February 3, 1946 – NBC World News Roundup – Gordon Skene Sound Collection –
February 3, 1946 – Aviation history today. A record non-stop flight from Burbank California to La Guardia Field in New York; a little over 7 hours; the previous record of some 10 hours was set the week before, also by the Constellation. Reports from the Constellation told of a cruising speed of some 336 miles and hour and a cruising altitude of some 3 miles. The TWA flight inaugurated regular coast-to-coast non-stop service between the East Coast and West Coast, as well as inaugurating overseas flights within some 10 days. With the exception of hitting one air-pocket, resulting in jostled and bruised passengers, the flight went smoothly. It did however, bring up the subject of wearing seat-belts through the entire flight, not just take-off and landing.
More strike news – the AFofL Baker’s strike in New York wrought havoc to the city’s sweet tooth. On top of that, the AF of L Teamsters strike against the city’s 70 wholesale grocers throughout Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens seriously reduced deliveries of groceries to stores throughout the. There was no indication from anyone that either of these strikes were going to be settled soon.
In other parts of the world- from Tokyo came word that Emperor Hirohito was considering making a public statement taking responsibility for his share of the War. Various sources were confirming the story, however word from the Palace indicated that the Emperor was not going to give a public statement anytime soon. And one of Tokyo’s biggest Shinto shrines was slated to be re-opened as an amusement park.
And in Java, the special British envoy to that country Sir Archibald Clark Kerr was slated to hold weekend conferences in Batavia to try and solve the Dutch-Indonesian controversy.
Aside from the milestone of Air travel, much of the other news was devoted to the worsening labor situation, with threatened strikes ready to go all over the country, prompting President Truman to weigh in on the situation.
And that’s just a small slice of what went on this February 3rd in 1946, as presented by NBC’s World News Roundup.
