6/15-6/21/47

6/15 Sunday Over to mom's for Father's day. We brought some summer ties and a chess set. I got a sweat shirt. Eugene beat pop a game and I won one from the two of them. Harry & Lil took us home, then we went over to St. James where I beat Camilli. Another plane has been lost with 50 aboard. Willy Turnesa & Babe Didrickson have won the British golf titles. Lillian read the biographical novel of Jessie Benton Fremont "Immortal Wife" by Irving Stone. Lillian was highly impressed with this book. Read London's fiery "Iron Heel" of the coming proletarian revolution.

6/16 Discovered in Eugene's book today.

                                            When I Grow Up


      When I grow up, I am going to be a doctor. I would like to be one because I like to cure people. I hope I can have a good nurse too. I will never, never refuse to help anybody. I will make a lot of money, too. Unless I am specially needed, I will have a holiday on Saturday and Sunday. I will live in a g[?] house, too.

 [see scanned in page of my writing]

6/16 Lillian is discussing Sylvia's coming entry into kindergarden in September. O'Dwyer in a reversal will campaign for a 7¢ fare in order to save vital services for the city. Dwight Griswold, Rep. has been named administrator of the Greek Turkish aid funds by Truman. Norman Armour has replaced Braden as Sec'y for Inter-Amer. affairs. Lew Worsham has defeated Sam Snead in a playoff by one stroke in a playoff for the Nat'l Open Golf Championship.

6/17 Beat Mencher. Eugene made a napkin ring in school. Sylvia finished everything in her picnic bag while I played this morning. Marshall's plan to confer with European countries on their economic needs to be supplied by us is causing much debate. 10000 heard Wallace speak in Wash D.C. in spite of Rep. O Kusku's [?] Anti-Communist Assoc'n and the "UnAmercan Comm." Truman vetoed the rich men's tax bill with the "House" today sustaining him. C.I.O. seamen struck today after a futile attempt to gain[?] control with the shipowners. The seamen are sitting in. Lillian read "Taps for Private Tussie" by Jessie Stuart which she enjoyed. Bronislaw Huberman is dead at 64.

6/18 Eugene insisted on sending for a booklet on how to get strong by Chas. Atlas. Sylvia has a little cold. Palestine Investigating Comm. of the UN held its first session. The vetocade arrived in Washington.

6/19 To Van Cortlandt again after school with the boats and supper. We rowed again and then had our picnic supper near the old cemetery. Two tombstones still legible were put up in 1790. We played ball and the kids romped. We brought home some different flowers this time. O John Rogge fired by Clark as Ass't U.S. Attorney is defending the 16 leaders of the J.A.F.R.C. under fire of the UnAmerican Comm. The War Dept. is planning to publish material slandering the C.P. in a flip flop from its position a year ago. It is also proposed to deny veterans benefits to Communists.

6/20 Beat Loeb. Sylvia had a birthday party for her Susan with the other doll and the bunny attending. Eugene is uncertain of his sewing mark as he lost his needle. Michigan has passed the "Callahan Bill" allowing the Attorney Gen'l to designate subversives who must register. Ewell Blackwell young Cincinnati pitcher hurled a no-hit no run game. Seamen ratified a pact giving them a 5% raise and other advances ending the nationwide tie up.

6/21 Eugene drew Creswick's "King Arthur" "John Henry and the Double Jointed Steam-Drill" by Irwin Shapiro "Fun With Science" by Mae & Ira Freeman and for Sylvia "Here Comes Daddy" by W. Milius. After lunch Lillian took the kids to St. James to see a marionette show of Hansel & Gretel. 17 Elas fighters against the Nazis were executed to inaugurate the Truman Doctrine going into effect. Truman vetoed the Taft Hartley Slave labor bill giving nine objections. These included the following points. It would increase strikes, discriminate against workers, deprive them of previous protections, restrict collective bargaining and mar employee management relations. The "House" immediately over-rode Truman in a stampede 331-83. It is probably the most reactionary body we ever had. A strong debate is going on in the Senate.

6/8-6/14/47

6/8 Sunday Merrill has resigned his UOPWA presidency. Former Argentine ambassador Braden has resigned his State Dep't post & Messersmith has resigned as Ambassador to Argentina after bringing that country and ours closer together. Max & Anne brought Barbara over while they went to a wedding. Arlene D. came up to play with them while Eugene went to a synagogue show with the Gallins. Barbara brought a pair of pants for Eugene and a skirt for Sylvia. Lillian has made a yarn bag, pillow case, shoe bag, aprons and many other things with her new machine. Hy N. came over to lose two chess games to me.

