ABBM~,7VC**cDMl M fuli.; CUiltfcCMT, New Year Day, 1954 Kappy New Year and many more of them ! The sun pours in and all's right with my world. The bowl, of narcissi planted too late for Christmas bloom have opened the first flower this morning and remind me that it is high time to start the second bowl. Alas, tne plan for the two youngest nephews to spend a couple of days with rae while Molly & ' 1 Dvea their new home at 137 Miller Avenue fell through, but I may be able to ??Uaf0 eme n0Ces3arY desk work and put my Christmas presents into" use* One of o. e. i or , was a nylon contour under sheet and pillow case --for some unfathomable reason there are no top sheets on the market at this point, but I settle happily for one. The decorations this year are a lovely spruce wreath with large cones added " to which I fastened a big red bow and some silvered stuff on the outside door; a spray t plJle wLth a r0d Sauze bow and silvered box on the iiryfer living room door; a bowl of pine and spruce mih red metal plumes on the table on which I write and eat; a huge vase of spruce and pine on set-vback of the front bookcase ; red wreaths vath red bows holding sprays of red stuff and silvered box in tlie window. The Manel holds two giant brandy waiters filled with dozens of small glistening colored balls, a pair of cut-out Austrian angel sets and a big crystal bowl ovor.fl owing with the Christmas cards T received. There is a drip of large Christmas tree ballslargely blue and silver with accent of red, purple and gold hanging against the black tile around the fire place. The black mesh fire screen .olds a myriad of plastic snowflakes in emerald and sapphire with a couple of red and a white one for variety. I plan to leave these until Twelfth Nigit. Aunt Annie came on the 22nd just as we were having the office Christnas party. Her train was just late enougi for her not to be able to go over for the showing of "The Snow Maiden" a lovely Christmasy movie telling the old Russian fairy tale through marionettes, when a nan I know had filmed in Salzburg and was graciously loaned us for the finali of the party. 'Wednesday night we dined with Aunt Mary and Thursday afternoon we went to I reopout xn bitter cold and a hideous experience trying to get a taxi to the station. It a ,'T 1 *' familY affair with mueh visiting back and forth between the two households. The children all seemed ecstatic with their gifts, Jay marched off to bed with his new rifle to be used in the school rifle team and Jim forbade him to take it into his bed with himI Saturday morning we went to Jones Beach in a whipping wind and were much amused to see a young man swimming and then pose for half a dozen photographs when a normal pe-- son would have sought the protection of at least a couple of blankets. Upon returning to town I ordered supplies aid left Aunt Annie to read and write while I went to Vera's ooc^tai.. party. I hoped to find Marshall MacDuffy, just back from Russia,there but no luck, it was fun talking -with the beautiful and lively Santha Rama Rau and her American husband, Fauoian 3owers, about their stay in Zanzibar. As he is not in favor with her 3ngh caste Indian family they seem to be living here now. Sunday we were twelve here for luncheon* Orange juice, Bourbon and Cinzano first, precooked ham which I Jiad to bake only an hour with a glaze of grape jelly, mustard and cloves, casseroles of escallopad white potato and of candied sweet potato, mountains of french cut green beans (frozen) and dozens of soft little dinner rols which we had split, buttered and heated* The finale was a Peak-Frean plumpudding with sauce. At serving time I found to ray horror tnat the tin was hand soldered and my can opner had little or no effect. The" 15 year old Clevee responded to my plea for help and made some progress with a pair of pliers and various implements until .. ran down and borrowed an old fashioned opnener from Irene lorotnoff, wo fortunately ;vas at home waiting for a phone call. ".Vhile it grieved me to barn Hennessey 7.3oO.P. tn o excitement of the little boys made every drop worth while. If, took a bit of doing but by switching things from the two burners to the oven and an electric hot plate, it all came out even. The little boys wanted no part of burned pudding so tney load cookies and apple sauce and of course consumed several quarts of milk, and probably more aalted almonds than good for them. Next morning John Badeau called and asked if I'd like a lunch of plum pudding and when I told my near disaster, reported that friends of his in Cairo had explained the burning ritual to their Egyptian staff and had proper amount of flame but learned too late that the burning agent had been kerosene' Dinner pnd candle lit Christmas tree at Marians Tuesday with Mrs. Harris ILarry who came Monday by the He de Frqance for two wegks* "-AC, ft HI*i~k.,CiT,JUv , January 19, 1954 With "the Wheeler-Bennetts travelling westward and Mrs. Harris and Larry ploughing eastbound this is my week for saying the Navy hymn--"for those in peril on the sea",..though Maria has just told me on the phone that they called Mrs, Harris on the first two days out from New York and she reported the ocean like a millpond. A cnarmeo. life if X over knew one! Although I got to the office very early Friday in the hope I could go to the ship, Hartford FPA had gotten in a mess over a January 26th meeting and I had to hang on the telephone to bail them out, and could not leave* Thursday nignt "Maria gave a very nice dinner party by way of farewell gesture, Marythe cook did heraolf proud, Hank broke out the champagne and Mrs, Harris was in her element* Until after the superb boo ster bisque the tortoise shell cat sat on my right as Larry had made a quick flight to "Washington and the snow which hit us at seven settled on the District of Columbia earlier and delayed his plane. It was a slightly mad evening and the snow continued for eleven hours adding several inches to the nine inches we had acquired on Monday and Tuesday* Wednesday night Mrs* Harris and Larry dined with me at the Cosmopolitan Club and then went to "The Prescott Proposals" a very good L indsay and Grouse play in which K. Cornell takes the part of a member of the US delegation to the UN. She is excellent and has some first class support, thoug the man irfio is supposed to be the radio commentate*, Sd Marrow is horrible. (Larry and I agreed that we could take ten minutes worth of lines out of the thing and vastly improve it. ) I had a dreadful time about the tickets, having asked Mrs. Harris i# they would be free on Monday got thi rd row center seats and when I repoetad my success to Larry, found that she had failed to tell him and he ua engaged them to the Raymond Sloans for that night. Oblig. ngly I changed to Wednesday and got seats somewhat further back. In setting up my day to change in the off* bitter cold I could not find the tickets and felt they were in the office, only to find they were not. 7/e were having over a hundred ladies for lucheon and I was very involved so I had secretaries checking with the building superintendent, notifying the taeatre, checking at the joint we had eaten dinner in before the Tuesday night FPA meeting. No luck anywhere, 30 at quarter of three when I could again think of my own plignt I phoned the Cos Club to get three more seats througi their agency and had to settle for first row center. It seemed giving the apartment another whirl would be worth while, so I toted my dress and slippers back hexeand at six--fifteen found tnem dropped oohind a pillow on the Chesterfield and phoned the Club to cancel. The peace of mind I had in the interim was worth the agency fees I had to pay as penalty. Vera Dean spoke on Bhavethe new spiritual leader of India--and was excellent at the overflow luncheon, though^ Mrs. August Belmont and I agreed that ehe gestures with her hands too much. I have since broken the news to her, and promised to get some "conversation beads" or something to keep her from waving her hands about so gracefully that they distract her lis toners At the Tuesday night meeting we presented Col Basil Herman, former military governor of tne Neger, who made a very telling special plea for Israel, thoug I wish he had not been quite so dogmatic about the Arabs. However, I rather expected that and have arranged for someone else to show the other side of the medal. The snow stopped early Tuesday morning, but there was a bitter,^high wind by ten-thirty when I was at last free to go feone. Happily, the weekend was in quite a different key. Although my train was late I got to Dr Bird for my check-up and booster flu innoculation before dinner and was glad for a quiet eveing Sal was down for a long weekend, trying to get a line on ni3 up coming military service, during the Harvard reading period and spent all his waking hours with Fran and a good many of them at the house. The almost three months old black Kitten followed me in to watch me take my bath on Saturday morning and gracefully walked about the rim of the tub until suddenly I heard a splash. Iapy had fallen in behind me! In the afternoon Cleve and I went to an Esso filling station to have Molly "fill er UP" as the manager had offered to give his profits to the Little League vsmall -ry oaaeoallj. if the women of the sponsoring committee would handle the pumps. They promoted Lie under taking with their friends and the really small youngsters were very much confused and are convinced the James Pratts are in desperate financial straits when MoUy wrrkd a. ing stationl Molly had the two Cleves and rae for dinnerin the new house that night & ?ran went to participate. Sal's family. Much snowballing, Churchgoing started at exgnt on coasting & Sunday but ?I na< ad^e ^thke^H 4|iV45Js?erm tceee.. j\ h?-nc, 1 McD* - few, riolL/f ' January 24, 1954 price/ In all candor I must admit that I had not planned to write a chit-chat this weekend inas much as I am observing a"pamper Frances" routine or rather lack of routine# Both Tursday and Friday I sneezed and dripped at the nose to 3uch an extent that I cancelled my dinner engagement Friday and went home to take strong measures# The office hums so that I was there until ei$it twice and until after seven two other nights, so cannot afford the luxury of pampering at home on a work day# But when I phoned Molly to see how Jim's cracked rib (he was showing Bill how to coast down hill last weekend) progressed, she told me that they sign the contract to sell their"old" house tomorrow^ It has been a long and agonizing process six months in the course of which th$r have dropped $5,000 off the original^d painted the house as bait# So, this is indeed goodnews* Jim is bothered more by the adhesive taping than by the crack# Fancy my surprise about quarter of four on Friday when trying to reach the Department of State on the telephone to find that Washington w&3 having such a blizzard that all government offices had closed at 3i306 That holds up until Monday the clinching of a speaker for a meeting in Buffalo on February 1st and probably rawans that I shall be on the phone as usual at eleven o'clock instead of at Daisy Rogers' funeral# She was a grand person and for many years alter ego to Anne Morgan and as such very helpful to me when I was chairman of the Executive Committee of the AWA and Miss Morgan the president. We have had soqae bitter cold on top of a warm wave sufficient to mercifully melt the icy debris left from the snows of ten days ago# Happily the southern blizzard wa3 pushed out to sea in southern Jersey by high winds of low temperature. Yesterday, Pisteria kindly supplied me with lots of heat and that with my other measures pretty well dried up the prospective cold. Now it is warmer outside, though overcast, and so chill in my nest that I'm about to resort to ray own methods of the fireplace and turning on the gas stoveS Alas, the"raillpond" Mrs. Harris and Larry enjoyed on their first two days out did the Wheelers-Bennetts no good. Just before they left Carsington Manor they saw one of the pop/lars at the end of the garden go down in a gale breaking another trea and the hedge of yew. After battling 90 mile an hour winds on their drive to Southampton, the crossing was so bad that the ropes were up all the time and the "Queen" was a day lata in reaching New York# John will be here until February 10 and Ruth until March 5# She has already gone to her mother in Vir ginia and he to Hyde Park for his research. Evelyn McDonald, my Toronto friend, writes of being deeply interested in her month's stay in Nuoro, Sardinia, and the insight it gave her into the way of life of an Italian family of wealth and culture she nearly froze indoors and was only warm in bed or exercising out of doors# She is now basking in the sun at Palma on Mallorea and will arrive in New York on March 20# On Thursday at the FPA Board of Directors meeting Allport was made vicepresident -- a very rapid rise for a thirty year old# I was delighted that they turned their thumbs down on a big dinner at the Waldorf at $50 a plate to raise money --$25,000 to $40,000. Nason must be given credit for pointing out that in 1953 we picked up $4,600. on the dinners to Eden and Haamarskjold though pro fit in both cases had not been the objective At the moment he is pleased with me for suggesting a private luncheon downtown for prospective and actual contribu tors for which I have secured Sir Saba Habashy, a Coptic lawyer who is Chief Counsel for American Arabia Oil, here to pick up an honorary degree from Columbia and serve as Economic Observer for the Arab League at the UN. Last Sunday while we were having sherry before dinner it was discovered that the electric current had failed, something of a predicament with an electric stove and a heating system powered by electricity. CIeve lighted the logs in the fire place but my suggestion we each complete the cooking of our meal on toasting forks thereflUrro^ . f)jbB. c*tz rJke. *t **ir $ ckfJJL Z.fluo.p. Janua^ 31, 1954 No conscious effort to ape the diplomats with frequent discussion of the weather is involved in frequent referrenc3 to it* The fact remains that our curiously warm autumn has progressed into an equally odd winter* Several days of what "might as well be spring" days are followed by bitter cold borne on high winds* Wednesday was 56 o/o and I only wore my green,long winter coat because rain was xpectod and I hate sitting about in wet skirts* Just as I should have left the office to keep my promise to look in on Aunt Mary we had torrents of rain accompanied by thunder and lightening-- supposed to "break the back of winter"* Yet by Thursday I was glad of my heavy twe3d suit and my fur coat. At the moment scudding low grey clouds keep my table in alternating shadow and sunshine* Certainly vshen I go out at 4s 30 to take Aunt Mary to hear about the ascent of K-2 from Charles Houston, the leader of the expedition, I shall wear my warm black coat* Despite flurries of snow yesterday I sloshed about on errands and walk ed more than I have since summer. A large very second hand black rug, which lias recently been acquired needs some black tape binding along the worn side, narcissii bulbs for the third and fourth bowls were in order and at the same time X got someitv* tuberous, begonias (with which X have had no experience but for six months have wanted to try in my office north windows). Y/ith coffee now at $1*12 a pound and so poor I wanted to get from dchwitzer some French roast to add for better flavor. They were closed so I had to settle for a tin oi hedaglia D'Or, which with its sharp Italian blend will serve the same purpose* At least I had the wit to know that I should never get back to 59th Street east of Third Avenue on a week day. On the way back I saw some lovely cerise gladioli at the unbelievable price of ->1.50 a dozen and some fine rhododendron leaves which I need for here and the office to replace the pine and spruce of Christmas* You would have laughed to see me stagger home with the double armload of loot. The glads arc lovely in my big 0refor3 bowl on ay utility table --the stalks cut in half so lea and flower tips are roughly even* Half are left in three foot majesty in the cooler bedroom to go to Aunt Mary. No work on the rug yet. A radio announce nai t yesterday morning that the Long Island Railroad would go on strike at four this morning impelled me to phone Cleve and Jim that I should be glad to have them sleep here for the duration of the chaos. It was necessary to explain I could only leave a casserole for then for tonight and would not be in for dinner Monday as I dine with the President of Turkey at the Waldorf, could break my Tuesday dinner date, but not the one for Wednes day* Nevertheless they were more than welcome to 3hare the living room and the sleeping facilities it affords and have their own latchkeys. Happily the federal mediator talked the union out of the strike late last ni$rt* Next week we have two luncheons --the middle east at the Wall Street Club on Tuesday and Marshall MacDuffie, whom I was pursuing at Christmas, on Wednesday telling about hie conversations -with 1,000 Russians. All day Thurs day^ we have a Program Planners Conference for about 100 representatives of national organizations. A busy week, so I guess 1*11 be ready for a weekend with the little boys* I am also raising the question of a long weekend in Virginia with Maisie Cash for either Lincoln or Washington's birthday for another change of pace and scene. This week we got Chester Bowles off for ten days of speaking in which he gpes as far as Minneapolis, then he returns he goes for a month's sailing jgrom Grenada to Puerto Rico and then decides if he will become the .Democratic candidate for Governor of Connecticut. Thi3 week we pu3h John Badeau off on a trip that will take him to the Coast, though that is not as hectic for us as the Bowles departure. Judith List owe! has come in fine form but finds & poor schedule -- I must try to 3ave her from financial debacic f a C - X 4 i # CLcuM&Z i ^ February 7, 1954 Happily the LIRR 3trike was called off at the last minute 30 all zay energy could bb directed to the rapidly revolving "special events of the FPA^ week"and that was sufficient* I was delayed in getting off to fcne .t ur.fiah dinner by emergency stuff at the office and then by a "3ol. Storey" vho claimed to have been robbed on his trip from California and needed to reach the firm having its office on the ground floor of this building. Fortunately I expressed my regret and rushed off to a taxi as the next day it was established that he was a "con man" looking for a touch. The dinner in honor of President and Madame Celal Bayar was the last word...audience about 750 shrewdly placed to look -ike L400, a dozen red and white tulips on each of the 75 tables and two tall tapers ^which I know cost them 500 each), symlax and great rosettes of gladiolii on the fronts 01 the tiers of boxes* streamers of red and ^iite clota from center of 005 .ing to the walls* audience requested to wear decorations with formal attire* an orches tra interspersed with vocal numbers throughout the six course dinner ^fiiet mignon with truffle sauoe) proceeded by cocktail3, accompanied three good wines and followed by liquers. George MoGhee presided with great distinction and proposed toasts to Attaturk* Bayar and Eisenhower. The Honorable Richard D. Patterson* Jr. the City's new official greeter spoke briefly* then Vice President Nixon--relaxed* friendly and correct (though I noticed during dinner he made no effort to talk with Mme. Bayar pretending to go over hie manuscript). Joseph Grew reminisced in a highly personal vein of his four years as US Ambassador to Turkey twenty years ago. Bayar spoke 17 pages worth in Turkish about the glories of private enterprise and paused at the end of each paragraph* or less* for a little man to drone out the SngLish translation. Since we had all been provided with mimeographed copies this seemed unnecessary and certainly spun out the evening. As I had pressed a good many bends on the way in I departed with all seemly speed* yet it was lit 25 when I hit the street. I wore the French black satin and gold slippers. Wednesday nigrt Judith Lietowel dined with me at the Cosmopolitan Club * where I went straight from the office. Thursday I had to get home after the most exhausting all day session with Program Planners of a hundred national organizations followed by signing the mail I had dictated about six the night before and at nine that morning and a conference with the executive director of our group in Albany. Luckily I had had the wit to press the aqua chiffon with its ten y/ard skirt *hen . I got home the night before from Judith as I barely had time to pin myself into the drese* which would accomodate another fifteen pounds of me. Brooks Emeny's guests of honor were Theodate and Tony Kolman who have lived in England for the past four years* and the others were Nasonf Joe Johnson (president of the Carnegie Endowment) * Miss Anna Lord Strauss (a new member of the FPA Board) and Howard Cook who hadcome up from the State Department for our all day conference. Theo's brother> Philip Johnson* was a minor beau of mine fifteen years ago when she was divorcing a titled Belgian who had married her for her money. I suspect both Brooks and Nason were impressed by the warmth of Theo*3 er.brace, perhaps as impressed since they are both snobs as I was surprised. Brooks was clearly trying to impress Theo* who is a distant connection of his through his mother's family. He gave us a very good dinner and when the ladies got back to the sitting room a fire* which I had never seen before in his penthouse atop an office building with a fabulous view of the Empire State Building, a block away. We had interesting conversation which lasted so long that I did not get home until mid-night and was so tired that I called Miss Strauss "Miss Lord" though I have known her for years! During the ten minute huddle Theo and I had before dinner* she told me that she is match making for the first time in her life--a husband for Ileana, Princess of Romania. I know the man (not Philip) and fear very much that he is not for a widow with six children. It will be fun to see how it works out. Meanwhile I'm reading Ileana's autobiography "I Live Again". Friday was frantic and because my watch stopped I worked until almost nine and after a minor tray supper went to bed with a sleeping pill. Yesterday* Vera had a farewell cocktail party for Doris Sheridan* vho returns to England after 7 years hera WlCiT, T Md what *rQ yu doluS today?" "I am going to see my grand- , gaa ' 90unds V0r7 ploasant" commented John, " and when are you going?" "Oh, when TH2Y find me." was the reply. * * Franker XnV* ""J* M?et*a at luncheon yesterday on South America with a speaker, Frank Shea, eho had just arrived from a two week trip to Brazil at four a.m. the previous day* Today Nason, Porter and I went down to the financial district to a meeting of the young Republicans at which Nason spoke. I wanted to appraise the audience as I am to give t a speak a month. First time I have been way down town in years. 