Sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same. In this occasional series of looks back at history, as reported in back issues of the Asbury Park Press, the truth to that maxim is on display. Today, we take a look back at some of the front page stories on this date in history, March 3 — 100, 75, 50 and 15 years ago.

MARCH 3, 1919

Pastor Discusses Local Problems:

Advocates Choosing Commissioners

Who Stand For, Righteousness.

During the course of his sermon on "Sowing and Reaping" last evening in the Grand Avenue Reformed church, Rev. G. M. Conover said that since his residence here two questions had frequently been under discussion, namely, concerning the illegal sale of liquor here and the preservation of the Sabbath. He is of the opinion that altho Asbury Park may be ridiculed for being Puritanical, if it insists on adhering to an enforcement of the old blue laws of generations ago, it is better to have the blue laws of purity than the black laws of license and sin. History proves, the pastor continued, that the nation that desecrates the Sabbath is bound to reap bitterly. This, he believes, is as true of a community as a nation. He also advocated choosing men for commissioners who stand for the right and urged an adequate water system to fight fires with. He said in part: "There has always been an element trying to force the illegal sale of liquor and to desecrate the sanctity of the Sabbath. If national prohibition prevails (and we pray God it does) and if New Jersey gets out of the ranks of booze states, sheds her snaky black color for the white ribbon, then the first problem will be solved. Regarding the tendency to desecrate the Sabbath: Periodically as the season is about to open and efforts are made to make the Sabbath day the same as any week day, this question comes up. "What in the final analysis induces people to seek for an open Sabbath in this city? Is it not the almighty dollar? What prompts people to advocate the keeping of this day holy? Their reverence for and love of Almighty God. History proves that the nation, or community as well, that desecrates the Sabbath, reaps bitterly."

Murray Urges Higher Salaries For Teachers

TRENTON. In order to bring the people of the state to their senses, the teachers of the state should form a union and go out on a strike, is the opinion expressed by John P. Murray of Jersey City, a member of the state board of education.... He said the inadequate salaries received by the teachers is barely enough to live on. Mr. Murray was recently named to look into the matter of teachers' salaries, and, while not making a report Saturday, he endeavored to sound out the opinion of the members of the board in the matter of establishing a minimum wage. It was asserted by Mr. Murray that unless some action Is taken to make the teaching profession more attractive, the severe effect will be felt two years from now, if not sooner, and said that New York and Pennsylvania are going to pay higher salaries and they will be bidding against New Jersey for its teachers and will get them.

New Terms for Germany Severe

LONDON. Commenting upon the terms which Marshal Foch will present to the Germans, the Times says: "They will be severe and such as will effectively disarm the Central powers on the side nearest France. France has a just right to extra military guarantees on her frontier toward Germany and these guarantees may well have to take the form of special territorial readjustments. In any case, France may count on our sympathy and assistance in obtaining all these necessary guarantees. "But the chief weakness in the future will be in eastern Europe and that is why a barrier of new states to be erected between the Baltic and Adriatic will need strengthening by every means In our power. Altho France has a particular interest in the west front, the defection of Bolshevik Russia makes it desirable that she should find some substitute on the east for her old Russian alliance, and it must be a great joy to her people that this substitute should take the form of a barrier line of free peoples."

MARCH 3, 1944

Ingenious Thief Obtains $22

HIGHLANDS. U. S postal, county and local police authorities today are seeking an ingenious thief who broke into the Highlands post office and stole $22 in silver from a cash drawer The theft took place between 8 p.m Sunday and 6:30 a.m. Monday when the post office was opened by Postmaster Mel Johnson. To gain entrance to the postoffice proper, the thief used novel means. He broke thru a rear door into the furnace room of the postoffice building. There he took a furnace poker, heated it in the stove, and burned away the wood around a lock in the door leading from the furnace room into the postoffice proper. This enabled him to force open the lock.

Two Protest to Halt Railroad Cut:

5,000 Jersey Commuters Ask Injunction

NEWARK. Demands that the order of the Office of Defense Transportation authorizing the Central Railroad of New Jersey to discontinue 68 passenger trains on March 12 should not become effective until opportunity for full discussion was provided all interested parties at a public hearing. ... Meanwhile in Washington, two attorneys who said they appeared on behalf of 5,000 New Jersey commuters sought a federal court injunction against the curtailment order. Eighteen of the trains involved in the Central railroad's application service commuters living in towns along the North Jersey Shore.

City Hotel Damaged by Fire, 60 Routed

A two-alarm blaze early last evening routed more than 60 guests at the Asbury-Hudson hotel on Cookman avenue. It caused damage estimated by fire officials at $4,000, and gave firemen a stubborn two-hour fight before it was brought under control. Starting from a defective chimney, the fire crept under a metal ceiling and was burning briskly when firemen arrived in response to a telephone alarm. Chief William S. Taggart, noting the spread of the blaze and the danger to other frame hotels in the area, immediately sounded a second alarm from box 53, Cookman avenue and Heck street, bringing out other city fire companies. It was reported last night that the 60 or more guests in the hotel had been forced to find new lodgings for the night as the blaze had damaged the heating system.

Fruits Up, Vegetables Cut

A number of canned vegetables including tomatoes, peas and corn will have substantially lower point values beginning Sunday, but shoppers will have to give up considerably more ration points in buying canned fruits. The ration cost of tomato and citrus juices also will be boosted in the March chart of processed food values, with grapefruit juice, point free during the last three months, back on the list at 1 point for a number 2 can. Increased likewise are the point values of canned fresh lima beans, tomato catsup and grape juice. ... No change is made in the current values on frozen foods, preserves and jellies, dry beans, canned soups and baby food, but the revised chart gives point-free ratings to canned fresh-shelled beans, dry prunes, raisins, currants and mixed dried fruits. Victory gardeners and home canners received "full credit" from O.P.A. Administrator Chester Bowles for the sharp downward adjustment of vegetable point-values, which the changes make the lowest since the start of rationing. "They did a magnificent job last year." Bowles said in expressing a hope that more victory gardens will be grown in 1944.

MARCH 3, 1969

Astronauts Ride Apollo

into 10-daySpace Trip:

Blaze Way for Moon Landings

CAPE KENNEDY, Fla. Shore Astronaut "Rusty" Schweickart, the farm boy from Wall Township, rocketed in space today to play a key role in blazing the starry trail for man's first step on an extra-terrestial body. He and the other Apollo 9 astronauts, Air Force Cols. James A. McDivitt and David R. Scott, were reported over their colds and eager for the 10-day flight. Schweickart, a graduate of Manasquan High School, is to pilot the ungainly looking, buglike lunar module in its first shakedown cruise. If everything goes right, another New Jersey astronaut, Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin, whose father lives in Brielle, is to ride the vehicle to the moon during Apollo 11 in July. The Apollo 9 mission is . described as the most complex yet attempted in the American space program. Schweickart and McDivitt, will ride together in the lunar module (LEM), to perform an intricate series of maneuvers during the first five days of the 10-day mission.

Soviets, Chinese in Clash:

Troops Battle on Island Both Sides Claim

TOKYO. Red Guards and workers demonstrated around the Soviet Embassy in Peking today after Chinese and Soviet troops clashed on a disputed river island on the Manchurian border. Both Moscow and Peking announced "many killed and wounded" in the battle yesterday. Japan's Kyodo news agency said crowds of demonstrators ringed the Soviet Embassy in the Chinese capital, carrying placards reading, "We strongly protest the Soviet provocation" and, "Hang Kosygin," a reference to Soviet Premer Alexei Kosygin. The Soviet Union and Red China accused each other of crossing the border yesterday, and China said it was the 18th Soviet violation in two years.

MARCH 3, 1994

Shore Braces for Flooding:

High Winds Exacerbate Flooding Along Coast

Yet another winter storm, this one packing high winds, snow and sleet, belted the area yesterday, pushing high tides to dangerous levels and threatening severe flooding in some coastal sections. "This is a full-fledged nor'easter," said Keith Arnesen, a meteorologist with Cook College's Department of Meteorology at Rutgers University. He said the slow-moving storm, called the 15th of the interminable winter by weather observers, was expected to change to rain and sleet overnight .... With about another 2 inches the season total in New Brunswick topped 42 inches, the most since 1987. Only four years since 1960 have had more snow.

After Eatontown Arson, the Other Shoe Fell

EATONTOWN. A self-employed carpet cleaner is suspected of picking up more than the dirt from his customers' carpets. He also apparently removed several thousand women's shoes along with pantyhose, underwear, socks, several hundred scrapbook photographs of people with bare feet, 17 high school yearbooks and numerous pieces of personal identification from their homes, police said yesterday. And most victims evidently weren't even aware the items were missing. Police found the items after executing a search warrant at the Parker Road house of Robert J. Kayser, 31, West Long Branch, and at two self-storage bins Kayser rented in Eatontown. .... Detective Lt. George Jackson estimated that police seized 4,000 or more women's shoes, stored in 46 large plastic garbage bags. ... Kayser's arrest Saturday on charges he set fire to the Eatontown house of a young woman who refused to go out with him again after one blind date led to issuance of the search warrants and the discovery of the items.

Attack in N.Y. Brings 3 Arrests

NEW YORK. Three men, a Lebanese and two Jordanians, were arrested yesterday in the shooting attack on a van of Hasidic Jewish students that left one brain dead and stoked fears of Mideast terrorism in the city's streets. The suspects were arrested a day after the attack that President Clinton called a "spasm of brutal violence." The suspected gunman was identified as Rashad Baz, 28, of Brooklyn, a Lebanese national who came into the United States in 1984 on a student visa. Police believe he strafed the van with bullets as it approached the Brooklyn Bridge Tuesday. He faces 15 counts of attempted murder, four counts of assault and weapons charges.