3/20-3/26/49

3/20 Sunday We went to Mother's. Lil and the kids there also. Peggy will not sit. She wants to stand and you can't bend her. The kids colored and dressed up in others' clothing. Susan said she was worried about the television aerial which someone had knocked down. Sylvia still tells Lil when she has to go to the toilet. Read Stefan Heym's "The Crusaders" one of the great war novels. We both read Klaus Mann's "Pathetic Symphony" a story about Tschaikowsky.

3/21 Railroad workers won the 40 hr. week and retroactive raises of 7¢ per hour in their 11 month old strike. Mosleyites and Communists clashed in England.The Allied powers outlawed Soviet currency in the Western Zone of Germany. The kids put on a typical brother and sister act after watching a television program at the Gallins'. They bickered all the way home. San Francisco U. beat Loyola (Chicago) 48-47 to win the N.I.T.

"all the way home"? It was just one flight of stairs!

3/22 The Gov't charged the 11 defendants at the C.P. trial with training forces with a view towards violently overthrowing the gov't. British French Italian and other delegates to the "Peace Parley" were denied visas. Political rallies were banned for three months in England after the Moselyite [sic] Communist rioting

3/23 Lillian went to a meeting in school for mothers of several 4th year classes. Eugene's teacher spoke. She condemned comic books, told mothers to watch for marks for personality as well as work, stressed that what the children learned from their reading was as important as their speed in reading, etc. Eugene complained of a sore throat this morning and stayed home. His temp. was under 100° and he seemed in good shape. Sylvia had supper in Norma's house last night. She won a prize for being the best eater. She also lost her inhibitions and charmed Mrs. Gallins. Eugene also told me of the Aesop's Fables in technicolor film the children saw in the auditorium while the parents were at the meeting. They were "The Vain Frog", "The Wicked Wolf" and "The Foolish Donkey". Anti-Communists have organized the "Americans for Intellectual Freedom" to combat the "World Peace Parley". The defence [sic] moved for many mistrials because of prejudice in the trial of the '11' but motions were denied. The Senate OK'd an Amendment to the rent control bill allowing local decontrol of rent.

3/24 Eugene stayed home again. Budenz testified that Foster, Dennis and Stachel were the American commissars. He claimed leading Communists had to take an oath of loyalty to Stalin and world revolution. Russia's charge that Iran was being turned into an armed base for military use was denied by Acheson.

3/25 The cold war between delegates to the "World Peace Parley" and its opponents rages. Hundreds picketed the Waldorf and prayed for victims of the "Iron Curtain". The NAM invited Russian delegates to tour American factories as an aid to better understanding between the two countries. The State Dep't charged Russia banned all information about the U.S. for fear the Russian people would realize the shortcomings of Communism. Budenz at the trial charged Manuilsky in 1945 ordered the U.S. C.P. to turn to revolutionary methods. A Veterans pensions bill was defeated in the House 208-207.

3/26 The kids went to Lewis W's 2ND birthday party. Afterwards they had only applesauce and milk for supper. They were not hungry and very tired. We went out to the Concourse where we saw E.G. Robinson John Lund and Gail Russell in "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes" and "Mrs. [sic] Tatlock's Millions" with John Lund, Monti Wooley [sic], Ilka Chase Wanda Hendrix. In French elections last Sunday the C.P. got 23 1/2% of the vote Gaullists 25% and the gov't bloc of parties about 35%. The World Peace Parley held its first session. Norman Cousins who had come to present an opposing view was hissed and booed. Shostakovitch and Stapledon then spoke. The Americans for Intellectual Freedom held a rival meeting at the Freedom House.