Saturday, July 26, 2014

10/3-10/9/48

10/3 Sunday Rosh Hashonah We walked to Mother's house, having lunch there. On the way we passed a leashed goat near Clinton H.S. When we mentioned that goats will eat anything Eugene remarked that Sylvia was looking back as if afraid that the goat was following her. She admitted it was true. Lilly and the kids there, Peggy looking more grown up. She sleeps through the night! Played chess with Pop. Eugene played downstairs. We gave Mom an apron and Pop a tie. Lilly got some stockings as a belated birthday gift, while we gave Lil $10. as a belated gift for Peggy. We stopped in at Sam & Molly's on the way home. Read Dr. Dunbar's Psychosomatic Medicine. Lillian read Barbara Giles "Gentle Bush".

I definitely remember the goat; we didn't usually encounter goats in the Bronx, even back then.

10/4 We had lunch at Molly's. then movies at the Windsor - two old pictures. "The Fighting 69th" with Cagney, O'brien and Brent and "Valley of the Giants" with Charles Bickford, Claire Trevor  [spaces left]                 Eugene loved them but Sylvia nagged after a while. Russia offered to resume foreign minister meetings and also agreed to have intern'l inspection simultaneously with destruction of atom bombs. A naval revolt was put down in Peru. Farley and Sen Gurney in Spain started a campaign for re-establishment of all relationships with Franco.

Apparently he wanted to put another name of the stars of "Valley of the Giants", but didn't. 

10/5 At lunch Sylvia complained to Lil "You always give me the less, you're like a gypper to me". Eugene at the same meal lost the tooth which had been bothering him so. The Western powers rejected a Big Four parley and went ahead with plans to bring the Berlin crisis up before the UN. 300,000 French coal miners struck. Shipbuilders Local I seceded from the Intern'l Union on grounds that the union had become a catch-all raiding so many other unions that shipbuilders had become a minority. The first play off game in A.L. history follows. 

The box score was actually pasted in in the middle of the next entry; here it is:



10/6 Sylvia learned I's and O's in school and got a star for writing them nicely. Eugene got the materials for the class aquarium in school. City workers struck in France. Russia announced it will not participate in the 'UN' discussion of the Berlin crisis. Teachers Union leader Wallach was discharged for refusing to answer questions before a Congressional Comm. C.C.N.Y. students won the right to transfer from Knickerbocker's class.

10/7 Each kid in Sylvia's class has her own coloring book. Eugene drew "The Blue Junk" by P. Holton "The Picts and the Martyrs" by A. Ransome. Baldwin's "Sampo" (Kalevala). Also a book on the Congo for school. Sylvia drew "Karl's Wooden Horse" by Lois Donaldson, "Quito Express" by L. Bemelmans, "Honk the Moose" by Phil Stong and "Pierre Pidgeon" by Lee Kingman.

Army Sec'y Royall's aides asked clemency for 17 more Nazis. Savannah cops broke up a C.I.O. meeting where members refused to be segregated.

Not sure why he left a line blank. 

10/8 Today Sylvia had her birthday party in school in conjunction with little "Sherry" whose birthday was yesterday. Lillian went to school for a meeting of 1st year children's mothers. The Nat'l Lawyers Guild and A.C.L.U. appeared in court to blast the constitutionality of the indictments against C.P. leaders. Former U.A.W. leader Carl Bolton was arrested in the Reuther shooting. 42 Seamen of the S.I.U. were arrested while picketing for the I.L.G.W.U. in the racketeering probe.

10/9 Sylvia's Birthday THIS IS SYLVIA. I HAD A BIRTHDAY PARTY IN SCHOOL.[Silvia's printing, see scanned-in page]. We gave Sylvia a set of unbreakable Little Golden records and ball bearing skates on which she skated very well this morning. We also got her a birthday cake which we started at lunch with Sylvia blowing out the candles. Oppenheim Collins strikers were fined $20000 for picketing in spite of an injunction.

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

9/26-10/2/48

9/26 Sunday Lost to Ornstein. Sylvia still in bed. Lillian went to the cemetery. Mom and Pop came over followed by Sam & Molly.

