Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Tuesday, January 14, 1975. Un-American.

The House Un-American Activities Committee was disbanded by the U.S. House of Representatives.

It's roots went back to 1918 and it had investigated a wide range of Communist activities in the US dating back to that time.  Often missed, quite a few figures that the committee investigated unsuccessfully prior to World War Two would be again after the war.  Many of those whom it suspected of Communist activity would, in fact, prove to have done just that, in spite of the reputation of the committee being tarnished during the McCarthy Era.

It's demise after the Watergate and the Vietnam War was inevitable, but it had a much better track record than is popularly recalled.

Henry Kissinger announced that the Soviet Union was rescinding its agreement to a trade deal with the United States following enactment of the Jackson–Vanik amendment to the Trade Act of 1974.

The Convention on Registration of Launched Objects into Outer Space was signed in New York.  It requires the signatories to inform the United Nations of things that are launched into space.

U.S. Vice-President Rockefeller was appointed to head a committee to investigate domestic espionage by the Central Intelligence Agency.

Last edition:

Saturday, January 11, 1975. Storms. Things can, and do, get worse.

Sunday, January 14, 1945. Retreat in the Ardennes.

M-25 light tank in operation, probably in Belgium, January 14, 1945.

Hitler granted von Rundstedt permission to carry out a drastic retreat in the Ardennes.

The Americans won the Battle of Foy.

The US 8th Air Force resumed strategic operations after a month-long pause caused by the Battle of the Bulge.  Their missions encounter heavy German fighter resistance in spite of German losses over the past month.

German POWs in the Ardennes, January 14, 1945.

The Red Army engaged in offensive action nearly everywhere on the Eastern Front, save for Hungary where the Germans were still attempting to relieve Budapest.

The Battle of Ramree Island began off Burma.

The British Second Army began Operation Blackcock with the goal of clearing the Germans from the Dutch towns of Roermond and Sittard and the German town of Heinsberg.

The Twin Star Rocket entered service with the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad.  It was the only new streamlined train permitted to enter service in the US during World War Two.


African American actress Vonettta McGee was born in San Francisco.  She had beat Hodgkins Lymphoma at age 17 and went on to university to seek a career in the law, before switching to acting, in which she had a wide variety of roles, including appearing in The Eiger Sanction.  She died in 2010 of cancer at age 65.

Last edition:

Saturday, January 13, 1945. Stiff German resistance.



    Thursday, January 15, 1875. Restoring the gold standard.

    The Specie Payment Resumption Act of January 14, 1875 restored the gold standard through the redemption of previously unbacked United States Notes.

    It also attacked inflationary policies that arose during the Civil War.

    President Grant address Congress regarding it, stating:

    To the Senate of the United States:

    Senate bill No. 1044, "to provide for the resumption of specie payments," is before me, and this day receives my signature of approval.

    I venture upon this unusual method of conveying the notice of approval to the "House in which the measure originated" because of its great importance to the country at large and in order to suggest further legislation which seems to me essential to make this law effective.

    It is a subject of congratulation that a measure has become law which fixes a date when specie resumption shall commence and implies an obligation on the part of Congress, if in its power, to give such legislation as may prove necessary to redeem this promise.

    To this end I respectfully call your attention to a few suggestions:

    First. The necessity of an increased revenue to carry out the obligation of adding to the sinking fund annually 1 per cent of the public debt, amounting now to about $34,000,000 per annum, and to carry out the promises of this measure to redeem, under certain contingencies, eighty millions of the present legal-tenders, and, without contingency, the fractional currency now in circulation.

    How to increase the surplus revenue is for Congress to devise, but I will venture to suggest that the duty on tea and coffee might be restored without permanently enhancing the cost to the consumers, and that the 10 per cent horizontal reduction of the tariff on articles specified in the law of June 6, 1872, be repealed. The supply of tea and coffee already on hand in the United States would in all probability be advanced in price by adopting this measure. But it is known that the adoption of free entry to those articles of necessity did not cheapen them, but merely added to the profits of the countries producing them, or of the middlemen in those countries, who have the exclusive trade in them.

