Established in 1934, The Daily Cougar has always strived to bring its readers the most important news stories of the day.
It might be interesting to take a trip down memory lane and look at which stories would be in the paper if it was still in its infancy.
In world news, two men who would each go on to win Time magazine’s ‘Man of the Year’ award were consolidating power in Germany and Russia. The 1938 award would go to Adolf Hitler, while Joseph Stalin would receive it in 1939. With two great men running these countries, what could possibly go wrong?
In national news, the Great Depression slowed slightly, with unemployment dropping to 22 percent. Of course, part of the problem was the drought in the Midwest, a symptom of what was and still is the hottest decade on record, despite what you may have heard.
A rash of notorious criminals committed various robberies and murders in 1934. Imagine the frenzy that MSNBC, Fox News and the other modern 24-hour news outlets would be in over the antics of John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde and the rest of the rogues’ gallery. Luckily, a revamped FBI put an end to their respective reigns of terror.
Also in 1934, gas was 10 cents a gallon and a Studebaker truck cost $625. How could a person get by while making only an average of $1,600 a year?
Much has changed in 75 years, but many things are the same: high unemployment, a Democrat cult of personalities in the White House and despots ruling volatile nations abroad.
Hopefully, the next decade will be nothing like the ’40s.
Timothy Mathis is a history junior and may be reached at [email protected]
