MID-SOUTH MEMORIES
25 years ago — 1994 W.W. Herenton reckons with the criticism that has come to the city’s first black elected mayor with characteristic confidence that he’s doing the best he can. He dismisses his loudest critics, mostly a few black elected officials, by saying it’s unreasonable for anyone to think the mayor can cure all the ills of black Memphians. “I didn’t create poverty, I didn’t create the conditions that breed crime, hopelessness and despair, and homelessness. I haven’t been in office to neglect the needs of the poor and black people for decades. I inherited a city that is struggling with urban problems and is trying to grow and to be a better community for all its citizens. That’s what Willie Herenton inherited,” he said in an interview. 50 years ago — 1969 WASHINGTON — Senate Democratic leader Mike Mansfield of Montana said this week he is holding off any partisan criticism of President Nixon because he wants to help Nixon “get started right.” “In my opinion he has made a good start,” Mansfield said. “He has said the right things. He has not made any extravagant promises. He says he wants to be ‘President of all the people’ and I’m for that.” Mansfield is all for giving Nixon a chance. 75 years ago — 1944 The State Department has revealed officially for the first time that more than 22,200 Americans and Filipino war prisoners died of Japanese mistreatment in one Philippine prison camp alone during the first few months of their detention. It was made plain that this appalling figure was only a partial toll of the brutality visited upon the fallen heroes of Bataan and Corregidor. 100 years ago — 1919 Appearing before the House Naval committee in Washington yesterday, Admiral Mayo urged Congress “to go the limit in expanding our Navy,” and said that there should be at least 8,000 naval officers by 1920. “The League of Nations is rapidly getting down to being a sewing circle,” warned Mayo, who is commander-in-chief of the Atlantic fleet. 125 years ago — 1894 The completion of the Niagara Falls hydraulic tunnel and its successful operation marks an important step in this country’s industrial history.