5/26-6/1/46

5/26 Sunday The R.-R. workers were forced to return to work by Truman's strike-breaking orders. Truman advocated legislation against union leaders and workers in the crisis. He attacked the union but not the RR magnates. The workers won 18 1/2 cents increase but none of their other grievances. The "Klan" is rising in many places with action against it taken by Attorney General Kenny in California. Today we went to Woodlawn. Mama and Lil Harry and Susan came up later. Beat Schirasi. Eugene doesn't want me to draw any more "Pierottis". We spend a lot of time reading chess books. Played some chess in the evening. [...] Bill Dickey has replaced ailing Joe McCarthy as Yankee manager and Ted Lyons, Jimmy Dykes as White Sox ditto. "News" owner Patterson is dead.

5/27 The Truman Bill is meeting with unanimous labor opposition as the most drastic ever broached. Among its provisions is one to draft strikers into the armed forces. The Army is moving troops into Kentucky in connection with the coal strike. Union Legionnaires are opposing the anti-labor actions of the top leaders of the "A. L." Czechoslovakia held elections yesterday with the C.P. leading. The Christian Social Union was leading in the American zone elections in Germany in municipal elections. The kids went to Bobby Rosenberg's fifth birthday party. Later we played some chess, Eugene winning a knight in the early stages. Brazilian police have attacked a Communist rally killing and wounding many. #37 for Eugene - Oregon.

5/28 Only the Engineers and trainmen among the 'Brotherhoods' had gone out on strike on the railroads, the others sabotaging the strike. Molotov has blasted the Anglo-American bloc which sabotaged the Paris parley. The Miners have walked out again as the truce ended without a settlement. The vicious 'Case Bill' has been passed by the Senate 49-29. C.P got 2,500,000 votes in Czechoslovakia being the top party and the left wing bloc has won a slim majority. Little Norma Gallins came up and Sylvia made a fuss refusing to play with her. Lillian called Dr. Holzman about Eugene's eyes. He told her to wash Eugene's eyes with Boric acid and put one drop of 5% argyrol in each eye at night. If it doesn't improve within a week we are to consult an eye doctor.

5/29 Carter Glass is dead at 88. Union delegations are besieging Washington against the Truman Bill. A general strike in Rochester has answered the actions against the city employees and arrest of pickets. St. Louis has banned GLK Smith. Floods caused by heavy rains have caused the drowning of 14 plus great damage. NMU seamen have rejected a 9% wage increase and are preparing for a strike. Korean C.P. head quarters were raided by American police with the charge that a counterfeiting ring was in operation there. Gloria calls for Eugene to go to school morning and afternoon.

5/30 In the morning I took the kids to see the parade on the Concourse meeting mom and pop there. Later we all had dinner here including Sam and Molly. The latter came to Woodlawn with us although mom and pop went to see Rachel. Couldn't get a court there so went to Reservoir Oval where I lost to Harold Levine. At home I took a shower with Eugene which he enjoys. Lilly went to sit at the Rosenberg's tonight. The coal strike is settled. There will be a five day 45 hr week at $1.18 1/2 hr. There will be a welfare fund financed by a royalty of 5¢ per ton mined. Overtime is paid after seven hours a day. There will be safety checkups and compliance with state laws. Also survey on medical, sanitary and housing conditions with a view to improvements. The Railway Express Agency workers have settle for 18 1/2¢ raise. The general strike in Rochester is won in an historic victory. All workers are reinstated. All workers arrested are freed, recognition of the right to form a union. The Senate defeated the Truman "Work or draft" section of the bill 70-13. The "House" however passed the vicious "Case Bill" 230-106. 35,000 at Madison Square Park heard A F Whitney detail Truman's double dealing with the trainmen. Other speakers were Quill, Hollander, Kingdon Ward and Ferd Smith. The City Council passed the sales tax (2%) 17-6. Ambassador Ala of Iran has been removed as UN council representative. A packed Garden heard Gromyko, Ehrenburg, Simonov, and Galaktionov, Davies, Sen Elbert Thomas, Lamont, S. Asch, AE Kahn Dubois and Melish speak at an American-Soviet friendship rally.

Can't be sure of all the speakers' names at the two rallies. 

5/31 Lost to Koslan. Ernie came over after the game for lunch and we had another long talk. Hudson Tubes workers are on strike for the 18 1/2¢ the railroad workers got. The Columbia Tenn trial of 30 negroes for "attempt to commit murder" - actually to defend themselves, saw a battle on the right for negroes to sit on a jury. The US Army is intervening in the Philippines against the "Huks".

