City papers it would be Kansas City first, if you are reporting for St. Louis papers St. Louis first. Than there were some refunds, $5,000,000 of refunds on cigars taxes and automobiles. We have increased pensions for Civil and Spanish War veterans $5,000,000. The Arlington Bridge $2,250,000. Then we have begun construction of military posts to replace the temporary housing erected during the war. That doesn’t come out of tax money really, but of course it does appear as an appropriation item. That is $2,250,000. We passed a law that as that military land was sold off the proceeds might be taken to make better housing facilities for our military posts. And the Sesquicentennial is $2,000,000. Judgments against the Government in the Court of Claims and other judgments are nearly $9,000,000. The total increase outside of the Post Office, of which these are the principal items, is $273,000,000. I think these items that I have given you figure up to about $260,000,000. But there are some other small items of one kind or another and you can refer to this little table here in the Congressional Record to give you a very complete explanation of it if you wish to. Now, some of those of course are permanent. The public buildings program runs for five years. The Veterans Bureau bill for the next year won’t be nearly as big. The cost for the Post Office next year I should expect would not be as large public buildings will be larger next year because we expect to appropriate about $25,000,000 a year, but we found that $14,000,000 was all that we could expend advantageously this year. It takes so long to make plans and lay out the work. It is difficult to make any estimate about pensions. The Civil War veterans are dropping away very fast. That item which now runs about $2,000,000 will naturally decrease. Of course the country is a growing country. It keeps expanding all the time and there is tremendous pressure on the Federal Government to take on new activities which the Congress resists as well as it can and which I resist as well as I can. As we pay off the national debt of course the expenses are going to be reduced for interest, but I think the plan is that as interest charges are reduced more money will go into the sinking fund. That isn’t spoken of here, but it is my recollection that there is $30,000,000 more in the sinking fund for the present year than last year. That means we are using that to pay off the public debt.

Soviet monster Felix Dzerzhinsky died of a heart attack at age 48.

French General Auguste Dubail of France and British Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson reached an agreement for a joint plan to mobilize 150,000 men in the event that Germany declared war on either nation.

Rebels in Haiti captured Cap-Haïtien.

Last edition:

Saturday, July 17, 1926. Boicotear

Labels: 1920s, 1926, Boycott, Catholic, Christianity, Cristero War, Mexico, Plutarco Elías Calles, religion, Taxes