Today in History
Today is Sunday, March 19, the 78th day of 2017. There are 287 days
left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On March 19, 1917, a
divided U.S. Supreme Court, in Wilson v. New, upheld 5-4 the eight-hour
work day for interstate railroad workers. On this date: In 1863, the
Confederate cruiser Georgiana, was scuttled off Charleston, South
Carolina, on its maiden voyage to prevent it from falling into Union
hands. In 1920, the Senate rejected, for a second time, the Treaty of
Versailles (vehr-SY') by a vote of 49 in favor, 35 against, falling
short of the two-thirds majority needed for approval. In 1931, Nevada
Gov. Fred B. Balzar signed a measure legalizing casino gambling. In
1942, during World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered men
between the ages of 45 and 64, inclusive, to register for non-military
duty. In 1945, during World War II, 724 people were killed when a
Japanese dive bomber attacked the carrier USS Franklin off Japan (the
ship was saved). Adolf Hitler ordered the destruction of German
facilities that could fall into Allied hands in his so-called "Nero
Decree," which was largely disregarded. In 1951, Herman Wouk's World
War II novel "The Caine Mutiny" was first published by Doubleday. In
1965, the wreck of the Confederate cruiser Georgiana was discovered by
E. Lee Spence, 102 years to the day after it was scuttled. In 1977, the
series finale of "Mary Tyler Moore" aired on CBS-TV, ending the
situation comedy's seven-season run. In 1979, the U.S. House of
Representatives began televising its floor proceedings; the live feed
was carried by C-SPAN (Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network), which
was making its debut. In 1987, televangelist Jim Bakker resigned as
chairman of his PTL ministry organization amid a sex and money scandal
involving Jessica Hahn, a former church secretary. In 1997, artist
Willem de Kooning, considered one of the 20th century's greatest
painters, died in East Hampton, New York, at age 92. In 2003, President
George W. Bush ordered the start of war against Iraq. (Because of the
time difference, it was early March 20 in Iraq.) Ten years ago:
President George W. Bush marked the fourth anniversary of the start of
the Iraq war with a plea for patience to let his revised battle plan
work; Congress' new Democratic leaders retorted that no patience
remained. A methane gas explosion in a Siberian coal mine killed 110
workers. Death claimed rhythm-and-blues singer-songwriter Luther Ingram
at age 69 and TV performer Calvert DeForest, aka "Larry 'Bud' Melman,"
at age 85. Five years ago: An assailant on a motorbike opened fire with
two handguns in front of a Jewish school in the southern French city of
Toulouse, killing a rabbi, his two young sons and a girl. (The gunman,
French-born Mohammed Merah, was killed in a gunfight with police after
a 32-hour standoff at his apartment; he had also killed three French
paratroopers.) The federal Justice Department announced it had begun an
investigation into the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in
Florida by a neighborhood watch captain, George Zimmerman. One year
ago: A FlyDubai Boeing 737 plunged into the ground near the airport in
the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, killing all 62 people on board. A
Turkish suicide bomber killed five people, including two Americans, in
Istanbul's main pedestrian shopping street; Turkish officials said the
bomber was linked to Islamic State. Protesters blocked a main highway
leading into the Phoenix suburb where Republican presidential
front-runner Donald Trump was staging a campaign rally alongside
Arizona's contentious sheriff, Joe Arpaio. Today's Birthdays: Former
White House national security adviser Brent Scowcroft is 92. Theologian
Hans Kung is 89. Author Philip Roth is 84. Actress Renee Taylor is 84.
Actress-singer Phyllis Newman is 84. Actress Ursula Andress is 81.
Singer Clarence "Frogman" Henry is 80. Singer Ruth Pointer (The Pointer
Sisters) is 71. Actress Glenn Close is 70. Film producer Harvey
Weinstein is 65. Actor Bruce Willis is 62. Actress-comedian Mary Scheer
is 54. Playwright Neil LaBute is 54. Actor Connor Trinneer is 48. Rock
musician Gert Bettens (K's Choice) is 47. Rapper Bun B is 44. Rock
musician Zach Lind (Jimmy Eat World) is 41. Actress Virginia Williams
is 39.Actress Abby Brammell is 38. Actor Craig Lamar Traylor is 28.
Actor Philip Bolden is 22. Thought for Today: "One friend in a lifetime
is much; two are many; three are hardly possible. Henry Brooks Adams,
American historian and author (1838-1918).