6/1 A $1,400,000,000 loan has been floated to France. The "Investigating Committee" here led by A. G. Hays has cleared Mikhailovitch.

5/19-5/25/46

5/19 Sunday We went to the "I Am an American Day" Program at Central Park. Also visited the zoo for a while and came home on the 5th Ave bus. Eugene rubbed his eyes all day. Sylvia as usual wanted to go home all the time. Antonescu will die. Zapirain and Alvarez got 20 and 18 years prison in Spain. Holland C.P tripled its vote getting 10 seats. The Catholic Party led with 32 and the Labor Party 29. Veterans staged a "housing operation" meeting with O'Dwyer and meeting at the 69th Regiment Armory where Rep. Patman was the main speaker. The R.R. strike has been postponed for 5 days.

5/20 Eugene and Gloria have quarreled again and 'don't like each other'. We went to Fordham after school drawing the Tarrasch chess book again and doing some shopping. Played some chess in the evening. Eugene's classmates look up to him as the only one that can read in the class. 200,000 rallied against hunger and the reactionary gov't in Tokyo. Major Benton N.C. negro has been sentenced to death on a rape charge of which he is apparently innocent. Azerbaijan has declared war after five attacks against it by Iran. Booth Tarkington is dead. Sylvia sleeps with one of her dollies. Her carriage stands at right angles to her crib and must not be moved. Eugene touches his loose tooth continually. It was #35 for Eugene yesterday - South Dakota and 36 today - Missouri. He beat me on naming states and South Amer. countries but I won on European countries.

The library was the Fordham library. Regarding "the only one that can read in the class", apparently Danny Walters was not in my class this year. Somehow I neglected the following story during the kindergarten entries: At our 25th high school reunion, I met Danny Walters (now deceased) who said "Gene Edelstein! I remember you .." and I started to acknowledge that I also remembered him, and he continued "   from kindergarten! I remember Mrs. Lyston asking if anyone in the class can read, and two hands went up." I said I didn't remember that. He said "Why should you, she picked you!" Danny had apparently been carrying around his disappointment that I was picked to read, instead of him, for 37 years.

5/21 Played a chess exercise with Eugene during his lunch hour today. An Army C-45 transport crashed into the 58th floor of the Bank of Manhattan building last night at 8 PM killing all five occupants - one a WAC. Fog was the cause. Lorenzo Reed negro has been extradited to Floria's chain gang by Dewey. The President signed our $400 increase - retroactive to Jan. 1.

Presumable the "our" refers to the Postal Workers Union, of which Dad was a member.  

5/22 Sylvia has stopped scratching her nose which is all healed up. We play a chess exercise during Eugene's lunch hour every day. Alexander Perodi is representing France at the "Council". Iran announced her inspectors in Azerbaijan had verified the Red Army's evacuation by the specified date May 6. As usual, Ambassador Ala had been speaking on his own in charging otherwise. Truman has seized the struck coal mines. LaGuardia has criticized Hoover's advocacy of early dissolution of UNRAA and end to free distribution of food. Here the black market deals in every article. Butchers and meat wholesalers are closing to beat the black market. Butter is to be gotten at infrequent intervals in quarter pounds at ceiling price of 18¢ only in chain stores.

5/23 Lil took the kids over to Molly's after school. Sylvia played with "Aunt Beckie" while Eugene taught her chess. He also played some with Milton. Eugene and Gloria are reconciled. The American Baseball Guild claims to have organized 90% of the Pirates besides other teams and wishes to bargain on their behalf. This morning Louise offered Sylvia a chiclet whereupon tears started rolling down her cheeks tho' she took the proffered box. Truly an emotional child. The "Council" refusing to give up a good thing has retained the Iranian issue for possible future discussion. Gromyko absent as usual. Seven planes shot down in Manchuria by the Communists are reported to be American manned by American crews. Marcantonio is attempting to bring up the FEPC Bill every Calendar Wednesday. The Senate Committee has approved legislation to give the Dep't of Agriculture power to remove controls and raise prices on farm products. It also cut subsidies and killed low cost clothing. Czech "Protector" Karl Frank has been hung. Although criticizing Franco's regime as anti democratic from the very beginning we have denied it is a threat to peace, continuing our appeasement policy. Lillian read "The Wide House" by Taylor Caldwell.