    Second. The first section of the bill now under consideration provides that the fractional currency shall be redeemed in silver coin as rapidly as practicable. There is no provision preventing the fluctuation in the value of the paper currency. With gold at a premium of anything over 10 per cent above the currency in use, it is probable, almost certain, that silver would be bought up for exportation as fast as it was put out, or until change would become so scarce as to make the premium on it equal to the premium on gold, or sufficiently high to make it no longer profitable to buy for export, thereby causing a direct loss to the community at large and great embarrassment to trade.

    As the present law commands final resumption on the 1st day of January, 1879, and as the gold receipts by the Treasury are larger than the gold payments and the currency receipts are smaller than the currency payments, thereby making monthly sales of gold necessary to meet current currency expenses, it occurs to me that these difficulties might be remedied by authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to redeem legal-tender notes, whenever presented in sums of not less than $100 and multiples thereof, at a premium for gold of 10 per cent, less interest at the rate of 2 1/2 per cent per annum from the 1st day of January, 1875, to the date of putting this law into operation, and diminishing this premium at the same rate until final resumption, changing the rate of premium demanded from time to time as the interest amounts to one-quarter of 1 per cent. I suggest this rate of interest because it would bring currency at par with gold at the date fixed by law for final resumption. I suggest 10 per cent as the demand premium at the beginning because I believe this rate would insure the retention of silver in the country for change.

    The provisions of the third section of the act will prevent combinations being made to exhaust the Treasury of coin.

    With such a law it is presumable that no gold would be called for not required for legitimate business purposes. When large amounts of coin should be drawn from the Treasury, correspondingly large amounts of currency would be withdrawn from circulation, thus causing a sufficient stringency in currency to stop the outward flow of coin.

    The advantages of a currency of a fixed known value would also be reached. In my opinion, by the enactment of such a law business and industries would revive and the beginning of prosperity on a firm basis would be reached.

    Other means of increasing revenue than those suggested should probably be devised, and also other legislation.

    In fact, to carry out the first section of the act another mint becomes a necessity. With the present facilities for coinage, it would take a period probably beyond that fixed by law for final specie resumption to coin the silver necessary to transact the business of the country.

    There are now smelting furnaces, for extracting the silver and gold from the ores brought from the mountain territories, in Chicago, St. Louis, and Omaha--three in the former city--and as much of the change required will be wanted in the Mississippi Valley States, and as the metals to be coined come from west of those States, and, as I understand, the charges for transportation of bullion from either of the cities named to the mint in Philadelphia or to New York City amount to $4 for each $1,000 worth, with an equal expense for transportation back, it would seem a fair argument in favor of adopting one or more of those cities as the place or places for the establishment of new coining facilities.

    I have ventured upon this subject with great diffidence, because it is so unusual to approve a measure--as I most heartily do this, even if no further legislation is attainable at this time--and to announce the fact by message. But I do so because I feel that it is a subject of such vital importance to the whole country that it should receive the attention of and be discussed by Congress and the people through the press, and in every way, to the end that the best and most satisfactory course may be reached of executing what I deem most beneficial legislation on a most vital question to the interests and prosperity of the nation.


    Physician and Lutheran minister Albert Schweitzer, in Kaysersberg in Alsace

    Last edition:

    Saturday, January 9, 1875. Officers' Quarters Fire at D. A. Russell.

    Monday, January 13, 2025

    A gentle moment. The old rural Catholics. A bit much. The old age refuses to yieldeth. The stubborn German.

    A gentle moment

    I was standing in the confession line behind her.  A young man came up behind me.  I realized, as I'd come in and went straight into line (I'm now 62, and well aware of my sins) I'd cut him off, as he came up from praying in the back of the church.

    I immediately said "I cut you off, you can go in front of me", but he smiled and said "It doesn't matter".

    She was nicely dressed, wearing a full length skirt and a nice one.

    He reached around me and handed her something, which I thought was a handkerchief (she did in fact have a cold).  It wasn't, it was her mantilla She put it on.

