Saturday, February 28, 2015

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.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

3/13-3/19/49

3/13 Sunday Found I had 101.5 temp and we called Dr. Holzman. He diagnosed a strep throat. He ordered sulfa tablets, liquids, gargling with Dohees' [?] Solution. My temp rose to 102.5° and I spent a pretty miserable day and night. Lillian slept in the living room. She gave me the sulfa every four hours throughout the day and night.

3/14 Felt a little better this morning but throat still hurt. Temp. in the morning was 100.4°. Took a little cereal. Delegations are picketing N.Y. legislators and heading for Albany to protest five "Anti-subversive" bills. Negro and white longshoremen united to fight Ryan and demand a hiring hall. Gravediggers returned to work with the increase they were originally offered 8 1/3%. They now belong to the AFL Bl'dg Service Employees Union. Mama came over bringing the supper we were supposed to have on Sunday. My temp. was about 100.5° all day.

3/15 My temp was down to 99.4° but pain was still there when I swallowed. The school called Lillian this morning to come and get Sylvia. We were both worried till we found it was due to the rash she had on her face. Dr. Holzman had seen it Sunday and thought little of it merely telling Lil to use zinc oxide which she had been doing. The school nurse however thought it was an impetigo and was afraid of it spreading so Sylvia came home. Eugene still likes to participate in Sylvia's cutting paper dolls and number books but has great difficulty in getting her permission to do so. Runaway wire tapper K Ryan surrendered and was indicted as millionaire O'Dwyer foe C. Ryan appeared before the Grand Jury. He claimed he had been offered an ambassadorship to France as a bribe to lay off. Leading Soviet officials continue to be shifted resulting in the usual speculation as to meaning. Henry Wallace' speech on a radio religious hour resulted in  suspension of the station by the director. Sun Fo will be impeached for financial corruption. Traitor and anti semite Ezra Pound now confined in a mental institution has been presented the Bollinger Award sponsored by the Library of Congress for a book of his poetry. T S Eliot another anti semite was spokesman for the group of "intellectuals" who presented the award. The Nat'l Invitation Tourney in basketball increased to twelve teams in order to place four N.Y. teams when at least two N.Y. entries were asked saw all N.Y. teams lose the first day. In the quarter finals, all favorites were defeated including the two greatest teams in the country St Louis & Kentucky. Russian U.N. aide Gubitchev arrested for espionage refused to plead in court claiming diplomatic immunity. My temp reached 99.8°. My meals are getting better all the time.

3/16 Temperature down to normal but some pain still remains. Have my meals in the kitchen now. Sylvia's rash is getting better. She is very difficult. Will do nothing no matter what logic is used. Only strong threats or force can ever convince her. Delegations won a day's delay on the McMullen bill. The House passed a 15 month extension on rent control. However weakening amendments allow the states to kill rent control in their own territory and a fair return is guaranteed to landlords. Another Amendment does away with voluntary 15% increases. A vote to censure the Franch gov't for participating in the Atlantic Pact was defeated 350-228. Sylvia got a pair of low black pumps at Alexander's $6.00 Size 13 1/2E. Played Eugene a closely contested chess game. This is Eugene's speech in the St Patrick's Day program: A is for adventure for the Irish have been lovers of adventure since the earliest days of history. Her sons have migrated to all parts of the world to Africa and Australia as well as the Americas. Long ago they sailed the treacherous seas. They cut trails through the wilderness of newly found lands. They led soldiers into battle against tyranny. The George Washington of the far away country of Chile was Peter O'Higgins, an Irishman and the father of the American Navy was another of Ireland's famous sons - Commodore John Barry. 

3/17 The pain left entirely today and I stayed out of bed at last. Sylvia played with her block house and read her school reader. She goes to Norma's house for television by herself but will go to Mrs. Kreisler's next door only with Eugene. Played a long chess game with Eugene, he reading his comics in between moves and I, my book. The State Dep't announced it will allow delegates from Russia and the Eastern countries to the Cultural Peace Parley to enter here. However the dep't made a statement criticizing the projected proceedings. New Jersey banned discrimination on beaches, in halls, hotels, schools, etc. Left wingers filibustered in the Italian chamber against the Atlantic Pact.

3/18 Bad weather and Eugene has a stuffed nose so he stayed home making four of us home. The kids got into a violent quarrel. I scolded him and when answered back rudely he got a good tongue lashing and some blows. He sat for two hours in the living room before making up his mind to apologize. Later played him a chess game, then we all played casino and pisha-paysha up and down. Sylvia was scared of going through the mill if she lost. At bedtime Sylvia said robbers want God to be dead. It turned out she didn't know what 'rob' meant. Incidentally we banned comic books for good in the morning. There was one death and some casualties in Italy in anti Atlantic Pact riots. The Senate adopted a compromise closure rule which would allow closure only on support of 2/3 of the full Senate. Civil rights legislation is apparently dead with the defeat. The terms of the Atlantic Pact were given out. It pledges the U.S. and Allied Nations to resist an armed attack against any of them.