Don't know "Aunt Beckie"; don't know who "Louise" was.

5/24 Ernie K. over for some advice. Hundreds of unionists are being arrested in Rochester in a strike growing out of the firing of D.P.W. workers for forming a union. Browder in Moscow saw Losovsky in connection with the distribution of Soviet literature here, paid a call to Molotov and gave a news conference. Govt in Exile Prime Minister Giral told the 'UN' investigating comm. that Franco's army is growing. Certain citizens are getting arms. Cardinal stars Lanier and Klein and rookie Martin have not reported for duty and have applied for permits to Mexico. Truman has repudiated Senate leader Barkley's concessions to the OPA bloc and called for defeat of amendments. Eugene went to the puppet show and movie staged ingeniously by Richard and Paul Monka and Robert Kreisler. Henry George Weiss is dead. At night Eugene asked Lillian if he could "T-I-P". She let him do some typing. Split with Schauer.

Unsure of that name of the person who "is dead", cannot find a reference.

5/25 Took haircut. Truman has condemned the R.R. strikers who went out Thursday at 4 PM against low pay and outrageous working conditions. The President has threatened to use the Army to run the railroads. UN aide Hutson's greeting to Gen. Bor, Polish exiled general of the premature Warsaw uprising has evoked a protest from Polish Ambassador Lange. The Fur Union convention is celebrating a successful organizational campaign. OPA has rejected landlords' plea for a 15% rent increase made in a suit before the Court of Appeals. Sylvia vomited at lunch.

5/12-5/18/46

5/12 Sunday We went over to mother's for "Mothers Day" giving her black kid gloves. Also there for dinner were Lil Harry and Susan, Aunt Rose and Mr. Sandler.

The name "Aunt Rose" is familiar, but I don't know who she was, nor do I know Mr. Sandler. 

5/13 A Save OPA Rally at Lewisohn Stadium attracted 5000 despite rain much of the day. F D Roosevelt Jr., Mayor O'Dwyer, Mrs. Roosevelt, Russ Nixon of the CIO and Lew Hines of the AFL and Chester Bowles by radio were among the speakers. One of the IRA hunger strikers has died.

5/14 Eugene and Gloria have had their first serious quarrel with Gloria snubbing him as they were going to school. Incidentally, Eugene is not as meek as he used to be. He swings back if anyone picks on him and even takes to the offensive sometimes. Sadie and the kids over today. US Marines are aiding Chiang's Army in China. A vet is living in Ludwig Bauman's window to emphasize the housing shortage. The British-Indian parley on independence has broken up. 58 Nazi concentration camp guards will die and three will get life imprisonment for atrocities they committed there.

5/15 Eugene drew "East O' the Sun and West O' the Moon" by Thorne Thomsen, "Dot and David" by M. H. Johnson and "Peter and Polly in Spring" by Rose Lucia. After school library we went to the Hall of Fame. 70,000 miners have refused to return to work under Lewis' truce. The steel workers convention has affirmed it will not engage in any witch hunts. Zuritz is Soviet Ambassador to Brazil in a resumption of relations after many years. Mrs. E.C. Clement, negro has been named American Mother of 1946. The Chinese cabinet is being shaken up. General Ho Ying-Chin violently anti-Communist head of the Army has resigned. No Communists have replaced ousted cabinet members however. Lillian stayed at Rosenberg's tonight. Played some chess with Eugene.

5/16 Bobby came up here and Sylvia played with him for a while then started crying inexplicably. Mine operators have rejected Lewis' welfare fund. There is much activity here by red-baiters in defense of Mikhailovitch apparently repudiated by him. We told Eugene that Pennsylvania was named after William Penn. "Right after?" he asked. Eugene got brown shoes at Alexanders $4.29. Sarah R. stayed while we went to see "Spellbound" with Ingrid Bergmand [sic] and Gregory Peck. It is a well acted film of how psychoanalysis is employed to cure mental complexes. Also played some chess with Eugene.

5/17 We both read "Arrowsmith". An indictment of all in the medical field except the pure research scientist. Franco's tie in with Hitler and promise to attack with 750,000 men if the Ardennes offensive had succeeded are being revealed. Arbitration has been rejected by both sides in the coal strike. 20,000 attended a veterans emergency rally at the "Garden". Speakers were Pepper, Ingersoll, Nixon, Hargroves, Sinatra, etc. Gene Kelly presided. MacArthur has approved pro-fascist Yoshida as Japanese premier.