    I thought they were likely brother and sister.  He was very nicely dressed and they were both young, in their early 20s.

    When I left, they were in different quarters of the church praying.  I recognized her now that I could see her face.  She's one of the "Mantilla Girls", but one I see rarely.  I didn't recognize him.  They were in fact, not together.  He just noticed she'd dropped her mantilla.

    The old rural Catholics

    I was wearing, on the day of confession, Carhartt trousers and my very old Carhartt jacket.  I hadn't shaved.  

    It was Saturday.

    I don't like shaving.  I started shaving when I was 13, and by that, I mean at some point when I was 13 I was shaving every day.  Next year I will have been shaving for 50 years.

    When I was 13, I learned to save with a "safety razor".  I, in fact, owned a safety razor at age 13.  I first shaved with disposable head razors in basic training.  It was only a few years later, but there's a lifetime between 13 and 18.

    I've recently received, in one fashion or another, a couple of reminders to Catholics in general that they ought to dress appropriately at Mass.  It is, I'd note, sort of a Catholic thing in a way, in some areas, kind of not to.  Not that we're intentionally dressing down, but for a lot of us going to Mass is so common that we in fact dress down, as its Sunday.  In some regions, we don't dress up and indeed, as we're used to going to Mass with college students, blue collar workers, sheepherders, ranchers, lawyers, doctors, businessmen, well, we don't.

    The local Priest suggested we ought to dress nicely.  He's from a farm and had a conversation with me regarding sheep on the way into Mass recently.  Fr. Joseph Krupp, who himself often looks a little like a guy who might ride a Harley, and I think at one time did, suggested the same.

    They're right of course.

    Well, it was Sunday today.  I went to Mass wearing Carhartt trousers and my very old Carhartt coat.

    The coat is warm.

    A bit much

    I sometimes see comments about yoga pants.

    I don't pay much attention to such comments.

    I ran into the very nice, and quite Catholic, son of a person I know very well the other day.  He's a nice young man.  He was with his girlfriend, who is probably a nice young woman. She is the daughter of an Assemblies of God minister.

    She was wearing yoga pants.

    They were so tight that, frankly, they left nothing to the imagination.  Absent wearing bikini bottoms, there would have been nothing less appropriate to wear in mixed company than I could imagine. 

    And its January.

    Makes me appreciate the Mantilla Girls all the more.

    The old age refuses to yieldeth

    At Mass, to my massive discredit, I ran into somebody, but only remotely, who generally irritates me.

    That's probably sinful on my part.

    I've known said person my entire professional life.  I knew his sister when we were in high school by which time I'll note he was already a lawyer.  She was a great person and I still lament her tragic death as a passenger in an automobile when it wrecked.  I knew, but less well, one of her sisters who died in the same wreck.

    Horrible.

    Anyhow, the person in question must have graduated high school nearly a decade in advance of me, which means that he must be over 70 years old now.  He's still actively practicing law.

    I've concluded that this is toxic, if you are doing it full time, to your personality.

    I also don't like that he holds his hands in the air when certain prayers are said, and he's huge so its hard to ignore.  That's the orans position, and in actuality there's good reason to do that.  That's what the early Christian faithful, who were all Catholics, did when the Lord's Prayer was said.

    Well, I don't like it.

    And that means I need to work on this.

    I'd note that his fellow doesn't particularly acknowledge me at Mass, but then I don't go out of the way to acknowledge him either.  If we run into each other in Court, well. . . we're old pals.

    The Mantilla girl and the young man, and the cowboy couple I noted several weeks ago, are better than either of us.

    The stubborn German



    Germans, it appear, have a reputation for being stubborn.

    I have what people perceive as being a very German last name.

    I have a very Irish first name.

    I've never thought this odd, but then, who thinks their own names odd. For one reason or another, I've always considered myself an Irish American.  

    My father didn't like anyone considering himself this or that.  No Hyphenated Americans.  He thought we were all Americans. He'd grown up, I'd note, while World War Two was on, when nobody considered themselves German Americans.

    Some people are really proud of that now.

