Monday, January 30, 2017

6/3-6/9/51

June 3 Sunday While Sylvia was in Sunday School and Eugene on his camporee we went to Dr Holzman's office again, .... We decided it would be best to operate on Lil's tumor this week. Dr Holzman is still to call us tomorrow after talking to Dr Rosenfeld. Sylvia came in with a certificate of honor from Sunday School. Eugene came home at 5 in the traditional filthy condition. He had a good time. Tibet voluntarily decided to incorporate into Red China. John Erskine is dead at 71.

June 4 Stayed home again with a doctors note. .... She has a cough now. Lil got in touch with Dr. Holzman who has spoken to Dr. SS Rosenfeld. The latter has agreed to operate for $150 but the bleeding must stop first and her wound must be healed. The UN War Allies are inquiring into a peace formula. A two day court fight in S. Car. found the N.A.A.C.P.  with the support of hundreds of native Negroes suing for the end to segregated public schools. Dr Haring, hand writing expert and Dr Fred. Wertham psychiatrist, testified for the defense at the trial of the "Trenton Six".

June 5 .... The wound looks better. The cough is gone. Dr Holzman said the lightness of the bleeding was encouraging. Russia agreed to a Foreign Minister's conference if an Atlantic Pact and U.S. overseas bases are discussed. The Allies gained in furious Korean fighting. The "Left" showed great gains in Sicily over the 1948 voting. The Christian Dem. bloc barely won over the Comm & Soc. bloc. The Supreme Court upheld the Smith Act conviction of the 11 top Communists in an historic 6-2 decision. One of 21 present and former policemen about to go on trial for taking graft from bookie Harry Gross leaped to his death from a sixth floor court building window.

June 6 .... The Mayor warned he would not tolerate a transit strike. Acheson testified that MacArthur had vetoed a buffer zone in Korea in an attempt to settle the war. Serge Koussevitzky is dead.

June 7 Lillian went to see Dr Kahane who looked at the wound and said she was O.K. ... and she is sitting downstairs now. Acheson testified that MacA. ignored a warning of a Korean war. The last seven Nazi war criminals were finally hanged after numerous delays and interventions. Packers started a sitdown strike to do away with the gov't meat price ceiling program. The price cut war has depleted department store stocks. Lillian read Charles Jackson's "The Outer Edges".

 June 8 Lillian went to see Dr Rosenfeld about her tumor. He did not recommend surgery but smears to determine the kind of cells and then hormone therapy. He said she had a fibroid uterus. Eugene got an honor certificate and a pen with the ten commandments for outstanding work in Sunday School. Two British diplomats with a knowledge of top ranking secrets have vanished. 

June 9 Sylvia drew "The Lost Treasure Box" - Helen Rushmore "Ballet Shoes" - Noel Streatfeild "Crimson Fairy Book" - Lang "A Little Princess" - F.H. Burnett. Eugene drew "Bibi, the Baker's Horse" - A.B. Stewart, "The Best in Baseball" R.H. Shoemaker, "The Kid from Tomkinsville" JR Tunis and "There was a Horse" - PR Fenner. Mom and Pop came over. Pop took us to and from the library first, then we all went for a ride upstate. We went about 40 miles out on a beautiful day and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Sylvia however was very restless and a nuisance. She did not enjoy the ride. China and No. Koreans are still retreating. General Marshall made a surprise flight to the Korean front. Eugene went to his first teen age birthday party at home of Gail Weiss on Sedgwick Ave. He turned out to be the only boy who showed up with eight girls. If we hadn't urged him he wouldn't have gone either. They played two games. One where a leader claps hands, with the children changing the method secretly. "It" has to guess who is the leader. The other is where two teams are given numbers (1-2-3 etc). One side writes questions, the other answers (independently). Questions and corresponding answers which have nothing to do with each other are then read. 

The story about the party was that Gail was in my class at school, and everyone in the class was invited. As noted, I was the only boy that showed up. I was very uncomfortable (I was 11 1/2 at the time, so Dad is a bit premature about "teen age"). Gail's mother was very understanding, and I think she took me home long before the party ended. Perhaps Dad's note about them urging me to go was a regret? 

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

5/27-6/2/51

May 27 Sunday I went down to the Wellington to pick up Aunt and Uncle in a cab to our house. Mom pop Sam and Molly came over and we spent a pleasant evening. We had a salad supper and played poker to 10 o'clock. Uncle was the big loser - $8. We were all sorry to part. Jim Carter, virtually unknown won the light weight championship with a O.K.O. over Ike Williams in the 14th.

May 28 UN troops are seizing road centers to block Chinese escape routes.

May 29 The rout of the Chinese slowed down somewhat as the latter braced. The Supreme Court upheld the C.B.S. color television over R.C.A.'s. Racketeer Joe Adonis got his first jail sentence, a two year term for gambling.

