An assassination attempt has been made on the life of Harry S. Truman. It was carried out by militant Puerto Rican pro- Independence activists, Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola while President Truman was residing at Blair House during renovations at the White House. Although the pair made it up to the entry steps at Blair House and opened fire, Torresola was killed by a Secret Service agent, Leslie Coffelt who was mortally wounded himself by gunfire. Collazo was captured and sentenced to death but Truman commuted his sentence to life imprisonment.
NBC RADIO NEWS originally WEAF in New York City beginning in 1926 was renamed WNBC in 1946, renamed WRCA in 1954, and again remaned WNBC in 1960.
A daily five minute News Report with Merrill Mueller and at times with David Anderson substituting.
Contained in this news report, the latest events related to our involvement in Korea. Also of note the following report only two hours prior to what is considered a most iconic baseball game highlight to occur in baseball history.
David Anderson substituting for Merrill Mueller reports:
"A different more pleasant kind of warfare opens in New York in just a few hours when the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants settle the National League Championship. The winner will meet the New York Yankees in the World Series opener, tomorrow. With so much at stake, both clubs will start their ace pitchers. Sal Maglie will be on the mound for the Giants and Don Newcombe will go for the Dodgers. Both of them have an enviable record in their inner-city rivalry. Maglie has beaten the Dodgers five out of six times this season, while Newcombe has beaten the Giants five out of seven. The weatherman promises fair, warm weather for the season clincher with temperatures in the low 80's. Once again NBC TV will carry the play-off game direct from New York.
A disappointing 38,000 fans were on hand for the game yesterday but a sell-out crowd of 50,000 is expected today. Fans began lining up for tickets by midnight last night and by dawn some 100 ardent supporters were already on hand."
NOTE:
The New York Giants defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers 5-4 in game 3 of their National League playoff series to decide the National League pennant. Bobby Thomson hit a three-run home run into the left field stands off Dodger reliever Ralph Branca to win the game for the Giants 5-4 at the Polo Grounds in New York City.
Swedish race walker John Mikaelsson won back-to-back gold medals in the 10K event at the Helsinki Olympics. He won the corresponding race in London in 1948.
#10941: NEWS WITH LOWELL THOMAS (CBS Radio), & FULTON LEWIS JR. NEWS AND COMMENTARY (WOR Radio).
1954-05-17, 4 min.
Lowell Thomas, Fulton Lewis Jr., Chief Justice Earl Warren, William Dawson
Supreme Court news with Lowell Thomas, Coast to Coast, CBS radio, followed by Fulton Lewis Jr. commentary, same day, on Supreme court justice Earl Warren unanimous ruling in the landmark civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas, mandating and sanctioning that in the future segregation of public schools would be a violation of the 14th Amendment and would in the future be unconstitutional.
Decision on integration:
Lowell Thomas:
"Good evening, everybody. Today's decision by the United States Supreme Court is called the most important action of its kind since the Emancipation Proclamation. Our high tribunal today outlawed racial segregation in schools, the decision written by Chief Justice Earl Warren. It was unanimous. Several complaints against racial segregation in schools upheld today in one sweeping decision. The court ruled against the Southern theory of separate but equal facilities. The decision stating separated educational facilities are inherently unequal. The verdict is complete and sweeping. But it does not mean total change at once. The court notes the far-reaching character of its action. Also, the great variety of local conditions to be considered. So there will be further hearings on the way, the decision is to be put into effect. The details are delayed until Autumn and, it may be a year before the court rules on the methods to end segregation in schools. The reaction in the South is immediate, and its angry with new proposals to transform the public schools into a private school system there. A technical change mostly, but one which might evade constitutional questions on segregation. Already three states, Georgia, South Carolina, and Mississippi have taken preliminary steps to turn their public-school systems over to private organizations. Meanwhile, Negro and sympathetic white groups in the South are jubilant. One organization calling a meeting of its leaders in Birmingham to decide on plans in line with today's decision."
This is a CBS radio aircheck from May 17th, 1954 (1:35), followed by Fulton Lewis Jr. reporting over WOR radio the same evening (2:00).
Fulton Lewis Jr. comments include:
Reactions from the South, no Supreme Court new terms intentions to be imposed overnight, may be a year before pragmatically implemented.
Negro democrat William Dawson from Illinois states that today's decision is the greatest and finest things that has happened since the Declaration of Independence to make a United America and to raise the status of America as the leader in the eyes of the world.
Lowell Thomas was an American radio broadcaster for both the NBC and CBS radio networks. He was employed by his sponsor, Sunoco Oil. He hosted the first television news broadcast in 1939 and the first regularly scheduled news broadcast on February 21st, 1940, over W2XBS, which is now the NBC television network, a camera simulcast of his radio broadcast.
