German Chancellor Hans Luther gave a nationally broadcast speech in which he stated that Germany's entry into the League of Nations was understood to be contingent on no other changes being made to the League's membership council. "All Germany's debates on whether it should enter the League now were based on a contemplation of the League as it existed when Germany was asked to join. Therefore, it is illogical to try to combine Germany's entry into the League with changes in the membership of the council." Germany was displeased about the prospect of a temporary council seat being granted to Poland, a country Germany considered hostile.[1]
Zizi Lambrino filed a lawsuit in Paris against Prince Carol of Romania for 10 million francs, asserting that she was still legally Carol's wife and entitled to money to support herself and their son Carol Lambrino.[3]
A strange story, sometimes thought to be an urban legend, was reported in the Hungarian newspaper Az Est, concerning a waiter in Budapest who committed suicide and left behind a note containing a complex crossword puzzle as some kind of clue. It does not appear that the mystery was ever solved.[4]
A meeting in Geneva among the signatories of the Locarno Treaties agreed that Germany's entry into the League of Nations would be delayed pending the formation of a new French government and a decision regarding permanent council seats for Poland, Spain and Brazil.[7]
The first commercial trans-Atlantic telephone call was made from New York to London.[8]
Five Fascists went on trial for the 1924 murder of Socialist politician Giacomo Matteotti.[12] The trial took place in the largely inaccessible coastal town of Chieti and the judge was the brother-in-law of the prominent Fascist politician Roberto Farinacci.[13]
Japan demanded a formal apology and an indemnity payment from China over the March 12 incident. The signatories to the Boxer Protocol also gave China an ultimatum to dismantle the Taku Forts and allow unimpeded access to the sea.[14][15]
Germany's admission into the League of Nations was delayed again over complications raised by Brazil and Spain regarding the allocation of permanent council seats.[17]
The March 18 Massacre took place in Beijing. Government troops and police shot 47 unarmed demonstrators who were protesting unequal treaties with foreign powers and their March 15 ultimatum.[15]
Died:"Wild Bill" Hutchison, 66, American baseball pitcher and the last major league player to pitch 500 innings in a single season, accomplished in 1892, appearing in 72 games in a 146-game season.[18]
Died: Major General Oswald H. Ernst, 83, American military officer who was superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point from 1893 to 1898, later the U.S. Army Chief of Staff, 1914 to 1917
The Matteotti murder trial ended with two Fascists acquitted and the other three sentenced to six years in prison for "unintentional murder".[12] However, in consideration of time served and an amnesty law passed by the government the previous year for any political murders arising from "unforeseen circumstances", all were set to be freed in seven weeks except for ringleader Amerigo Dumini, who received an additional six months.[13]
Gene Shalit, American film critic and long time reviewer for The Today Show; in New York City (alive in 2024)
László Papp, Hungarian middleweight and light middlweight boxer, gold medalist in three consecutive Olympics (1948, 1952 and 1956); in Budapest (d. 2003)
The French franc tumbled to 29.15 to the American dollar, the lowest in the currency's history, as a devaluation crisis began to develop in France.[19]
The Polish and Romanian governments signed a Treaty of Alliance to bolster security in Eastern Europe.[17]
Died:Georges Vézina, 39, Canadian NHL goaltender, died of tuberculosis contracted during the 1924-25 NHL season. The NHL's Vezina Trophy for the league's best goaltender is named in his honor; he would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1945.
The U.S. government granted permission for two breweries to make 3.76% "malt tonic" to be sold through drug stores without prescription for a six-month trial period.[21]
Roberto Farinacci resigned as National Secretary of the Fascist Party of Italy.[22] He practiced private law until returning to public prominence by joining the Grand Council in 1935.
France shipped out 340 convicts, with another 340 to be picked up in Algiers, on a boat bound for Devil's Island. The government had previously committed to winding down and closing the nefarious colonial prison, but it abandoned the pledge due to jail overcrowding.[23]
Born:
Ingvar Kamprad, Swedish businessman who founded the multinational furniture company IKEA in 1943; in Älmhult (d. 2018)
^Clayton, John (March 12, 1926). "Italy Adopts Mussolini Law to Bar Strikes". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 3.
^"Chinese Fire on 2 Jap Warships; Wound 3 Sailors". Chicago Daily Tribune. March 13, 1926. p. 2.
^"Japan to Play a Lone Hand in Row with China". Chicago Daily Tribune: 13. March 15, 1926.
^ abcdMercer, Derrik (1989). Chronicle of the 20th Century. London: Chronicle Communications Ltd. pp. 339–340. ISBN978-0-582-03919-3.
^ abSachar, Howard M. (2015). The Assassination of Europe, 1918–1942: A Political History. North York, Ontario: University of Toronto Press. pp. 61–63. ISBN978-1-4426-0920-4.
^Dailey, Charles (March 16, 1926). "'Wreck Forts or We Will,' China Told By Powers". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 3.
^ abPowers, Roger S.; Vogele, William B.; Kruegler, Christopher; McCarthy, Ronald M. (1997). Protest, Power and Change. Garland Publishing. p. 76.