5/18 We're at our wits end about Sylvia's complex. She will not play with other children. If she has her doll and carriage out, no child can come near it or else she freezes up and tears start to roll. Eugene is playing a game by himself out of Marshall's book while Sylvia got hold of the little erector set. This morning they romped around merrily in the house. The Spanish gov't-in-exile has testified before the Council sub-comm. investigating Franco, giving proof of his infamy. The railroads have been seized by Truman to prevent a strike. CPA Administrator Small has asked for a six month strike ban evoking ouster demands against himself. The "House" has approved 240-81 a $75,000 grant to the Rankin Comm. Progressives defeated A.C.O.U candidates in a Ford Local 600 poll. A large group led by Rabbi Wise testified on a resolution by Councilman Connolly that Columbia U's bias against Jews, Negroes and Italians should be met by a withdrawal of its tax exemptions. Eberhard Faber is dead.

Not sure if "A.C.O.U." is correct, couldn't find a reference.

5/5-5/11/46

5/5 Sunday This afternoon, Lil's cousins Lee and Min with their children Bernard, Dorothy and Nina came over. The kids entertained themselves pretty well. Sylvia played lottos with the big girls. Eugene and 5 year old Bernard romped. Played some chess with Eugene later. Sylvia takes nose drops now as well as Eugene does. She still has a little lisp. In the evening Sarah R. stayed while we went to see "Three Strangers" with Sidney Greenstreet, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Peter Lorre and a Tarzan picture. The Alcatraz revolt ended with the three leaders dead. With the slain Ferguson brothers exonerated by the Army and one cited by the President, Gov. Dewey is still evading delegations which ask for justice for the surviving families. The trial of Jack Turk 14 year old "model boy" who as a sitter for 3 yr. old Sybil Gurfein, slew the child after an alleged sexual act is going on under a 1st degree murder charge.

These cousins are not in the family tree; the parents' names are vaguely familiar. "Sarah R." is Sarah Rosenberg, mother of my friend and neighbor Bobby Rosenberg. 

5/6 310,000 Kuomintang troops have surrounded 60,000 Communist troops and threaten their annihilation. The French people have defeated the new constitution. Dr. Simon Flexner is dead.

5/7 Horace Demarest, Queens M.V.C. has been removed for being an original incorporator of the K.K.K. The D.W. exposed him and urged his ouster. Hillman at the A.C.W. convention called war a 'terrible possibility'. Five U.S. correspondents detained by the Chinese Communists for about two weeks have been released.

Not sure if that's actually "D.W."

5/8 The Foreign Ministers parley has decided to return Transylvania to Romania from Hungary who got it from Hitler. The coal strike is at last being felt with Congress and the Government stepping in. Fight impresario J J Johnston is dead. 14 yr old Jack Turk has been acquitted in the murder of 3 year old Sybil Gurfein. 16 yr Nick Trinchillo is guilty of murder in the 2nd degree in the slaying of an elderly shopkeeper. M. O. Perez, Conservative won the Colombian Presidency. Ernie Koslan over and a changed person. He has gotten a big lift by getting some jobs teaching tennis this summer.

5/9 Sylvia makes tumble sets. Beat Levy. At the "Council" no information was available on the Red Army's evacuation of Iran, the case remaining on the agenda. Gromyko again walked out. Two I.R.A. members are on hunger strikes, one in Eire, one in Northern Ireland.

5/10 Beat Koslan. Brownouts and blackouts are the vogue due to the coal strike. The "House" finally voted housing subsidies of $400,000,000 by a close vote. Westinghouse has settled the 115 day strike giving 18¢ per hr. plus one cent into a wage fund against inequities. Seven maritime unions have voted to form a nationwide federation.

5/11 Scientist Dr. A. N. May's 10 year sentence for disclosing atomic energy secrets to Russia has been criticized by fellow scientists. Foreign Ministers parley has decided Italy will administer her African colonies under a UN trusteeship, Soviet Union will get $100,000,000 reparations from Italy. Lewis and the coal operators have agreed to reopen the mines under a two week truce. The chief issue of the strike has been the welfare fund to be set up under Lewis' direction. The Senate has passed the British loan. Maximillian[sic] Moss has replaced Miss Dillon whose term expired on the Board of Ed.