    Well, by decent today, I'd be 1/4 German. But genetically, due to the weird way that works, I'm more Irish than a lot of people who live in Ireland.  And for that matter, I'd further note, my father's mother was of 100% Irish extraction, and in Irish American household even when my father was young, the mother's ruled the abhaile.

    Father's sacrificed for their families, particularly in Catholic families.

    The last name, fwiw, is Westphalian.  A person with it is just as likely to be Dutch, as German.  I was once asked by an Albertan if my ancestors were Dutch, for that reason.  Westphalia became a Prussian possession in 1807, much to the discontent of Catholic Westphalians, who weren't keen in being ruled by a Lutheran emperor. After the revolutions of 1848 a lot of Westphalians departed for the United States, sick of being rules by an undemocratic Prussian.

    My Westphalian ancestors left about that time.  I don't know why, they didn't write it down.

    Anyhow, genetically, I'm Irish.  

    And in my ancestor there were those Irish who, given the choice between converting to Protestantism and keeping their occupation, ro being exiled, chose exile.

    Stubborn?

    I don't think I am, but I guess people perceive me that way.  I've been told that more than once.

    German?

    Not really.

    Saturday, January 13, 1945. Stiff German resistance.

     

    US troops in Belgium being served chow, January 13, 1945.

    Allied advances in the Ardennes continued.  On this day the event at Foy depicted in Band of Brothers occurred.


    The Red Army encountered stiff resistance in East Prussia.

    The USS Salamana was badly damaged in an kamikaze attack off of the Philippines.  Such attacks themselves were dropping off.

    Last edition:

    Friday, January 12, 1945. The beginning of the last Red Army Winter Offensive of World War Two.

    Friday, January 13, 1775. Governor Franklin urges New Jersey to remain loyal.

    Royal Governor of New Jersey, William Franklin, appeared in front of the New Jersey Legislature and urged the body to remain loyal to the Crown.

    Governor Franklin was the acknowledged illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin.  It is not clear who his mother was, and he was raised by his father and his father's "common law wife" Deborah Read.  He'd remain loyal to the Crown for the remainder of his life.

    Last edition:

    Thursday, January 12, 1775. Sliding towards and preparing for war.



    Sunday, January 12, 2025

    Blaze (in Los Angeles) threatens to leap highway near densely populated regions

    A headline in the Tribune this morning.

    The tragedy we're seeing here is indescribable.  Truly, this is one of the worst disaster in American history.

    Friday, January 12, 1945. The beginning of the last Red Army Winter Offensive of World War Two.

    The Red Army commenced the Sandomierz–Silesian Offensive and the Vistula–Oder Offensive.

    German troops were outnumbered at least 4 to 1 in all classes of equipment.

    "A civilian casually picks his way through the rubble - all that remains of the Belgian town of La Roche, entered earlier in the day by Allied troops. 12 January, 1945."

    "Double trouble for the Germans comes in the form of twin bazookas mounted on a .50 caliber machine gun mount, which can be completely traversed. Although only two men are shown in the jeep, a third is present to load the projectiles while the unit is in actual operation. L-R: T/5 Louis Gergye, Youngstown, Ohio, and Pvt. William R. Jump, Owenton, Ky. 12 January, 1945. I & R Platoon, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division."  This must be a field modification.  I've never seen another example of this.

    The British 18th Indian Division took bridgeheads over the Irrawaddy.  Commandos were landed near Myebon on the mainland between Akyab and Ramree.

    Aircraft of the U.S Navy sank 40 Japanese ships in Cam Ranh Bay and most of the ships in a convoy from Qui Nho'n, including the carrier Kashii.

    Last edition:

    Thursday, January 11, 1945. Reinforcements at Lingayen

    Monday, January 12, 1925. Ordering Thompsons.

    The North Side Gang attempted a drive by assassination of Al Capone, with the would be killers armed with Thompson submachine guns.

    Capone was inside a nearby restaurant at the time, conducting business, and only his bodyguard was wounded. The event did cause him to order Thompsons himself, which were not restricted from purchase in any fashion at the time.