4 - f1 ''aimyaC0 telephone calls" which began in late November persist. I was called at midnight and half an hour later the night before I went to Virginia. None s^ce though I spent last evening with Aunt Mary. Until a moment ago, when the bell stopped after the TrinS""^0-rfe 1 C0Uld ?ick up my ciSar0tt9 and ash tray and walk into the bedroom, with tay sick I hate to do it, but shall plug the bell when I go to bed. Had thought progress was being made with "the unsympathetic phone company last -week, but no action. Their story is tha*, with the dial system they cannot do anything and seem not to have a spare urn...sted number, which would be a bother for me, to give ine. m&t CiT,/lnT, February 28, 1954 When the patient goes to the hospital, the family sort of moves into the fringes of things. At six-thirty Molly thinks Jav is better , at any rate they have not operated and he has a new medication. Instead of an ice pack he wes an ice collar around his left arm just below the shoulder, After the Bishor had finished the regulr confirmation servioe in th church, Pierce, the fine new curate trundled him down to the Hospital r-nd Jay became the first of our family at least to be confirmed in pajamas. Molly said that Bishor Sherman was very kind and very friendly end Jay was very polite and thanked everyone all around the lot for coming to him. Later his friend Nils looked in on him and said "Why, there were flowers just like those red and white ones on the altar today, Jay". Which gave the chance to sav "Like? Whv, they are from the altar," Sieve and Martha were with Molly and Jim for the abbreviated ceremonv. I should certainly have gone had I not understood yesterday that the fewer present the better. I suspect there will be pictures^ possiblv even in the pacer, as eager-beaverPierce thinks it great publicity for the church. Thev cranked up Jay"s bed for the occasion, though he Drefers to lie flat as there i3 lass p^in that way, Molly took his radio un to him Friday, but feels that he does not use it. He was much touched when two bovs from his school "homeroom" brought him a card which all of them had signed, a dozen comics and a couple of models to put together. There is no Dlan as to when he may get home and one of the several doctors, mavbe all of them for all I know say that the swelling may disappear just as suddenly as it appeared, ******* Yesterday moraine the Grozet peaches started to come out and are really lovely In the afternoon I went to a cocktail p*rtv for Jane and Andy Carey who are just back from almost a year in Italy with a trin to Etbiori* on the sid. Also yesterday I had a letter from Tracy Philipns, written the day after his midnight return from the Berlin Conference. He never writes from Berlin 30 this was the first letter I had had in a month. He reports that Bullos made penetrating, reasonable and tart replies to the Russians, Judith Listowel here for luncheon and the afternoon today. We got a good deal of talking done, but not nearlv enough. We had to work on some busi ness of hers on which she wanted my advice, Ruth Wheelar-Bennett arrives tomorrow and sails on Friday. I hope to see a good deal of her, but she has scads of things to do and peole to 3ee as she was here only twentv-four hours when she landed. At any rate I have her for dinner and "Teahouse of the August Moon" on Thu~sdsv. I s^sll keep in touch with Jav certainlv report if thev operate, or when he leaves the Freeoori Hosoita"*. Ms.reh 3, 1954 Lest night I hd a long talk with both Molly and Jim on the phone* Jay seems definitely better* His appetite and interest in things is picking ups the swelling seems to be subsiding, though it is still iced* The new medicine begun on Sunday appears to be helpful and the talk now seems to be of patience rather than possible surgery Poor child, tomorrow is his 14th birthday and I guess that it vrfll It observed, in thr hospitel* There in no trlh yt of a date on which he crn go home? Mtllr t1 "i he is bego: dng an infer utioij source on the doings of the Frernort H.ophitrl*^ho has sirtirtis ** activity in the mrternitv section. I "> net sure that all now bsbiee ?re n*tu lly brought in to him for irepretion, but the nurses are probably spoiling the living daylights out of him In case I have not been clear-~.it seems to be diagnosed a3 an infection of the lymph gland* On that call I picked up the news that Fran is sick and have nowjust talked with Sieve---she has a sore throat and temperature between 1Q1~102 and swelling of different sort^ of glands in the throat--which if not properly &i ecked could go to mastoid* However, h9r doctor has given her a couple of wonder drugs and she is coming along--no date set yot when she can get out of bed and she is getting restive. It is especially hard because she has only had a new job as head of the legal stenographic department for a week and i3 troubled about' the work that is piling up* Last night 3he had a cold sweat which seams to be con sidered a good sign* The remaining item is that llevee has decided to spend the money he earned last summer and is the proud possessor of a 1939 CJhrevrolet. It is assumed that he will spend a3 much time under it as in it--but he is very proud and happy. lust da3h now for the office* Trust that this will be the last special bulletin on family health. r> %f*f V' ' >' TToo, CLJJU.'Z-'^'-t), ' l ilaroh 7, 1954 Just back from spending the heart of the day with Molly and the boys to celebrate Jay's return from the hospital y$>3terday--and belatedly his birthday and Jim8 s, which fell oil Thursday# Jay is thinner and taller, but seems well and 3till in need of extra rest. He will begin to make up the lost school about the middfe of the week and go back to clae3os in a week. Poor Bill, could not understand why I was not sleeping there. I spoke with Fran on the phone, she is up today but had not been out. Martha and CTe ve looked in for a minute and GLevee came down in his "new" old Chevrolet for which he paid $75. Took me around the block and while it performed well, I suspect he will spend as much time under it a3 in it. It is wonderful to have them all on their feet again. Cocktail party last Saturday for Jane and Andy Carey, just back from almost a year in "lone, wnere he had rank of Ambassador to do a special job for Mutual Security in industry. It was to have been for two years, but in about six months his work which an Italian descri bed to me as brilliant, wa3 taken over by a Republican. Andy roomed with Stevenson in CoH eg Judith was here for lunch last Sunday and we got some of our talking done -- she is greatly Impressed with the alertness, and breadth of the views of college students in the zaid-we3t. Monday night Ruth Vi/heeler-Bennett took me to dinner and "Sabrina Fair"--a gay little comedy with good lines, well cast and finely acted by Margaret Sullivan and Joseph Cotten. It pour ed torrents and the skirt of ray new black suit got so wet while I tried to get a oab that it had to pressed. Wednesday Ruth turned up, after one clear day, to inspect the office and go over in more rain to luncheon in the UN Delegates' Dining. She was .impressed and interested though I oould not persudde her to take the tour of the building--which she later regretted. In the afternoon I invited Judith to dine with me on the spur of the moment and said I'd be home at six-thirty. Unexpectedly I had to talk with a German from Dusseldorf at 5:45 and at 6*20 phoned Maria where Judith was to ask that she give ine until 7 to 3hop and get home. Maria had just started to call me to dine 'with them even if it was Mary'3 night out. It was a wonderful break and Maria produced a superb veal 3oallopine in the Genoa manner, 3e ared from TV. Very interesting conversation about political refugees and others who leave their homelands successes and failures (or resistance to adaptation) to adjust. IVhile they both claimed undieing devotion to Hugary, e*ch admitted she would never go back no natter how successful the anti-communist resistance movement in Hungary becomes. Hunk and I listened. Thursday was clear, cold and with high winds. Ruth dined with me and went to "TeadHouse of the August Moon"--now that is a play --the dsmocratifation of Okinawa--that land of for tunate people who do not have to travel to have the culture of the wordl. In 14th Gentury the Uhinese conquered them, in 16th the Japanese, in 18th the missionaries,in 30th the U.S. Marines --so says the interpretter, who also explained things to the audience in an amusing ly audacious manner. The young American lieutenant, an Army misfit who is shifted from outfit to outfit .is put in charge of the democratization of a village and a fat volume, entitled "Plan B" to guide him. Not realizing thai ho is in trouble before he begins, he begins to realize it whom among the presents he receives upon arrival is a geisha, who has already stirred up trouble in half a dozen towns. Instead of a school, he builds a tea house, when ths cricket cages, lacquered bowls and straw hats he sets the village to making do not sell, he discovers the village makes a sweet potato brandy which all the officers7 clubs in the island will buy, prosperty comes--and also the commanding colonel. We thorough ly enjoyed every minute of it--David Wayne and JobnForsyihe are first cl*3s as interpreter and lieutenant. I want to read the book--but meanwhile am whipping through James Michensr^a "Sayonara" --about a very mixed up Air Force Officer who falls in love with a Japanese ac tress of exquisite beauty. The week's gaity concluded with an all Beethoven piano recital last night by Friedrich Gulda, which Aunt Mary took me to. We had never heard of him and were rather puzzled by his choice of sonatas--technically he played well with a curious posture--ready to pounce on the keyboard and without much feeling. A non-deseript looking little man. Friday morning there was a dockstrike and the Cunard people got out the white collar people to carry passengers' luggage onto the ^ueen Elizabeth. It went beautifullyas the tugboats were"out" the captain had to take the ship away on her own power. I should have stayed to 399 it. But it was cold and windy on the pier and even if it was a ten o'clock sailing, I had work to do. Sir GHadwyn Jebb sailed sol 3aw heaps of people I knew a girl in a burly tweed coat draped with alei of sulpnur colored carnations--very odd. "" Ci ?, tyV/, - T-e^ . lyzcy {i.\m pt March 13, 1954 Well, my income tax is done, that is all but the final copying of the sheets to turn in# Thanks to the capital gain on my Waldorf bonds rederaned ahead of schedule in November, there is no refund on 1953 to help me mti the first quarter of the 1954 payment# Very sad# But I am glad to have it out of the way and if I have the time tomorrowl'll whip through the New York State form and not have to go through the whole bother again in April# Happily my out of the office life was at slow tempo this week for I was soraewh&t below par# I have had a nasty recurring boil for too long and went to Gerry Monday hoping that she would really cut the thing out, but 3he only opened it and left me to poultice and try to drain it slowly-- a time-taking-bore. She and I could not decide whether I had a cold or another aggravation to my sinus from the strong cold winds we have had. Several moraihgs I just did not care wiiftt time I got into the office, though I always made it by noonl Just as well, as there were the usual extraordinary demands and while I was there tilings popped merrily# Although my carrot-top Miss Kemble stopped working for me in spirit Tthen she was told she would be promoted to work for Franklin Porter, I only had a very stupid temporary transcriptionist for three days and then startled everyone by producing a beautiful auburn haired California girl, by name of Patricia Holt# The men all drool, and the office manager says "And she can type, toot" It will be interesting to see how long I can keep her--since August two good gals have been promoted after I had gotten them nicely trained# Monday I dictated to eiji t o'clock and then went to a First Avenue "joint" for some Italian good before going in to see Judith Listowel. She had a cousin with her and I waited and then we all made chrOchat together, so it was late before we got down to brass tacks of her affairs, which we had to discuss before she flew home on Wednesday morning# Just for ftin I weighed the stuff she gave me to keep, post after her or get friends going by ship to carry--fifteen pounds# Tuesday we had an evening meeting so Porter, Miss busk and Nason, who was about but not going to the meeting, and I all had dinner at another First Avenue joint# The speaker, Mario Rossi, a correspondent at the UN for the Christian Science Monitor, had an interesting concept --the bulk of the world's population live in the southern part of the world and for tlx) first time in history realize that they do not have to remain on a sub-subsististance level# He sees a greater danger from a North-South conflict than from the East-West# He made little effort to win his audience and was less effective than he should have been# I made no attempt that night to see the Edward Pt. Murrow TV attack on Senator Mc Carthy# Wednesday we had about 90 of the Off-the-Record ladies for luncheon with Jane Carey making her report on Italy# I felt that she spent too much time on personalities and gradations of aims of the several Italian political parties within the maftor Right, Left and Center groupings# It is sad that after much fan fare in announcing that we would take 60,000 extra Italian immigrants that only two have been admitted in the intervening months# I suspect that her point on the growing monoply in Italian industry would have been better made had she related it to the tale of her own experience with a cabinet maker. She wanted a collapsible table for her typewriter and as usual had a special negoiation about it# When the beautiful thing was finally delivered she placed her machine on it and the whole thing promptly collapsed to the floor# The poor little man had always made good tables to stand on their own legs and doubtless probably ti ought the foreign signora mad# But no, Jane would not liven up a lecture# Andy, her husband told me that at a cocktail party. , flfrg 'fidrnm j March 2, 1954 Happy last day of winter* I have no idea where it has gone, but x* e almanac dec1 '.res that we enter late tonig'-i. Thnks to strv^s t sea my weekend- he s been tossed about too* Letters from Evelyn McDonald of Toronto who has "spent" the last year abroad continue to report faintin? spells, so I arranged to meet her shi*-, the Andrea. Doria, scheduled for two o'clock today end see her through customs and stay by her until the Canadian tr in lffc. Yi/hen I checked with the Italian Line this morning to be sure how they v/ere doing, the word was "Between 8 and 9 Sunday A.M." I doubt if she can get a train before the sleeper. This makes a quote from Ruth Wheeler-Bennett*s letter of March 13 received Thurs. appropriate. You will recall that she sailed in a strike with amateur doc1' hande and the captain having to tthai huge : d ou+ w? +'*the help of tugs. "I enjoved the tr^n verv much though it was,for two davs at least, the roM~sest T*rft ever seen* Altogether it wao the rest eventful. First, we met or nearly met, icebergs & had to change course--to the south to get out of the area of danger0 then we met or were met by a "whole gale" which threw people about, broke collar bones, arms, crushed rib#? jerked out the telephones of their wall sockets and stopped the horse races because the horses couldn't be made to stand stillI Most people stayed in bed in an attempt to be 3afe but I found it vary tiring holding to the bed to stav on it & so got UP & - sat in an anchored chair. But--aside from that--it was fun. I established relations with dr 11 dr :? Job' , hp"~ T Vn*w before, the Sir Harold & Lady 7ia Weh~ners of Luton Has & various untitled others & had a busy & pleasant sociallife in bars, cinema & in dck chains. T won 5 pcnds 3 shi1 lings on a guess on the day's run--ship's acution pool in Smoking Room & ate a lot of good food. Then began a raad^ last 36 hours of conflicting rumours about getting in or not gettiy *.n *:finallv sittin" off twc Isle of Wight for about 18 hours enveloped in fog & all search lights on looking for three floating, unexoloded mines, which were reported in the vicinity*.- It was quite a tins. Fortunately I knew John was not ? up dow* to ahbion i e I had had a last-- minute message from him that he had been flown to Malta in one of the Queen1 3 planes to interview Lord Louis Monntbatten. So, I relaxed & let Juliet (John's niece & sec'yj Harry (chauffeur) do the worrying--which they did for they got every one of the con- flicitng messages from the Cunard office. However, all was final1 v we. got in safsly & there were Juliet 8: Harry. I got home for a night's sleep before meeting-John from his Malta flight--looking well c having had a won "erf" .1 y s s vi '.it tp the G. in C. Med. " That for the Atlantic in winter. I hope I find Evelyn tomorrow with out any broken bones I y- , Last weekend I needed escape with the least possible moving about, so I read- frafch "Captive of Fear" by Martha A1brand--Amorican and Danish scientists fighting Communist-- Danish, East German and Russian in Denmark, Sweden aid Fast Genoary--verv sbsorhing thriller. Tlien I went to Alan Pat on* s "Too Late the Phalarone" a dark1 v dismal tale of an Afrikaans police officer who breaks the Immorality Act--prohibiting intercourse (sexual) between '/hates and blacks. That left sucn a bad taste in my mouth that I oo.l-- ished off with "Time and Time .Again" bv James Hilton, an innocuous recital of a diplo-- raat's life revealed through flashbacks and his attempt to become friends with his.mother less 17 year old 3on. I could have done with fewer pages about papa's infatuation when- he was in Cambridge with a little Cockney typist terminated by drastic Parental action- and more about his diplomatic career. Needless to sav I v/as cross-eyed after this binge and am now reading at more leisruely pace "The Crooked Wall" ov Faith Compton Mackenzie, w h i c h T r a c v P h i li o n s h a s j w s t s e n t r e . . . . . . . .1 Nason and I are still boi+' s" busy that we do not have the basic principles con versation that I need so badlv, but I have stopped agonizing about it. The new members of the Board of Directors performed very well at their meeting on Thursday, L ioag-i . oni Rockefeller III, left very earlv to nrei"c at J th Soe: *i" n* ti""*. Vers Dean a* Cfi-c^jC^E I ' April 4, 1954 Oh dear, there is the most wonderful sounding parade going on with a most tantilizing number of wonderful bands on Fifth Avenue, but I am steadfastly staying xa*. * If this turns out more than slightly bellicose, put it down to the influence of mar tial music and my own disappointment in not "assisting" in the event* But it was after midnight when I returned last night from my two day stint of listening to speakers at .. the American Academy of Social and Political Science annual meeting in Philadelphia, so I remained in bed until noon todav and have onlv halfl a day for myself out of the week end* So, no parade 5n the bright wintery sunshine for me today* Last weekend I was with Martha and Sieve and had a nice change of pace from Satur day morning to Sunday afternoon* They had some friends in Saturday evening and we vent after church and again in in the late afternoon to see Molly and the boys* Jay is now playing la cross and has adopted the de rigeur "crer haircut"--ouite unbecoming, Bill, made much of me as usual (any week now he will throw me over for companions of his- own age)u He seemed to find a green scarf knotted around my neck insufficient relief for a black dress, hat and coat* It has been so cold that I've been glad to wear the very heavy black coat a lot latelv and verv glad to have it coning bsc*' from Freemrt and also last night from Philadelphia, when I noticed that the thermometer stood at 27 o/o, The Academy asks 18 ambassadors, US officials and university professors to read papers, which are subsequently printed in The Annals- For the most part it makes for M poor listening* In my opinion few people can make something prepared to be read lively -hen heard--they all fall into the easy method of filling up space with too many statis tics and quotations. However, at the expense of physical exhaustion from sitting over- long on hard chairs in an under-ventilated ballroom and intellectual satiation from concentration successively on the problems of the Korea, Indo-China, India, Japan, China (Nationalist) and the Arab Near Sa3i I have come home with fine critical *>mlvses of six Ambassadors an^ twe^r assorted gentJ ei'/a --hardlv r-r dengn to ^resent a woman. However my greatest satisfactions came frommaking my Friday morning train with one minute to siwre after buving mv ticket a^d newsoarer and finding p job for Feazier Meade, (Maisie Cash's second son). Efforts in that direction have gone all too slo--lv Although the Carnegie Endow ment is naturally house4in 3^5 Erst 46, I had not enauifced there about "rrnmact in the ft aid" Saturday morning I e~>ied Finkslsiein in the dining room and found that he was looking for someone himselfand wanted details not later than Wednesday, With the . idea of wiring Frazier in Washington to send in a letter, I realized that his address wna t home but to ve dTr T migfct get it fro*** his uncle Charles Frazier in Philadel phia -- alas unlisted in the telephone booV# The Edwrd Morrises were my third call and Leslie promrtly rroduced the number* Charles was not only at home but knew that Frazier w xr>ect^ Phila^elr*'fr that day* and won"1 robs V; v t "cb Mrs. Thov;-, at Brvn Mawr, hj>a fiancee's grandmother* Hanralv, thev ware lunching there and arrange ments were mde for Fra*ier to ta1 ^ wit F:*" 1 stein at the end of the afternoon session I think they had satisfactory tal^, and after wards Frazier and I spent half a" hour*(- oVr a Vermouth weighing the relative -emits of that, joh another in a drug company --hich he had been offered in the morning. We agreed that while it would be well for him to take thf 5.r tier- for tb* Foreign Service he wld not bo. appointed for three years or better an^ had to decide Mother he rrfrred to earn a little more money or ram :'n ~ t ! -Id of " rid * *. We wen+ over names of ne-r a he would b to uae or r<*f* c*p in this application . It will be interesting to see what comes of thi, I we s*r*rv not to see Susi and. hr ngnjfeewut ^ng, which t>v hd -^5 eked up in tv morning, but she w< tic'r^ r;'* snm of her mi1 connections -- thev will married in Philadelphia in mid-June. Tu r l e ~ ~ event- I d neJ Mar * a and. Hank and after coffee in the studio, v/e wan^ met *rr fo- "H -ere an'' TV -- poor Maria, is so enchanted with its relaxing, duali ties that she ir ir-*'n~ o -r"> 1 me one and the rr"~rams available did little to heir* Pr'd*-. - a w: -> agn I lunched ' th French :brv. dor *er Gsrrea.u, who hs long exper * ience in Inflo^Ch-no an" ttqcjo ^.-nothing he said gave me anv cheer on the world situation* ^ ?t.e- light, 1954 . y - r'% <* Again this may be telegraphic as I am just back from spending the weekend at-n * Eleanor ^rewster in Tirtford. As she is the daughter of the former Bishop of Connect!cut, * we went to Trinity Church this morning, where they had a very fine pre-service musical ' program---Bach's Concerto 4. I rather liked the recotr, Van Winkle, aihom X met at a cocktail party the Coudert's gave yesterday afternoon# But feel that the mechanics of communion are better handled at Transfiguration in Freeport. This afternoon we went to the municipal park near Tleanor's house to see the daffodils, primroses, and other spring flowers. We..did not bother with the green houses,^but staved out of doors as there was nice run and tempera ture in the mid sixties after a/day and two nights of torrential rain. I lost ray heart to white rr1"' s Ip: n in a well Planned end larere rook garden*, Yesterday afternoon we drove to Sitosburv --the low hanging clouds made the forest covered hills levely beyond cofiuare# Friday, -iter I had hoard Bihop D*nngan at St. Bartholomew's discourse on the last two and a half stations of the cross, I took the four o'clcok train for Hartford, The scenerv was more dramatic because ell the tree trunks were black with rain, the watches of unfolding, sunk cabbages in swaraov spots and the willows in the breathtaking chartreuse stage followed one another in auick succession. It was good to have a long talk with Eleanor, whom I hid ashed not to entertain for me, as we had not reallv seen each other in almost two years, She was full of Vashington gossip as she had just returned from sr week's visit there. Annie, her Irish cook, becomes fanatical during Lent and was a different person today then she had been Friday at dinner or ^esterdav--urging me to eat bran bread, which die had made err>"dally for me# and actually smiling when she served breakfast Last weekend I went to Molly and Jim in time for lunch on Saturday and did sous p--h " aftemnon which I had not had time to accomplish in town*. Palm Sunday we went to the early service--- Clevee was camcifor and Jay one of the acolytes.T ~r. Sieve" (X pn try: :ig to . 've him c Tied t.' t --Freddy's little boy name for his uncle to distinguish from hie cousin Clevee, who- at almost 17 -mid 5 feet clue should not be insulted with f -e doubl "ee" ny longed "T>T*v:ipoe> th acolyte schedule* Poo:- Jv very bothered to have his first service nno of c^romuni^n, but managed his very minor tasks well*. The contrataans th 1 t choir h" sneered just -fter he had received the wine and iprayed the curate, Clevee helped the poor lan out o^ his alb, retired with the soiled one and soor^ returned with a fresh one which was donned with minimum loss of tuime. I probably should never have noticed had I not been watching the youngesters so critically. In the afternoon we went "down east" to look for a small boat for Jay, which lie has since pur".hr~ed roth th. mone,,r e " ir t hospital. Bill became a little restive on the way home, so I taught him to identify weeping willows end forsvthia~-in their golden glory, though he was inclined to poke me with one hand end. ncmnt with the other to "norsythia". One is always rreop.rad for a certain number of speakers to fall by the wayside during Tie season, but in tne na3t two weeks I have had to cope with an epidanic of them The Pakistan Ambassador to the Un fluffed out for two big meetings on successive days in Vermont and New Hampshire, a man was sudden ordered to the Dominican Republic when he sould have gone to Pennsylvania, a woman who was booked for a day and a half in Vermont es shattered bv her noodle developing a brain tumor, Hartford expected me to produce a sneaker on Prench Indo China, after official French sources had declined to provide anyone# Another person threatened to go to California instead of keeping a New York date, but after an un easy 1-3 hours for me decided to keep ay date and so on. Miss Lusk has had to have time off to .Tight a cold--actually a sinus infection and will be out most of two weeks beginnin; ApriT 26 on jury duty! "7e have had so much high humidity that my sin s hr.s actM up too ,cius...ly at his : rnent I hi not sure how much if a voice I shall * ve tomorrow --its lenighty luaky all rd is at this moment distinctly basso prof ndo. April 3th "3len H .rgaret Hazell arrived from Vancouver end s I was hot shhe' how well she knew Mew 'rork I yrxTsed to meet her train at 9s50. It was :-0 minutes late," so by the time T got her here and a bath drown for her, it wp.s practically noon before I got to the office That night I took her to the Rainbow Room just as sunset time --first time s.te had ever been as high as 53 floors--for a drink and to sec the city by 1 y 11J t .id. hiJhtV Aft;-r dinner we looked at the lights on the "gay white a/ay". The next d,,.y I put her oh her-- ship--i:-'3 a lonely business to be three thousand miles from lone and start across an oce.-.n por t" e "'rat time. I.-"4- ~ydv,eGTs'u Dewar came, but I have out her at Cos Club for 2 week ' April. 