Pope Pius XI told a gathering of 20 cardinals that it would be an "enormous crime" if another war occurred. "We cannot persuade ourselves that those who should have at heart the prosperity and well-being of the people wish to push to suicide, ruin and extermination not only their own nation but a great part of humanity", he said.[1]
Nazi Germany first revealed that it possessed anti-aircraft guns by namingHermann Göring as the Commander of the Anti-Aircraft Force. It was forbidden in theTreaty of Versailles for Germany to have anti-aircraft artillery.[2]
Anthony Eden ended his European peace tour inPrague with the statement, "In the world today no nation can prosper on another's ruin. We are too intimately connected for that. We stand and fall together."[5]
In response to thePatterson v. Alabama decision,Alabama GovernorBibb Graves ordered that the names of colored persons be put on the jury rolls in all 67 state counties.[7]
A very rare occurrence of a Japanese emperor leaving the imperial palace took place whenHirohito rode to the Tokyo railway station to greetKang-de ofManchukuo.[8]
Parliamentary elections were held in theFree City of Danzig. Although the Nazis won 59% of the vote, this was short of the two-thirds majority needed to set up a dictatorship. A German Nazi and a Pole were shot during an outbreak of violence inBrentau.[12]
Tornadoes in theDeep Southof the USA killed at least 26 people.[13]
Tributes toErich Ludendorff were held all over Germany on the occasion of his 70th birthday. Laudatory articles were published in newspapers and Hitler ordered that all public buildings display flags.[15] Catholic and Protestant Confessional synod organizations refused to obey the flag order because of Ludendorff's professed anti-Christian beliefs.[16]
Four theatrical men running the British stage revueStop Press (a retitled version of the American productionAs Thousands Cheer) were fined in court over a scene showing a man and a woman in bed together and another in which actors impersonatingGeorge Bernard Shaw andJacob Epsteinblow a raspberry. The prosecutor called the latter "a very unpleasant noise, even more unpleasant when put in the mouths of two very respectable persons."[17]
TheStresa Conference began inStresa, Italy. Representatives of Britain, France and Italy met to discuss how to respond to Germany's rearmament and safeguard Austrian independence.[20]
An earthquake in northernIran killed 500–600 people.[3]
U.S. PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt pledged up to $200 million to eliminate dangerous railroad crossings in the United States and avoid further tragedies like the one in Rockville.[21]
Kodak introducedKodachrome, the first commercially available color film.[3]
Britain, France and Italy reached an agreement called theStresa Front. Among the seven points in the resolution were "The pursuit of a common line of conduct before theLeague of Nations in discussing the French appeal against the German treaty violation", "To strengthen the position of Austria", and "To oppose by all practicable means any unilateral repudiation of treaties."[25]
Ethiopia introduced compulsory military service for both men and women.[26]
Oswald Mosley made a speech in front of 5,000 supporters inLeicester in which he adopted a more openlyanti-Semitic stance, declaring: "For the first time I openly and publicly challenge the Jewish interest in this country commanding commerce, commanding the press, commanding the cinema, dominating the City of London, killing industry with the sweatshops. These great interests are not intimidating, and will not intimidate, the Fascist movement of the modern age."[27][28]
TheRoerich Pact was signed in Washington, D.C., legally establishing the protection of cultural objects as more important than their use or destruction for military purposes.
OnBudget Day in the United Kingdom,Chancellor of the ExchequerNeville Chamberlain estimated a surplus of £5.6 million and raised exemptions on personal income tax for married men and children, as well as reversing pay cuts for civil servants. Military spending was increased.[29]
At theLeague of Nations, Britain, France and Italy submitted the draft of a resolution that declared: "Germany has failed in the duty which lies upon all members of the international community to respect undertakings which they have contracted." At the same time, the resolution invited governments concerned to work on a plan for peace "within the framework of the League of Nations".[30]
Germany sent a diplomatic note to various countries protesting against Wednesday's resolution at the League of Nations. "The German Government contests to the governments which in the council of the League of Nations took in the deliberations of April 17 the right of making themselves judge over Germany", the note said. "The government sees in the deliberation of the Council of the League an attempt at new discriminations against Germany and therefore rejects it in the most resolute manner."[38]
Hitler was presented with about 60 new war planes for his 46th birthday.[39]
The music programYour Hit Parade premiered onNBC Radio. The initial format of the show had ahouse band playing the top 15 songs of the week in random order – the concept of a systemized "countdown" to the Number One song came later.[40]
The post office ofDenver,Colorado was overwhelmed by achain letter craze. Postal officials had asked for the letters, soliciting one dime each, to stop because they were based on an illegalpyramid scheme. The flood of mail not only continued, but soon spread to other American cities.[41][42]
It was announced thatSilver Jubilee celebrations for KingGeorge V would be kept simple and inexpensive. This was a compromise as the king did not wish to have any special celebrations at all.[44]
Reich Press LeaderMax Amann signed a decree completing Nazi control over all press in Germany. Amann empowered himself to shut down any newspaper he wished, and made the appointment of all publishers and editors subject to his approval. Additionally, no newspaper could serve interests other than those of the government.[45]
TheShark Arm case began inSydney, Australia when atiger shark in an aquarium vomited, leaving the forearm of a man bearing a distinctive tattoo floating in the pool.
7,2000Der Stahlhelm paraded inHasenheide and ceremoniously removed the black crepe bows that had been carried on their standards as a symbol of mourning for the "shame ofVersailles", in acknowledgement of Hitler's restoration of the German army.[49]
President Roosevelt gave afireside chat titledOn the Works Relief Program.
Died:Alfred I. du Pont, 70, American industrialist and philanthropist
