November 14, 2008

160 years ago
1848

Born on this date
Sándor Wekerle. Prime Minister of Hungary, 1892-1895, 1906-1910, 1917-1918. Mr. Wekerle, a member of the Liberal Party until 1906, was first elected to the House of Deputies in 1886, and became Minister of Finance in 1889, holding the position during his terms as Prime Minister. He was a member of the National Constitution Party from 1906-1918, and was mainly a figurehead for politicians with stronger personalities. Mr. Wekerle's government was overwhelmed by the impending military defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; he resigned in October 1918, and was imprisoned as a hostage during the Hungarian Soviet Republic (March-August 1919). Mr. Wekerle died on August 26, 1921 at the age of 72.

100 years ago
1908

Died on this date
Guangxu, 37. Emperor of China, 1875-1908. Guangxu, born Zaitian, was the 11th Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. He succeeded his cousin Tongzhi on the throne, but his aunt Empress Dowager Cixi governed as regent. Empreror Guangxu ruled under her guidance from 1889-1898 and initiated the Hundred Days' Reform in 1898. He was toppled by a military coup which restored Cixi to power, and Emperor Guangxu spent the rest of his reign under house arrest, occasionally performing ceremonial duties. Guangxu died of arsenic poisoning; conspiracy theories abound. Empress Dowager Cixi died the following day. Guangxu was succeeded on the throne by his nephew Puyi, who took the regnal name Xuantong.

80 years ago
1928

Society
A referendum in New Zealand resulted in the rejection of Prohibition by a majority of about 144,325 votes. The referendum was on whether Prohibition should be continued or whether a licensing system should be adopted. The result was a defeat for the policy of the government of Prime Minister J.G. Coates.

Transportation
U.S. President Calvin Coolidge pressed a button at the White House that formally opened North Railroad Station in Boston.

Disasters
Six U.S. Army enlisted men were killed at San Antonio, Texas when an Army transport plane went into a tail spin and fell 3,000 feet, throwing the men to the forward part of the plane, from which hey were unable to climb and use their parachutes.

Football
ORFU
Semi-Finals
Sarnia 16 Twin Cities 6 @ London

70 years ago
1938

Transportation
Two days after opening for traffic travelling from Vancouver to North Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions Gate Bridge opened for two-way traffic to and from Stanley Park and North Vancouver.

60 years ago
1948

On the radio
The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, starring John Stanley and George Spelvin (Wendell Holmes), on MBS
Tonight's episode: The Ancient Queen

Born on this date
Happy Birthday, Prince Charles!

50 years ago
1958

Hit parade
#1 single in the U.K. (New Musical Express): It's All in the Game--Tommy Edwards (2nd week at #1)

Politics and government
Admiral Wolfgang Larrazabal resigned as head of Venezuela's ruling junta to run for President; he was succeeded by Edgar Sanabria.

Dispatches from Hong Kong reported that officials of Shantung Province in northern China and Liaoning Province in Manchuria were undergoing a sweeping purge because of regional production failure.

Defense
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower authorized Agriculture Secretary Ezra Taft Benson to barter surplus farm commodities for an expanded list of strategic minerals for the U.S. stockpile.

Oil
The French cabinet approved a law designed to open the Sahara desert to international oil exploration and development under 50-year concessions.

Energy
A Soviet delegation arrived in Cairo for talks on implementation of U.S.S.R. aid pledges for the Aswan High Dam project.

Economics and finance
The U.S.S.R. and France signed a trade agreement in Paris, providing for a 25% annual increase in trade by 1962.

40 years ago
1968

On television tonight
Dragnet 1969, on NBC
Tonight's episode: Public Affairs: DR-12



Space
The U.S.S.R. probe Zond 6 circled the Moon and began heading back toward Earth.

Japanica
The Showa Palace, a new seven-wing imperial palace, opened in Tokyo.

War
U.S. and South Vietnamese forces repulsed an attack by 1,000 Communist troops on a camp 60 miles north of Saigon, near the Cambodian border, killing 287 attackers.

Defense
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization Defense Planning Committee, meeting in Brussels, announced plans for substantial increases in NATO's conventional military strength. U.S. Defense Secretary Clark Clifford announced a six-point plan for increased U.S. participation to improve NATO's military position.

30 years ago
1978

On television tonight
The Paper Chase, on CBS
Tonight's episode: The Seating Chart



Died on this date
Izetta Jewel, 94. U.S. actress and activist. Izetta Jewel Kenney acted on stage from 1899-1914 before retiring from acting and devoting herself to women's suffrage and similar worthless causes. She was one of the founding members of the National Women's Party in 1921; lost a close race for the Democratic Party nomination for the U.S. Senate in West Virginia in 1922; and became the first woman to deliver a seconding speech at a major national party convention in the United States, speaking on behalf of presidential nominee John W. Davis at the Democratic National Convention in 1924. Miss Taylor came out of retirement to star in The Queen's Messenger (1928), the first drama to be broadcast on television. She became a radio personality in San Diego after World War II, and died 10 days before her 95th birthday.

Diplomacy
Chinese Deputy Premier Deng Xiaoping concluded a nine-day tour of Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Burma, during which he attacked the U.S.S.R.-Vietnam friendship treaty.

Defense
France conducted the Aphrodite nuclear test as 25th in the group of 29 French nuclear tests from 1975–78.

Labour
A strike by petroleum workers in Iran that had begun in late October and had resulted in drastically-reduced oil production ended after the government threatened to jail union leaders and fire striking workers.

25 years ago
1983

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Kent Music Report): Karma Chameleon--Culture Club (4th week at #1)

Defense
The first U.S. ground-launched Cruise missiles were delivered to Greenham Common Air Base in England. They were the first of a projected total of 572 U.S. missiles scheduled for deployment in western Europe over a five-year period. The U.S.A. made a new proposal on the limitation of medium-range missiles; the plan would limit the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. to 420 warheads each.

Economics and finance
The Canadian House of Commons passed legislation to end the 86-year-old Crowsnest Pass grain freight rates. The new rates raised costs for farmers, but put $3.7 billion into rail upgrades.

20 years ago
1988

Hit parade
#1 single in Australia (Australian Music Report): Don't Worry Be Happy--Bobby McFerrin

#1 single in Spain (PROMUSICAE): Girl You Know it's True--Milli Vanilli (3rd week at #1)

10 years ago
1998

Politics and government
Former Canadian Prime Minister Joe Clark was selected as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada; he had retired from politics five years earlier.

Football
CIAU
Dunsmore Cup
Laval 10 @ Concordia 10 (2 OT)

Concordia Stadium in Montreal lacked lights, and it was too dark for further play after 2 overtime periods. Head coaches Jacques Chapdelaine of Laval and Pat Sheahan of Concordia agreed to finish the game the following day by playing two 10-minute halves.