25, 1954 V f . * I salute you from a house hold infested with gremlins on the first day of davi isht saving timet The latter will confuse my personal ungettinge and domaittings- for a few days, but arrangements for speakers going into areas which do not indulge in this annual shift, but also those who go into other daylight saving areas but travel on carriers also serving non-observing territory for the duration. Of course I cannot explain "the why of the gremlins but can testify that yesterday when I decided to wash my nyloi"^ sheet and pillowcase and stripped both irom my oed, the pillowcase completely disappeared only- to be discovered "hen a couple of hours later the sheet was ready to go back on the bed, I used some notes brought from the office to entice a speaker to go to Poughkeepsis (he mat* out of town Friday so I called him Saturday morning from here) and needed them to send the good news to the little executive director, who had forgotten to bring his available dates vh en he turned up two hours late for an appointment with me on Wednesday and then delaved over forty-eight hours in getting me that necessary inforaation* but then he wanted his- answer by Monday# Those notes dieapppeared between the telephone and the typewriter and were ultimately discovered under the ashtrav, which I probably carried from one base to tht other. The McCarthy-Army fight eontinues to disturb me a great deal, and now the French Indo-China situation, which has worried me for months, is at last out in the open'and I have lots of fellow-worriers. Somehow that gives me very little comfort* The on-coming* Geneva Conference leaves me even more depressed than the recent publicity on the H-Bomb. The office whirls from activity to activity with the news this week that the FPA will henceforth "mothe-" some 600 International Relations Clubs in as many colleges across the country. One of the, inf act the first reason, given for this petition for adoption is r. their doairs to hav sowk*ra. of course free, provided them. I hate to think of next . season, especially as the need to Provide statistics for our greatest financial benefactor --the Ford Foundation--required of me a backward look this week. This should have been a healthv and gpatifving exnerioence, but. when the anelvgie *h ow that in t^e "ast vear we went opeaker to el^ogt wore audiences then in the combined rr^vidus two vears put together, J tottered he*e and ofter )^?r of sort* fe"n -?nto bed realizing why I am on the tired side. A couple of days this week we have had summer heat, but withal April showers and every rrosnoct of more. The trio to Wellington on +he mrfc 0f Molly, Jim and the littlehoira flpems to have been a gr<=at success. I shall go there next weekend to leann$$ more ' ~ th-n con be to^d in e telephone call today, it reined on them too, but thev a.ccom^lj.^1 ed - greet deal includ-? nc the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, end the Naval Academy at Annapolis en route*, it has been a jov to me to see something of Anr" DaTM*-* this TMeek, tooj, and g+ rargH up on Vancouver, family and Penticton news despite her being importuned from all sides by her host of friends here. The day of her arrival we had second breakfast together and then she dined with me as a special birthdev eVe I pastors and welcome combined, By the time we hod h*d anothep dinner and conversational P* *re reedy the third night to go to a movie--"Lili"-~a delightful thing with Le- li" C-ron ~nd Ferrer. W ware temoted t o atev av>r? jf, but aternlv took ou'r- aolvas beck t~ the whre w* talked sow more, she wrote a couple of necessary notes, and I sewed the buttons on a suit Peck 8z Peck had delivered her with two missing and one hanging by a thread. It now looks as if Douglas would arrive on Wednesday instead of Fri- dv *e planned, if so I'll help her move Tuesday night to the Chatham suite as all 1-can do for him at the Cosmopolitan Club is give him a drink and dinner. Amv has given me the. beautiful big g^ee" pattern' bowl in which the magnificent bir+hdev flowers frow Douglas & Patricie were .delivered. It is .just the thing for planting my coconut--if it ever sprouts. - r r - * -*r- Aunt 'i,!ary Greenwood troubles me. She is anaemic, but iron upsets her digestion and she admits to cowardice about injections. I was there last night, for the first time in overlong and we had fun p^yving Scrabble. My first experience in this word game which has swept New York. Need I confess that she beat me badly? But t,/,on I have never laid any claim to spelling--perhaps ff I can ^ersuade her to play with me more I shall learn. It is warm now, but when I was .first un it seemed good to have fire in the firenlace b^sida which to have breakfast. I t^ink ^ have a neTM janitor, trash goes earlier May 6, 1954 v:r. and Mrr<. Dougla# Dewar sail for Europe after tH ner Net,r York by a tor1" W-ith an 11 o'clock sailing Douglas ordered the Cadillac for nine. Vl/hen I arrived at the hotel ten minutes before I checked all their luggage in the lobby and found it all properly stickered and tagged. Promptly the car was announced and the travellers supported by Ann Ray and me descended to the lobby# Douglas saw to the stowing of the luggage, while .Amy and I with the aid of a clerk sorted out the just delivered mail. Happily we rang the bell with four Dewar letters, so our slightly unorthodox proceeaure was justified* and off we rolled in the crisply cold bright sunshine for the North River. There was a slight commotion at the pier when it was thought that one of the big bags had been left behind, but it was soon established that it had already started up the escalator to the embarkation level. Amy and Douglas went through the formalities of having passports, income tax slips and tickets checked *?nd almost e once joined Ann and me in their very attractive two portholed, two bedded cabin on the port side of the main deck. The walls are panelled with an ivory silk and a pleasand pattern of green bamboo-like leaves. Friends wh<* had crorae-* in the same cabin reported that the wood in the panelling creaked when the ship was underway, so the family were provided* with Flent ear stoppers. The beds,covered with dark green and white spreads, are separated by a large, well lighted mirror and a commodious dressing table with adequate drawer space. One of the two cupboards was open and the other had a door--an arrangement I had never seen before, but which might be very practi cal, though it will leave Amy viewing their out of door things when she opens her eyes in the morning. She commented on the uncramped feeling of their bathroom, which had a good tub and the customary taps for fresh and salt water. The cabin floor was carpetted ina warm, rosy, brown." A chair and a stool , and the $$$$$ orange colored life belts on a rack over the door into the corridor completes ray inventory. I am sure they will be very comfortable. The room steward, Jean, was ruddy faced, stocky and gave the impression of knowing his job. Arav, who was wearing a dark suit and a new red ribbon beret (very becoming) arraged their table for second sitting--lencheon at one thirty and dinner at eight. Alas all the tables for two were gone, but die reported a table for four in a quiet corner. My atteratp to secure the deck chairs was not so successful as the staff was too engaged with seeing to the oncoming luggage and parcels to attend to such assignments until after the visitors were off. while I did no checking my guess is that it was a pretty heavy sailing--at any rate the place was alive with people and their effects end I made attempt to wander about. Amy and Douglas took their pre-sailing dramamines at the hotel and were both in fine form when I left a little Before visitors were gonged away. After all I do have a job, made more complicated just at present by my assisant serving on jury duty. Amy arranged the white chrysanthemums with the four red roses (as in the whiskey ads by way of joke) in a tall silver vase for the dressing table. As Helen's letter to me was slow in transit I only knew of this commission on the telephone the night before and had bought them before going to the hotel and carried them to the ship myself. The family cocktail party the night before in the suite at the Chatham was a great success. Amv wore her changeable red frock with an orchid and looked lovely. There was a bar table at one end of the rooiu and another between two of the north windows with tea and a grest array of substantial sandwiches, trays of open canapes, and petit fours. One couple came about an hour too soon, but happily the packing was all done but the last minute oddments, #)ich Amy and I accomplished between ten and aeulegvhetner.-i.n-A1tawquaarrrtievredafatefrtesrixthIe hcooutenltedhadthdiristymapnetloepdlet.heAsbeoruvt ic7e*1,5 bAuntn'ws esomnanaangded to provide for them. They had gone to the wrong hotel V This somewhat delayed dinner for the chosen few--Ruth and Ray Cox, Mabel and Et*lle Cook (?), Ann Ra.v and me. The maitre d'hotel kept telephoning up that the table was ready, that the kitchen would soon close, but we eventually made it. There was a rumor after desert had been ordered that the kitchen was closed and no ices were available. Douglas disappeared and said that he would be glad to take all over to the nearest drug store for an ice cream soda, but suddenly the ices arrived. It was all great fun. Among those 1 talked with at the big party were! Florence Law, Nancy Walburn (in a white hat and completely white hair), Mrs. Hoidge, Mrs. Halstead, the Franz Schneider's, Mrs. Ericson, Mrs. Aiken's sister and lots of people I did not know or don't remember. Amy was so busy with her red portfolio of pictures and Douglas with old cronies he had not seen for years or being polite to elderly ladies that I passed plates and chatted indiscriminately. On the tea table there were lovely bright red sweetheart roses and at corners of the far end of the room on the desk and a balancing table were huge bunches of lilacs with yellow and purple flags and one of magnificent deep coral gladiolas-- which I am now enjoying as Amv fla+lv refused to had them added to the impedimenta to go to the ship. After the dinner guests left Amy nut on her dressing gown so the dress could be packed and white bedroom slippers to rest the weary feet. Ann : rd the connecting room for the night and all four of us had a post-mortem, the packing was finished, the things to be mailed back to Vancouver stashed, and the things I am to keep for the return over-nigjit in New York tucked into my canvas carry-all. In the midst of this phase the call from Vancouver came . I was just about to leave when Miss McCarthy was annoQnced. She looked so much better than she did the last time I saw her that I was delighted to stay a few minutes and enjoy the sight and sound of her. As always, she is just a fresh a paint and in no time at all was calling Douglas rude names and we were all laughing. Against this backdrop, Amy was writing her last New York letters for home. If they made any sense, it is a tribute to her power of concentration. It was 12:30 when I reached home, Ann told me it was 1:30 when she went to bed. If the travellers were later, they showed no sign of it the next morning. /IBB i 4 . t^Q-yj/L, J uALs ' aorJe in their "large sitting room at 6?30. Six mos< inironi.q xrx.ends remained for dinner which we just managed after three warnings from the maitre a*ho...el - before the kitchens closed. After the others left I got Amy out of her charming fv u.k, so - we could nock it and the last of her thine, arranged those to be mailed back to Vancouver, and the collection I am holding until their return on July 2nd. Ia between we all talked to the family in B.C. I was just about to leave at 11:30 when Miss McCarthy, the ^trained nurse who had seen them through so many illnesses, was announced and I stayed on a bit to see her. Bright and early the next morning I was off to execute Helen's telephone commission- to get- provide flowers'(her letter airmail took five days to cross the continent and arrived the nieht of sailing da"). Than to the Chatham to go to the II- ue Frft-.e_._It must have oeen a heavy sailing, at any rate the ship *. jammed with passengers and yxsi.ors, e -ted mostly in the Dewars very pleasant oabin, 1 left just before they started to eaoo Up)o off. Dinner la3t night with Marie & Hank, the night bexore wit i Aunt Jarv* ~f 7 V C / c K - h~> < y ?y and assert some leadership or else.) Whereupon Henry related that when Eisenhower announced the appointment of Bohlen to Russia, Senator Taft went to the White House and in effect said "You have done this without consulting the Party, we do not like it and would have advised against the appointment, However, it is public now and we shall back you u^* I'll buv off McCarthy somehow, but don't ever do a thing like that again or we shall fight you on it*" Henry stayed at the University Club to look up some things in their superb library and Ann and I walked up Fifth Avenue together. The late afternoon light was especially lovely when I came up to the Park and it came through the bbv leafed trees. The crenated Arsenal at the end of 64th Street looks especially lovely this weak with its tender leaf ivy covering. Ever since Tuesday when I lunched at Gooain with Edward Greenfield I h^ve been annoyed %vith myself for not taking the whaJ e mt steak. It sounded vory substantial for luncheon, so for the moment I contented myself with discussing it vdth the waiter* Looks a^d tastes like beef he says and is very popular. Next time I must ask v!;ere it comes from! In putting awav some of the winter things I discovered a blouse, which was a great asset years ago with a long black skirt when I had t^ change for informal dinners. It is just the c^lor I have looked for to wear with rav blnck s^rinr tailleur and appears to have washed and ironed admirablv. Tomorrov/ mil be the te3t wearing, when I take Gerry Wilnot to dinner to hear about her holiday in Spain and Portugal. Over the r-hone her attitude is "Why h*s no one ever told me about Portugal before'" Friday we had a special-two-hours-for-lunch party for Franklin Porter, who after eight months has learned that he can earn more with less work somewhere othe^ than FPA* I could have told him that earlv on* He is nic guv, happil" without the high temper 0f his uncle--Frank Llovd Wright--and I shall miss him* Mostly though I bemoan^ hue endless hours I invested him to do part of one of the jobs I did last year in the hope that another season he would be able to do most of it himself. Ola woe, now ,o do it all over age-in with someone I may not like so well* B B fa , / , ^T, w 4L ft i Ju&i OA*4^ CkA^li^4*( May 23, 1954 Thursday we had a session of the Sneakers Committee of the FPA Board of Direc tors just "before the "board meeting*, In the course of it John Nason said in so many words: In the early days of the war we were said to be willing to fight to the last dron of blond of all English men, I might say that I am willing to provide all the country with speakers on -world affairs to the last drop of the blood of Miss Pratt and Miss Lusk. As I had to go right on to the director's meeting it was Friday morning before Miss La3k and I could agree that while he tried very hard to be oh, so funny about it and just a little casual, he had really reached for that one and quite definitely meant itc I plan to be just as funny and ask him about the organization of a blood bank for frequent trans fusions for us# Neither she nor I could go to a jj% surprise buffet supper for ALlport Saturday night at Westport and had both declined to his wife, but sent a telegram of greeting to be delivered at the pertv regretting that the already anaemic Speakers Bureau could not be there. Actually I went to CIeve and Martha on Friday afternoon and late Saturday morning when thev all left for a Dodger baseball game embled on to Molly and Jim to helo with Billy's six ver old birthday -- luncheon for twelve little ones and then on to "Pescos Bill" the first "live " entertainment some of them had ever attended. This morning the Mayor of Freeoort telephoned with much em barrassment to say that his young son, one.of the guests, unistakably had neasles this morning. To were not very surprised as the child -id not seem at all /oil yesterday* ,hil Molly knew the medical history of most of the guests there were one or two mothers she had to report to today. It looks as if all others present had already had 'em. For a change we woke to bright sun shine this morning and had no rain all today1-- fssling r ather that this was the first all clear day we ha I had in three weeks ("ec, the water supply is almost up to 90% of capacity.) We all rushed off to the 9:15 Family Worship 'except Fran, of course) as Jay and eight other boys were being accepted as acolytes. ~tr# CIeve is co-chairman, wore/ vestments The boys marched in wearing the black gowns with their cottas over their right arms after the chori and sat in the stalls. At the proper tiine they knelt at the chancel rail, the rector named each in term and accepted him for service. The boy rose and those on altar left had his cotta slipped over his head by Mr* GL eve's co-chairman and on the other side by Mr. CIeve. It was nice that Jay was on the extreme right next his uncle and received his white garment from him. (Clevee ae senior crricifer is "master of ceremonies" of the aoolyte3 and evident ly is responsible for their general deportment under the guidance of the curate with the advice and help of tae co-chairmen.) Molly and I went to the florist's greenhouse and I got some beautiful carnations to give my secretary and transcrip tion tomorrow-- this week is National Secretary's Week and it seemed pleasant to pat my two on the back. We al30 had a chance to buy two lovely pots of tuber ous begonias for my office, which Jay and Fred gave me for my birthday and more carnations from Bill to me. I've a clear glass bowl of white flecked with scar let on my table and an aqua pottery bowl with a clear pale yellow collection on the mantle. ...and such a lovely spicey smell pervading the whole place Martha/ had the whole family for buffet luncheon after which we went down to the bay to see "Lazy Dayz" the 12 foot motor boat of Jay & Fred. We arrived in time to see them rowing back. Fred had clipped the buoy chain and sheared a pin in the proellor shaft, much examination, much strategy & finally she was hauled on an incline, nearby boatyard provided the necessaiy repair After the relaunching Mr. Clave slipped in trying to shove the stern around and splashed in. ..after having spent a good hour giving professional help and warning every one that the incline was slippery 'When he came up and swam two strokes aio -^air ,, _ -Poenable "Huck Finn" style. Martha rushed him home to a hot oath % tr kl .id a kief tun around the channel. Subsequently -red fell in clxmbxng up'on the dock from the boat because someone stepped on his nand. June 3, 1954 Announcement Aunt Annie called me at quarter after seven this morning to say that Miss Funston died at quarter before four this morning at the Mary McClellan Hospital in Cambridge , New York* The funeral will be at two on Saturday --private and there will be no flowers as Miss Funston thought them heathen ish at funerals* Poor Aunt Annie said she knew that she must not mourn because they had told her that if Miss Funston did get better now she would only have to go through it all again later* She was operated a week ago and stood that well, but as of last Sunday had had two bad days, had only been able to take a little water and a glass of tea through a tube and was getting saline solution intraveinously* Aunt Annie had been driving up--about forty miles to the hospital and saw her as late as yesterday afternoon* She will be lost without her companion of so many years and has an immediate very heavy program to keep her going* Tomorrow is her lower school commencement, the funeral on Saturday afternoon at two and then on Sunday the regular St* Agnes Commencement in the Cathedr&l in which she is scheduled to lead the academic procession* Eleanor Phillips (Miss Funston's neice who lives in Schuylerville) lias told Aunt Annie that 3he can take as long as she wants to collect her things and get them out of the house at Fort Miller* Of course, she has an enor mous amount there both in use and in storage in the barn. It will be a big job and will take all of June I suspect* The house has been cleaned and she expects to go there and fall to right away* I hope that a succession of old mutual friends and associates of both of them like Alberta Hutchinson will go in relays and help her but we did not speak of that* We can help her both there and in filling her summer for her. In view of the aversion to flowers there will probably be a St* Agnes Sick Teachers Fund to which memorial gifts may be made* Now I must have ray breakfast and bath and get along to the office. The TV Workshop is in full swing and tonight the National Conference begins with dinner* June 6, 1954 The Tenth Anniversary of European D-Day is being made much of on the radio today* It is especially interesting that Eisenhower has sent Henry Cabot Lodge to the French coast to represent him, when Lodge was the courier who persuaded Eisenhower to leave Paris and return to be the presideitial candidate. Furthermore Lodge is president of the Security Council in the UN this month and would seem to have a good deal of pressing business there# It is a stfcanfce phase of our national developeraent in a murky world# I would like very much to be able to stand off and get a good look at it without the sound and fury of the Un-American Activities hearings which have devoted so much time to successfully avoiding so far the real questions I am particu larly interested in the Oppenheimer findings, as Gordon Gray-'*prosident of the University of "forth Carolina is a new members of the FPA Board of Directors and assigned to special speakers committee with which I have to deal. Last week's three day weekend with Gerry and Penny in the upper reaches of "i/estChester County was a wonderful oasis# The prophesy of bad weather was wrong and warm sunshine made it possible for me to do a lot of "unskilled labor" in the garden to the detriment of letter writing and office work, which I had thought a spell of rain $$$$ would let me accomplish. They own over 160 acres of farm land and wooded hill sides. A dairy farmer rents 150 acres and they maintain a vegetable garden and some beautiful flower beds with a one day a week gardener, and their own labor. The lawn is mowed by a special outfit# Pedro, the Philippine houseboy keeps the cars clean and does the cooking serving and inside work. His hobby is an ever growing, that is expanding,vegetable garden of his own. At this season he whips through his work to be able to go out and tend his plants. Gerry moans "We pay him to work in the house, but there he is out again." However, it keeps him happy and in that community one wonders what he finds to interest him in the winter. He is so anxious to finish dinner and get out that I had the sense of a drink being thrust in ray hand almost before I had removed my hat, and moving on to the dining room the instant it was consumed. Penny and Gerry are both very involved in the community, in the Garden Club and the church at Brewster . Penny practices both locally and in New York, but Gerry vho is largely there only Wednesday and weekends at least does not have to bother with patients there. The garden was bright with iris, columbine, peonies with a lovely blue mist of forgetme-nots and a low blue phlox. It had been a tight week in the office with two evening meetings to see through and the prospect of the TV Workshop and the spring conference of those who do the work at the coomunity level from Maine to California during the past week, so the rustic breather with fresh air and exercise was a god-send. The country was lovely with most of the leaves out though sycamore and locuit were notable for being behind the others. Being in the area of the New York city reservoirs the rural atmosphere is assured them. On our trips to a greenhouse, where I bought lovely fuschia--one for their attractive "plant windows" and one for ray office--to chruch, to the Williams for lunch, etc., I was reminded more than once of the English country side# Among other sadnesses of this week, we learned of the death of General Tic Coy at Walter Reed Hospital, I knew my gpLirapse of him in February was the last I should have. For once my good intention of sending him a jar of ginger marmalade (bought back from England) was garried out and I had a note from him expressing his pleasure at having this for his tea. To give my poor tired brain a rest I avoid telling of the past weeks in uhe office and the sessions this week with the Regional Rspresantqtvies of FPA and the following week when the national headquarters staff plans tie next six monk's actual operation. By June 21, I shall get back to routine & oatcnj.ng ip* A vs. .Tic.rut.in*.. . a~ur. M~ I hope I shall "begin to catch up at the office this week, but there is the barest possibility that I shall be plunged into doing a dinner for Sir Winston Churchill on a week's notice We shall send invitations by telegram and cut every , possible corner. I raised the question with the official British on Wednesday and that night coming in from seeing Aunt Mary missed my step into the unlighted entry Plunging down the thfcee cement steps I gnashed my left shin, which bled profusely and so bruised the second right toe that until I had ex-rays the next morning thought it broken Fear I shall be trotting for dressings on the shin for a couple of weeks. it