9/27 Sylvia went out today but Eugene came home with what looked like the mumps. Temp. 101.5. Wallace workers were mauled in Georgia. Robert News' [?] murderer received only three years in jail. His plea was Anti-Communism. The Western powers broke off talks on Berlin and prepared to bring the crisis up before the Security Council. 

9/28 The Un American Comm. asked treason indictments against Steve Nelson and atomic scientists. U.P.W. members refused to rat against their colleagues at a "House" hearing. Murray appointed three rightists to probe the City C.I.O. Bevin charged any possible atomic war would be Russia's responsibility. Dr. Holzman came and said Eugene had a red throat. He prescribed the liquid Sulfa, argyrol swab, camphorated oil, etc. 

9/29 Eugene's temp returned to normal. He complained his throat still hurt. Sylvia returned to school with no difficulty. U.E. leaders attacked "House" labor Comm. inquisitors during hearings. U.E. Att'y Scribner was ejected. Leading Board of Ed. officials and right wing teachers union leaders joined in attacking Communism in the school system. In Paris, Spaak and Schuman denounced Russia as the enemy. N.M.U. left wing leaders were cleared at a membership meeting of disruption. Hundreds picketed City Hall on the coming milk rise. Seceding Dept store unions formed a Distribution [sic] Trades Council which will affiliate soon. Split two good chess games with Eugene. Lillian read Jean Stafford's "Mountain Lion". 

9/30 Eugene can discontinue the Sulfa and get out of bed tomorrow if his temp. remains down. He has been amusing himself by coloring pictures in the baby book. 1000 City College students staged a sit-down against the white washing of Prof Knickerbocker. The Atomic Energy Comm and the House Labor Comm. barred the U.E. and U.P.W.  from G.E.'s atomic lab. Att'y Gen'l Clark stated there was no evidence to indict Steve Nelson and the Atomic Scientists. 20000 dressmakers rallied against a revival of racketeering in the industry. 

10/1 Eugene is up and around. Sylvia now crosses the last street to school by herself and runs off. Several thousand City College students rallied against Prof Knickerbocker and W. C. Davis. Speakers included Darr & Connolly. Canadian Gen'l McNaughton told the UN we had an atom bomb ten times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb. The French C.P. declared France will never war against Russia, following the English Party's similar statement. Angelo Herndon refused to stool-pigeon at Claudia Jones hearing. "House" probers made little headway in Schenectady in the UE quiz. 

10/2 Beat Waldman at Woodlawn, Sylvia putting up a big kick about going there "because Eugene stops to watch chess games". (an excuse, Lillian didn't go) Lillian's leg hurt her a great deal again yesterday but is better today.  

Sunday, July 6, 2014

9/19-9/25/48

9/19 Sunday Sylvia was slightly affected by the injection as she was last year. Eugene heard Verne's "The Mysterious Island" on "Tell It Again" today. He also made his first attempt at constructing a crossword puzzle. Played him a game of chess. Gates was ousted from the A.V.C. for incompatibility. Emil Ludwig is dead at 67. Lillian read "The Axe of Wandsbek" by A. Zweig and I read Gunther's "Inside U.S.A."

9/20 Sylvia walked right into her line this morning. Her regular teacher Miss Hilzer was there today. Sylvia learned this song "Knock, knock, Peek in, Lift up the Latch and walk in". The motions are knock on the forehead, touch the eye, push up tip of nose, put finger in mouth. Soviet troops will leave Korea Jan 1. Quill backers slugged an anti-Quill I.E.B. member in Omaha. Pancho Gonzales 20 year old sensation won the Nat'l Singles over South African Eric Sturgess 6-2,6-3,14-12 in a tournament packed with upsets. Semi finalists were Flam & Drobny. Eliminated were Parker, Talbert, Mulloy. Margaret Osborne Dupont upset champion Louise Brough in the Womens' Singles 4-6,6-4,15-13.