We would say "cloture" today, but, I looked it up, and the New York Times used "closure" in discussing the issue. 

3/19 Lillian bought herself a black untrimmed winter coat $19 and Silvia a dressy spring coat $16. Also flannel pajamas for me ($1.30 all at Kleins). Played rummy and hide and seek with the kids. Sylvia now enjoys "Archie" Sat A.M. On television the kids hear "How de doody" and "Small Fry". The Italian Chamber approved the Atlantic Pact 242-170.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

3/6-3/12/49

3/6 Sunday Lillian's back bothered her and she stayed in bed most of the day. I took the kids to the zoo where we saw a "proud crane" - Eugene - Sylvia's mind was mostly on the bag of candy. The Security Council voted 9-1 to accept Israel's membership in the UN. Egypt voted 'No' England abstained. Cemetery strikers although bitter about Spellman's scabbing voted a resolution against Communism and to disaffiliated from the left-wing F.T.A.W. Union. A Russian UN aide V. A. Gubitchev and a Justice Dep't employee 27 year old Judith Coplon were picked up by the F.B.I. for stealing secret U.S. papers. Bishop DeWolfe removed 74 year old J H Melish from the rectorship of his church because of the left-wing activities of his son W. H. Melish. The pair are contesting the discharge. Lillian read "The Terrified Society" by H.T. Teilhet and Wakeman's "The Hucksters".

3/7 Sylvia's teacher told the children they could read better than many 2nd or 3rd year children! She is delighted and Eugene is much impressed. Paraguay had its seventh revolt in thirteen months. Lillian had a headache also, today. Her temp reached 100.2 at night. Sylvia drew "Breakfast with the Clowns" - R. Slocum, "Hide and go Seek" - D.P. Lothrop, "Lullaby" - J. Bernhard, and "The Primer" - Free and Treadwell. Eugene drew "The Story of Dr. Dolittle" - Lofting, "How The Pilgrims Came to Plymouth" - O.W. Hall-Quest, "Indian Why Stories" - F.B. Lenderman and "If I Forget Thee" by Meyer Levin with recent photographs based on his film "In My Father's House". It is the saga of Israel. Home from Work.

3/8 By her absence recently, Sylvia missed a chance to read from a certain book and win a gold star. Eugene told his riddle about Gulliver's Travels three times in school. Lillian is walking around but her back still bothers him [sic]. The UN voted an inquiry into slave labor. Sun Fo quit as Chinese premier. The Yonkers municipal employee strike ended when 500 discharged men were re-instated. The Supreme Court ruled states could regulate union security. 26 Post Office employees, under fire in the loyalty program sued to challenge its constitutionality. The trial of the '12' started with hundreds demonstrating in front of the courthouse. Four top clerical defendants in the Bulgarian trial received life sentences. Parishioners in the Melish Church voted 261-27 to censure the nine vestrymen for urging Bishop DeWolfe to remove Melish. Rep Sol Bloom died at 78.

3/9 Eugene and another boy read a passage the fastest in school and got 100% for answering questions on the text. He also got 100% on a long division test. Sylvia didn't want to eat squash at lunch today but agreed to eat it when Lillian said she wouldn't get any of the new cookies today otherwise. Lillian is better and went out today. A Special Defence [sic] Dep't tribunal operating secretly has the power to discharge workers in industrial plants working on defense contracts.

3/10 Railway Express workers (9000) were fired after staging their slowdown in a year. The McMullen bill barring Communists from civil service and teaching jobs and from public buildings for meetings passed the assembly 148-2 even progressives voting for it.

3/11 Sylvia stayed home with a stuffed nose but appeared in good shape. Eugene is on the rayon section of the clothing dept. of the "Health Unit". The defense protested Judge Medina's questioning of prospective jurors in the trial of the '12' as failing to bring out "possible prejudice" The Protestant church parley refused to endorse the North Atlantic Pact. A bill was introduced depriving Communists of their citizenship. Axis Sally was found guilty of treason. Walton students struck against daily exams designed to cut down absence.

3/12 Had a lump in my throat which hurt when I swallowed. Foes of the filibuster lost a Senate battle when Barkley's decision that two thirds of the members could gag debate on a motion was defeated 46-41 with Democrats joined [sic] Republicans in voting against. John L. Lewis decreed a two-week mine shut-down in protest against Truman's appointment of James Boyd as Bureau of Mines director. Millionaire Clendennin [sic] J Ryan has formed a group to fight for O'Dwyer's ouster or defeat as Mayor on the grounds of good gov't. It is alleged racgneteer [sic] Costello has strong ties in the Administration. A former detective Kenneth Ryan after confessing to a plot to tap wires of prominent citizens and high officials escaped from a City Hall washroom and is being sought. The North Atlantic Security Pact designed as a warning to Russia has been completed. In addition to the original signers, Denmark, Italy, Portugal and Iceland may join.