One billion Dollars a day was how it was roughly figured out, as Capitol Hill dissected the size of the Budget President Ford was handing to Congress this February 1st in 1975.

The astronomical sum didn't sit with most lawmakers, considering the U.S. was knee-deep in a recession that no intention of letting up anytime soon.

Money woes and the blame game were in massive supply all over Washington. With the price of gas having some called on a system of rationing in order to stop our dependence on Foreign Oil, which was indicated as a major contributor to our woes.

And the matter of Foreign Aid was another. A supplemental Aid bill to Southeast Asia was resoundingly defeated because, as one Senator pointed out - 55,000 casualties, untold billions already - enough was enough.

And it wasn't just Southeast Asia feeling the brunt of austerity. Aid to Turkey was pending and on hold because of the ongoing situation in Cyprus. The problem in this case was not having much idea of who exactly was running the show over in Istanbul.

To top it all off - our Trade Deficit had now achieved the dubious distinction of being the 2nd highest in the century.

Cold comfort and no doubt cause for another round of sleepless nights.

And so went the news for this February 1st 1975 as reported on CBS Radio's The World This Week (February 1st was a Sunday in 1975) as reported by Allan Jackson and a flood of reports.

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This June day in 1942 offered a lot of sobering news regarding the War. RAF Bombers attacked the Ruhr and Rhineland areas of Germany with a reported 8 bombers not coming back. Meanwhile, fighting in Libya continued as German forces commanded by Erwin "Desert Fox" Rommel continued to frustrate Allied attempts at creating a second front. On the Eastern front, reports from came in from Moscow on fierce fighting around Sevastapol with the Russian Army hanging on and the people of Sevastopol moving underground to keep the effort going. The War in the Pacific was background to grim assessments by Australian Prime Minister John Curtin who warned listeners in a radio address that "Australia can be lost", and on the Middle East that the "news from Libya is not good". His remarks drew criticism for their pessimistic tone, but it was agreed the sentiments were ultimately grim but not defeatist.

The news from Australia didn't damper spirits on the Domestic U.S. Rubber Drive however, with Americans by the millions scouring garages, attics and back yards, collecting mountains of rubber tires, hoses and "anything that stretched". Utah claimed distinction of being the biggest collector of surplus rubber with Colorado pledging to rival Pike's Peak in mountains of worn-out tires. All of this was proof America was in the war and had no intention of quitting anytime. And FDR called for a Total Physical Fitness of America if it was going to win the war. He did call for closure of all "red-light districts" around Military bases and training camps, leading one to assume that wasn't the physical fitness he had in mind.

All this and World War 2 for June 17, 1942 as reported on the Red Network of NBC.

December 10, 1947 was, for all intents and purposes, a really calm day. They were still haggling over food prices and rationing on Capitol Hill. The Middle East was waiting for the civil war to start with skirmishes and street battles on the rise. The Black Market was alive and well and giving concern. The Red Scare was manifesting itself with Hollywood Writers and the country was slowly slipping into the holiday spirit.

News Of The World for December 10, 1947 and the virtues of Alka-Seltzer were never too far away.