Fulton Lewis' commentary program (presented as a "news" program, but which allowed him to choose his topic and to give his opinions in depth) ran from 7:00-7:15 p.m. Eastern time, five days a week. His audience liked Lewis' folksy broadcasting style. At his commercial peak, Lewis was heard on more than 500 radio stations and boasted a weekly audience of sixteen million listeners. His signature closing was "That's the top of the news as it looks from here." He also transitioned briefly to television in the early 1950s, but the format of his program did not appeal in that medium, so he returned to radio for the remainder of his career.
Comments from David Brinkley on the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg execution, which took place on June,19th,1953. The Rosenbergs were convicted of spying for the Soviet Union, which included providing top-secret information about American radar, sonar, jet propulsion engines, and nuclear weapon designs. Pleas of clemency were ignored by President Eisenhower and the couple became the first American civilians to be put to death on spying charges.
David Brinkley reports.
In January, 1955, the US Congress passed "The Formosa Resolution." It gave President Eisenhower the authority to
defend Taiwan. The United States actively defended the Republic Of China. When the United States arranged to re-supply ROC garrisons on Jinmen and Mazu, it eased the crisis and brought it to an end.
Today's Headlines: Report from Monaco on Grace Kelly wedding, reported by Jinx Falkenburg. In sports news, middleweight Gene Fullmer defeats Tiger Jones, Brooklyn Dodger baseball news, Jim (Junior Gilliam) and Roger Craig's no-hitter until the 7th inning. News on Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford.
Don Peterson reporting for United Press International.
Today's Headlines: Newspaper reporter Victor Reisel will suffer remainder of life with blindness following acid attack on his eyes. Harold Stassen and Estes Kefauver join presidential campaign.
Don Larsen and Don Newcombe, just two days before Larsen's perfect game at Yankee Stadium vs. Brooklyn Dodgers.
Also featured a Bert and Harry Piels commercial starring the Bob and Ray comedy team of Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding.
Hungarians revolt against invading Russian army in fierce fighting. Adlai Stevenson, democratic candidate running for President of the United States against President Dwight D. Eisenhower, states that Ike is a part-time president who plays golf especially during serious events of the day.
Eisenhower plans to have his medical checkup today.
A campaign speech by Democratic presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson who is introduced by Senator John F. Kennedy. Stevenson attacks President Eisenhower, Vice-President Nixon and the Republican party for misinforming the American people about the world crisis.
Highlights include, the Middle East crisis continues, British and French demands rejected by Egypt, Nasser says he will fight to the end and claims Sinai campaign almost over, the question of strained feelings between Anglo-French and USA.
Highlights: UN General Assembly meeting, heavy fighting in Egypt, Secretary of State Dulles at the UN, Stevenson says US troop deployment is a miserable failure, no fighting in Budapest, airfields are surrounded by Russian tanks, New reports
of Russian troop movements, Senator Estes Kefauver accuses the Eisenhower administration of poor foreign policy. John K.M. McCaffery signs off with his famous "what kind of day will it be tomorrow?"
NOTE: A signature sign off by newscaster John K.M. McCaffery,
"What kind of a day will it be Tomorrow?"
Budapest in negotiations with the Russians about the withdrawal of the Red Army, Russia will allow refugees to cross the border into Austria. Report from the UN on ceasefire attempt and talks to send UN forces, the United States urges Russia to withdraw troops, Abba Eban agrees to ceasefire proposal by the UN.
Highlights: Israel will withdraw forces from Sanai under pressure from the United States, United Nations to go to Suez, Bulgarian says Russian troops in Hungary are of no concern of UN, fighting continues in various parts of Hungary, 14,000 to16,000 Hungarians flee into Austria, the United States will accept Hungarian refugees, balloonist hits new heights at 14 miles high, a new altitude record. Republican Thurston B. Morton defeats Democratic incumbent Earle Clements by 7,000 votes to win the Kentucky Senate race.
Longshore's strike in the US continues, UN resumes debate that Russia halt mass deportation, 5,000 Hungarians escape into Austria, 700,000 troops in Hungary.
Highlights: India's Prime Minister or India, Jawaharlal Nehru says the danger of war is not past, visits President Eisenhower in Washington, Vice-President Nixon on the way to Austria to inspect Hungarian refugee problem, Russia tries to ease Poland problem, freighters collide near Staten Island, France calls for a summit conference, Swiss expel Hungarian spies.
Highlights: Bomb scares continue in New York City, the police seek "mad bomber," Eisenhower boosts Hungarian refugee numbers to the United States, above quotas, UN agreement reached in Suez Canal clearance. bus desegregation called off in Alabama.
Highlights: fake bombs planted in New York City, The police try to track down the real "Mad Bomber," Fires in the Malibu Beach area of California, a negro woman is wounded by shots fired while riding a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, update on bus segregation, ex-gov Curley of Massachusetts seriously ill.
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