    These would have been the M1921 Thompson, not the M1928 Thompson that is more familiar to most people, although telling the difference between the two at a glance is difficult.  They were extremely expensive.

    Period Thompson advertisement.  Thompson marketed them to police and for self defense, but of course at the price, they weren't economically attractive to regular people, and they were to criminal organizations, as well as to the police.

    Last edition:

    Sunday, January 11, 1925. Jargon of the Juveniles, Times Signal, Zanesville.

    Wednesday, January 12, 1825. A type of justice arrives for the first time.

    For the first time in U.S. history, a European American was hung for his role in the organized killing of a Native American when James Hudson was hanged in Madison County, Indiana.

    The killings had occurred in that county on March 22, 1825, and were previously noted here on their anniversary, where we stated:

    Monday, March 22, 1824. The Fall Creek Massacre

    The Fall Creek Massacre occured in which Native Americans of uncertain tribal origin, two men, three women, two boys, and two girls were killed by seven white settlers in Madison County, Indiana. 

    The perpetrators would be caught, tried and sentenced to execution, in the first instance of European Americans being executed for the murder of Native Americans under U.S. law.  Not all were, however, as the Governor arrived during the executions and pardoned those who had not yet had their sentence carried out.

    Last edition:

    Sunday, January 9, 1825. The "Corrupt Bargain".

    Labels: 

    Thursday, January 12, 1775. Sliding towards and preparing for war.

    Concord Massachusetts militia, i.e., Minute Men, signed their muster rolls as an organized militia for the first time.

    This is deceptive, we'd note, in that a militia obligation dated back to the founding of Massachusetts Bay Colony and was imposed on all men from ages 16 to 60 (meaning I'd now be beyond my militia duty).  Rapid deployment units were formed first in 1645 and the term "minute men" had existed for quite some time as an official inter militia designation.

    Darien Georgia adopted the following resolution.

    In the Darien Committee, Thursday, January 12, 1775.

    When the most valuable privileges of a people are invaded, not only by open violence, but by every kind of fraud, sophistry, and cunning, it behoves every individual to be upon his guard, and every member of society, like beacons in a country surrounded by enemies, to give the alarm, not only when their liberties in general are attacked, but separately, least a precedent in one may affect the whole; and to enable the collective wisdom of such people to judge of its consequence, and how far their respective grievances concerns all, or should be opposed to preserve their necessary union. Every laudable attempt of this kind by the good people of this Colony, in a constitutional manner, hath been hitherto frustrated, by the influence and authority of men in office, and their numerous dependants, and in every other natural and just way, by the various arts they have put in practice. We, therefore, the Representatives of the extensive District of Darien, in the Colony of Georgia, being now assembled in Congress, by the authority and free choice of the inhabitants of the said District, now feed from their fetters, do Resolve,

    1st. That the unparalleled moderation, the decent, but firm and manly conduct of the loyal and brave people of Boston and Massachusetts Bay, to preserve their liberty, deserves not only the applause and thanks of all America, but also, the imitation of all mankind. But, to avoid needless repetitions, we acquiesce and join in all the Resolutions passed by the Grand American Congress in Philadelphia last October. We thank them for their sage counsel and advice, and most heartily and cheerfully accede to the Association entered into by them, as the wisest and most moderate measure that could be adopted in our present circumstances to reconcile and firmly unite Great Britain and the Colonies, so indispensably necessary to each other, by the surest and best basis — mutual interest. But as the wisest Councils upon earth are liable to the errours of humanity, and notwithstanding our reverence and partiality for that august Assembly, we beg leave to differ in opinion from them, in charging the unjust measures of the present and preceding Ministry, to a person qualified rather for a private than a publick station; and as the resentment of his countrymen, on a former occasion, was raised by the illiberal and unjust abuse of them, indiscriminately, for the faults of that man, we humbly presume the renewing it at this time, on so little foundation, at least impolitick; being confident that every Member of that late, wise, patriotick, and truly honourable Congress, from a principle of candour and justice, will rather commend than blame our honest and well meant freedom.