9/21 Sylvia was very hot during the night. She didn't sleep for several hours. She has a loose cough. Lillian gave her aspirin and an alcohol sponge. This morning she had 100.2. Lillian called Dr. Holzman who told her to give Sylvia neo-synephrin drops and use the vaporizer. He also wanted to know Sylvia's temp at 12 and 3 o'clock. Eugene saw films about bread making and asked us questions. The Army used scabs to move a West Coast ship into Brooklyn. Israel outlawed the Stern Gang. Indonesian Republic set up a dictatorship to fight the Communists who had set up a people's republic in Madiun. Louise Bransten accused of being a spy, refused to talk to the UnAmerican Comm. City College students walked on on accused Anti Semitic Prof. Knickerbocker.

9/22 Sylvia's temp was 101° at noon, 100.5° at 3 PM and 100° at night. This morning she was normal but still in bed. Eugene didn't want to go down yesterday. But when he did and found the kids skating, Lil had to call him at 6 PM. He was elected Vice Pres. of the class but prefers office monitor. The City Council again rejected Gerson with Davis almost coming to blows with Hart. Scab dress shops brought gangsterism back to ILGWW [surely, ILGWU] when business agents and pickets were slugged. The City Council voted the Cunningham Bill requiring a $5. fee to use a sound truck with power to the police commissioner to deny a permit. Marshall & Bevin proposed Israel accept reduced territory in exchange for recognition at the opening of the UN Gen'l Assembly. Evatt was elected President. Eastern European powers were disregarded in the election of six standing committees. The Dean of Canterbury will come here under the sponsorship of 93 liberals after the Nat'l Council of Soviet Amer Friendship failed to get a visa for him.

9/23 Sylvia is out of bed today but her cough is worse. Bob Thompson was waylayed and beaten and stabbed in Queens by three thugs. 1100 Union leaders criticized the indictment of C.P. leaders in a petition to Truman. Marcel Cerdan Ko'd Tony Zale in the 12th round to gain the world's middleweight title.

9/24 Sylvia's ankles swelled up yesterday and her temp rose to 101°. She returned to bed where she likes to play with her peg set. Israel and Zionists here rejected the Bernadotte proposals on Palestine which Sec'y of State Marshall endorsed. O'Dwyer refused to accept protests or act on the Thompson stabbling! Read Duranty's "I Write As I Please". Lillian read Priestley's "Bright Day". Dr. Holzman came and ordered a urinalysis for Sylvia. It turned out negative so he decided the swelling which has now subsided was due to an allergy. 

9/25  Eugene drew "Romance of a People" by Howard Fast, - Jewish Biblical history. "On the Dark of the Moon" by Don Lang. "The Master Wizard" translated by JD [JB] Bernhard - Polish Fairy Tales. "Swallows & Amazons" by Arthur Ransome. We drew for Sylvia "Hercules" by H. Gramatky "Andy and the School Bus" by J Beim. "Through the Year" A children's science book "Jerry Goes to the Circus" by F. Battle. A delegation finally pressured the police into accepting protests on the Thompson stabbing although O'Dwyer refused to see them. 500,0000 [sic] struck in France for two hours in protest against rising prices. McMahon exposed Quill as a former C.P. member.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

9/12-9/18/48

9/12 Sunday To Woodlawn where I split with Waldman. Also played some with Hymee [?] Axelbank and met his wife. Pop beat Eugene one chess game.

9/13 Sylvia's first day in school opened inauspiciously but ended in a blaze of glory. She cried when she left the house. In the classroom she wouldn't sit down or play anything although Lillian was there. Finally Lillian left her about ten o'clock although she cried out. Lillian cried herself when she got home. However at lunchtime we found that she had adjusted herself very well. She was a monster hiding children's faces when they played the dog and the bone [?]. She also told about her summer vacation. Her teacher is Miss Helzer [?] although a sub. Mrs. Bowne [?] was in charge today. Her class is 1-5. Room 2112. Eugene has Mrs. O'Rourke Class 4-3 Room 412. Beat Ed Wolfe. 200,000 demonstrated in the Berlin Soviet zone in answer to the Western Zone demonstration last week. The Congress of Intern'l Dem. Lawyers met at Prague and will send a delegation to attend the trial of C.P. leaders here. Rene Cassin was re-elected president. Bob Kenny is a V.P. Harry Sacher was fired by musicians local 802 following the T.W.U. dismissal. Arabs shelled Jerusalem in the biggest attack during the truce.

