DailyTimeCapsule brief
August 29, 1939
On August 29, 1939, two sons of New Jersey Governor Harold G. Murphy were seriously injured in an automobile accident in New Hampshire, drawing significant media attention amidst a tense global landscape. That same week, Adolf Hitler's Germany was poised on the brink of World War II, while Europe was grappling with rising socialist movements, as evidenced by the arrests of Socialists in Vienna, highlighting the continent's volatile political climate. In the United States, the Silver Shirts leader William Dudley Pelley was under scrutiny as a Dies Committee agent revealed questionable financial transactions amounting to $100,000, suggesting that anti-Semitic propaganda was being financially supported in a climate of heightened awareness regarding civil liberties and government accountability. As tensions escalated overseas, domestic events also reflected the societal challenges facing Americans on the eve of significant global conflict.
Key developments
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On August 29, 1939, the two sons of Governor Murphy were seriously injured in an automobile accident in Bedford, New Hampshire. The incident raised concerns about the safety of road travel at the time. The event garnered significant media attention due to the political prominence of their father.
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On August 29, 1939, several former members of the Socialist Party in Vienna were arrested by authorities. This event marked a significant crackdown on political dissent as Nazi influence expanded in Austria. The arrests reflected the broader suppression of socialist and leftist movements during this period.
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In August 1939, an investigation revealed that W.D. Pelley, leader of the Silver Shirts, had shifted $100,000 into personal or alternative accounts. R.B. Barker described Pelley as a significant contributor to anti-Semitic funds and a major stockholder in Crowell Publishing Company. Additionally, the inquiry called for income-tax actions against him for his publishing of anti-Jewish propaganda.
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