deserved a stitch or two, but the next morning Dr. Soanlon thought best to 3eave v/ell enough alone. Since I guess that Mendes France will be coming here I have drafted the first round of overtures to him. Personally I was impressed by his brilliance but did not feel I could put much confidence in him, when we lunched together two or three years ago. However, he is now a "figger". Yesterday morning on the way to the train I went by the office to give the project a little push. It was a lovely day, though beginning to get too warm for a coat \ifoen I left, so after making a neat connection at Philadelphia, I just just the tan garment on the "Main Line" train when I descended at Bryn Mawr. A good bit of hocus-pocus recover ed it for me and we were reunited this morning The Montgomery Inn is an ar^chaic relic housing ancient permanent guests--having no single rooms available they put me into a ground floor corner suite which attracted all the highway traffic noise all night and the early morning deliveries and other sounds of the on coming day. I did not sleep very well. However, the wedding was lovely and I had a wonderful time A taxi took me to the Church of the Good Shepherd in Roseraont so quickly that the ushers had hot af fixed their white carnations, so I had a word with Frazier, the groom and Gardiner his bestman brother and David and Hardy who were ushering before I was salted down in the charming church--rougfr, grey stone walls, timbered ceiling, good stained glass windows and a lovely dark wood choir screen, very high church altar filled with candles and white flowers. The maid and matron of honor and the four bridesmaid wore white taffeta dresses and carried yellow marguerites and blue corn flowers. Some had matching yellow satin sashes and slippers, the rest brilliant blue. Six year old twins carried similar flowers in tiny, frilled bouquets--all the girls were blonds as is Susie, whose gown had a train. Her veil was lace, which her mother had worn. After the ceremony we sorted ourselves out and I drove with Maisie's cousins from Connecticut, following Langborne Gibson's station wagon containing his wife, two sons three daughters and Mrs. Piggott from Albemarle County while he followed Maisie to "Kyneton" the Villanova home of Mrs. C-eorge C. Thayer. The charming vdiite stucco and black tiraerbed big house has beautiful grounds, a notable, enormous oak badly eaten by inch worms and a succession of terraces and much large box where there were tables and chairs. We went from the receiving line out french windows "to the bricked terrace and spread out among the tables on the grass to be plied with champagne, sandwiches, hot, tiny patty shells filled with creamed mushrooms (l guess). There was also a bar for the hard drinkers, ices and coffee. I suppose the brides family had a lot of friends there, but I certainly had a field day with Maisie's family and friends--including the good black Jessie who was parked by the door in a chair as she was serving at the subsequent supper party. It was fascinating to see Maisie's three brothers, her four sons, her husband and her ex-husband in the sane gathering each very different and the only resemblance between generations, Fraziers likeness to his father , Dick Meade. About quarterafter six Jim Cash and Mr. Appel were taken off with Jessie so the two men could rest and Jessie work and an hour later about forty of us went to the Appel's smaller but still most commodious house in iii/ynnewodd for a buffet supper on their lawn. Champagne again flowed until I left about eleven. There were two hundred surely at the recption, Susie threw her bouquet from an upstairs window before she changed and Frazier tossed one of her blue garters, which David caught. This morning I taxied to another part of ".Vynnewood to see Peg and Perce Houseman, he is just out of the hospital because of another heart attack. Aunt Mary feels the heat so instead of seeing her this evening, I'm off to dinner with Maria and Hank on their terraceo Far mers in Jersey have cut hay and bemoan bugs which have denuded apple trees of leaves. f i l l , " S i ' CU" *i T4wi ( t o y , T i t i u j - h * ^ T July 25, 1954 This afternoon whilecalling on Margaret Sullivan, who is recovering from pneu monia, I learned that the British Foreign Office of which she is a member considers the American pace such that the customary leave proceedure is changed* Ordinarily, a person goes "out" to a post for three years and then has "home leave" meanvhile he takes a "break of a week or so" every now and agin but no long holiday People here are urged to break their leave and take a proper holiday every summer* One of her brothers, a Franciscan missionary, only has home leave every twelve years* However, he has been with the North Korea and Chinese prisoners of war on an island off south Korea for several years and under terrific strain, so he is here for six months getting unwound* At the moment he is in a school in Connecticut #iere young Romanists are being tirught Slavic languages and the rites of the Eastern Orthodox church, so that vfoei religious services are again permitted behind the iron curta/in, they will be equipped* This week w have largely alternated with stinking hot, sticky days and warm to hot but moderately pleasant especially if one did not dash about between eleven and four* Monday was the first kind and I had accepted for one party whei invited "to another* Nothing daunted, I went a little after six to the house, which serves as headquarters for the American Friends of the Middle East to meet the Prime Minister of Irak and his wife Mrs. Jamalli. He is a most affable man'who speaks excellent English* hfith her hat off her hair is more auburn than I realized and she seemed almost pretty. He caw for medical care, but evidently examination shows that his case is not as serious as was supposed* He is probably an orthodox Moslem for the refreshment was fruit punch, and looked very pretty as a pink and orange pattern on the silver tray as the white coated man passed it* One cup and a decent amount of conversation in the heat and crowd did me -nicely and I caught a taxi to take me over to a Hudson River pier for the Turkish party on the "Tarsus"* In my innocence, I expected a new air conditioned ship, but found the party was on a canvas roofed afterdock* Beside the bar there was a Latin-American jazz band, but not a chance or anyone who might have the energy to dance for the crowd. Nuri Eren has no sense of selectivity for while there were a great many of my friends there and I had a fine time, there ware also some very strange character^--young men with Hawaiian sport shirts outside their trousers and no neckties* The "Tarsus" is an old Anerican-Exporter Bhip of 10,000 tons, which they have filled with Turks, businessmen with their families, educators, political persons, who for a consideration have a two months cruiser They stopped at Miami, Charleston and Baltimore* The Turks use the ship as hotel running ashore in each city to see the sights, while the native swarm on to see the not too good exhibits o- Turk ish products! lovely enlarged photographs and a series of very inferior diarama. Be ginning Tuesday morning the ship was open for inspection by the public and I understand they have swarmed through* A woman down from Boston for a few days shopping picle d me up Thursday night Mien I was having dinner alone at Schraffts said she had gone over the ship and had been very impressed* I did not have the courage to ask her whey she had ever bothered* It was clear that she knew little about Turkey but had a great admiration for this "fine country which has/ forged ahead"* I wonder if she will eveiyr read "Dark Moment" which I recommended to her# One is cheered at the Indo-China cease fire but bemoans the way we lead the people of northern Vietnam into expecting that we would help them if they helped themselves a Certainly our Marshall aid helped them, but now that they are uurned ovei to neaD they must hate us and spread their disillusionment over the bamboo telegraph to their fellow Asians* The Joint Conference Committee of House and Senate which squashed the Amendment Sen. McCarran got onto the Omnibus Tax bill is to be applauded* Had that become lav/ in its present form all the Foundations would have soon gone out ox ousinecs with a resulting loss to contemporary civilizations* July 26* I have spent today with Martha and CIeve so as to s e e FranT s uiiigo, a'- T*m off Saturday morning for Fort Filler for the f:orst part o: my hoir-ha/j./it i ^ - 3he .ias am enoiamous wardrobe in which her penchant for shoes is displa, ah, 9 ' ' July 4, 1954 The last "effort" of June 20 seems a very long time ago, but there is no point in my promising to do better in the future. The weather, the office and my peripheral activity all have a bearing on my ability to write# The weather has been mixed -- some beautiful days of sun, some torrential down pours, some quite hot days, a few of abnormal cold but almost continuously enervating high humidity# The office has seen the sudden decision of John Nason to have his gall bladder out and his wonderfully fine mending# Perhaps I should have been spared some pretty bad days if he had had it done six months ago, as I suspected he has been filled with anxiety, uncertainty and pain. When he has been overbearing, I have tried to tell myself that he was probably ill and worried, but I have had a good deal of rough going. Allport is the little hero, whipping back from a week's planned holiday to hold the fort. Thursday my assistant left on her holiday, Tuesday my administrative secretary, so called, gets back from hers, and the anticipated marriage of the trans** criptionist seems to be off. Meanwhile we have devised an elaborate new service for the Speakers Bureau, which I have dubbed "Project I" to be unveiled on September 15 add an expanded service which I have assigned responsibility essentially to my assistant* This we call the "Squared Circle" and in her absence I shall work feverously upon Subtileness is supposed to cover the strategy of returning to my desk a good deal of work which had been taken from it with much sounding of trumpets a year ago--so that I could expand the general speakers service Now I am stuck with that and gradually the old jobs slid back too# Of course, it is quite mad, but I am lightly accepting them and rather planning to take three instead of four weeks holiday (with a view of hoarding the one for next summer) and the more immediate hope that I can then organize a viable existance for the on-coming season, i.e# a 45 hour work week (office standard is 35) instead of 55-65 which the assignments would indicate# I took last Monday off so as to have three days with Aunt Annie at Fort Miller# She met me in Albany Friday afternoon and delivered me back there Monday in time for the six o'clcok train for New York* The rolling hills were lovely in their too damp spring greenness, water stood in some of the bottom fields, but it made motoring beau tiful# Sunday we drove up to Lake George and in between we made lists of things she must do and inventoried fans, oriental embroideries, etc# for sale We sort^two greab/ed portfolios of Aunt Caroline's etchings, many of which I had never seen# I was the lucky beneficiary of a very old heavy black silk coat, which will make me a fine even ing wrap, a Japanese houri (?) coat, a fine white wool dress with Indian embroidery, etc#, etc# The time v/ent all too quickly# Maybe I can finish up the first two weeks in August, or if she has done it all, we can go on a little motor trip in her fine new Ford# Thursday I had a radiogram from Amy asking me to buy some nylons as she feared all the shops would be closed Saturday# Instead of docking in the morning Friday, the Mauretania did not get in until almost nine in the evening# Ann Ray and I went to the Raihbaw Room (65th floor RCA Building) for a drink and dinner from whence we spotted the ship coming through the Harrows at 7i40 and watched it course up the River, then I talked our way into the unused Grill to see it maneouver into the slip# When we got over to the dock, they were still edging into the pier--a beautiful sight with a sliver of new moon, the evening star and the afterglow over the Jersey palisades# The Dewar s were fine, had a good crossing dancing until two every morning and quite expeditiously their dozen pieces were brought and cleared for customs, though the wellknown rectitude of Douglas led to his making a contribution to the financing of the US Government# At the street we were joined by Miss MacCarthy and managed to transport all of us and the luggage to the Chatham in two taxis# We all needed a drink and after they had called Vancouver we heard about friends and family aui the high lights of their six week motor trip throughout the UK# I was relieved to find that Amy had continuouslj'" worn the tweed coat which I had insisted she take with her for motoring in a leather upholstered earin fact she blessed me for it# Happily Franklin Simons was open and after luncheon at the Cos Club (on the terrace) we bought Douglas a tropical suit on my charge account. He was suffering dreadfully in m heavy suit on a hot day I saw them off on the 6 o'clock <; This afternoon I'll go to Molly for the night and tomorrow# w . J y s -Qjf tr ( 4lau^0 July 11, 1954 #f, ^N* ^c$ 4 Late yesterday Martha phoned to up-date me on the family. Fran will be be married on August 21 as Sal has at long last received his clearance to report for C.I.C. (Counter intelligence corps...?) in raid-September. This i3 a most interesting and much sort after from of service, about which I am far from clear . Everyone i3, of course, delighted that their uncertainty about dates has been ended. Everything is well under control with caterer engaged , trousseau largely bought, etc., etc. Clevee passed his college boards and has been accepted by Lafayette, the place of his choice, though he will not be ready to enter until September of f55. Things hum in that household. I had a nice twenty four hours with Molly and Jim, though things were a little quiet with the very active Fred off in camp. We transplanted two flats of miniature zinnias and hope that the drought of Long Island will enable thera to live. I grubbed up some honeysuckle roots to see if I could establish them on a paling fence on Maria's 60th Street terrace and was to have delivered them at dinner on Tuesday However, when I came home to pick up my plants it seemed a good idea to take my temperature as I felt foully. Even on the second reading I refused to believe I had four degrees or better of fever and on the second try found a drug store willing to deliver a new thermometer at 6i30. Alas, that showed the same. After begging off from Maria, I tried both Gerry and Dr. Saanlon without success. Fearful I was coming down with pneumonia, because of a sense of exhaustion between the shoulderblades, (the outstanding recollection I have of ray 40 year ago pneumonia) I took a couple of Bufferin and went to bed and to sleep. Two hours later I found my temperature had dropped a point and I went back to sleep much happier. BBed rest", quantities of liquids and an Anthony Trollops on Wed nesday fixed me so I could go back to the office about eleven on Thursday It was a mistake to stay at work until after seven, however. The next morning I went to Scanlon for a much more ladylike dressing on my left shin and we agreed I had had 24 hour flu. There is still some barking and blowing and I am trying to keep out of draughts. Yesterday I stayed late in bed and had some $$$? sun in a bathingsuit on the roof. About five I met June Grey from California at the new air terminal at First Avenue and 37th Street She spent the night with me and we had a pleasant dinner on the terrace at the Cosmopolitan Club. This morning she went on to Noank, where she will spend the summer studying painting under Arthur Brackman. Y/e had not met since 1939, 30 it was very pleasnat. I showed her the miniature of Charlotte Muret as it i3 an interesting bit of portraiture. She gave it to rae two or three years ago when she went to Switzerland and said it had been painted in Colorado when she was four by the mother of the novelist Anne Parriah. Returning from seeing June off I decided to wash the gLass and to my complete befuddleraent found a notation under the final glaze on the back of the miniature. My deciphering comes outi 48881 Miniature Mathieu Doroche mi I I'Or 137N 1889 Paris B I du Capucinith 39 I must write Charlotee to see if it is a relative of her French-Swiss husband and what is to be done. I am fond of the curly haired blue eyed child by this time, but feel that perhaps I have this souvenit of her under false circumstances. To add to the mystery the rocco frame is stamped William Schaus, Madison Square, New York. Tonight I deliver the honeysuckles and dine with Maria and Hank. Jwly , M ftlr r.ft rn -oj: whUteoaUiag t I4*rgr* juUivi "he Im moovoring pnou- WK, I loam*! that tho British For*tt Offioo of hish she Is * maabor emsidsrs the tnsrlc-n pr.ee e'.eh that the easteaimsy leave f re he# aorao 1 ve wory tw.lv. yr, Heeever, he has been with the Perth Korea end ffitineee prieeaera of mr on on lslend off south Korea for eevoral yoere end under terrifie atreie, eo he is here f rr st y t^esjtho getting wound. At tho eooect he is la e school in eenaeetiout *ere yeang Bneealete are being taught -Invia languages and the rites of ths .-astern urthoaox ehttrch, so that h* religious services ore egein pemitted behind the iron curtain, they will b# equipped. This week we have largely nlternsted uiih stinking hot, sticky doyt nnd *TM te hit ht ao4i?*ttly pleasant especially if ens #4 ai dash about between nod fcaj Monday was the first kind iuad X ht4 neceet d for on psrty invited to seethe re Hothiag daunted* X wsni m lii&le of tor six to tho house* wbioh serves * honiqiiortors for tho Aneriecn Friowds of tho Middle &*st to moot tho Prime ||lnlstor of Irak and hie sdfe lire. JamaftU* Ho is a most affable ran r**s excellent English* .ith ktr bet off her hsir is mors auburn than I realised and she seeded almost pretty* Ho east* for nedieel ooro but evidently examination skews thai his ease is not as serious mm was supposed* He is probably as orthodox I'csl on for the rmfreehrrmat m* fruit punch* looked very pretty as s pink ed erang* pattern on the silver trey its tho ifcito s tetod tarns pasasd it* Cm oap tud decent entrant of conversation la the host sad crowd did mo niooly end X ssufht taxi to inks mo oror to a Hudson lUver pier for tho Turkish party en the "Tarsus** In my iimeeeaes* I expected s now sir conditioned chip* but found tho party *ts on s canvas roofed after- desk* B#sldS the her there was n Latin*American let* band* but net n eh^nce far anyone oho might have the energy to danee for the crowd* Musi Hrea hns no cf sol activity for wkilo there tore s greet mtty of ay friends there sad X had a fine time, there vers sloe seas very strongs {Siadrsowrs*~youitp tten with hawnii&n sport nhirte oi:tside thoir trousers sod no neckties* The "Tprtuie" is an old AKoricanRxpertr chip of 10* <00 tons# #iick they hare filled with Turks* businessmen with their families, sd> esters, politic#;! persons* who for a eonsidorstisa haws n two months cruise* Thsy stoppsd at Miami* Charleston nnd ioltiaero* The Turks use the ship as hotel ruminr sthrre in sao: city to e*$ the sights* sfeils the native swarm en to so# the net too good exhibits of Turk ish products* lovely salaried photographs and s series of very inferior diarnmo* gixmiag Tuesday morale* the ship was open for inspection by the public end X understand they have swarmed through* A women down from Boston for ^ew days shopping piolt d ms up Thursday ni^t dbon X ass having dinner alone at Schrsffto said ^c had gone over tho ship &ad had boon very impressed* 1 did not have the courage to ask her 'ahoy she had ever hotnered* It was clear that oho know little about Turkey but hod great dniration for this "fine country which bag/I forged aheadI wonder if che *411 evsrj read ^ ark Moment" which 1 reee< tftenaod to her* One is cheered at the inde-China eease fire but bom^as the way we lead the people ef northers '/istnam into expectin* that we wsnld help then IT tboy ,^l vs Certainly our Umrnrnll aid helped them* bet now that tbey ere turned ever to the ieds they saiet bate uo and srrced their dieillurleswert over the bemboo tslegn^k to tr =^r fellow isiane. Tin ^oliri 'Jenfereneo Ossmittae of and Icn^t wMdh squashed the *&n9 ^e^ripin r*n onto the Orwiibus Tbx bill 1 U b npplnuded* Had that bee m law in its prsoont form all tho **xwtnU*m wewld have aeon out el' business with a resulting lees to ceisrimsperary civiliisiiienr* July S^ X have spent today with H*rtfc* md Clgvr so as to see Fran's things* ns Hi " %t-, 1 Augi st 30, 1954 Once upon a time, 'way back in July I worked like a beaver at the office on the ground work of a project called intimately "The Squared Cirlce", which my as sistant willslave ar er this year and a new one with the call letters 3AS $see a closed blue sheet) where I shall do the bulk of the work a As it got hot and hotter I worked later and ii ter and fiannaliy on the kst day of July was stupid enough to work until 10s 20 without dinner* You see I did need my holiday and so the next day in heat of 96 o/o (offical) I flew to Gte ns Falls in a keep-seat-be/ltsfastened fli#tib. Happily I did not know that the sfciem we flew "throufefe ted created a power failure at Glens Falls and they considered dumping us at Albany, I only realized that we came in for a landing and then circled and went off again, several times* We were only fifteen minutes h te, but as many had been ill I was glad enough to see Aunt Annie waiting for me. After the Long Island lawns, which largely look like so much coco matting and the young trees dieing for lack of water in New York, the lushness of that part of the state was a joy* I could see that some fields I had observed in lata June nad made progress but it made me sick at heart to see com ankle higji instead ox shoulder higji, and burned ridges in fields where the farmers had set fire to raked hay, which had mouldBred before they could get it inside* From Saturday afternoon until Tuesday morning we did what was needful ani then Aunt Annie and I set off for Canada in her nice new Ford* Somewhat to our surprise we made Montreal the first day and went to the Laurentien Hotel on Dominion Square, afterskirtmg the Adirondacks, Lake Champlain, ing throu^i Pittsburgh and crossing that dreadful Victor* Bridge* We did some errands at Biris and I tried in vain to get a dress for Fran s wedding on Wednesday and then went to Cartierville to have dinner and the night with Evelyn and John Tudor* After a liesurely start the ne*t morning, we circumvented most of Montreal and^ avo.il crossed to the south side of the St* Lawrence on the Jacques Cartier Bridge and headed lor Levis. (There was a Marian year celebration at Trois Riviers and it seemed wise LO the traffic snarl it would create that day--and anyway we both knew that road to Quebec*} Before we reached Drummondville, tie pleasantly grey day became omniouo and the east wind became a gale* It was almost 250 miles to St. Jean Port Joli, but because of excellent road we made it by six o'clock and were glad that they had the steam heat on in our droom* We drove through a couple of cloud bursts each of which lasted at least twenty minutes and at times one had the feeling that the wind, defeated in holding usback tried to push the car off the road. Interesting farm country9 prosperous and well kept. ^We saw a lew of the French Canadian outdoor ovens and many large churches with aluminum paino on i,h<. roof and spire. Despite its name St. Jean Port Joli is essentially famous for its y00 carvers--a skill largely monopolized by the Bourgault family. One branch aces deleicate small objects sutfi as earrings which look like cameos--using mahogony or butternut wood for the base with the face on basswood, another does large religous subjects like tne stations fo the cross for a church, another makes salad bowls and trays. The LeClero family specialize in small carved boats, some other family make hand woven wollen articleslovely full skirts ranging from $22 to $35. The nest morning was sunny and bright witn beautiful clouds over the mountains on the north side of the St. Lawrence. We went into the church, built in 1779 with its tomb of Philippe Aubert de Gaspe, however the pulpit indeed lovely-- seemed to be the only item contributed by the local craftsmen. The exposi tion with a cubicle for each of the towns artisans was most interesting, not only were the weavers and woodcarvers represented but the town baker, tne local photographer an a rather good water colorist by name of Perrault. Frnech is practicably essential in this little hamlet. Although the end of the Gaspe peninsula is some four hundred miles further loon'from St. Jcan Port Joli, "La Gaspesie" aeoma to begin back at Levis. Since we could not on. we turned back to Levis and headed in a generally southern direction for the border- tfiich is marked by a range of mountains and buried in a 50 mile stretch of virgin umbb . f - -- s r r came on the US custodians-- m I raus - greeted us with a 45 mile speed limit, ^"trrto^are^ffercan^^^ urg'ed us to PTOceed"at 60 and provided roade which were a temptation to go faster. 