A number of geopolitical events occurred in 1949 which altered the world dramatically, changing the international order in ways which are having a very direct impact today. Communist China declared itself a nation, as did its rival on Taiwan. China has now become an economic superpower and political rival to the US while tensions still exist between the two Chinas. Britain granted North Ireland its independence leading to a long and bloody civil war which, like the situation in China, still simmers under the surface of political and religious differences.

In 1949 the new nation of Israel garnered enough support to be admitted to the UN over the violent objections of the Arabs states. In an ironic twist of fate the jubilation of the Israelis to UN membership has been replaced by hostility to the UN over its condemnation of illegal settlements and UN investigations into Israel’s conduct toward the Palestinians who now, along with their Arab allies, find the UN a useful forum to air their grievances against Israel. NATO came into existence in 1949 and just in time too as the nasty Russians cut off Berlin from rail access which led to the Berlin Airlift- 277,000 relief flights later the Russians finally threw in the towel. Newfoundland became Canada’s 10th province.

In the US Harry Truman replaced the New Deal with the Fair Deal and created the CIA to keep an eye on the Russians and Chinese. Americans remained conflicted about race- the National League awarded baseball’s first black player Jackie Robinson the MVP award but the card playing Contract Bridge League refused to allow blacks to join their organization which probably went pretty much unnoticed by the black population. In entertainment the 45 RPM record was introduced, South Pacific opened in New York and Arthur Miller won the Pulitzer for Death of a Salesman. The big news, however, was television which saw dozens of new stations begin broadcasting and many new programs airing including the first western, Hopalong Cassidy followed a couple of months later by the Lone Ranger. In sports Joe Lewis retired, the Yankees won the World Series beating the Dodgers and Phillies fans, known even then for their lack of sportsmanship, rioted over an umpire’s call on a trapped ball and nearly wrecked the stadium. The Phils forfeited the game. In 1949 Joe Dimaggio, one of baseballs’ greatest players, became the first baseball player to make $100,000. This computes to $974,323.65 in today’s money which is less than what many pitchers, even very bad ones who lose more than they win, get paid for each win. Perhaps Americans had a more sensible understanding of the value of wealth and individual achievement in 1949 than we have today. Jonas Salk, mentioned below, did not even bother to patent his polio vaccine and passed up a payoff of an estimated 7 billion dollars.

The same parade coming up King Street in St Stephen near the
intersection of Prince William.

In Calais a huge four day International Jubilee was held. Politicians from all over Maine and New Brunswick marched in parades and speechified at various locales on both sides of the border. One such
occasion was the dedication of the gym at the new high school which was built by private donations.

Bill Hartford’s original takeout in Baring 1949

The phone company found it necessary to place ads in the paper encouraging “Party Manners for Party Lines.” Folks were asked to be “ Gracious, Courteous and Prompt” answering the phone promptly and graciously allowing time between calls. It also suggested sharing the party line courteously which one gathers was sometimes a problem.

On a more serious note the Kramer Block next to the Post Office burned to the ground soon to be replaced by the new Grant’s Store and a polio epidemic was raging throughout Maine. The
Calais Advertiser reported 5 new cases in Bangor on September 14th and asked the community to come together to raise funds to help “discover a cause and cure for this terrible disease which is no respecter of
persons or their station in life.” Thankfully Jonas Salk soon answered the call.