Milford chronicle., 1959-04-03

sense-ended the pre-World War era, and
showed that man was not yet smart enough
to build an unsuitable ship
The San Francisco earthquake occurred
on April 18th, 1906, and was followed by a
fire which did more damage than the earth
quake. An area of four hundred miles long
and fifty miles wide was affected by the
quake. But water mains were broken in
San Francisco and the efforts of the Fire
Department to. eXtinguish flames which be-
gan in the earthquake were futile. The fire
ragged for three days throughout the business
section.
William Shakespeare was born in the
month of April, on April 23rd in 1864. Also,
the United States went to war with Spain,
on April 22nd, 1898.
&S&@(%
DAYS
Every so often we remind our readers
of the famous things which happened on the
days which are just ahead of us.
In this connection, when you go to the
dentist, or to the hospital, and an anesthetist
must put you to sleep, it might make you
feel better to know that ether-the first an
esthesia-was not used until 1912. 1t was
not used very widely until long after that
time, so when you are having teeth pulled,
or an operation, remember that If you had
been born couple of hundred years ago,
you might be experiencing some grim or
deals today, which you are spared. Ether
was first used on March Both, in 1912.
That is also the day which has been
holiday in Alaska for many years, and known
as Seward Day, because of the signing by
Secretary of State Seward, on March 30th,
1867, of the treaty with Russia under which
Alaska was ceded to the United States for
$7,200,000. Surely this was one of the best
buys of all time, even though for many years
afterwards the purchase of Alaska was call
ed Stewards Folly"
The United States and Japan signed Com
modore Perry's Treaty in 1854 on March
31st, which opened up Japan to trade and
commercial relations with the United States
and other countries.
Interestingly, there is no agreement on
how April FOOLS Day began. This day, known
as All FOOLS Day, is with us nevertheless,
and is an occasion for practical jokes. The
custom extends all over the world, curiously,
India, Europe, and just about everywhere
else.
The u S. Mint was established in 1892,
on April End, and has been printing money
faster and faster ever since.
Richmond was evacuated on April 3rd,
1865, which signaled the fall of the Confed-
crate capital, and the end of the war; which
came about just six days later. And April
4th is remembered as the day Thaddeus Ste
vens was born, in 1892, and as the day that
the Continental Congress voted that the flag
thirteen alternate red and white stripes and
thirteen white stars on blue field, thus
adopting our present flag design.
SS@s
CIVIL RIGHTS TO PASS
The surest sign that a civil rights bill will
pass Congress-at this first session of the
seth Congress-is the recently expressed
opinion of Senator Richard Russell, Georgia
Democrat. AS the reader probably knows
Senator Russell is the titular leader of
Southerners in the upper legislative body.
Senator Russell recently told reporters
for Georgia newspapers that he was fairly
certain that no drastic" civil rights legis-
lation would be passed by Congress this
year.
Russell said this as congressional COM
mittees were considering three different CIV
il rights bills-and a number of others. The
three primary bills are one sponsored by the
Republican Administration, one sponsored
by Majority Senate Leader Lyndon Johnson,
and one sponsored by two liberal Democratic
senators.
In saying only that he felt certain that
no drastic bill would be passed; it seems
that Russell is admitting that some bill would
be passed At least it is far cry from the
fiery opposition of old days, when bills which
were considered unconstitutional by the
Southerners were fought to the last ditch,
and filibusters constantly threatened against
them.
Instead of threatening filibuster, Sena-
tor Russell says that, 81 am in hopes that no
legislation in this field will be passed this
year. but great deal will depend upon the
nature of the legislation to reach the Sen
ate."
This from the leader of the Dixie bloc in
the Senate is almost tantamount to admit
ting that a civil rights bill will be passed.
And, obviously, Senator Russell believes that
Senator Johnson's bill will be the bill which
races.