1954 holiday--page 2 As The Forks seemed to break our journey nicely I had telephoned ahead and reserved what turned out to the The room with twin beds and bath at Marshall's Hotel with certe,in trepidation when the girl #10 took my reservation said "That will be $4*50, you know#'1 It could not have been nicer, we were at the back with a gurgling brook under the side windows# The twenty or so housejf, general store and post ofiice are at the juncture o~ fcne Dead and the Kennebec Rivers with Marshall1s just at the point where the very swift Dead makes for a hundred yards of rapids as it resists the more sedate pace of the Kennebec* I suspect that it is a great place for fishermen and was reminded of our pleasure in staying for sever* al days at the Rutland Arms in the Peak District of England, the year I did all the driving# (This* year Aunt Annie did most of it, but days when we did more than 150 miles I lent a hand and thoroughly enjoyed the way her car handled#) Saturday we followed the Kennebec to Augusta and then cut off to Gardiner and Wiscaset, Boothbay Harbor and Linekin E0dge. Despite my fears the Summers son who has come from The Cloisters at Sea Island, Georgia, has not ruin the place and I squeezed in many of the thiiig I do in three or foar weeks into five days# Swimming every day I started gently and yet on Wednesday Vinton Summers and I swam to the nearest island and climbed up to sun ourselves on the rocks. The day it rained Aunt Annie and I went through all the & ops in town (and I swam in the very late afternoon). When we went to the Harbor on the Linekin, we saw a couple of dozen seals on the rocks near Ocean Point, we drove to a remote little fishing station on the end of Southport island near Newagen, cut greens for table decorations for after I left and stopped doing the flowers, I did three different arrangements in my pri vate drift-wood-objet d9art which still the place of honor on the lounge mantle. We dined at the Housemans (remember Perce was just out of the hospital when I called on them at Wynnewood in June), inspected the addition to "The Boathouse" which Ester and Laura, my Boston architect friends have made --almost more than I can bear--they have two bathrooms three bedrooms, a diningroom, bedide the kitchen and living room and a telephone. I am especially interested as this is the first house I stayed in at Bayville during the wa* They do not cook if they can avoid it, so we went to Emerson1s a delightful restaurant, new, on the River Road near the attractive red house of former Secretary of Laoor Perkins. Despite the fact that the selection of Ogunquit as the site of his summer holiday by Vice president Nixon, Miss Evelina Deyo beat down the management of the Lookout from its so,,sorry-- we--are-- all--booked of the whole overflowing town and got them to put uo up for a night on the way home* It was not only delightful to see this friend of Aunt Annie's since when their nurses walked them in their prams, but to be there again, to see hov/ the house Aunt 01 and Uncle Jim built on Israel's Head had stood the years and how people have built around Aunt Caroline's studio, etc. I swam that afternoon--after I had walked in to the low 50's water over the sandy beach and confess that I prefer to slip in off float at Linekin Lodge better. We made it oack to Fort Miller in one day roller coasting over the White Mountains, the Green Mountains and the fringes of the Adirondacks. It was very lovely, but the ups and downs and twists and turns of better than two hundred miles becomes monotonous. This country, too, was beautifully green and very pretty, but that day I came very close to being satiated with the prettiness of wooded mountains. Our spree wasgreat fun and I enjoyed every minute of it, even the humiliation o.< seeing ou. to guo* Aunt Amie the fish ladders at Damariscotta Mils and not finding tnem. However we aid reach Bunker Hill (not the famous one in Massachusetts) with its superb view over the Da mariscotta River to the Camden Hills. Having set off without a road map, only a little^ sketch Perce had made me, we became slightly lost and had a fascinating conversation with an old cowboy and cattle trainer, who was entering his pair of oxen ohe^next week in Hie county fair. He allowed as how the road to the 3e ft would take us to the one I wanted (even as I suspected)--but quite a few miles further north than planned and ultimately^ take us into Head Tide with its charming old Maine-red houses and nicely carved white aoorTM Yes, we were late for lunch that day, but I had warned our waitress and she so appre ciates my taking the flowers off her hands as she hates doing it, that I did not mind too Sssrsas-sa;:-*sn;sv.r-sa.rsiKsssirSsKft,tjksss H- 1 While I was at Fort Miller we went to a local art exhibition to see Clifford a y f)U 14c ' f ^' c^s-- J September 11, 1954 It is just as well that this weekend was dedicated to a concentration on my SAS oifice project and my typewriter at home, as Hurricane Edna has ruined the plans of many other people* She is now plotted to tear along east of the tip of Long Island and Nantucket with winds of 125 miles an hour, meanwhile the Coast Guard alerted the inhabitants of houses on the beach along Long Island, Connecticut and Nantucket to go inland# Last night it started to rain here immediately I reached Some from the office about 7i50, and is still at it. Four and a half inches fell in the first 12 hours and I have a leak in the bedroom and another in the galley. Happily both in spots where it is easy to place a bowl, Y/e should get our real vdnd in a couple of hours --about noon, though already there are gusts of perhaps 30 miles an hour. Mean while 1*11 limber up my fingers, and my brain, with a little chit-chat. In going through some recent polls I was fascinated with the findings from which SD me interesting conclusions may be drawn! 61$ of a sampling of public opinion con sidered themselves to be Internationalists, 17$ Isolationist, 3$ Neither one, while 19$ of those polled held No Opinion. In another 70$ approved of General (that is President) Eisenhower*s program, with the greatest support in the Far West and occupationally from white collar workers while the least is in the South and among the farmers. On the American Bar Association proposal that "the facts about Communism be taught in the public schools" 67$ approved with the highest percentage registered by those who had been to college and by the 21-29 year old age bracket. The effect of TV, wide press and radio coverage and not inconsiderable discussion seems to show up in comparing the numbers of those who formed opinions over a period from June, 1953 to August, 1954. In the first check 35$ held no opinion h ile last month there were only 13$ in that category; from that now^betten-informed-group we pick up the changes!the Favorable to Senator McCarthy moved from 35$ to 36$ while the Unfavorable went from 30$ to 51$ , September 1 was Arrival Day, Vear Dean and her daughter Elinor flew in from Paris via Brussels after having spent the exciting weekend of debate on the European Array in the French capital* and by dint of some very hard travelling in Yugoslavia had had an hourfs talk with Tito at one of his many summer villas, this one on an island. Through failure to pick up her passport from the hotel desk in Belgrade she wandered around Jugoslavia for almost 48 hours without it and while the local papers carried a front page story of her having seen the Marshal the railway police detained her for an un comfortable period while she tried to persuade them to go with her to her hotel to produce the missing document. No doubt the staffing of the station police at 6 A.M. was at lowest peak of efficiency from the laguage standpoint as at one point communi cation was conducted through a bent and aged luggage porter who spoke some German dis covered when English, French, Italian and Russian all drew blank stares, June Gray also came that day from the Brackman Art School in Connecticut, weary from her ex pedience with hurricane Carol the previous day. Vera and I had a drink together at the Cos Club before June joined us and we two went off to dinner at the Au Canari d10r --which very much pleased June, both for cuisine and atmosphere. Thursday afternoon Vera had a press conference and then she and I sat around and talked the deterioration of quality of reportial staff in both wire services and the big metro dailies, of Italy France, the world situation and personal affairs, until almost 7J30. Friday afternoon June had a woman who syndicates her comments on the theatre and an old friend in interior decorating for cocktails with, me at the Barbizon-Plaza, where she stayed this time instead of with me. She and I had a late dinner and took a walk* Saturday she shopped and I worked on SAS until mid-afternoon when I took her on the cruise around Manhattan-- fascinating three hours for both of us on a warm sunny after noon. We parted at midnight after dinner at the Town and Country, another walk and a nightcap at the Magnolia, where we found the Germanic pianist and Slav violinist most diverting. Sunday was Molly and Jxmss 18th wedding anniversary and I want there in the morning for the remainder of the Labor Day weekend, Fran and Sal back from their honey moon came in the afternoon with Martha and CI eve and toasts were drunk in champagne. Jay has been summoned a week early for football practise at Stony Brook School, so Molly and I were busy sewing name tags on things to be packed. t) 3"&f /7K2 1^f & Cy /Ua-*p^ A &Jk < i _ & ^ f c < ^ - / 1 / f October 3, 1954 Forgive me if I give one loud bleat about the weather--we have had a week of hieh humidity, murky sunshine and temperatures in the 80s s* I feel as though my body had not been really dry and in fact I have frequently had rivulets of perspiration pouring down my face This heavy, fuzzy blanket of hot wet air even sits on the chest and makes breathing an almost pointless effort* As I fear you will notice even the typewriter is influenced and the fteH among other things sticks. This is no help as I am again in town batting ouw stu~ for my 3AS project. No time for it in the office as too many people are yipping for me to produce non--speaking-big-names in sucn places as iacoma. Grand Rapids, Mobile and Spokane. They do not like the people I can get and those desired will have no part of public appearances at the distances invol ved if at all* It is an amusing situation enlivened by another man vho said "yes" in June departing for Indonesia I Hie best news of the week came from London. A letter from Brooks Eraeny saying that he would be married over the Thanksgiving weekend to Barbara Cox. The next day I lunched the Princeton Olub with two men who know him and one of them undertook to get a report from his sister in Princeton. She is in her early forties, an interior decorator and very nice. This luncheon was to involve me in a massive project to bring ten Asians and twelve MiddleEasterns to the US for seven week visits this winter in two teams. As near as I can make out they have a budget of $219,000, but none of it in hand, and yesterday Bob Clifford flew to Istanbul to start issuing the invitations. My role to see that they are given proper opportunity to instruct and to learn in different cities across the country This was followed on Friday by a luncheon of twenty-one men and two women--me and Elinor Herrick-- to give the thing a further push. I was a little startled to be called on several times for comment. I can see that this will take time but should be useful to the job and certainly is expanding ray contacts with various key people, including oil men It was a little difficult to shake off a representative of the Ford Foundation, who was all for coming right back to the office with me for more talk. He will call tomorrow for an appointment# I hope you don't mind ray having cut off for a couple oi hours to go around to Aunt Mary for lunch--actually good old-fashioned mid-day Sunday dinner. Ii was an occasion we even had sherry. Poor dear she minds the heat and humidity and so do her friends. She had not gone to church today and 1 had the feeling has seen practically no one since her return to town The atmosphere could no longer support itself and as I left her door it started to sprinkle. Fortunately it is literally two minutes from her door to mine and I was safely here before the heavy downpour let down* It is such a relief to have the London Conference appear so successful, the Senate Committee to vote for the censure of McCarthy and the World Series to be over. These achievements ought to clear the atmosphere on three levels* This wekk I have also cleared away any possibility of being involved in dinners for Adenauer and Yoshida I must leave the office about 5*30 tomorrow to go to a cocktail party at Anne Pittendrigh's for two women from Chatham House in London and then go on to the reception Zafrullah Khan is giving for the Prime Minister of Pakistan and Begum Mohamed Ali, which happily lasts until 8 o'clock. Fhe pro blem is what to wear if it remains hot as is the promise The Pakistan party will be a rout with a terrific mob I'm sure. This will be the beginning of my leaving the office regularly by six o'clock for a change. Friday I go to Molly and Jim for the weekend* Should the weather hold I'll certainly get a swim in the ocean as I did the day before Labor Day when I was last there. I've been working so intently that it does not seem so long since I have seen all the family. 6~B - T<, port was pleasant, with some sun but no swimming0 Fred develop* a sore throat and a high fever and the nerve that Dr. Kany seemed to have uncovered in cleaning my teeth earlier in the week acted up even worse tlian it had been. A wonder drug helped Fred and by Wednesday Kony fitted me in on an emergency basis ant removed the irreparable tooth on my luncheon period^ so all is well. I have been busy as a bird dog in the office and am glad that the Jewish holidays are behind me--Day of Atonement out the Speakers Bureau staff down to half and then Miss Lusk had to be out again for an uncle's funeral. Result I worked all Columbus Day and suspect that as it was 85 o/o OUT that afternoon I was at least more comfortable thai the hoidayers. The tempo at the UN has stepped up with the disarmament debates and delegates ar6 sticking pretty close to business. I had an acceptance in Principle Trom Sire Pierson Qixson of the United Kingdom for speeches in Chattanooga, Atlanta and New Or leans tightly packed over the October 24-25 weekend Something, perhaps, the experience with Mme. Pandit stayed my hand and I did. not spread the news in the South. Just as well as he crawled out on the agenda shift. He will go in January or ebruary and I hope travel on to the Pacific coast --early in November 1 must start to work out those arrangements. Things revolve too quickly for me to have any conclusions about how things are going. I sat in this morning on a staff merit rating review and was glad to get an increase for Miss Lusk, afterwards one of my fellow raters (w are not rated ourselves) followed me into my eftfice to wonder how we mi#it ever hope to be re warded. Right after my tooth extraction on Wednesday I went over to the UN J or a brieiing bv C.D Jackson, one of the US delegates. He helped Eisenhower out for a bit in tha - Psychological Warfare division, returned to his T^g-Lie job for a few months and no* is back doing public service again. He is on Committee 4 dealing with Trust Territories and non-self-governing areas and sketched some of the Hassles coming up in the ooran&tt*# --dees the US have to continue reporting to the UN about Puerto Rico and Denmark aoout Iceland? Can anyone #10 wants a forum from some tiny trust area continue 00 walk in and get a hearing without presenting a bsief against which a working paper can e pre pared for the guidance of those who must hear the complaint and vote on it from emo tional reaction to the statement without time for study or consideration? If British Togoland wants to join the Gold Coast, and ultimately perhaps be a part of a new member of the British Commonwealth, what happens to French Togoland diere the treatment o the indigenous population has been so different under French administration? It was a fascinating 45 minutes, which MrJackson handled brilliantly. The Pakistan party for the Mohamed Alis was great fun. Mme. Pandit l o o k i n g lovely in a dove grey with wide gold band sari was going down the stairs with Krishna f enon when I arrived! /e had a Few cordial words, but after he had taken her off I managed To "void him--there is not only a deep and bitter fued between them, but . tehluedtianagn. CaYredtinhael idepobilumiladni,ngwatshethperree.stigIeqoufiteIndeniajoyinedthmeys'elffTe^vTen^mtNet rFinricneoeesas *Anribb~3buuLlttMenU. f\ bH, , T * c i "!a-cY ' ^ . ftla- < f v wins an intensive period of being all things to all men in coordinating the show nd 1-ecrin" the routine correspondence and construction of the SAo service 1 oiling. oar '-ell he as big as the dinner for Anthony Eden eighteen months ago. Then programming r+v orar'-tw was tapering off because it was March, now it is much heavier, i 11 roun i. andin; and all "tlie patience and strength I. can muster, _ you may recal nIeebdegyana sou"ndings f ,, oc-nw fh nn eevveenrtt bbeeffoorree MMee_nddeess-^ France finished^ his thnir^ ty Q dauyaitrdi.a0rlsay. feqtweekend he arrived to be Counsellor of the French Embassy in Washington. Wednesday he responded to my letter of welcome by telephoning that he was pulling every >^re or New York. T Saturday was a beautiful poet-Hazel day of balmy sunshine. After a bit in the o f f i c e I went to a dreadful luncheon where Ere of Mayor i.hgner, with rf.ee. I had had no rx evious contaotActually^ imp^ ^ would favorably than I expected. His lesearonei ,, . f. , _but the poor M had been settlig have sounded better had he had time to rea . . nf TM - " 1Bade a find ex tempor- the trucking strike. Frank Graham, tL ^settling the Kash- aneoue speech without once mentioning 1 s h j d drink with Henry Shapiro and mir dispute between India and ians an. ^ _ for several years. She is Russian -- , his and wife--he no Sonny . was H United is comm < e ress nts a b co-rcspon out cnrt e w l ,, -me n t o f a i z e o f t hneumssisans i Army an^ and the an ^ conse- quent disaffection of officers turned loose to civilian -p y plainly from Mili- as rewarding, the turning up in the open market of ia t0 control tary reserve stocks were -at interest f TMd the old classics itnhruthset aupuotnhothrietmariiannvmasatnnqeruaonf tiotite.dsmwe.r.e... to m- -e no-vel-. T, his Ppa^ritaiallllyy expla^ins^ the ^ less harsh rule of the felenkeeE^etUr arrived from Bombay. From him IrgSs1hanosf InSLs feS' that they do not understand world problems, but that Nehru does, ergo whatever he says must be right. Wednesday we opened the Women's Off Griffith on Rising Franco- German tensions. He die of neo_mzi-B in Ger- he siad depressed tne ladies. His xeeli g cheerful. I can imagine that many and fascists in France and Italy were ,any-tta.og tort eheer ^ & ^ tQ these people of the extreme right would act as an accelerat,: o November, communists. Already I have arranged *<> ^ thi^utumn-last the speakers to themtt.one of the hats X mentioned as coming back for me to wear again. It seemed simplier to work late Friday, have Freeport about nine. Both t o d a y azrf ye8terdr. had a dec ^ and fresh air. Sal will go into the Army on Novanber 9, _so ^ for mid-day Sunday dinner today. It -as , y ^ hated to go in to eat. I did an arrangement of agratum ond^r ^the sun ^ that house-hold ^ ^ v;e chrysanthemums for the ^ ^ Bnd nYflowers^n the ^use! SteFwe^I went to'jones beach -lovely in late light. " I Pffllli Jp 45"B Tf~Cj M-^/ "i> ^ ^^ i "fofyf October 31, 1954 Late Friday morning Robert Valeur phoned from the French Embassy to'say "endes^France had accepted our invitation for luncheon on Tuesday November 23* Nason was out of the office and as I was determind I should tell him the news mvself I had to sit on it for over three hours* This is the Dig event schedule * "\nd I hope there are no additions: November 23rd luncheon for the French Premier(and his only public speech in New York) at the Hotel Astor; November 30 th luncheon for Sir John Kotelawala, Prime Minister of Ceylon, in cooperation with the English Speaking Union, at the St. Regis; December 2 an/ evening meeting at the Hunter College Auditorium for Viscount Montgomery of ALemem speaking^on -.,4...0 nlso "in cooperation with the 3.S.U. and probably proceeded by a large, private dinner party at the Colony Club; and finally December 6th dinner at the Valdorg for His Excellency Mr. S.N. van KLeffens, president of the Ninth General Assembly of the United Nations--a Dutchman with considerable ability and no glamouro ie are therefore trying to dress him up a little as I have a budget J*eqaii i.ig cash customers to break even. Much of yesterday I spat at my work tacue ere drafting the Sendee-France printed announcement to be sent to o,000 people, the letters of invitation for the dais and the small private receptions which vail proceed both Mendes-France and van KLeffens functions and tne lis ,s 0 ^ lose ^ be invited for these "special attentions". Dy dint of a little evening wore during the week I had done the budgets for the two events we are doing on ou own and the form of the 10,000 printed announcements we shall send ouu xOi va About six o'clock Friday the Hotel Astor asked me to serve as go-between in offering the complimentary use of their "Presidential Suite to endes- ranee ,or Pi8 New York stay. I murmured I did not yet know the size of^his entourage and promptlv told that when Eisenhower stayed there recently on the house the suite was ei"' t rooms v:th fifteen more made available for others in tie party. 4'^^pue of the .feldorf is already furious at me for taking the .uncheon to the 1stor, but he was booked for a PJiilharmonic luncheon when 1 cleared the date with h, Mm early in the week. He offered a smaller room, which I greatly dislike or a *.re, te- r'Qa' at four in the afternoon for which we would have to charge * I am committed to the Waldorf not only for vanKLeffene but for on February 16 and probably for another splashy dinner in April. It is pleesnnt that I have the little pink chrysanthemums with ugeretum in a low white container and the riot of yellow and bronze ones in my Orrefors bowl to please my eve here and a beautiful spray of white chrysanthemums ain f't-ok vase. 1*. agerntum plants I potted for here seem to be adap-ting to indoor life. It will be interesting to see how they last. Recent efforts to slip a '.lice red coleus have met with only indifferent results. Eisenhower's telephone carnpaxgn to ginger up the^Aepublican> encourp ged to V teRepublican. L Uad I own a few AT 4 nip]ephon". However I think I'll allow plenty of time to vote on .uesda. t^Etwo efforts thereto,should be" f^V'^u-Nhot-thie is no time for me to be laid up. Sawada, the Japanese Observer at ^e tm, is r^^o^ t h e first time Vishineky has i^ed him to the USSRthe Reds will ating the Revolution, oince x. ~s so. ColBnlittee dealing with audi matters not veto uoes not Japanese membership like <,*!old's xn t ideas >about - . reorga^at;on 0f. the UH t^ Secretariat* ^ ee- peciaily his proposed salary scale ior hxs lb assxsxai JL'.TiC, 14, November 7, 1954 Last Sunday I had over an hour of fresh air and sunshine and an expe dition up to St* John the Divine Cathedral through parts of town I had not been in for years--very interesting to see the encroachments of negroes and Puerto Ricans southward and west* However, my real objective of attending the Columbia University Bicentenial Convocation at which the Queen Mother and Chancellor Adenauer among others received honorary degrees was not met* Former Cabinet Member, Frances Perkins and I with several hundred others wdre not admitted* I do not know about her but I stood in line for fifty minutes and realize that had I followed the example of many and pushed ahead I would have gotten in, as it was I reached the porch and was inside the outer door before the coxswain size student ushers, who was most ineffectual called on the police to clear the steps* Probably too many tickets were distributed but they only opened the two doors half an hour before the ceremony and although they went to the trouble of issuing four different colored tickets had everyone enter from two points, when there were at least four front doors which might have been used# Tuesday*s election was unparalleled in my memory for its closeness* I heard Harrimanfs victory statement and Ives5 telegram of congratulation before ten-twenty* It is concieveable that Ives may yet be Governor of New YORk on a recount, though not likely* The Governorship of Connecticut also seessawed# On the whole the Republicans did no better than I expected them* It was a nasty day with such torrents of rain that Fran called me in the afternoon to know if she and Sal should come for dinner at the Club anyway* As I had also invited Aunt Mary I asked them to come along* On my way to the office in the morning I stopped for Gerry Wilmot to give me my flu innoculation* She was pleased with my blood pressure and envious of my weight, which is about an English stone (14 lbs) less than when I returned from Europe in August, 1953 and 25 less than a peak hit soon after I gave up smoking in early *52* Thursday I went to a cocktail party at the Oxford University Press for the newly arrived Arnold Toynbees* She is a pleasant little woman and we had quite a talk as she seemed to be generally neglected. He towers over her, and perhaps seems taller than he is because of his silver white hair* Poor man, he told me he had been kept so Launching the last of his history, which it has taken twenty years to write, and keeping other books he is still writing boiling that he has had no time to sit back and enjoy the well deserved sense of "well, that project is finished"l It was an interesting assemblage* No one whom I expected to see there but pleasomt chats with a wide variety of others including the President of Hunter College, George Shuster and Charlie Schwep of Trident Films * One of my friends said "It is too bad that the Queen Mother was here just at Election?" It certainly kept many of us from following either one as closely as we should like* Yesterday I put in seven hours here on the material for my next SAS mailing and realize with a start that I must write a dozen biographies this week* It is well that I have consistently declined cocktail parties and dinner invitations for the next two weeks. Without doubt I shall work the next two Saturdays in the office on Hendes-France and shall be lucky if I do not have to include Sunday the 21st there* By sheer chance I heard the broadcast of the Cabinet meeting at which Dulles reported on the London conference --an unprecedented technique* Most interesting especially a week before election and after Eisenhower had begun to show doubt of the value of Nixon as a campaigner* It will be curious to see if this sort of report to the people is repeated. The difficulties Adenauer and Mendes-France are encountering are no sprprise to me* I only pray that those of the latter do not prevent his projected trip to this country* Pt&cy ^ ^ f ? " ' v ^ rvV*'3V November 21, 1954 The humidity is 100;^ and the temperature i 59$# 4 gusty wind is giving Roy Howard's butler across the street good deal of trouble with the next but the Inst plane tree leaves sticking to their sidewalk. I noticed him, broom in hand huddled, in the do.