May 30 Memorial Day I took the kids to the parade on a nice morning and we took many pictures with our new Tynar Camera. We also took some at the park later. In the afternoon after watching the Giants and Braves split a double-header on television we found Lillian whose throat had hurt her had 101° temp. She took tea and aspirins. ... The Anti-Communist bloc in Italy due to special election laws got less votes but more seats in city and provincial elections. A price war started as a result of the recent Supreme Court decision outlawing fixed prices. Harlem police shot and killed Henry Fields, a suspected hit and run driver and beat Justice Delaney paralyzed for refusing to leave his stoop and enter his home in the early morning. Lincoln Ellsworth is dead at 71 and Fanny Brice at 59. 

May 31 Lil's temp was normal this morning. She went to see Dr Kahane. He took a piece of catgut our of her wound and said that was the cause of the continued oozing. Lil came home and went to bed with an icebag on her abdomen ... I stayed home from work. Red resistance continued to stiffen. Allied tanks were knocked out north of the parallel. 81 trapped miners were presumed dead as rescue squads failed in England. Admiral Sherman advocated a Naval and Commercial blockade of China to strangle its economic life. Heavyweight champ Ezzard Charles easily outpointed Light heavyweight champ Joe Maxim to retain his title - 15 rounds.
Dad pasted this box score in here without comment. The game was actually on 5/15, and I guess it was notable since Blackwell pitched a one-hitter, and Bickford a two-hitter. Still, I'm surprised it was in here; others he pasted in were no-hitters.

June 1 ...so we taxied over to Dr Holzman who examined her ...He found 75% haemoglobin which did not indicate surgery for the tumor. ...We're to call him tomorrow. Stayed home from work again. We helped Eugene pack his knapsack (borrowed) for his camporee this week-end. He took two blankets, raincoat hat and rubbers, silverware, pocket knife, frying pan (borrowed), tee shirt, dungarees.                                          He goes to Alpine with his boy scout buddies (about seven) scout master and four committee-men. Chinese struck back and stopped the Allies with heavy artillery. The French stopped a Vietminh offensive in Indo China, but with severe losses.

Dad left a large space after describing my packing, don't know why.

June 2 Eugene left at 7:30 this morning. He got up by the alarm and took his own breakfast. ... Mom, pop Lil and kids and Molly came over. I checkmated pop in a half hour. Yesterday I had a slight advantage over Eugene but he played me to a stalemate. India's Parliament passed 288-19 Nehru's curbs on free speech and press. Trygve Lie made another appeal for a cease-fire at the U.N.

Thursday, January 19, 2017

5/20-5/26/51

May 20 Sunday Romania and India suggested new peace talks. The UN condemned Israel for its retaliatory bombing of Syria and ordered the marsh draining to be halted. Abba S Eban, Israel's Ambassador collapsed. A new Penn R.R. wreck killed eight and injured sixty. McKinley Forest another "Trenton Six" defendant charged the police gave him a K.O. pill before his "confession". Chief Magistrate Murtagh was arrested for wilful neglect of duty, as Commissioner of Investigations from 1946-1950. We went over to Sam and Molly's for dinner with Uncle Zola and Aunt Rose, Shirley Milton & Seth, Evelyn Isabel and Mike. We taxied back and forth as it was Lil's first time out. Aunt Rose made a fine impression on all of us and we all had a pleasant evening. The kids played hide and seek, ball and read comics. We brought Sam and Molly an Emerson table radio as an appreciation for their help to us while Lil was in the hospital.

May 21 Lil saw Dr Kahane today who told her everything was coming along fine. The U.S. second division plugged the hole on the Central front. Neo-Nazism is flourishing in West Germany. Kid Gavilan won the Weltereight title by defeating Johnny Bratton handily.

May 22 Sylvia volunteered to play the piano in the Auditorium. Eugene got 94% on an English test. Chinese fell back as the Allies took the offensive. Tremendous toll is claimed of the Chinese. The Supreme Court killed the ban against price-cutting 6-3. Jose Ferrer testified he was a sucker for the "reds" in the Hollywood "red" probe. 

May 23 The Chinese tried a flanking drive around the U.N. line. They pulled back in other sectors. Gen. Bradley saw hope for an end to the war if the latest Chinese offensive is stopped.

May 24 A 17 year old Puerto Rican, "King" Gonzalez was shot to death after stealing 30¢ worth of candy. The UN gained along a wide band. Budd Schulberg testified he left the C.P. because they tried to dictate what he should write. 16 witnesses testified to the truth of the defendants' stories in the trial of the "Trenton Six". Lillian went to Dr Kahane for another check-up. He said she was O.K. She doesn't need the bandage any more.

