On January 4, 1965, in his State of the Union address, President Lyndon
Baines Johnson lays out for Congress a laundry list of legislation needed
to achieve his plan for a Great Society. On the heels of John F. Kennedy’s
tragic death, Americans had elected Johnson, his vice president, to the
presidency by the largest popular vote in the nation’s history. Johnson
used this mandate to push for improvements he believed would better
Americans’ quality of life.

Following Johnson’s lead, Congress enacted sweeping legislation in the
areas of civil rights, health care, education and the environment. The 1965
State of the Union address heralded the creation of Medicare/Medicaid,
Head Start, the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act, the Department of
Housing and Urban Development and the White House Conference on
Natural Beauty. Johnson also signed the National Foundation of the Arts
and Humanities Act, out of which emerged the National Endowment for
the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

U.S. Pres. Jimmy Carter (seated left) and Soviet General Secretary
Leonid Brezhnev signing the SALT II treaty in Vienna, June 18,
1979.

On January 2, 1980, in a strong reaction to the December 1979 Soviet
invasion of Afghanistan, President Jimmy Carter asks the Senate to
postpone action on the SALT II nuclear weapons treaty and recalls
the U.S. ambassador to Moscow. These actions sent a message that
the age of détente and the friendlier diplomatic and economic relations
that were established between the United States and Soviet Union
during President Richard Nixon’s administration (1969-74) had ended.

Carter feared that the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, in which an
estimated 30,000 combat troops entered that nation and established
a puppet government, would threaten the stability of neighboring 
strategic countries such as Iran and Pakistan and could lead to the
USSR gaining control over much of the world’s oil supplies. The
Soviet actions were labeled “a serious threat to peace” by the
White House.

President Jimmy Carter and Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev shake hands after signing the SALT II Treaty.

Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924)

Eight months after the United States enters World War I on behalf of the Allies, President Woodrow Wilson (above) announced the nationalization of a large majority of the country’s railroads under the Federal Possession and Control
Act.

The U.S. entry into the war in April 1917 coincided with a downturn in the
fortunes of the nation’s railroads: rising taxes and operations costs,
combined with prices that were fixed by law, had pushed many railroad
companies into receivership as early as late 1915. A year later, in a last-
minute bill passed through Congress, Wilson had forced the railroad
management to accept union demands for an eight-hour work day. Still,
many skilled workers were leaving the cash-poor railroads to work in the
booming armaments industry or to enlist in the war effort.

By the end of 1917, it seemed that the existing railroad system was not up
to the task of supporting the war effort and Wilson decided on nationalization.

Two days after his announcement, the U.S. Railroad Administration (USRA)
seized control. William McAdoo, Wilson’s secretary of the treasury, was 
appointed Director General of Railroads. They were subsequently divided
into three divisions—East, West and South. Passenger services were
streamlined, eliminating a significant amount of inessential travel. Over
100,000 new railroad cars and 1,930 steam engines were ordered–designed
to the latest standards–at a total cost of $380 million.

SANDY KOZEL

President Coolidge (center) illuminating the community Christmas
tree, south of the White House.

On December 24, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge presses a button and
lights up the first national Christmas tree to grace the White House
grounds.

Not only was this the first White House “community” Christmas tree, but
it was the first to be decorated with electric lights–a strand of 2,500 red,
white and green bulbs. The balsam fir came from Coolidge’s home state
of Vermont and stood 48 feet tall. Several musical groups performed at
the tree-lighting ceremony, including the Epiphany Church choir and the
U.S. Marine Band. Later that evening, President Coolidge and first lady
Grace were treated to carols sung by members of Washington, D.C.’s
First Congregational Church.

President Coolidge and the first lady Grace.

The Washington Monument is seen in the background.

John Calvin Coolidge Jr.
(July 4, 1872 – January 5, 1933)         
        
        
        
        
First Lady Melania Trump, joined by President Donald J. Trump,
lights the 2019 National Christmas Tree during the 97th annual
National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Thursday, Dec. 5,
2019, on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C.