25 YEARS AGO
The Globe and Mail reported that the Canadian government appeared to be satisfied that Josef Mengele, the notorious Nazi war criminal known as the "Angel of Death," did not apply to immigrate to Canada in 1962, and never came to Canada, according to Canadian documents released in Washington and Ottawa. Correspondence three weeks earlier had raised suspicion that Mengele had applied to come to Canada using the name Joseph Menke.
50 YEARS AGO
The Globe and Mail reported that the United States had agreed to contribute $5-million to the development of Canada's nuclear-power reactor program. The announcement, by Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd., reflected a sudden surge of U.S. interest and approval in the heavy-water reactors, a type in which Canada had specialized since the Second World War. A blind man who befriended actress Diana Barrymore when she was down and out was to receive $10,000 from her estimated $50,000 estate, it was disclosed. Jack Paar, who stalked off The Tonight Show like a wounded lion six days earlier, agreed like a lamb to return to it. Paar expressed sorrow at having caused any embarrassment, and readily accepted NBC's suggestion that he heed the "Come back, Jack" pleas of his audience. Paar had quit the air in a huff before a startled audience because the network had edited a joke out of his program. NBC said it was in poor taste. Paar said it was innocent.
100 YEARS AGO
The Globe reported that the village of Hudson, Ohio, voted 169 to 97 that it was worthwhile to remain booze-free for 50 years in order to obtain a waterworks plant, electric light and sewage system and kindred improvements. James W. Ellsworth, a wealthy resident of New York but a native of Hudson, offered the village the improvements if it would vote "dry" and stay so for 50 years. The village would also be required to paint its houses white, with green blinds, and put on red tile roofs, grow hedges to replace the popular picket fence, plant shade trees and clean up. In Chicago, "comic" valentines received a staggering blow from post office censors. More than 25,000 of the valentines were condemned and ordered not delivered, on the ground they were objectionable.