May 25 Russian Mikhail Botvinnik retained his chess title in a 24 game contest by winning the final game to gain a draw in the series. Lillian met her uncle and aunt at the Wellington Hotel where they are staying. Together with Evelyn and Molly they went to the Music Hall to see "The Great Caruso" and a beautiful stage show. They had lunch at a Horn and Hardart's as Uncle likes the baked beans. A UN tank has plunged across the 38th parallel and split the Chinese-NoKorean forces. The House passed the controversial India grain bill 293-94. Gen. Bradley charged MacArthur's failure to obey orders on disposition of troops cost us many lives. Director Frank Tuttle joined the parade of admitted ex-communists (a member for ten years) who put the finger on many former comrades. Teachers were given $250 to $400 raises and ordered to cease their year old boycott of extra-curricular activities. Teachers attending the meeting received the action with derision and defiance as they consider the increases insufficient. Hundreds picketed the meeting. Charges of insubordination were threatened against teachers defying the new order. The Transit Union flatly rejected an offer of a 40 hour week at the cost of firings, pay cuts, cuts in service and speed-up.

May 26 Molly came over but had a bad back-ache. Chief of Staff J Lawton Collins charged MacArthur disobeyed Pentagon policy when he sent our troops near the Manchurian border last fall. Iran's Premier, in tears warned the West of disaster if they opposed the oil nationalization. A battle between youth gangs in Queens ended in one dead and 27 arrested. 

Tuesday, January 17, 2017

5/13-5/19/51

May 13 Sunday Mom, pop & I took Lil home today from the hospital. Lil is rather weak and her back hurts. We saw Maglie and Jansen win a double header from the Phillies. Sam and Molly went home after staying here the week. Lil Harry and the kids and Shirley Milton and Seth dropped in. Chinese troops built up for an offensive under smoke screens. Marshall testified at the Senate Armed Services hearing that the U.S. aim is to split Russia and China.

May 14 Lillian felt a little better today. Sylvia went to school although her nose was still stuffed. C.P. leader Bob Thompson received a bombing threat against his home.

May 15 A U.N. committee recommended a world wide embargo on war materials to China.

May 16 Lil's wound oozed today and we had to change the bandage a couple of times. Gen. Bradley testified that MacArthur's policies would have resulted in the wrong war at the wrong time. 

May 17 The projected nationalization of Iranian oil has stirred up much strife. There is a plot to assassinate Premier Mossadegh. Chinese Communists opened their second spring offensive ripping deep holes in the Allied Eastern front. Racketeer Louis Weber was found guilty of perjury in his Kefauver testimony. Teachers are talking strike for higher wages. Lil felt a little better today.

May 18 A military junta took over Bolivia to block off from the presidency the exiled Victor Paz Estenssoro, labor's candidate who ran first in the May 6 elections. "Trenton Six" defendant Collis English took the stand to refute testimony of Chief of Detectives Frank Naples. Previously two of his relatives contradicted the testimony of his father who has a criminal record. 

May 19 Chinese attaks dented the UN line but it held. The UN passed the war embargo against China 45-0 with Yugoslavia voting against China the first time because of the latter's failure to respond to peace overtures. The Soviet bloc did not participate. Truman said Taft and MacArthur's policies would lead to a world war. He startled the country by stating he had weighed MacArthur's dismissal for a full year. Lloyd Gough, actor refused to answer the UnAmerican Committee's questions on Communism. Defendant Ralph Cooper at the "Trenton Six" trial charged the police forced their confessions.

Friday, January 13, 2017

5/6-5/12/51

May 6 Sunday Mom pop, Sam, Molly, Evelyn and Lil visited Lil at the hospital this afternoon. She was much better today although she still had some pain. We're having a special nurse for Saturday and Sunday through the night. Eugene Sylvia and Isabel played in front of the hospital. Sam and Molly spent the day here. They will be here for the week so Molly can take care of the kids.

May 7 Saw Lillian and she is a little better. The Allies hunted in vain for Communists in Korea. Israel asked for intervention to halt the Syrian-Israel clashes.

May 8 Lillian is a little better today. She was out of bed yesterday twice and today for ten minutes. Molly is running the house. Marshall testified against MacA. that he was a poor judge of events in his theater of war. Willy McGee died in the chair after a terrific fight for six years by progressive forces to save his life. Warner Baxter is dead at 62 and "Elbows" McFadden at 79.

Dad pasted in the following box score in the May 8 entry without comment, but one can see that the game was notable. 


May 9 Lillian called home from the hospital today. I had left early to take my scheme. Conrad Richter won the Pulitzer Prize in fiction and Carl Sandburg in poetry. 1000 were killed in El Salvador earthquakes. Elevator operators in Manhattan started a general strike for higher wages. 300 Allied planes caught part of a Chinese air force and ripped it to pieces. O'Dwyer's friend JJ Moran was convicted of perjury. Leo Diegel is dead at 51.