Don't know who "Hy N." was; does not appear to be family.

6/9 American firms which cooperated with the IG Farben cartel were named by Sen. Kilgore. These included Alcoa, Dow Chem., Dupont, Standard Oil Co. of N.J. Camel workers won their 5 week strike getting 8¢ per hr. raise plus other advances. After school we went up to Van Cortlandt lake, Eugene taking his new sail-boat and Sylvia her canoe. It was a gorgeous day. We took a rowboat out at only 35¢ per hour and had a wonderful time, the kids sailing their boats while we rowed. We picked some pretty flowers along the shore watched the N.Y. Central trains pass right by us and Eugene tried his hand at rowing. At home, I took a shower with the kids, they washing each others backs. While rowing, Eugene continually asserted his boat was capasizing [sic]. Sylvia went him one better when she said hers was uppasizing [sic]. At night we walked all over Fordham stopping for delicious Sundaes at Krums. French railroad strike is being supported by the Catholic trade unions as well as the C.P. Lillian read the O'Henry Memorial stories - 1939.

I remember the rowing well. Dad took a picture of Mom, Sylvia and me in the boat, which they had colorized and enlarged. I'll have to find it and scan it in.  

6/10 While Eugene is amenable Sylvia is stubborn with a strong will and cannot be deterred from doing what she is set on without violence. I often clash with her. Utility workers are now striking in Paris. Miners are striking against the slave bill.

Interesting that Dad made almost the same comment about Sylvia on 5/25.  

6/11 Beat Camilli. Sylvia turns now as she hits at the ball with the paddle and does very well. Eugene gets his Weekly Reader by mail. Over 100000 marched in the C.I.O. Veto Day Parade. At the Garden speakers included O'Dwyer, Murray, Rabbi Wise, Curran, Mills, Gold, Hollander, Quill, etc. Gerhard Eisler was found guilty of contempt of Congress in a U.S. District Court in a verdict taking five minutes. Judge Holtzoff told the jury the only question was did Eisler refuse to take the oath to testify before the Un-American Comm. Eisler had wanted to make a 3-minute statement first at that time. It is charged in Hungary that Nagy had asked Dean Acheson for the Truman Doctrine to be applied there and Acheson had agreed. The TWU met with B of Trans officials and agreed to halt the slowdown. The latter has met two requests of the union but will retain charges against 4 T.W.U. men.

When teaching us to play tennis, he always emphasized "turn and step in". 

6/12 Sylvia and I wave to each other when I take Eugene across at noon and she is at the window. Today, I apologized "I forgot all about you, will you forgive me". She answered "You even forgot I was in your fambily [sic]?" Arnold P. won't lend Eugene any more "Buddy" books because Sylvia tore the cover. Eugene says he'll never play with him again. A U.S. note charged Russia with "flagrant interference" in Hungary and violation of the Yalta pact. China protested to Russia on the invasion of Sinkiang by Outer Mongolian troops with Russian planes protection. Judge Holtzoff has been barred from presiding at the JAFRC trial for not denying prejudice. High prices instigated by the NAM were found guilty in a "trial" by civic leaders.

The window incident is surprising to me, since he would have been taking me across Kingsbridge Road, and I only remember one window with a very restricted view of the road, and nowhere near the corner.

6/13 Beat Loeb. Sylvia took a shower by herself yesterday. Eugene had a great time playing cops and robbers yesterday. Judge Holtzoff disqualified himself for Eisler's second trial. Rent rises were allowed to "Metropolitan" projects. 23 Deputies of Petkov's Agrarian party were expelled from the Bulgarian Parliament charged with collaborating with him. We bought a bed for Eugene for $15 from Mrs. Monka.

6/14 Sylvia wanted to go down for a container of milk, but her face at the door was contorted because of the conflict between her desire to go and her fear. Eugene in reading the library book of the daddies and what they do has memorized virtually all the verses. An AFL-C.I.O. motorcade is crossing the continent from California to Wash. D.C. and growing larger. It is a veto demonstration. Meat has taken a sudden splurge up. Home sugar has been taken off the ration list. Georgia has ordered the Klan dissolved.