-Fray from the rain, eadlv survev his freshly swa^t walk dotted more leaves. It lers$ rll the yinko leaves from Fifth Avenue have long since disappeared. The w~ther report reminded me of the new words I have .just learned "humiture" is the total of temperature and relative humidity divided by two-- SA today It is 79f 'huTMit~n which nay the "humiture" reading. One feels comfortable at 60 humits and uncomfortable at 75# For eaxample Temperature of 95 degress and humiditv of 25$ resulting in humiture of 60 is all right, while temneratu-e of 80 degrees and humid.it- of 70$ making humiture 75 and I for one would moan. For three da -> a have nud thifi ort of worm h.*tnr ^po-ther ^d.th fog olAing airports for ^a^t of each day, caus*1 n^ the ndrea Doris inbound fred ^a.pl^s to be three hours late in doc'in and crr' between Japnese fre mh,f.OT* ca-r",*v^ncp sugar nd n smptv Panamanian Needless to say the empty vessel got the worst of the impact . 1Telides- France made it to New York by train from Washington late veeterdev. The plan to fly had to be abandoned because of the thick weather. He seam* to have been well received in Canada from newspapers Evelyn Tudor has been good enough to send. The results of his Washington conversations are yet to be weighed. Our luncheon for aimis going great guns. No doubt we shall feed 1700 SOUD, turkey and ice cream and hr.v another* 15a tea1" tv# spc rev from the eoond balconyRunning a thing like this is alwrvs a gret lesson in human nature with side lights on notional traits. Over and oyer again I have longed for the calm efficiency of the British which I en- countered in doir.g the Anthony Eden dinner. The French never seem to know what will happen or when and as far as I can see have no clear lines of authority . It n^i until lte f ridav that I learned Mme. Mendes-France would attend--perhaps that seems unimpo*tant, but it determind whether there would be ladies at the dais and cut doTOi t s num. or of other penile - could put there. On the other hand it meant that many fewer best "floor" se-tsr to be saved fr the official wives. The number ox people making reservations v;ho are friends of Mendes-France personally, have guests who are Aioassa ors or are deaf and therefore must have front row tables comprise at^1east half ox those buying tickets. The prize plea, which we have never heard before, came from the man whose lady guest is a sculptress and must therefore be right down front so she can have a direct view of his bone structure, I am glad to ha^ e persuaded Nason to get in a relief telephone operator so that all the staff not 011 a, c*ay can 8 ver and hear the speech--a few of them have worked very hard but the atmosphere ox excitement has been such that routine tasks have been made harder and being there will help the generally poor office morale. We managed to get OU3 iay November SAS mailing only two days late, and that delay was not mine but a snarling up of lie mimeograph machine# (I managed my writing on weekends and nights.) My own office "daily dozen" is done somehow, a luncheon for eighty ladies on Wed nesday, a Board ox Directors meeting on Thursday, snaring Sir Pierson Dixon, UK dele gate to the UN for the ladies in December, General "Wild Bill" Donovan (former head ox OSS and more recently Ambassador to Thailand) to speak in Cincinnati on December 1, etc., etc. veonosday night I vent from the office straight to the Cosmopolitan Club to ,sa3jy^e T!r^nce ^an c^- Thailand as a speaker# He is the great grandson of the King in ine King and I" and a delightful, smiling, openfaced little man whom one cannot imagine ever raising his voice in anger. As head of the Thai delegation to the UN and twice runner up - or President OT the United Nations he can be useful as a speaker** he ar e laving great, trouble over the meeting on December 2 for Viscount Montgomery on which we cooperate with the English Speaking Union# Five or six thousand people have appliec fcr^the 2200 free tickets* I am having personal troubles with my landlord, y ueTay in xixing "my leaks", which 1 point out are "Their leaks"--I just put down a newspapei i,o catch the drips if home, otherwise nature takes its course. The Array wanted no patt of Sal on account of bone splinters in his ankle. Fran is blissful. Ar \ g - X i f ^ ~f^c,^ *>' j J ' , /^y I Tty, 5 ' December By 1954 Despite promisee from the French and my special friend in Secret Service, wao was in charge of security, Mr* Canfield, Mendes-France with his beautiful Egyptian wife swept into the pre-luncheon reception almost twenty minutes late* A* penalty I fer he haver did get the glass of Dubonnet, but with a Tittle driving all t e peop e whn ^.nted to shook his hand and we moved the di* reoole into their places only one _ minute behind schedule* I managed a nice Utile chat *dth him -bout how different this woQ than ouv luncheon together three years ago --he, deMessier a,no I* even managed to congratulate him 011 his wire selection of Robert Valeur for a oosi m ffasninaten. Re servations continued to pour in until at eleven just before I started to the Astor I had to tell the girls on the telephones: we could not make any more promises* -here were a <*ood many people who did not know that when the FPA says luncneon at L2i4b ,ve mean it, so there were a few snarls and late comers with whom I tried to lend a. hand* At Is40 I sat down at any empty place at the security table next to Mr, Lynch of Secre Service," who was still starry eyed about the month he had spent with the Queen Mother, Fritz, the head vmiter brought me a plate of dark meat turkey and mv special chocolate and pistachio ice cream ar service had been completed at that table--e.nd I was reed/ for foodl Hie rather thuggish looking Surete men was next to T-vnch and listened to the "adult" speech of Mendes-France with rant attention-<~as did the other more tnan 19n0 people in tvc room. It would seem that the trip had immeasurably strengthened MaF ce-rfeainlv in this country end I was sorrv to etch a note of fear that his government might fall soon from members of the entourage. However, the coup!* of seven dv weeks and often eleven houp days I put in on this function rved off in what -as gen esrllv regarded or a wall organized and smoothlv functioning luncheon,. Afterward I picked UP ray puc-i--Lillian He'"-w (wife ofVMsgor General Edward McGaw, now "in Koroa, where wive* are not permitted) and,we went up to see the Actor's new presidential Suite redied for MendFran in c* he should decidep to fresnen UP there after his visit to Citv "all. It is charming -nd th*v had not onlv arranged several attractive vses of Hirers but nut a beautifully bound "Histoire de Franc*" on the writing de^k where thev hoped he would sit in George Washington's chir to sign the guest book. The suite is happily decorated and contains many fine antinues, Back at the offic* I cleared up a few things and sent a glowing letter to the hotel xor the magnificent service they performed. Later Lillian dined with me at the Cos Club* Wednesday I left a little before three tn spend Thanksgiving with Aunt Annie in ^ Albany and had a 7. orelv elm* of tempo for four days. Thursday we dined in the gracious dining room of the DoWitt Clinton Hotel, Friday we drove to Glens Falls to chec1' up an a forlorn little old lady, who h~d just been moved to a nursing home. There was a mistiness about the mountains which made the scenery a lovely variety of greys with naked trees silhoueted. There was not a breath of air stirring so I caught some beautifully Rhsro reflect!one in the Erie canal and at points in both the Hudson and Hohaw Rivers, Saturday we lunched ~itb Miss Pitman in the deserted St Agnes School* Monday war: busy ' - we learned Sip John Fotelawala ( Prime Minister of Ceylon) was delaved in London -- foodpoisoning and would not be able to reach New York for the luncheon we were giving in his honor on Tuesday. It was better to cancel than have peo^l* disappointed in nea1 - in* speeches from the US ambassador to Ceylon and their ambassador to the US. I coula not r-elp wondering if the poisoning resulted from food delayed bv the British dock strx e. From the office I went to the attractive home of Mrs. Francis Roger* (widow of the bari tone) to meet Miss Margaret DeneVe of Oxford and then on to tbe Yugoslavs to help them celeb pate their National Iv, That pari, -as a eb-b">es, they seemed tn h~vc +nvited all the Y u"0 slave from mile* ^nund, ^0 came early and s--ent over the buiiet tab Hke locusts leaving one sm-ty lobster shell en each table ar a token that something had been provided. Th flowers were odd--six red carnations in front o rno 0gr*r ^ Tito in e^e room and six lean ma.gentr gV J:>1* stalks below an^ oil painting 0 inu svr verv few people I kne~~~ enough to have a pleasant social time out none^ox the I or diplomatic neonle I had hond to have a ~ord with* Ar* the Yugos s or did sr stv s'ZXZLZ as*- t^ey nevr s^vft? A bite at Hamburger He-ran and then tn Harda s for coffee and brandy TJl. Au ~~f+C M '/ /wcc^ j. Qdtlji - , Dfidombor 19, 1954 Hern/ Christmas an* Happy New Year. This should be said at one* and most faeiwirz. At least BV Christmas cards are mailed -nd the aoar-tment is in gres disorder as I trv to wren such gifts as I have been able to secure and nut no the hast ^Christmas decorations pending the addition of the "reene erlv in the week befor".unt Annie rmes on Wedneeda". We go to Hollv and Jin. on Friday for Christmas to return on Sunday. On New Year all the family come here f,or lunc^on and the little b-vs are already looking fcrwrrd to having the plum puddxn burn up * Lt weekend I wee with Molly and Jim, "ho rent-, to a darte Gaturdey night a^d I wi - cv,ance t- get along with my Christmas card addressing while the voung sle Bill had his first dr-matic role with a speaking nart in his school pageant whic Frnr'av evening* Fred, who i training for the American Legion Z>flo iSK contest^ eave him - 1-t minute admonition to hold his head ,. and .' , h . v, . Hi r net whet Bill did as Christmas tree in an enchanted fores.* hoys collected^sh'ellB, which have some yet to be discovered connection with Christ- ma s * t o-r.o+ +hflt the 1st "chit-chat" was wonerly dated* It should have been 5 it w=e written at all. whijh-rde were made to four sttr-s s ^sr vcmoemt rmnw,,nie'inittieesos fffoowrr ioothuuitssoxtnaalnyndxminniggnow.r ocrkondfounseioninsweaortleddaKbfvf,raiAarnlsT-n^eeoWdrutecAia.ntivointindgureinvgJereytm hoenerepdwahrfotor u-nnle for vher snecial arrangements had to be made at the last momenx. , e+JLeht Ballroom loW well and van KLeffens was Pleased. He made a very e,,,,a B-eenh in excellent English tracing from the Ice Age the JtJintergration tribute* in the B otnoe-V. n'Xaticoonuanl.itsrmiess , int4h.uEeuSQrot+peoeanil ancndH thHennpl m+oovherd&uoinneie"tfdocxiensgtn e^ ejtyc*oag,,adnauennaatetar a ocnti vaae" muppo_uth ti^istic note for the future* * . . . -ph crhtfullv nice nnd I think he has little to -ecoomend h i m i n aprea-nce. out ' h,,,, cflrried baek to Verv able. His personal assistant .Jonklhe.er Qua ^th-an* I had some pretty The Hague manv American hearts* He was a dream t KLeffens first on the Bticky details to clear -ith himis young, gnoroogdrlaomok, insog tahndathwase cmoousltdastterlaicistuivey manners* Coupled mw-iitthh a groodddd mmaann,, I expect him to far* Mr. man Kief fen* mention of the Ice Age was a--priate, as that was "hatwe -ere during. I went out once to have the air conditioning ^iude heat, a cold and windy night and we shivered, then .gain to made through icv back passages was to have the publicaddress^sy^ ^ turned ?"r a week against having a good cold or fatigued state and Me enm i^sxruggx . nn-eoming Christmas* Then pneumonia and in the process did not. mg uoou ^ ^ grips with Lefty Davies, Tuesday f this 1-st week I went to To-o ten Near East Bob Clifford, Jim Edward and Bill iraum on their weekg,,I,m in to see they get nationals and twelve Asians each .or e _ visdt. Taxie took care of me in the the red carpet- in the tor cities tney v. Ugheon for two hours in a bad window col* wind and torrents of ram, but I sa . , Thursday morning it was quite tarft. Late Wednesday I startedto loseJny voxce and by Thur^^ , ^ brougt hgoomnee,. soImsitsasyeeddthaet FhoPmAe tBoo/ardcomnteinetuineg10and th, e Bj^aoouutl senlioonn's cocktail party, 1 January 8, 1955 Christmas was particularly fine, while there was no ^snow (statistic show white Christmas once every eight years) a situation which all New York taxi drivers and I applauded, it was tingly cold and crystal clear, Aunt Annie came on the 22nd on a train, which for once was on time and I too was prompt at Grand Central to greet her. We checked the luggage and walked in the home-going-shoppers pjid^vrorkargfc-*thronged streets to see the decorations* Lord and Taylor repeated tne cascade of lights splashing down the ten stories of their front with sprays break ing outward at several points, all white and very effective even from my corner over a mile away. Their famous windows were a series of delicate , spun-sugar-like, scenes of forest glades with dancing fairies--pretty and completely non-religious* Inside more "spun-sugar" angels in a pink and white motif and to me nicer than the past couple of years* This expedition gave me a chance to do seme necessary^buying before dinner at Schraffts Grill to take up time until we could hope to obtain a taxi and go home* The huge Rockefeller Plaza tree was done in yellow and red balloons with lights inside and breathtaking. The approach from Fifth Avenue along tne cnan..e. *>= inhabited bv a host of gold and silfcer five foot angels blowing golds" trumpets-- happily silently. Across the street Sake-Fifth Avenue picked UP the motif and cover ed almost half of its facade with a background of green against which angels were outlined in electric lights and at points of accent clusters of more golden trumpets. The Christmas trees along Park Avenue from 34th to 96th Streets were lights with white and ^olden bulbs, but seemed sparser and more frugal than usual, nevertheless contrib uted to a gay vista. Thursday I went to a very pleasant luncehon Bill Omerod gave for the director of Lever Brothers and his wife, at the Rockefeller santre .luh--65tn Pinnr of the RCA building--handsomely decorated with silver vreatns and gi rui fwas delighted to find John Russell, director of British Information Service on my left and Eustace Seligman (chairman of FPA Board)on my rightj In tne ^ meal Eustace commented on the seating arrangements, which I thought interesting a he considered non-protocol. V/e were ten at a round table, alternated oy sex wit Mr. and Mrs. Hayward (?) opposite one another, Bill and me opposite each ot.ier an the others filling in tne chinks# Friday I did not work, so Aunt Annie and I went to Freeport in time for luncheon* There was a lot of visiting back and forth between Jim's house and Cleve's for delivery of gifts and then the next day to see them* Fred was getting over a nasty allergy induced asthma nicely-caused by spending a morning with a fresh Christmas tree. Bill still believes in Santa Claus, but was no more ecstatic and appreciative of .is i. ,,,.t, than his dder brothers. It did seem that everyone was especially content with the selections they had made for others as well as the gifts they received. Mart a K SSL STjS SS.::L-K/ = . - J . - z z s z z r j r s z - j z , s grsJrs." naybeTut+frmort%mceewort."biathr^'offf^ la^ngitie3 of^ecember 16 pretty well but did not get rid of the bugs which continue to rattle around now I plan to really pull out of this as I am doing a great juggling act in t X a* working on special speak^ tours of v ^ lengh o f * , e n d a Sir Pierson Dixon to tne South, transcontine ta the real work on the Feb.16 ^"jJSC-r85^-*" -rt' -- TM relaxation f o r me and a summer trip to Europe * Prdbablv 110 chit-ohat next weekend# Either I go to Freenort, or the little bove come bene# Molly & Jim -wrt to go to Wrorawille on Saturday. . NUWJ.nwiy 16, 1955 t t X (i T L &Li -- MtxCye understand# Having been born in Chine she has some language and knows that the interpreter faithfully report.ee her ~nd sensing from the Generalissimo's expression that he understood much of her "^nglisb anywev, she knows that this truth at least had been previously reported to him# TJavin~ dispelled that "mvth", she hd bv implication removed the other two accusations from the min^r of the listeners--at anv r+e no one challenged her on them in the ouestion oariod* She reports 'u9 government 5n Formosa as excellent end f'lle" .lib feel to meke the regime there so fine that the reonle on the M~inlarT will want the some , and by popular demand insist that all China benefit. Chiang told her he felt the onlv wav we could avoid World War III would be to give him a little help in 1 ogistice very soon--he d5.d not want men o** air rower, she w s funny in her descriptions of Mrs# Svghman Rhea, n Auatri n with a highly developed Senae of how to be difficult, Kh*e is a man of great wisdom but a very stubborn old man<* y.agevnv ie being an excellent president in +he Philippines and bridging the dangerous gulf between the nrivelaged rich and the worse than unpriveleged poor* He loves American isms and liberallv alts his conversation with "Bv gollv" and "It's terrific!" U Nu in Burma hd a Teat impression on her--but she could not go 15 miles outside of Rangoon to impact a demonstration farm she was interested inc..much too dangerous# olfi friend* of Mr# and Mr-. John Footer Dulles *aw them this week mhen he wa in tcrn to sreak for the YWCA# Ai1 gree that degsrite the Pace he has never looked better--the answer seems to be that he is at laet doing the thing he has wanted all his life and loving rrrv minute of it# Kerd all about a small,new graduate center The Johns Hopkins University is aTMtr\biisbing at the University of Boiogna with guaranteed financing for* "-ye vears anj plans for ^>0 students. Thev open in March with four faculty and ten students--excellent scholarship and fell shir provisions for students half of whom are to be European r,J ' l" Verier.n# My ertswhile collegue C Grove Haines has ''one fri ghtfu1 l.v well fon himself in setting it up and making the Directorship his own* Thursday night Gerry 8: I went to the Club for the Montae*'s Spanish dance & guitar program. f)hg - ti-ticU.^ ^ fi9c,f ^ January If, 1955 people remark that this1 is a mild winter. I differ. It has oeen colder than average* there has been much high wind* though it has been notable ior little suow or aleetc Probably, we "hall soon be told that without snow in the watershed area we shall be sho^t of water* Never do I recall so many mornings when there has aooared a thin dusting of snow over evertliing a^te1"* an evening of brilliant stars* Last Saturday morning it was a little deeper, roads were icy and the weather reports warned motorists to stay at home. I had gone to Freeport the previous evening expecting to let Dr. Bird have his annual look --he had an emergency nd ao no stethoscoping--and alo to se to Fred and Bill while Molly and Jim went to Bronxville for an afternoon and ve*sg ning. The radio warnings changed all that so I just had a nice change and a lot of fun with the bovs. Andre Philip, a former member of the French cabinet, a Socialist and economist, ftrr5-.red on 17th in fine form* After many years in the Chambre of Deputies he is now on the National Economic Council and much better for it-- always vigorous he is now less nervous and more willing to laugh* He maintains tnat so far all the Mendes--France economic reforms are things he (Philip) recommended in a report to the Socialist I arty six months ago* Since they also approve of the North African policy they support him but only so long as he carries out the Socialist program* Philip thinks they will vote him out ab^ut Easter. Philip mistrusts Mr-F, is violently opposed to the suggested changes in the electors.! laws, which would abolish political parties, ano ^ sarns for a 15^ devaluation of the franc, onl^ to be achieved by a new Minister of Finance, vtiio could say "this may hurt, but the policies of my predecessor were so wrong that it is necessary." On the broader scene he is an enthusiastic European Union man and sees technical assistance to underdeveloped countries as the major hope of ultimate world peace. This morning I spent a few hours in the office in a vain effort to bring a little order to my desk. Too many special projects and priority requests to keep correspon dence and data about one from drifting into the collection of another. The dinner for Dulles, February 16, builds nicely, over 500 paid reservations in last night* I was^ a little confounded after five yesterday when the State Department called me to ask if they might have a guest list and also know who would sit at the Speakers Table. V/e worked out a schedule of when they could know which seemed to satisfy and to appease I sent a list of the people v/ho had ordered tables of ten and of those invited on the first round to the Speakers Table. One of my weekend assignments is to dream up a further list of the illustrious to be honored with such invitations* Late yesterday afternoon, when I had already reached the almost-numb stage, Bob Clifford called me to announce that the Egyptian on the Near East Mission had been arrested in connection with an anti-Israeli plot andsome one else had defected and would I please think over the week end of the disireability of telescoping the Near Eastern and Asian groups into one nd having them hold to the second schedule. Although I have twisted the arms of a lot of friends to get them to accent the responsibility--and prestige--of sponsoring thesA groups on the dates dictated to them and shall therefore be on a couple of very slender limbs, it would simplify life for me to have this consolidation, after I have made the necessary explanations and in some cases substitutions of talent for late Feb ruary and early March. I have a long complaint about Allport drawing off the young man I had just trained to do my transcription for three weeks to handle the Dulles reservations, leaving Miss Lusk and me to use the services of the "transcription pool". But I shall not bore you with that, since I am too busy engage in the proper politics in the office to protect my own department. All of this and the pace confirms my de termination to take at least six weeks holiday this summer and go abraod to forget the whole thing. Like everyone else I am very concerned about the Formosa situation and can only hope that we can be circumspect for the next ew months, avoid open conflict with the Red Chinese and ultimately be in a stronger position. Last night I dined with Maria and Hank and saw the half finished lovely portrait she has done of a Pennsylvania matron and her daughter. "Desiree" in cimemascope on the whole disappointed me Tuesday night. Judith Listowel for dinner tomorrow on wedding* - TcJlt G< ~ l{^^L -T^ - ^ f*.