A picture of us (Silvia and me) was pasted in here, and scanned in below. I've scanned in most of the page, since some of the names above are unclear. 


9/14 Yesterday afternoon Sylvia pulled a surprise by acting up worse than in the morning. Lillian stayed until 2 o'clock. This morning Sylvia had to be pushed into the school yard. She is O.K. after Lillian leaves. The only voter in Montgomery Co. Ga. was killed by J. A. Johnson a farmer. Wallace spoke before 5000 in Baltimore. A "Worker" correspondent was barred from the I.A.M. convention. N.Y. delegates have had their credentials held up. India invaded the independent province of Hyderabad. Bloomingdale local followed Macy's in disaffiliating from the right wing parent outfit. Canadian delegates to the Mine mill & smelter workers convention were detained as were U.E. delegates before them. Atomic scientists continued to attack the UnAmerican Comm. for hounding them and jeopardizing American's defence [sic] program. Truman joined in the criticism. Lillian read Green Dolphin Street by Elizabeth Goudge. Russians imposed 20 year sentences much reduced later on several German youths arrested at the Anti-Communist demonstrations.

9/15 Sylvia is improving a little. Eugene is interested in how Sylvia is "taking" school. 500 oil strikers were tear-gassed by the police. Illinois barred Wallace from the ballot when the State Supreme Court refused to review. Other Dept. store locals disaffiliated being followed by Local 65. Dr. DuBois was discharged by the NAACP for criticizing Walter White's acceptance of a position as consultant to the UN delegation.

9/16 Sylvia now walks to her line in school but you have to wait at the door to wave to her whenever she turns around. Paris police attacked 2000 strikers, 200 being injured. Wallace attacked Truman's condonement of proposed scabbing by troops before 23000 in Chicago. Stayed home from work due to upset stomach.

9/17 Sylvia has had two fire drills. She is very communicative whereas news has to extricated from Eugene. Thyssen has been released with a fine. French auto workers struck. Dean Alfange has come out for Dewey. Quill has become a major flip-flopper.

9/18 In the morning Lil and the kids had their first flu injections. In the afternoon I took the kids to Van C. Park lake while Lil washed and ironed. The kids sailed their boats, hunted ice cream box covers and wandered round the field. Nazi torturess Ilse Koch had her life sentence commuted to four years by U.S. Authorities. N.M.U. officers decided to sign T.H. law affidavits only Lawrinson opposing. Hyderabad surrendered to India after five days fighting. UN Mediator in Palestine Count Bernadotte was assassinated by the Stern gang. Dr. Ruth Benedict is dead at 61. 

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

9/5-9/11/48

9/5 Sunday At the farm Sylvia was all right all day but made a fuss at bed time. She wanted Lilly to be there and say good night a dozen times. Even now she hasn't gotten over it. We met Molly & Sam at Woodlawn today. I beat Loeb there. Then played a game of chess with Eugene. Sylvia insisted on batting only when playing ball with a paddle otherwise she wouldn't play. Lillian read "Psycho-somatic Medicine" by Dr. F. Dunbar. 

9/6 Labor Day To Woodlawn where I beat Hotz. We played chess and baseball with the Dranows. Their kids Ralph and Carol and Linda Berman played with our kids.We won the Davis Cup again. Parker and Schroeder winning their singles over Quist and Sidwell and Talbert and Mulloy winning the doubles over Sidwell and Long 4 sets. Parker beat Sidwell 6-4,6-4,6-4, Schroeder won 6-3,4-6,6-0,6-0. N.J. truck drivers joined the strike. The T.W.U. I.E.B. rejected Truman 19-5 repudiating Quill's endorsement. A rump group aided by Reuther and Murray is trying to split the progressive Wayne Co. C.I.O. Wallace ended his seven day, 28 city Southern tour marked by heckling and unsegregated audiences. The christian general Marshall Feng died in a fire aboard a Russian ship sailing from N.Y. to Russia. Read "The Brothers Karamazov".

