A lot of Pacts going on this day in March, 1940. From Berlin it was learned that Rome and Budapest signed a Pact of Alliance, while Soviet Russia and Persia signed a Trade Pact, which bothered the French Foreign Minister no end. Berlin Radio also reported the explosions heard in the Romanian Oil fields at Ploesti were the work of saboteurs from the British Secret Service, with no other details.
From London it was reported the infamous scuttling of the German pocket Battleship Graf Spee in Montevideo Uruguay was actually the result of a Mutiny among the battleship's crew and Berlin giving the signal to destroy the ship, rather than have it fall into Allied hands.
From Capitol Hill it was reported that Secretary of State Sumner Welles, upon returning from his diplomatic mission to all the Capitals in Europe, concluded that there was "one chance for peace and a thousand chances for war", making for a gloomy assessment, particularly in light of upcoming legislation and hearings regarding our shipping of Military Aid to Britain. Other goings on in Washington - Federal Judge Peyton Gordon ruled that Labor Unions do come within range of U.S. Anti-Trust laws, therefore paving the way for half a dozen Union officials to be indicted on charges of Conspiracy for Restraint of Trade over Cement Mixers on Washington construction sites.
And that's what went on this March 27th in 1940 via the NBC News Of The World.
