2/29-3/6/48

2/29 Sunday Lillian stayed out of bed, but didn't feel well. She had pains in her neck and throat again. She used cold compresses and finally sloan's liniment. Sylvia never takes 'no' for an answer but insists till violence or threats are used. Took the kids out to the playground where Eugene stood on the big swings. Lost a chess game to him. Read Feuchtwanger's "Proud Destiny". The American Revolution and Franklin's trip to Paris to secure a loan and alliance. Beaumarchais, dandy, adventurer, playwright, lover of liberty. His loves and stirring plays "Barber of Seville" and "Marriage of Figaro". Louis XVI and Toinette and their court.

3/1 Lillian had a big scene with Eugene about his slowness in rising and reading while dressing. Sylvia rocked in the yard swing. Lillian still felt poorly this morning although improved. Francs [France's? Franco's?] ships here are loading tanks secretly. 1500 vets from all orgs. met in Washington to demand housing. 28 British soldiers were killed in a Palestine train wreck and many wounded. Lillian read Aldington's "Romance of Casanova" and "The Spectacle of a Man" by John Coignard. A psycho-analytical study.

3/2 Eugene stayed home this afternoon because of the miserable weather. Sylvia went down to the book-shop by herself to buy a coloring book. Potash was picked up for deportation as all prisoners on Ellis Island denied bail started a hunger strike. Czech land will be divided among small farmers but not collectivized.

3/3 Lillian's eye was bloodshot and she developed a nose bleed during the night, but she felt better this morning. Eugene's pencils disappear from his desk but he won't talk to his teacher about it. Sylvia is wearing long stockings. Protests and demonstrations greeted the second day of the hunger strikers. Atomic scientist Dr. Condon is under attack as a "subversive".

3/4 When Eugene skips brushing his teeth he admits it at once. Sylvia insists on wearing slacks. Potash was released on bail. Czech ambassadors to US and Canada resigned. Dr. A. A. Brill is dead at 74.

3/5 Eugene was again barred from comics for not practicing his writing. Sylvia got a set of sewing cards to keep her busy for a while. The hunger strikers were moved to a hospital. 10,000 demonstrated for them in N.Y.

3/6 With the kids to the playground. Eugene found he could do all the tricks he mastered last summer. Sylvia reveled on the swings. Auto Union leader Christoffel got 2-6 years for perjury when he denied Communist connections. Bridges was removed from his district directorship for bucking C.I.O. policy on Wallace and the Marshall Plan.