(Tuesday) California was struck by the worst storm in that state's history, up to that time, as hurricane force winds and torrential rains killed 24 people. Thirteen of the dead had been employees of California Edison Company, killed when an avalanche buried their homes in the Sierra Nevada mountains. For the first time in half a century, travel across the English Channel came to a halt, as a dense fog in England continued into its fifth day. "Many veteran channel-commuters simply refused to believe it", noted one account. "It had never occurred to them that such a time would come to Britain, and they hounded passenger agents with comments and queries." Born: Harvey Korman, American comedian, in Chicago (d. 2008) February 16, 1927 (Wednesday) Sir Oliver Lodge conducted an experiment in telepathy on BBC Radio, asking listeners to give their impressions as a team of people concentrated on images on a set of cards. Out of 24,659 responses, as many as 190 correctly noted that a two of clubs had been drawn, but, writes Harry Price, "it is obvious that there was no evidence of anything but pure chance". Mao Zedong delivered his "Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan" to the Central Committee of China's fledgling Communist Party. Summing up 32 days of interviews, Mao predicted "Within a short time, hundreds of millions of peasants will rise in Central, South, and North China, with the fury of a hurricane; no power, however strong, can restrain them." Born: June Brown, British TV soap opera actress (Dot Cotton on EastEnders), in Needham Market, Suffolk (alive in 2021) February 17, 1927 (Thursday) Turkey and U.S. re-established diplomatic relations, which had been severed April 20, 1917, after the two nations were on opposite sides of World War One. February 18, 1927 (Friday) By voice vote, the United States Senate passed the White-Dill bill, the Radio Act of 1927. President Coolidge signed the measure into law five days later, creating what is now the Federal Communications Commission. Diplomatic relations Canada and United States formally began as U.S. President Coolidge received the credentials of Charles Vincent Massey, first Canadian Minister to the United States, in a half-hour ceremony at the White House. Prior to 1927, American relations concerning Canada were conducted through the United Kingdom. Born: John Warner, United States Senator (R-Virginia) from 1979 to 2009, and one-time husband of Elizabeth Taylor;