*y ^Mit >C February 6, 1955 Often when I am working under venr high pressure I misplace things--ring, keys or seme article of clothing to say nothing of ear-rings* This time I have gone in for a series of break-ges-*-a couple of cups, a dinner plate* one of 'my favorite initialed glasses, two old Canton small plates so far* But the Dulles dinner is now over a thousand cashcustomers. Yesterday I bought a very soft mauvish pink dress with a black velvet belt and big rhinestone buckle. It is mixture of cotton and nylon full cocktail length skirt, very simple and I think it will be enormously useful No one however, will accuse me of overdressing for this party, Monday was bitter cold and the Christofo Colombo bearing the new Italian ambassador as well as Margot Burbidge pushed its way through the ice floes to dock on time. She had little luggage, although she has left France for good, but a lot of business to transact on the pier about going 011 to Montreal. Poor dear, she is far from well and was exhausted by the time I got her here to rest. Alas, the coffee she wanted even more than the hot consomme I insisted she take kept her away so that she did not sleep while I was back at the office. We had a quickly prepared dinner here and off to the sleeper to Montreal# She has written of her safe arrival there, though because of zero weather and snow they were two hours late in arriving there. The groundhog could not have seen his shadow hereabout--but I am not at all sure spring is upon us I Fortunately I reached the office at 8:30 on Wednesday and so answered the phone ten minutes later when Robert Valeur telephoned from Washington that his plane had been cancelled# He had talked his way into space on anothex flight and suggedted I keep in touch with Eastern Airlines to see how $564 was making out. The first inquiry revealed it had left Washington and was due at 11:13 at Newark, but that both LaGruardia and Idlewild had been closed nd only Newark was open in the then four Inches of snow and strong w^nd. This meant that $564 might have to cruise indefinite!v to land, if they did not go straight 011 to Boston, By this time manv of the 100 ladies exrecti ng to hear him g^aalc t luHeheon had ic"* ep oned that the st err-, ves too much for them to brave end T began to think of wvp to core with his non-erneerence# ^ The daily chores had to be nccomolished though, so there was not much time for agonizing. ,.a. ri!"V he t mad un at 12:10 complete!" exhausted and ver- much disturbed at havi ng his left hie beloved cocker spaniel in the ct of delivering rumies, He made a first rat speofv with ver"" nice tributes to the FPA and unnevefjae ry references to me, all this in of tho fact he was deeply troubled at the impending fall of Mendes-France. Fifteen minutes after T hd started cooking the luidr" dinner, Judith Listowel telephoned she thought she might be catching cold nd would not come. However, on Wednesday she did appear when I was only naif exrecting her and got a much less good meal. She brought me a rieoe of Deirdre's wedding cake and a lot of pictures# The child made - stunning bride and Johnny Grantley is verv attractive looking, though arpsars younger than he is. Her gown, high necknecked, long sieved was ver" severe. She carried white hyacinths and camellias, wore a mr gnif: i. diamond txarra l^aned^ for the occasion and beautiful earrings, no other jewel rv# A bitter cold cut the rpcor,tion to 700. I hate to think what champagne and stuff cost for tnat number! Some one 1oarad a completely equipped rut si f. c house at Kitsbuhl for the three week honeymoon, where the" having a fine time skiing with a lot m friends who are nesrbv. They have taken a house two blocks from Judith in London, where they will no doubt be verv social with the gey, young peori of the Princess Margaret set. The two Town groups have been merged on s new time table and I'm deer in advising twenty cities how to alter their plans. Kansas City is diamoved at the s w i t c h a n d ha. caused. g o o d d e a l o f f u s s . N o d o u b t t h e m e il- i,r next HeenWile another bell has bn W JjMv "n$e ed February llt 1955 Bulletin About eleven this morning Molly called me to say that Jim was on hie way hack to Freeport and that they would then both drive at once to Port Jefferson, shout five miles from Stony Brook, Jay has had a cold and sore throat and suddenly d##e### developed serious abdominal pain# The school doctor recommended isumediate surgery for appendicitis, Molly consulted the family physician, wno felt that time was more important than the surgeon, and Jay was to he taken from school to the Port Jefferson Hospital by ambulance* As Bill has chickenpox Martha was holding the fort at 137 Miller with that patient, wnile ene and Jim were away, Martha says she has had it three times already so we all hope she does not catch it was Bill, iYan has a had cold# It was warm this morning., hut getting colder all the time. (2 below zero in St. Louis when I called there about noon--forgot to ask how Idaho was when they called right after luncheon.) *** *** fhe Dulles dinner htilds like crazy, with so many Ambassadors and other officials that the Protocol Officer of the US Mission to the TJK, with whom I wanted to check a few things whistled and said ;Say, you have a jobl With that combination you are bound to wound sensitive feelings^ 'lhe Speech will be delivered before about 1800 people and than he will police escorted to the Dumont studio for A re reading on IT at ten o'clock. Just what sort of a floor show we are going to put on to make the cash customers feel they have had their money's worth is yet to be determind, I have just called Molly. Jay is in the MA'XhSB MSIQEIAL HOSPITAL, Port Jefferson, Mew York. In the end the school nurse drove hira over in her car. fie had chest pains last night, but first abdominal pain this morning !fbe school infirmary acted well and promptly, The real)? delay was occasioned by the fact that the head surgeon at K&ther was tied up. fie had Jay sent to the operating room at 2 and he was wheeled back at 2:^5. The surgeon said it was an acute apeadix, very swollen, very black and gangrenous. fits blood count was fine end the prognosis excell ent. Molly liked hospital and staff enormously. It is possible Jay may move to Martha's in four or five days and then go home when the good thorough case of chickenpox permit. Bill showed spots on Wednesday night, tomorrow afternoon Molly will go to visit Jay and I'll call in the evening. They feel that the school nurse, faculty and boys will visit Jay and he will not be unduly lonely during his hospital stay, even if they keep him a week when they expect to remove the stitchee. fie is on intravaneous feeding now to avoid nausea or something. Shall keep you posted. 'jJk XJi e A tfcc 'is February 12, 1955 There is nothing effete about this family. Thursday Bill developed a first clas; case of chickenpox and i...s_ thoroughly covered with "bumps" even inside his mouth But sciencoe iiss wwoonnddeerrffuull ., ffor Jbiea+twwepenm somethingw he_ takes internally an_d lotion for his outside, he hardly itches at all. (Well, I remraeber having it mth my left leg in ai cast luineda wiixthn lxaammbos wool anda bBeeiinng told I must not scratch except on top of 1the cast or in my hair--a silly permission--lesst scars be left.) Friday Jay had a--n e~TMm'er gency appendectomy at the Mather Memorial Hospital in Port Jefferson. _ He Yhad just g"o.tt. en o" ver a coIldI an...dM sore tXh"U r--o~ _a4t- a~ n^dM! slept "bK^aAd1lyU from -PVA>YI chest ^VIRACS-F paiM nsA,. which WILL R.H eA Aarly in the morning changed to.severe abdominy pain. He dressed, announced to hie roommate^ that he had appendicitis ana.was going to ^eit o a uble in that direction, says (Pretty canny for almost fifteen, who Ihad vr tad w r oonsulta. the doting god-mother.) The nurse and school doctor agreea a rr.ass sr. ss.^-rs; trs rsrsaarst tion with the family doctor agreed that time was important. Jim went hack from New for. account of germs at home, or he may go to Clave and Martha's for a few days. . _a dJ.a,y, oo rr ttwwoo o01f boeeaauutiful sun and c ompa 13 r,a tively thig warn morn iwn ge,,a tahnedr , dnriavtuinr e g nsnaosw gone very robust too. Strong . ~ irs s sawr to be dissipated by the wind and very of snow had fallen in a ccoupl.s o ^ ^ lanalord to give us heat which had been abandonee ie - QJ U , T-inroln's Birthday--and no today> but they stuck to their guns tha- i was a; h liday risk of" taking a heat. It seemed better to bring a lot of stuff home than ^ ^ ^ n fifty cold now. I spent two hours this fer talkiBg to Eustace and getting him to dgoaiaslognugeswtsi,thanHdasaon^,hryosrtuinng01thepiafrcon. gt table with m miillleess.oonn hhiis. right and t n e ^ Mi nister host of External Affairs (Pearson of ^.naaa) - Leslie Munro/ who holds the dual posts at the next row with Mrs. Dulles on 1ax. right far taslle ^ ^ ^ ^ j was of Ambassador both to .feshington ana ^ tin,uished p90ple I had to use as "end men", very happy about everytting excepts o ^ ^ worried ali day and was afraid About five o'clock Eustace tele^-iope . .... '-T, I!e listened to my reasoning of establishing ^n^Ad hAhb^nover ^ now'the seat values have to be redrawn and the oO resealeu. Wednesday 1 went out for a drink to celebrate John Nason' party, had some dinner and ^^^^'^^ontinental trip for the free sneaker it was /:30 and once ..-J. -- _ * . a (propagandist) from the City nd wera a^nd and understand!^ as e > "d it vrr wonderful to spend ten or eleven hours out h each 24 m bed instead of in the office* The weather was kind to me, vie walked a little, inspected Lie xxeu and a half acre lake they have created, admired the herd of Angus cattle, enjoye pxcellent food end good talk* Sunday evexng we were joined by Mexsie s second son. Frosier^hiswife Susie and two young friends of theirs. They had started the weekend at a fabulous ski place at Davis, West Virginia, where a natural bowl starts collecting tveirtv feet of snow early in November, However a rise in temperature to too/o na thawed the surface to an ua-sHweble condition by late Saturday* Jim does not approve Of mv tempo of life and suggests that 7 live -dth them and has o.iered either to me be his secretary in the Department of Pathology at the U. of Va* Medic- Sch ol o_ Secret O-P the Angus Breeders Association of Albemarle County* It would oe a novel & me +.0 w-ite biogr-nMe* Of bulls, cows and heifers for sale instead of speakers Nat nnlv mv devotion to Kaisie and Jim and joy in their mountains and way o, li-e but nnno-'snce at some of my collegues make this suggestion very tempting, oo '--..en . .... off- end gc in on Saturday as I did yesterday, it X want to, -nd not a cause for sympathy. Hxss Lusk is sir **,:. p " . jvidav T discover"'" that e'-a had rut Dr. Wriston on a tram iron Atlanta to ?LhU>45 to 5 .m Which only carrier ^eFSfrty. ^mightlFnT^^n* ^MTndMn ?c tear McteM Tucker in only NY concert. Ot 7-** of pussy-willows and peach branches are visions of loveliness The peach blooms started to come out last Sunday and are today at their peak. The recipe for forcing blossoms long before they are ready may be had for the asking! This lies been a lively week with two twelve hour dffice days* Hiss Lusk did not return until Wednesday and on Monday Dr. Wrist on went to the hospital with a bad flu virus. With his pneumonia tendency his wife and I agreed to hold everything "until tomorrow's which turned out to be Thursday noon before he agreed to carry out his transcontinental tour. Since the plan called for an opening soeech tomorrow in Philadelphia and stops in ten other cities between here and the coast, travel agencies declined to undertake the securing of transportation and hotel reservations. Through Herculean effort we coped ourselves and managed to deliver the bulk of the bedroom and roomette space, the transportation tickets and the memorandum of vhat they do and when Friday night. I did fall back on Phillippe of the Waldorf-Astoria to do most of the hotels for me, but the last letter I had from him offered such service. Wriston will travel with wife and secretary. As the Near Fast-Asia mission arrives a week from today we had to do another mailing to the 22 cities these people go to. Just after I had OKed the letter for Friday*s mailing about 11 ofclock Bob Clifford telephoned to say Brohi of Pakistan had found that he would be involved in a political lav/suit he had instigated in Karachi and could not come and H,RPH Princess Abida Sultan would come instead. By working until after 6*30 we managed to get the letter and correction with Biographical material on the princess into the mail, but that made me late for a cocktail party at Maria's that Judith Listowel was giving to pay back her New York obligations!? Bill Onnerod, whom I had especially wanted to see,had come and gone. Sir Pierson Dixon, who starts today for three speeches in the Deep South for me, was to have been there but Had to speak at the special session of the Security Council on Egypt-Israel flare-up. However, I had a nice time* Baron de Bessenyey/ told me a lovely story* Last June in Geneva Chou En Lai confessed to Malenkov that he wb* fearful he did not know how to act t the dinner parties to which he had been bid* LHlenkov replied "Oh, it is very easy. Act as you would at any dinner, just chew and lie." Tibor Ekhart and Robert Smallwood (Lipton Tea) were there, but I lost my heart to rn enchanting young Hungarian who had just arrived from Rio de Janeiro for a brief stay. He was caonr the eiy t or nine who stayed on for consomme, a seafood casserole with green np^s end s"lod, cake and coffee served in the studio, so 1 really had a chance to talk with him* When I reached home I found a letter from Mrs. Harris in Paris^answering mine from Virginia. She reports that as LeT*'r'(r has to go to Soein earlv in June he has a Spanish friend to procure a small house with a guest poom there* They propose that I join them there and if dates work out right, tT sy would motor me beck to Paris. I must needle the travel agent to see what he has done about sn.m soaoe for me. is 1 have never been to So"in this is verv intriguing. jpv has made an excellent recovery from his appendectomy, been back at school for s week and reports by telephone to his mother that he fee"1 a ire. ./hen -ill returner] to school, he found only a, quarter of the class there tne rest, enjoying flu or chickenpox. Our weather continues mixed a springlike day followed by a couple o stinkers as yesterday and today-'-.high und d: t"t end raining* The State Department hrs no-- given the Dulle<= speech for F.F.A.^-MJS. Policies -in the Far- East" I did not know that they hac. so much honesty. I'd love^to know how r-ed his face got when the Ling of CamWle resigned the day after talking with Dulles I , flB i, ~S O+Tj th^, y, . /' - f. Js|; , 'Toh ll, 1955 To my unutterable relief Dr. Wriston and party got off on schedule Monday and -eer to h-ve progressed without incident to Her Orleans by nor. ihtura^l./ things have picked up on the Near EaetAsia Fission this week and I have abased to art "v with one twelve hour day and two at ten hours. Perhaps there -would , g been m0re longer davs had I not gone to a cocktail artv at the ocandinavian American Foundation for Hans Hirechfeld, just arrived from Berlin and making a ; ;ne,,s,:c, I fixed up--since he is "for Free" program chairman snapped " V ' '-'1+ little --n T enioved talking with him. Cottage cheese mounded rts^ydth a slice of radish stuck in for decoration. Sen X commented on them to Mslithgow Osborn, president of the Foundation, he Mid that was a Danish notion. Forth remembering. Wednesday I r-tipped of c.qn + n meat the new Trench Ambassador de Kurville at a ' -non ^rger ' . 4.* t em not sure I like him Hansom Baldwin, Military ana- E rof^rww YORK TBES, fetched me a drink and then depressed me by saying he t-invf J"restate Me strength of the Sad Chinese-all I could think of hew^u^ Beldvan was in the summer of 1939 TZ Z, t m ^-PvaQ-iri Mno is s verv able man supported bv rutinpb a tteermmiiinndaTPpeorl el It" now se,,ems blunder when he_ returned .from PoD ueiipteinccl^ e-uav"r ithV a+t-oHkt"?aiv>m'l"fm.tahree,khjo Aorlmdt emrtiicamdanee aPress aB0. into Hfcs story his confidence immediately 1 " *rot be returned to the OH since Red China is i%tl?^eSr^frthon!IN. 5-My'Mould "not be turned over to USA autohorities^ since we do 'not reoovn^e Bed dne, '^^^eS^tativw'of' parents. fp-^-.-.nerhs'os his brain is too* Tomorr-w I be- my personal involvement with the Town Hall Mission Peonte who hove now arrived from countries ranging from Sgyrt eastward to Japan. Le.t/ MieB of lom Hall and his wife, Martha Hill, the_daneer, are tevins all^f^ visitors, members of the Town Hall M piMMis Mndav for me but I feel I must 2.irw i--uMrrro^i 5 the members of the Mission better. Monday^da t.T to"'both, "llmv'poorleskf'tdle^VM onlMihvoMM with them when severely ^ ,,ur Off-^e^oo^o^s l^cheon. ^MMes the street to the fe^use'. ' -Mf'our building f;ere 1. takes them 43 over the weekend sndk then ^ ^ days of balmv, springlike tather, which I accent for themselves without arv confidence that winter is ^vero Nancv Mitford's -Mads** Pocpadour" ksn^me court 7ll* * a. kittle vath manner she , " n,,d am reading his autobiography. XV. Now I have returned to Ant onv .ro novels at the H. dRqcribes his mother as an "old lady "'lien she oeg se of 55--yet shp published 144 before her death March 26, 1955 It was lovely to see all the family again at Freeport last weekend, the small "boys have grown in the two.months since I was last there and Jay, home from Stony Brook on his soring holiday is bouncing hack from his aopendectomv well. Aunt Annie was with Martha and Gleve and we got soasmodicallsc once accidentally when we converged on Jones Beach at the same time and saw the He de France and another ship drop over the horizon. The Friday snow melted under a ^H.lliant sun, but the only signs of spring were crocii, pussy willows and bloom on the red bud maolee. Bill developed a temperature and was kept in bed Sunday. On Wednesday morning he got out of bed and found he could not walk. He started to cry and called out "Mommy, I can't v/lk. I'm crippled. I have polio." Where he, not yet seven, picked up the idea we do not know, but Dr. Bird rushed down and assured everyone that it was e temporary paralysis caused either by asperin or a wonder drug. He is fine today. Bird checked me on Friday night and has given me a new tonic, I just hope I can remember to take these giant capsules, which were acauired vesterday. Tuesd^v, when Aunt Annie came to town for two nights with me, it teemed min and blew great guns--almost like hurricane weather, in ough colder. With the uncanny skill of an out of towner she picked up two seats for a sweet, fresh musical comedy about the Amish country of Pennsylvania called "Plain and Fancy", which we greatly enjoyed Wednesday night. On Monday a barage of telegrams from Zionist organizations began to flood into Town Hall. Two of the Arabs members of the Mission had given anti-Israel answers to questions at a seminar in Princeton and the thing I have dreaded began. Although FPA was not included I had to rush over and work with Left Davies on the wording of the replies and a statement for the press on Wednesday afternoon and kept poor Aunt Annie waiting at the Cosmopolitan Glub almost half an hour for her dinner. By Fri day I got a bleat from Bob Clifford with the Mission in Chicago that it seeme d to be a organized movement on the part of the Zionist organizations on the one hand , while on the other the American Friends of the Middle East a pro-Arab and antiZionist group was acting up. All I can do is try to calm the overexcited and keep the people on the rest of the itinerary alerted, without alarming them, of possible difficulties. In the midst of them Chester Bowles begs me to organize a tour for Mme. Pandit, Dr. Wriston runs out of money in California, and my trnascriptionist falls prey to intes-tinal flu. Bowls is just back from Africa and India very both ered about the way things are drifting end our friends are moving away from us. Yes, it has been a busy week but we succeeded in /{getting out a mediocre issue of SAS. Thursday I took time out to lunch with Judith Listowel end discuss tactics for her return next autumn. Cholly Knickerbocker has put in his gossip column that she will marry a Bostonian--a man she has not even seen in the lemost two months she has been here. She is through her lectures and having a social whirl, promised to come here for two hours tonight and have some dinner between a wedding reception and a late cocktail party. She turned up when I had finished my drink and was doubting if I could "hold" dinner longer, and stayed 45 minutes. In case you are interested in Princess Margaret Rose--Thompson was practically a part of the Roval family through his duties from the time she was 12 or 13. He is 16 years her senior. As a child she dogged his footsteps and at the time of the Coronation she told her mother that he was the only man she would ever marry. The Queen Mother asked her to wait until she was 25 and if she felt the same, they could be married. Mrs. Harris writes from Paris that she and Larry will soon go to Spain and I am to join them there when and for as long as I'll stay. Meanwhile the travel agent admits this is a fuller-than-ever season, they are only trying to get space on a variety of ships for me because I am an old client, that they can make no promises and the one thing in my favor is that I am a single woman. Next week I shall look into a UN charter flight, despite my preferrence for a surface crossing, and keep honing that the agent pulls a berth out of the confusion. /?(?$, *7*c, Hi/,, ^ Easter , 1955 At last spring has come with balmy breezes today and daffodils bursting out all over to supplement the crocuci (t) and grape hyacinths which were lovely la st weekend when I was vith Martha and Cieve. As we entered church after the choir and sat in the balcony, 1 ought? to be able to tell what was being worn this Easter from that vantage point, but I must beg off* The reredos was a mass of Easter lillies and very lovely* It was the third serviceand both the rector and the assistant were plainly tired. Glevee was crucifer at the seven o'clock service when Martha and 01eve went and also Jim and Fred-- the latter so they could go to Stony Brook to pick up Jay and get him back in time tc go with Molly and me at eleven* .ill had an intestinal "virus, so our projected family trip to snatch Jay from school and take him out for dinner had to be altered last night. Last Saturday afternoon two of Fran's bridesmaid gave her a baby shower-- a complete surprise to her and she got some lovely loot. She ana 3al had come for luncheon and it was a sunny lazy sort of day, so we ate in the garden and she was so relaxed that we had a dreadful time getting rid of her in time for the party. But it was a weather breeder sort of day and Sunday was chill and disagreeable. By the time I got home I had four degrees of temperature and a first class grippe. In fact I did not unpack except my dresses as I was not sure the bag would be handy the next day to go to the hospital. Phoned the office to give a few instructions and have them telephone Jud th to break my dinner engage ment for that night--and heard that she had flown to London in response to a cable that one of the family had had an accident. Maria knew a little more about the departure in the driving rainon Sunday and suspected that it was not serious (as it subsequently turned out to be the case). 1 slept and suffered and decided not to go to the hospital. By 2 a.m. Wednesday the fever broke and we had several hundred kids on a UN trip with a program and '75 ladies tor a luncheon I went to the office "for a few hours" and worked like a demon from nine to five--when I could not get a taxi and had to come home by bus. My lightheadedness on Thursday was not helped when it developed that we might do a big luncheon or dinner on a week's notice for Adlai Stevenson--he would cell us on Firday or Saturday. I telephone Molly that it is folly to tnink oi going to her on Friday as planned and she will learn the next day if I can go there at all. Various ballrooms were lined up and other lines laid for fast action and then as many other projects were pushed along in case were to be left dangling for a week. By half past twelve on Friday we found that Stevenson had decided to make a radio speech only, but by that time I was beyond going to any ja rt of the Good Friday three hour serviceo This whole thing with Stevenson disturbs me profound ly. X had been tioped off two weeks before that unless Eisenhower was clear about Far Eastern policy at his luncehons with Senate and House leaders, tnere would have to be a Democratic Party statement. Stevenson's shilly-shallying makes me fear he is not a man who knows his mind or who can make a decision. So, phoosy on him. Then this seems to reveal the depth and width of the breach in the party, and the growing split between the supporters of Stevenson and Barriman. Since I fear the latter is so completely apolitical that he does not eitner realize how Tammany Hall is using him, or what Tammany might lead to at the national level, the prospect of his developing strength disquiets me even if the presidential conventions are fifteen months away* Tomorrow I have two delicate Speakers Bureau personnel matters to cope witn, so I had better go straight to bed now to handle them as bext I can. 7C - Im t, f... ^ JsidiCy M*T>r &A1/ CL#* April 17, 1955 Complete change of ja.ce this weekend# Yesterday I did a few erro.nds, in cluding buying Jim's birthday present--a mere six week's post facto# Collecting Fred from the Penn Station I discovered that the journey had made him feel as if he had not had luncheon at home, so we came here to leave his bag and have a quick snack# We then rushed around to see the Blue Hill Troupe--a remarkable amateur group founded in 1924 and devoting itself to Gilbert & Syllivan^ their record of having produced all thirteen opera.6 has not been matched by any profess ional company, This year's offering was " Utopia, Limited" a seldom performed work laid in the South Sea islands--where the king wishes to remodel his king dom on the pattern of "that great and glorious country called Great Britain"# There are all the usual cracks about Victorian England though the music is not as tuneful as that of some of the better known Gilbert and Sullivan# However the performance was done with skill and zip and provided a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon# The Legal Aid Society reaped the benefit of the five performances and should have done well for itself# Needless to say the house had liberal smll fry representation--and one had the sense that all the under fifteen children and neices and nephbws and cousins of the cast were on hand* Fred and I dropped in on Aunt Mary on the way home. She had been to the Wednesday evening perfor mance. Bill is all right, but it seemed too much for him to come to town for overnight, so Anne Pittendrigh sat in his seat# The announcement of the value of the Salk anti-polio vaccine this week is fr: r& the beat news so far o 255* Cvcti- 3ulp abbyv> ttit".A ; f no p; c K o r, ' r evil c w to ttrmpii ny 11 c ket traffic in the vaccine and therefore it is unnecessary to make an# arrangements for control of the supply seems too pollyannaishly niave# Our transmission ox fcne lormula to a~l countries of the world which we recognize is certainly enlightened self-interest* I am glad the administration announced its plan to do so immediately# Monday night I was too tired to listen to Stevenson's speech, but I understand, the poor mari^ had a dreadful cold rnd was painfully in poor voice# wermainly the speech itself was one of his less inspired efforts* I am delightted that we were not involved inknocking ourselves out to give him a plat-orm i.: j.nursday we had an office buffet luncehon for Carolyn Martin because oi her retirement. jH went well and she and everyone else we re pleased with the gold kilittnauer bracelet watch my committee and I selected as the staii parting gift# My paxt ox^the office is a mess--Hettwer, my administrative secretary v.ho is a psycopathic case^ furious at me because I tald her that I again had to rate her unsatisfactory in the semiannual merit review. Jim the transcriptionist for Miss Lusk and me is at swords point with Lusk, who compleins to me at her difficulty with /am* .