Vol. 80/No. 7      February 22, 2016

 

25, 50, and 75 Years Ago

 

February 22, 1991

SALT LAKE CITY — One day after Utah’s governor signed the most restrictive abortion bill in the United States into law, some 2,500 demonstrated in outrage. Hundreds of chanting prochoice supporters first rallied at the State Capitol, then marched to governor Norman Bangerter’s mansion. They placed hangers on his fence and vowed to continue their battle.

The law, signed on January 25, eliminates a woman’s right to abortion except in cases of rape or incest, where the pregnancy threatens “grave damage to the pregnant woman’s medical health,” or to prevent the birth of a child with “grave defects.”

Under the new law, doctors who perform illegal abortions would be guilty of a class-three felony, and could face fines up to $5,000 and a five-year jail term.

February 21, 1966

The recent gunning down of students on the streets of Santo Domingo was a cruel reminder that country is still suffering the full consequences of U.S. military occupation. The Santo Domingo military killed three students and wounded 32 others, in an attempt to break up a demonstration demanding the resignation of the Trujillist generals who remain in command of the Dominican army.

The fact is that the Trujillist generals are still around in Santo Domingo only because of the powerful intervention of the U.S. Marines. It is well known that the resistance of the old-guard military had totally collapsed by the fourth day after the April uprising, suffering a defeat at the hands of the armed civilian masses. The continued presence of U.S. troops can only lead to further suppression of the Dominican people.

February 22, 1941

Japan’s program of territorial expansion in the Far East, which began with the conquest of Manchuria nearly ten years ago, has come into conflict with the aims and interest of American imperialism. This fact is openly recognized in both Tokyo and Washington and was underlined by “crisis” developments during the past two weeks. A war in the Pacific is in the offing.

Secretary of State Cordell Hull told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 27 that “long, efforts to obtain mutual understanding and cooperation between the United States and Japan had been virtually fruitless.” Speaking the day before in the Japanese Diet, Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka made the following pointed declaration: “The time for settling misunderstandings with the United States through negotiations has passed.”  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home