    2d. That in shutting up the Land Offices, with the intention of raising our quit-rents, and setting up our Lands at publick sale representations of the Crown tract have not been duly considered (and attended to) in all its consequences to this vast continent: That it is a principal part of the unjust system of politicks adopted by the present Ministry, to subject and enslave us, and evidently proceeds from an ungenerous jealousy of the Colonies, to prevent as much as possible the population of America, and the relief of the poor and distressed in Britain and elsewhere, for whom a kind Providence has opened a new world from their merciless oppressor, when the old is overrun with such monsters: That monopolizing our Lands into few hands, is forming and encouraging petty tyrants to lord it over us, or reside in any other part of the world in extravagance, luxury, and folly, by the fruit of our labour and industry — such oppressions, neither we nor our fathers were able to bear, and it drove us to the wilderness: And that all encouragement should be given to the poor of every Nation by every generous American.

    3d. That Ministerial Mandates, under the name of Instructions, preventing the legal Representatives of the people to enact laws suiting their own respective situation and circumstances, are a general grievance, and more especially in this young Colony, where our internal police is not yet well settled; and as a proof of the intention of these restrictions, when time and opportunity offers, we point out particularly, amongst many others of like nature, the not suffering us to limit the term of our Assembly, or passing a quit-rent law, to ascertain and fix the most valuable part of our property.

    4th. That an over proportion of Officers, for the number of inhabitants, and paying their salaries from Britain, so much cast up to us by Court parasites, and for which we are so often charged with ingratitude, are in truth real and great grievances, rendering them insolent, and regardless of their conduct, being independent of the people who should support them according to their usefulness and behaviour, and for whose benefit and conveniency alone they were originally intended. That besides these exorbitant salaries, which enables them all to act by Deputies, whilst they wallow in luxury themselves, their combining to raise their exorbitant and illegal fees and perquisites, by various arts upon the subject, to an alarming height, are more dangerous to our liberties than a regular Army; having the means of corruption so much in their power, the danger of which is imminently exemplified in the present unhappy state of our brethren and fellow-subjects in Britain, and even in the late conduct of this Colony. To prevent therefore as much as in us lies these direful effects, we do resolve never to choose any person in publick office, his Deputy, Deputy' s Deputy, or any expectant, to represent us in Assembly, or any other publick place, in our election, hoping the example will be followed throughout this Colony, and all America.

    5. To show the world that we are not influenced by any contracted or interested motives, but a general philanthropy for all mankind, of whatever climate, language, or complexion, we hereby declare our disapprobation and abhorrence of the unnatural practice of Slavery in America, (however the uncultivated state of our country, or other specious arguments may plead for it,) a practice founded in injustice and cruelty, and highly dangerous to our liberties, (as well as lives,) debasing part of our fellow-creatures below men, and corrupting the virtue and morals of the rest; and is laying the basis of that liberty we content for (and which we pray the Almighty to continue to the latest posterity) upon a very wrong foundation. We therefore resolve, at all times to use our utmost endeavours for the manumission of our Slaves in this Colony, upon the most safe and equitable footing for the masters and themselves.

    6th. That we do hereby choose Messrs˙ ******* to represent us for this District, in the Provincial Congress at Savannah, the 18th instant, or at any other time and place appointed hereafter, for the space of one year from this day, and that a copy of these our Resolutions be given them as expressing the sense of this District of publick grievances, which will serve for their direction and instructions; and it is further our desire, that our said Deputies shall use their endeavours to send two Delegates from this Colony to the General Continental Congress, to be held at Philadelphia next May.

    Last edition:

    Wednesday, January 11, 1775. Francis Salvador takes his seat.

    Best Posts of the Week of January 5, 2025.

    The best posts of the week of January 5, 2025.  A week dominated by the ravings of Mad King Donald, and the horrible fires in Los Angeles.

    January 5, 1925. Nellie Tayloe Ross sworn in as Governor.



















    Saturday, January 11, 1975. Storms. Things can, and do, get worse.


    The cover, page 3, and back cover, of Zhwandūn (ژوندون : مجله هفتگى), an Afghani magazine.





    Last edition: