The following events occurred in March 1928:
Thursday, March 1, 1928
The French Chamber of Deputies abolished the drumhead court-martial but approved a new article in the military code stating that "any soldier committing an outrage against the flag or army may be punished by six months to five years in prison, or may be punished by loss of his rank." Communist deputy Alexandre Piquemal nearly incited a riot protesting the death penalty for anyone calling on soldiers to desert to the enemy in time of war when he stated, "We would all come in that category, we Communist deputies. We declare for the proletariat. They have one enemy, capitalism, and one fatherland, Soviet Russia. If you declare war on Russia we will urge the soldiers of the proletariat to desert to the Russian army." The Paramount Theatre opened in Seattle.
Friday, March 2, 1928
Benito Mussolini submitted a bill to the Chamber of Deputies that would remould Italian parliament into a strictly consultative body. Born: Barbara Lang, American actress and singer, in Hollywood, California (d. 1982) Died: William Sloan, 60, Canadian businessman and politician
Saturday, March 3, 1928
France and Spain reached an agreement on the government of the Tangier International Zone giving Spain increased power. Benito Mussolini made a speech to the Chamber of Deputies warning Austria that actions and not words would be his next reply to criticism of the Italianization of South Tyrol. The circus comedy film Tillie's Punctured Romance starring W. C. Fields was released. The organizers of the Miss America pageant voted 27–3 to discontinue the competition due to pressure from women's groups and church officials. It would not be held again until 1933. Born: Gudrun Pausewang, Czechoslovakian children's book writer; in Mladkov (d. 2020) Died: Jan Toorop, 69, Dutch-Indonesian painter
Sunday, March 4, 1928
The first "Trans-American Footrace", nicknamed the "Bunion Derby", began in Los Angeles with 199 entrants competing to run by foot to New York City, with a $25,000 prize for the winner. Most of the entrants dropped out in the first few days, but 55 runners would go the distance, with Andy Payne finishing first. Parliamentary elections were held in Poland, the first since Józef Piłsudski's May Coup of 1926. The Nonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government led by Walery Sławek won 125 of the 444 seats in the Sejm. Piłsudski would step aside in favor of a civilian prime minister, Kazimierz Bartel, on June 27. Born: Samuel Adler, German-born American composer and conductor; in Mannheim Patrick Moore, astronomer, in Pinner, England (d. 2012) Piero D'Inzeo, Olympic show jumping rider, in Rome (d. 2014) Alan Sillitoe, writer, in Nottingham, England (d. 2010)
Monday, March 5, 1928
A circuit court of appeals in New York reversed an earlier decision and ruled that Canadians may work in the United States without immigration visas. The John Ford-directed silent film Mother Machree premiered at the Globe Theatre in New York City.
Tuesday, March 6, 1928
The Vatican announced that annulments of marriages between Catholics and non-Catholics would hereafter be considered by a committee of cardinals instead of the Rota Tribunal. Sonja Henie of Norway won the ladies' competition of the World Figure Skating Championships in London.
Wednesday, March 7, 1928
The Cross of Merit for Bravery was introduced in Poland. Born: Bob Boyd, American football player, in Riverside, California (d. 2009) Died: Robert Abbe, 76, American surgeon and radiologist; William Henry Crane, 82, American actor
Thursday, March 8, 1928
Vasil Zacharka became the second president-in-exile of the Belarusian People's Republic upon the death of Pyotra Krecheuski. Rioting broke out in Tanta, Egypt, when students assembled in the public square to protest against a proposed agreement to a treaty between Egypt and Great Britain. After stones were thrown at foreign shops, police tried to disperse the crowd, which the protestors resisted. Died: Pyotra Krecheuski, 48, Belarusian statesman who led a government in exile from Prague Sachiko, Princess Hisa, 5 months, second daughter of Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kōjun