Did not remember the Dranows; googled the name, found his (Ralph Dranow) website and had a brief email conversation which he didn't seem interested in continuing. He didn't remember us, either. 

9/7 Eugene borrowed "Swallowdale" by A. Ransome (one of a series he loves), "The Last of the Mohicans", "Tales of Laughter" edited by Kate D. Wiggin and Nora Smith and "Heroes of the Kalevala" by Babette Deutsch. Sylvia borrowed "The Horse that Lived Upstairs by P. McGinley, "Lief the Lucky" by I&E Parin D'Aulaire, "Augustus" by C. H. Bishop and The Sorcerer's Apprentice by R. Ristron [?]. The kids went to the playground on the bars, big swings, then slid down together on the sliding pond. Truman addressed 50,000 unionists in Detroit many of whom waved Wallace banners. Wallace addressed (the U.E. Nat'l convention. In Berlin, leftists drove opponents out of the City Hall. Western Zone policemen were seized. The demonstration was for relief and a hunt for criminal elements being concealed by the Western powers.

There's definitely an "open paren" there, but no "close paren". 

9/8 Lost to Lavender. Sylvia cried at home and in the park although she was with Eugene. Eugene built an airplane from his erector set. O'Dwyer's administration will battle to prevent the referendum on the 5¢ fare which the A.L.P. has made possible with 100000 petitions. C.P. leaders under indictment have been barred from traveling privileges. Schuman failed to get a vote of confidence by six votes. The gov'ts recent bonus is considered inadequate. Truckers bosses rejected teamsters minimum demands in the week old strike. Polish C.P. leader Gomulka was ousted in favor of President Bierut on charges of supported Tito and of laxness in the fight against Capitalism. The U.O.P.W.A. voted against non-compliance with the non-comm. affidavits of the Taft Hartley law. The U.E. convention voted to allow the membership to support any candidate they prefer. It also asked for a cessation of Union raiding. Canadian delegates to the convention were quizzed at LaGuardia Field with some barred and one jailed in Ellis Island.

9/9 Went to the "Fed" meeting tonight where I got a $2.50 check for enrolling ten members. At the U.E. convention, Carey was censured for stooging for the employers and gov't inquisitors. Left wing officers were re-elected by 5-1. Tito was again attacked by Moscow. Minor disturbances featured Benes' funeral. The Macy local seceded from the R.W. & D.S.E. union but voted to comply with the "T.H." law in order to retain the union shop. Local 100 E.B. fo the T.W.U. ousted lawyer Harry Packer.

9/10 The kids played records today acting out the nursery rhymes. When Eugene meets Bobby R. in the street they always scuffle about. Soviet troops fired at 200,000 Berlin anti-Communists killing one. At the "House" labor hearing in the fur industry, bosses admitted the workers support their left wing leaders and also work for Wallace. H. Queuille formed a new French gov't without the C.P. The travel ban on the ten indicted C.P. leaders was rescinded. In Southern primaries Rankin and H. Talmadge won by larger margins than ever. Lillian took the kids to Dr. Holzman. Sylvia gained but Eugene lost two pounds. He was given penicillin drops for his sinus. They both got vitamins (vitafort).

9/11 We went to Forest Hills today with Sylvia who wouldn't stay with Mom & Pop. Eugene did, splitting chess games with Pop. He got an Album as a souvenir from Loch Sheldrake and Sylvia got a pocket book. We saw Earl Cochell look classy in beating Ed Moylan. We also saw Tom Brown beat Jim Brink. 50,000 heard Wallace and others in a record breaking political rally at the Yankee Stadium. Other speakers were Marcantonio, Robeson, Fitzgerald, Isacson, Rogge, Ada Jackson, Irma Lindheim and Lee Pressman. The British T.U.C. voted to criticize fascist Greece but refused to back the W.F.T.U. of which it is a member and refused to recommend that suspected gov't employees be represented by counsel. U.E. voted against the E.R.P. Many truckers signed for 17 1/2 per hour. Wayne County C.I.O. officers were ousted and the Council was taken over by right wingers. Jinnah is dead at 71.

The following box score was pasted in here without explanation; it's pretty clear why.