As 2023 comes to end we’re observing two wars elsewhere, among other issues such as open borders and homelessness.
In case anyone forgot, there’s a presidential election coming in the year ahead.
Not an easy time, many might say, but the end of the year 80 years ago nationally and locally could be comparable to the stress of the times. The U.S. was still at war in 1943, but was struggling a bit in the fight, oddly enough on the home front.
As The Oneonta Star of Dec. 28 reported, “The Army Monday night took possession of the nation’s vast railroad system, acting on orders from President Roosevelt, who ordered the seizure so that transportation of war materials could continue in the face of a strike threat.”
Residents in our area took notice, as Oneonta was a railroad hub of the D&H, and Sidney was supplying materials for warplanes from Scintilla Magneto, for example.
“Directing the army to seize the roads as of 7 p.m., he declared: ‘Railroad strikes by three brotherhoods have been ordered for next Thursday. I cannot wait until the moment to take action to see that the supplies to our fighting men are not interrupted.’
“The major military offensives now planned must not be delayed by the interruption of vital transportation facilities. If any employees of the railroad now strike they will be striking against the government of the United States.”
While this was brewing another matter seemed to be coming to an end, as The Star of the same front page told readers, “President Phillip Murray Monday night in effect, ordered striking members of the United Steel Workers union to return to their jobs and told them to continue ‘uninterruptedly the production of steel,” another vital war supply.
“The CIO chief sent his instructions to all local and district officials of the CIO organization after the WLB in Washington voted a guarantee that wage increases which may be negotiated between the union and 500 steel companies will be retroactive to the expiration dates of old contracts.
“The action — ostensibly ending a crisis in the mills which had involved more than 170,000 men in work stoppages — came as production skidded to the lowest rate since America’s defense program began in 1940.”
With 1944 to be a presidential election year, Star readers on Dec. 30 learned, “President Roosevelt, having brushed aside as ‘picayune’ a direct question whether he would run for a fourth term, was on record today as favoring an expanded economy and as against economic and military isolationism after the war.
“In allegorical and alliterative terms he told his news conference yesterday he favored scrapping the term ‘new deal’ because he said ‘Old Dr. New Deal’ has cured the country’s internal ills.
“The patient is all right internally now, he said, but old Dr. New Deal had to call on his partner, an orthopedic surgeon as ‘Dr. Win-the-War,’ to heal the external wounds of a bad accident suffered at Pearl Harbor.”
There was still a war to win, and many Oneontans were far from home.
As The Star of Dec. 31 reported, “In training camps, on battlefronts, and on the high seas 1,701 Oneontans will greet the New Year tomorrow under circumstances strange to most of them, and their absence will be felt keenly in the merrymaking or religious services in which their friends at home bid goodbye to 1943 and welcome 1944.
“For the third consecutive year President Roosevelt has proclaimed New Years as a national day of prayer. Oneonta churches thoroughly in accord with the President’s sentiments, will hold an appropriate union service in the United Presbyterian church Saturday at 10:30.
“‘In view of the supreme sacrifices which the New Year will exact it becomes the sacred duty of men and women of all faiths to heed this call to prayer,’ said Rev. James M. Guthrie, United Presbyterian pastor and secretary of the Oneonta Ministerial association.” Other watch night services were held on New Year’s Eve.
“Open house will be observed at the Elks club tonight for members, their wives, and friends. There will be dances at the Eagles club and restaurants, and a midnight show at (the) Oneonta theatre.
“Skating continues good at Neahwa park, with scores of children and some older folks enjoying themselves on the ice.”
On Wednesday, outdoor activities of all kinds were newsmakers locally in January 1984.
Oneonta City Historian Mark Simonson’s column appears twice weekly. On Saturdays, his column focuses on the area before 1950. His Wednesday columns address local history 1950 and later. If you have feedback or ideas about the column, write to him at The Daily Star, or email him at simmark@stny.rr.com. His website is oneontanyhistorian.com. His columns can be found at www.thedailystar.com/opinion/columns/.