We're sure the "scheme" was a test Dad had to take at the Post Office, involving knowing streets and zone numbers.

May 10 Lillian felt much better today. Murphy suspended 32 of the 77 cops implicated in the protection racket. 472 cops retired to beat the new retirement law.

May 11 Sylvia had 100.2 today so we kept her in bed and gave her some aspirin. At noon it was down to 99.5. Uncle Zola called suddenly saying he was in from California. We met at the hospital. Panama was plunged into revolution as its president Arnulfo Arias was ousted by the Nat'l Assembly. Gen'l Marshall referred to a new weapon to be used in Korea soon. Israel Prime Minister Ben-Gurion was welcomed here on Israel's third Anniversary here. An overflow crowd heard him at the Garden.

"Uncle Zola" was Mom's uncle Isaac Zola, our maternal grandmother's brother, who lived in California. 

May 12 Took Eugene to the library as Sylvia was still in. She stayed with Molly. Eugene drew "Pigeon Post" - A. Ransome, "Blackjack" - T.C. Hinkle, "Popo's Miracle" - C.M. Simon and "Young Razzle" - J.R. Tunis. Yesterday I met Uncle Zola in the hospital where Lil had an emotional reunion with him. I saw Lil tonight. She was sitting in a chair and walking a little. However her back bothers her. Sylvia's temp. was normal tonight. Some meats were ordered cut 12¢ a pound. Moran got a 5 year prison term for perjury. Philippine sentenced six top Communists to death and nine others to life imprisonment for "murders, robbery and armed rebellion".

Monday, January 2, 2017

4/29-5/5/51

Apr 29 Sunday We went over to Mike & Evelyn's with Sam & Molly. Mike came home about 6 O'clock. The kids played a number of games and ended up playing with guns. In between, they played the piano. We started home at 7:15 and arrived at 10 O'clock! A cloudburst flooded the subway Lightning hit a power station holding us up a long time. Finally we had to get out at 59th st. The I.R.T. line was too crowded so we went outside and tired to get a bus or taxi but failed. We finally went back into the subway and took the Broadway Line home. John Allen [Alden] Carpenter is dead at 75.

Apr 30 Gen. Van Fleet made a surprise decision to defend Seoul and end the Allied defeat. It was claimed the Chinese have lost 70,000 men since the offensive began. Robt. A Vogeler, released from a Hungarian prison after serving 17 months of a 15 year sentence for spying, called for unity to destroy the enemies of freedom.

Presumably, Dad meant "end the Allied retreat", but the writing is clear. 

May 1 Mother came over for lunch on my birthday. I got pyjamas and a strap from Lil and the kids and $5. from Mom. Sylvia picked out an athletic card to give me. The Board of Higher Ed. banned City College from the 'Garden' The Supreme Court OKd loyalty discharges for gov't employees but invalidated 'subversive' listings for the JAFRC, American Soviet Council and IWO. The Giants pre-season favorites beat the Dodgers 8-5 after losing eleven in a row.

May 2 Kefauver's report criticized O'Dwyer and Dewey over crime. Estimates of the May Day parade ranged from 6 to 75 thousand marchers. Some eggs were thrown.

May 3 Gen Van Fleet claimed a great U.N. victory in Korea but warned of harder blows to come. A secret report of the Wake Island meeting of Truman and MacArthur was releasing [sic] showing that MacA assured the President China would not come in. Joe Louis won his fifth straight comeback win over Omelio Agramonte in 10 rounds. It was dull.

May 4 Syria and Israel ignored a UN truce order to duel with big guns. MacArthur, in the first day of Senate hearings on his dismissal, charged Truman's 'appeasement' jeopardized the nation. He demanded an all-out air war on China.

May 5 Lillian woke at 3AM with abdominal pains and suffered with pain and nausea till 11AM. We could not get Dr Holzman but had Dr Jacob Levine over. He had a blood count taken and diagnosed a probable appendicitis. We got in touch with Dr Kahane who told us to be at the Bronx Hospital at 1PM. The doctor examined her and decided on an immediate operation. Lillian went to the operating room at 3:30 and returned at 5 P.M. Dr Kahane told me she had the largest appendix he had ever seen (9 inches) with the last three inches inflamed. A longer delay might have resulted in a serious case. Lillian was barely out of the ether when mom, pop and I left at 8P.M. Madeline fed the kids. MacArthur declared that communism anywhere is our main enemy and called for unity to destroy it. Witnesses stated J.J. Moran received at least 96 visits in his office from a Brooklyn racketeer. The charge was made at Moran's perjury trial. 

I remember well that I was playing ball in the Aqueduct park when Dad came by to tell me that Mom was going to the hospital. I remember him getting very upset when I acknowledged the news, but kept playing ball.