50 years ago the price of oil was already debated. “The rise in oil prices – The slowdown in growth in Western Europe is inevitable”, headlined the DN. “UN economists warned today that in the monetary and commercial structures of the Western World this would become increasingly inevitable unless international cooperation was achieved on the issue of rising oil prices”, it read.
In the top left corner of the newspaper, a small piece of news stated: “Mercury doesn’t have a Moon after all”. Below, a photograph of Marcello Caetano with the mayor from London, who was visiting Portugal. “O ‘Mayor Londoner in Lisbon – Half an hour in S. Bento in a very cordial meeting”, the newspaper headlined. “Sir Hugh Wontner entered the book of greetings to the Head of State”, reported DN, also reporting on the London mayor’s visit to the Firefighters Battalion.
In the Middle East the problems continued. “In the Golan: The Syrians arrested two UN officers and took them barefoot to Damascus.” The EEC would be in danger [Comunidade Económica Europeia, antecessora da atual União Europeia]. “The EEC in danger: France opposes the British government’s attitude of renegotiating its integration into the market”. In a subtitle, it was stated that “other countries support France’s attitude”.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who became known for his role during World War II, had died in January 1965, nine years ago, but his widow was still alive and in good health. “Churchill’s widow celebrated her 89th birthday yesterday”, was another piece of news highlighted on the front page of DN 50 years ago.
A large part of the first page was still occupied with undoing the traditional lies of the day before, April 1st, known as “April Fools’ Day”. “Tradition that remains: In the lies of April 1st Nixon and Kissinger were the main targets”. The day before, the American newspaper Los Angeles Post, taking part in this joke, had reported that Richard Nixon had resigned from the American presidency. On French television, the target was the recently married US secretary of state. The French announced a “total disagreement” between the couple.