4/28-5/4/46

4/28 Sunday Today we went to Lilly Altschuler's for dinner. The occasion was Thelma's engagement to Harold Siegal. Present - Mike and family, Sam and family, the Siegal family, Mr. & Mrs. Tieman, the Altschulers. Browder has left for Europe. Ecuador labor leaders have been jailed following a suspension of constitutional guarantees.

Not sure where these folks fit on the family tree, but clearly on the "Modelson" side. The name "Siegal" is clearly written with an "a" before the "l". The "Tieman" name is totally unfamiliar to me. 

4/29 A little friend has told Eugene that Gloria Singer wants to marry him. Another riot in our zone in German has resulted in Jews killed and beaten.

4/30 The U.N. Council has voted an investigation of Spain, only Gromyko abstaining, holding none is necessary. Paul Hasluck, Alternate for Hodgson of Australia is a member of the sub-comm. along with the Chinese Brazilian French and Polish delegates which will probe Franco. Osmena has conceded Roxas victory in the Philippine vote. A Civil Rights Congress has been formed representing a million people. US Zone elections in Germany saw Christian Social Union win easily. F. de la Rocque, Capt. Bartlett and               have died. Eugene and Gloria can't live without each other. Their romance is the talk of the house. The City C.I.O Council has endorsed the May Day parade  actions.

He left space for a third name who died, but didn't fill any in. As I've said, I remember Gloria. I don't remember a "romance" (I was just over six years old).  

5/1 Momma came over for lunch bringing me a tennis shirt and shorts for my birthday. Lilly gave me a beautiful tie. We took the kids down to the parade which we enjoyed until Eugene's eye began to bother him. We took the 5th Ave bus home stopping off to get Eugene a globe-$2.39. A plot to kill MacArthur has been uncovered. The Anglo-American Comm of Inquiry has recommended admission of 100,000 Jews into Palestine. Bob Feller has hurled a no-hitter against the Yanks for Cleveland 1-0. He fanned 11 and walked 5. Lillian made a delicious strawberry shortcake for my birthday. Also Lil and Susan walked over and left with Mama at three o'clock. Sylvia has had two or three relapses at night since she became dry.

This was Feller's second no-hitter, and gives me an early chance to talk about my being at Yankee Stadium for my first ball game the day he pitched his third no hitter (7/1/51). Unfortunately, he pitched it in Cleveland. We'll get to it, of course. It's interesting that Dad switches back and forth in what he calls my grandmother; in this entry, she arrived as "Momma" and left as "Mama". 

5/2 75,000 marched yesterday. Steps are being taken against the Klan here. Beat Schauer. 

5/3 Sylvia saw us embracing and kissing and named it a loving house. When we parted she said the house was broken. Lillian read "A Penny for the Poor" by B. Brecht. She thought it very confused and fantastic. We both read "Dodsworth" by S. Lewis. Sam D. is protrayed sympathetically as a successful businessman who has given too much time to business and too little to learning about women and the society his wife hungers for. Fran D. is maladjusted, afraid to grow old, seeking the mirage of romance childish in her selfishness. Franco is again preparing to murder anti-fascist leaders. Milk has gone up to 16¢ Bread to 14¢. The new Civil Rights Congress will absorb the I.L.D. and N.F.C.L.

5/4 Eugene came home yesterday and told us there had been a special assembly. It was only when Gloria told Eugene it was a nice poem he had recited in school that we discovered he had learned a poem that day and said it in the auditorium. This is the poem "Seeds". "Tiny seeds now softly cry, Hear the North wind blowing, Heavy clouds hang in the sky, Soon it will be snowing. Safe beneath the snow will lie, Cuddled close together, Till the sunny spring comes by through the winter weather." Yesterday Eugene drew "Just For Fun" R. Lawson, "The Happy Heart Family" - V. Gerson, "Sir Lancelot and Scamp" by MS & HL Johnson. "Little Bill" Johnston is dead. Marines have been called in to help subdue Alcatraz convicts who have killed several guards and have barricaded themselves in the prison in a rebellion. The Big Four Foreign Ministers are deadlocked on the question of Trieste. Eugene went to Bruce Solomon's 6th birthday party. Sylvia couldn't go as she caught a slight cold yesterday. Lillian stayed at the Rosenberg's in the evening while they went out under a home and home arrangement. Played some chess with Eugene using Tarrasch's - "The Game of Chess".

This does bring back a memory of reciting in the auditorium, but not a specific memory of the poem.