^anuhile he has polished apples with Allport, who telle me Lusk is rude and overbearing io Jim and that it is ut> to me to straighten out the mess* Actually our, is a fritter Of time, le.*v and feel# himself quite above the job he is doxng-which he beeped for. Tf Hettwer does rot repign in another couple of weeks I am going to have to fire her. Should Jim resign, I could not care less, but it is clear to r-r that Mloort thinks he is ginger-neschy and should be kept on toe staff r a.. cost Hit it"an, 7 alec kno Alport would, love to have - resignation and I suspect Miss Lusk's as reU. Sweet little mess. Havin, both ., ,, jnp, +Vip qpme dav this year was Teh too^d S^dev'd exemption caused that I W excused tax though it. IMokiM oMr my ^ 1 red copy itSoWingM-s be pAHow but not subtracted. --HeHone over T - f jJJ h f Anril 23, 1255 Those who like coring may have it with ray compliments* The enervating first warn days, the rapid changes from wet to dry and hot to cold -are very taxing; when I am tired anvwav* Filially I took the bull by the horns and nut down my money on a KLM charter flight through the United Nations to le*ve for Amsterdam on June 14th and arriving back on July 22* I'll take an extra week holiday and still have a few days to >-est up before and after the flights. Had I ,not slept so late this morning I would have gone down town to see what I could trun up in the way of transport to Madrid, London and on to Amsterdam. I wish now I had not given UP Spanish in college at the middle of the first semesterl This week we had an evening meeting--small and informal with Albert Goore, the 44 year old Belgian vice president of the European Coal and Steel Community. He seven children speaks six languages and is a most attratctive man with a solid enthusiasm for European unity, believing that one must take the tools at hand and work in whatever limited manner possible while striving for Utopia* The six nations of the Community have pioneered in international cooperation and sure ly have bettered their respective industries in so doing. It is interesting that Great Britain has changed it attitude from one of aloof approval to the point of having official observers at the High Authority headauprters in Luxembourg and a Coal and Steel mission or something in London. 'Can this presage another member ? The Board meeting Thursday was harmonius and constructive, with All^ort remain ing discreetly silent this time. Nason even asked ma to report on the Near East- Asia mission, now practically through its tour. After 36 vears on the staff Carolyn Martin made her last appearance wearing a white orchid from the Board which I selected. Mrs. Learned Hand presented - ^erv ttractive gold brooch with diamonds and saphires as a parting token from the Board. (A week before we had a staff luncheon for her at which her loot was a corsage of pink carnations and a Longuine gold wrifet watch, ) After the Board meeting I whipped up to the Metropolitan Club , one of the old, con servative and exclusive men's clubs, for a"diplomatic"reception given by Rahim, the former Egyptian Ambassador to the US snd now observer at the UN for the Arab League and head of the cooperative seven nation Amb Information Office. Every time I talk with him I like him better and Arriving twenty minutes before the. Party was supposed to be over I had a long chat with him. Never having been in the Metropolitan before I was disillusioned, it seemed distinctly shabby and in need of a"new broom"-Though their bartender is most generous in the size drinks he pours, if one Bourbon on rocks may be generalized on. Yesterday I had a very interesting conversation with a man named Roudakoff--US citizen born in Russia and at the time of the Revolution in the Imperial Cadet School. The British evacuated the whole school to one of the islands of the Medeterranean and then to Egypt, The last eight and a half years he has been in Berlin with the U0S Military command there as chief of liaison and protocol. He must have given the Russians a rough time, though they never admitted, they knew him to be a White Russian they let drop enough for him to realize they had a more complete dosier on his father and his career as an officer of the Czar that Roudakoff and his sister knew. He is convinced that many of the good Communist Party members entrusted with big jobs in Berlin have grave doubts about the al'ways-rightness-of-the-party line laid down in Moscow. Often arguing with him over long periods of time as though trying to con vince themselves, rather than him, how fine different points really were. He is writing a book about it now and I have a suspicion that he finds the writing rather hard sledding. Monday night I take the sleeper to Washington for a two day stay and shall spend Tuesday night at the Willard with the members of the Near East Asia mission. I have much to find out from them about the 22 organizations which hosted them in as many cities and also a good many chores for the FPA to do. If Eisenhower receives them on Wednesday afternoon, I think I'll tag along for a close-up look of him and of the refurbished White House, May 1, 1955 April had the grace to go out with sun and pleasantly warm weather, pre tending that it had been a good month. There was a chill drizzle when I left New York Monday night and there was a chill drizzle when I arrived in Washington. The taxi driver assured me it had been like that most of the month and they had not seen the sun in over a week. However as I lboked out on the Maryland woods as I dressed on the train I saw dogwood scattered about, like fairies dancing in the forest. At various points, especially in the approaches to the Capitol grounds there were great banks of pink dog wood in full and very profuse bloom -- lovelier than I have ever seen any where. The garden of the Cosmos Club, where I went Tuesday afternoon was charming with azaleas, some tulips and beautiful white iris just flecked with purple. I think this new site of theirs is the former home of Sumner Well*-- at any rate it is e. large and handsome grey stone building with a little land about it at the juncture of Florida and Virginia Avenues. Gontrary to my woret fears the members of the Town Hall Mission were in better shape than I feared after their busy seven weeks across the country and back. No one has had time to tote up the number o? speeches they made, the radio and TV appearances, the receptions and the "hospitality" where they have been taken into homes singly to make friends with Americans. The women from Egypt and Thailand, and the men from Japan, South Vietnam, Indo nesia, India, Irak, Jordan and the Philippines came through all right. How ever they lost at the end of the first two weeks the woman from Pakistan, and the men from Syria, and Turkey. Poor Bob Clifford was the one who showed the strain as he had been general smoother-outer and at the same time whipcraker. We had envisoned this as a two way operation, they would learn about the U.S. and also tell Americans about their countries and regional problems. They themselves deviloped a third angle. Through association they have learned about the countries of their fellows as they went along, become fast friends and expect to keep in touch# This is all very useiul as both the Indonesian and the Iraki will probably be Prime Ministers of their respective countries in the coming elections. At the moment I have a number of invitations to visit distant points. There was a seminar on the Near East Tuesday morning and on the Far East in the afternoon. The luncheon in between was addressed by Assistant Secretary of State George V. Allen, with whom I had a fine talk at &e ate. I also had At few words with his predecessor George McGhee and unfortunately could noG accept his invitation to go out to their house to see his wife and children, whom I have not seen in a very long time. Bob and Togasaki, the publisher of the "Nippon Times", and I walked back to the Wlllard from the Cosmos Club. In my room I found a telegram from Poughkeepsie and a 3lip to call Cincinnati-- both having gotten themselves into messes they wanted me to bail t. em out of After a drink with Bob we went with his sister and Miss hilawan of Thailand, the editor of a magazine in Bangkok for dinner in a Chinese place--not the best Chinese food 1 have ever eaten. The waiter was startled when I suggested chop sticks and after long absence produced two pair. Back at the hoxel 30b interviewed Miss Nilawan on Pier reaction--what she liked and what she didn'T# Had a glimpse of Mrs. Woodrow Wilson--no longer the statesque figure one pictures but rather dumpy. Too late to bed. Bob and I started talking at 8 in the morning over breakfast and were joined by "Lefty" Davies--the head of Town Hall--, Bill Traum--producer of Town Hall of the Air and Jacqueline Alden--their publicity agent to settle the form of the evaluation dinner tiiat night at the Army and Navy Club. Alden and I arranged the seating for the luncheon at which several Senators and Con gressmen and people from State Department were coming. Then I telephoned like mad on my problems. After luncheon to State to see Mr. Dulles as Ike was busy. Monday they had several hours with Nixon# The tour ended with the dinner A'BS TUL^J S*JL<*r , Kay 1> 1955 . , h +he er-ce to go out with sun end pleasantly warm weather, pre tending teat it had been a good month. There was a chill^riz^e ^0^ ^ left Hew York ilondny night and tee re was a chxll drxzzle w^e ^ ^^ Washington. The taxi s8 e e it ^ j Uoked month and they "r ' drewed on the train I saw dogwood scattered out on the Maryland \100do - ' Q+ + various points* especially about, like fairies ^ncing in v.^or^ ^ of pink dog. in the approaches lo t..e C..; iovalier than I have ever seen any- wood in full and very profuse bloom -- lo..el _ . d afternoon was where, tee garden of the Cosmos Cluo, where X ea ^ charming with azaleas, some "V?1" It g"te former hone of Sumner Weill-- ^ h a t A f i f r * Z T ^ -- TM stone building with a little land about1it at the juncture of Florida and Virginia Avenues. Contrary to my ^rt few. the ~ibere "better shape t. r.n I J.eared *.it - -- . and back. Ho one hoe had time to the radio and W appewanoee, the reoep.i<8. '^osf the''country f speeches they made, "hospitality" where ^^Americans. The they have been taken 10 l0"1 "" ' fr0# jqpaii, South Vietnam, Indo- women from Egypt and teailand, sod ^^in^e^e terou.-jn all rig*. ow- nosia, India, Irak, Jordan and the from Pakistan, ever they lost at the end of Li.e ii. s end the men from Syria and Turkey. Poor^ob Clifford was 1 ho showed the strain as he had been general they would learn craker. Me had envisoned this as a two way operat- regional about the U.S. and also tell Americans about their =ou,rtr MB00iatiaB problems. They themselves devklP-laf their fellows as they went along, b^JXt mendo0^ e^eTt^ep the ooming^eleotions. of invitations to visit distant^ points. T^eir* At the moment I have a number There was a seminar on the hear b^Assistlnt Secretary in the afternoon. The luncneon in ' 'ine talfc pt j,e ate. I also had of State George V. Allen, vxtr d unfortunately could not a few words with his predecessor George cGhee ^ ^^ children, accept his invitation to go out lo tee . Togasaki, the publisher of whom I have not seen in a very long ^ yailard from the Cosmos Club. In +"hfi Q; r0"0NmipIpofnouTnidmeas"t,elaendgrIamwaflrkoemdPou^ikeepsi_ e^ana^a^oc1^-. +^ n cablalilGtihnecmi*nnoautti-o-f both having gotten tt^elvea into messes^J ^^Nilawan of Thailand, Aftor a drink with o e won - pn Chinese place--not the the editor of a magazine m Bangkok {oTf-. startled when 1 suggested but rather dumpy. Too late to bed. Bob and I started talking at 3 in the ao.-Jini < ^raum-- producer of ioined by "Lefty" Davies-the head of Tm ^ty agent to settle Town Hall of the Air and Jacqueline Al- - ^ w and Navy Club. Alaen the form of the evaluation dinner teat J"*1-' 1;0h several Senators and Con- "i j.-n-n-ed the seating for the luncheon oi . Then I telephoned like gressmer and people from State pepa.rtmert were com^ g-^ ,,Ike,, v;as busy. & ^erer7h^nSte rnxon.1' The tour ended vdth the dinner . Last week I was numb with fatigue, and doubtless showed it when I wrote. Now I am beginning to come back* It seems I cannot get off even for a couple of days to Washington without going through the wringer and worked at the office until almost eight* My mind did not work very clearly when I packed with the result I picked up my sleeping pills and put them on the shelf instead of into my kit* This trip I had ray roomette both ways, but not as much sleep as I should have liked. I went from the train to the office on Thursday, thinking I might hold out until four, but found there was a "party" for my departing Miss Hettwer, which I simply had to attend, though I did manage to fall into bed at 3?30. Things begin to fall into some form for ray holiday with letters from Larry Harris and Ruth Wheeler Bennett* Leaving New York on June 14, I'll soend the night of the 15th in .Amsterdam and probably fly to Madrid via Paris on the 16th. Mrs. Harris is rather tired now from the shift to Madrid with the new home to adjust to, but should be herself long before ray arrival* Two weeks is enough for me to impose., myself on them and for me to savour Spain, so on July 1st I hope to fly direct to London and have a night in a bed there before going on to Garsington Manor for bout a week. As I want at least a week in London that will leave me about a week more to improvise on as soon as I can put my mind on it. This week has been heavy in office since Don Details rhilly-shallied about getting candidates for ray emptv adrainistrative-secretarie*s chair. Miss Lv.sk picked up i ort of that work, but s^e was out aich for a bit* However, tomorrow Mrs. Scheff reports on trial and if she works out should be adequately trained before I leave in five weeks . Wednesday I went to a French cocktail rartv for ten French women all of whom h"ve some c^pitw.l in the industries the^ administer. A fascinating groun, moat of them quite petite and all most attractive* One took over the management of her husband's droo-forge at his death 15 vaars ago, another makes bicycles and cast an eager eye on the American market ns she noted the British did very well here* Still another charters ships, arranges cargo and sneds them off to Africa. Jell, that is a sample and 1 hope to see the leader of the group again -when she comes back. The other Americanwomen included amny I know and like - nd now hsve no normal meeting place for, and so we never meet. Thursday night was the English Speaking Union-FPA cooperative meeting on "The Colombo Plea: J"ope for Asia" vita the Ambassadors of Australia, Ceylon, India, New Zeal: nd and Pakistan all performing under Lewis Douglas--who was much too garru lous* He is sweet but did descend to such things as the old story on why the sun never set on the British flag. It was e dreadfully hot and enervating day end the auditorin' > ":e 'c vtr ; warm, but I found the attitude of the Anglo-Saxons toward their dark skinned neighbors and that of the Asians toward the plan most illuminat ing* While expressing most gracid'us thanks for the money Britain, the Us and other donor countries have contributed, they felt it came without patronage and was a means for self-helfs and pointed out how through the Plan the Asian countries were able to help one another. Lauri Sho.ffi, the Jonsul (?: err.1 of P k:'st n, and I met with expressions of rauial pleasure and as we drifted apart I commented on how much I looked forward to his party . As 1 drifted off to sleep some hours later it came to me that he had invited me for 8s30 Wednesday night and I had plumb forgotten it I Eleanor Brewster came down from Hartford for the meeting and spent the night here. I wanted her to cone the night before so we could talk but she preferred not. Result we talked rapidly for rather longer than we should before going to bed and over breakfast--a late one because I slept through the alarm clock again* She leaves in September to go to the Far Last. At Singapore she mil be joined by a friend of ours stationed in Kuala Lump?r and mil go to snfech places as Bangkok -nd Java and Sumatra* Later she will do India with a couple from Hartford, rest up in Kuala Lum"" r r bit and then travel again with them in the Philippines and Japan. It all sounds most alluring to me* TV * L a. ^ { , { F A t -'tCi C ,, ? i_ ' May 14, 1955 Oh iayl Things are beginning to move* Today I got the request for the balance of my flight fare and notification of departure and arrival hours, the news that Kill will use a DC-4 Skvmaster (whatever that is) plus the nasty warning that the luggage limit is 40 lbs, strictly enforced and they will not permit excess wieght even at a price* So no matter how hot June 14th,maybe I111 have wear two dresses and a suit and two pair of shoes* Once in the war when Larry was flying on a restricted luggage allowance he wore so much clothing that when he dropped his passport he could not bend to the floor and Hank had to retreive it for him* My new passport is in the works along with those of thousands of others* The State Department is certainly doing a rushing business, though it seems silly to me that even with an interim extension a passport must be cancelled after four years and a new one issued* I have quite a collection of cancelled ones and the succession of pictures are worth paying money to see. Aunt Carolines old Baedeker is dampening on Madrid "the environs are bleak and cheerless, the city deneid by nature almost every suitable condition for a metropolis*...# The climate is equally unfavourable* Sudden and extreme varia tions in temperature are due to the lofty situation of the city (2,130 feet above sealevel). In winter the thermometer falls to 10 o/o and in summer the heat is almost unbearable (occasionally 109 o/o) . The air is so keen and so subtle that, according to a popular couplet it will kill a man, while it will not blow out a candle. All should be especially on their guard against colds and chills; and wait for May 40th (yes, fortieth) before you lay aside your cloak I " Jolly? Nevertheless I'M pushing along with dentist appointments, considering whether I shall have typhoid shots, etc. and have ordered my Muropean flights. I am even making progress on my personal businesss reinvested capital which has been sitting about waiting for the office to calm down a bit since early February, drafted a new mil as my current one is seven years old. (And speaking of Wills I was interested tc see that my old friend Otto Nathan is Executor of Albert Einstein's estate#) With all this I am conscious that I leave in exactly a month from today. Next weekend I shall be with Molly and we'll have a big family barbecue on Saturday. (Bill will be seven on Thursday.) This will give me an opportunity to check up on Fran. She is not as well as we wish and the doctor insists she spend a part of each day in bed. She and Sal have gone back to live with Martha end Gleve until she goes to the hospital, presumably the middle of June* This morning I got my fur coat back to Gunther for the winter, things back from the cleaner, rubbers, lingerie and two summer dresses I have been trying to buy for weeks. It is odd what a "production" these little chores have come to be in my rou tine. It is wonderful to have them behind me as any minute, it will get dreadfully hot. However, last weekend was so cold that I wore my winter suit tc the office on Monday and that evening lighted my fire-place. Yesterday I went out to lunch with Bob Clifford and several people from the office, who were anxious to hear de tails' of the trip about the country, with out a coat over my dress* There are still mountains of papers to be coped with on my desk in the office. This season to be tidied up and the patterns set for next season--insofar as it is possible to set patterns in advance in a job like mine--with the allocations of the summer work loads. After a good initial impression, the new administrative-secretary has begun to raise such doubts in my mind that I have warned the office manager that I may tell him Wednesday to produce some more candidates end let this one go. Now I really must be about the brushing and putting away of the wool ens I ABft a,, k <,, - *^Uo.4<| May 29, 1955 Having come into the office ^odaytocope with a from Hew Orleans, I cannot sist the tempation to use^ typewriter on ^ ^ ^ for this instead of my own ba y llttle energy it takes to operate this is a distinctly on theftumid was witbg,,olly and her men. They had a very further temptation. Jtthdav eBke for me after church on Sunday so as to take nice family barbecue and birt> ln the hospital under observation and in all the young and old. Alas, Fr .was fine. we had coctails outside Sal rushed off to see her there, butthe rep and shut. Bill but went in to the dining room to eat he was seven. A few warm days had had a wonderful party by hJ-ms orientai poppy buds were fat and each time I had brought spring on in a rush, the 1M PPW ^ j bgd never notlced look both roses and peoples how far behind the maples the m tree is> yy ^ The intervening week has been staff plan,,ing sessions were in humid and a couple of days Ik'blue skying". It seemed to me that we full were force and I spent most of the more careful to avoid coming *o any agreemeenntt about anything about^ jjr than ever before, ^ ^ It was a very boring and exhausting P of untll eight o'clock sessions I*- dictaphone'and ejection of stuff at the apartment to analysis tomorrow. The probelem of what to take with Z tt po^ds for I think I am on the tract Ispondered over and literally weighed, more useful and attractive items. Every dress ^ fond ot because it has a Already I have decided not to take a bla built in pettlskirt and therefore we g ^ ^ twQ other garments I am not so drag on as the newspaper strike did keen about! If the Britis^ r distances are not to covered by rail, I was I shall be in a state. While th loveiy countryside and back. Any depending on train to get me from hondoninto thelov * way I am glad that Eden and the Conservatives have oe 1 ..narktall party and exhibition of her pupils work. Wednesday Maria had her annuel WBBks iuat plain hot and heavy. The terrace It was the most uncomfortable day 0^ . was beautifully planted with lots o w studio itself looked very well with some and yet with a pleasing overallpattern. Detunias and white geraniums, and the u b her pUpils hung dlplomaticly P j went to Fran McPheeters rmBtlon servlcea 1im showing at for dinner and we both went to a Br which Sir Roger Makins, the BrltishEmbass accepted an "Oscar" from the actress David'. and the Golden Heel Trophy in "waterfront" for a film aboutthe children" or perhaps it was the other frta the Film Council of Americajifor T y taklng( sir Roger then turned over way around. If that were not enoughgiving^^^^ plBn0 who would on the morrow both trphies to the capatian of t p 8cott seemed a little non-plftsed to fly both awards to London. The PP make yet the news photographers wanting have a trophy in each hand and no speec wag yery easy in his running to get shots of him and his loot. John Qn thelr feet and back in their commentary and efficient in gett t are the four to six year olds at chairs. MThursday's Children who havefa ^^ never heard sound were heart Margate shcool for the deaf. T syd th were learning to speak, to rea , breaking in their pleasure when theyreal teacher wanted them to do. and to understand what their very wonderfully P whoae pans Green gown Then Russell came back and introduce las very ugly, to take a bow ie showing reviewing Sir Winston s parts of so long aPd full liie. Granted it was hard to select^ t feeling as if I were being rushed a career and do them all justicie, I ecu adequate treatment of fewer points. I was along too fast and "^^be ^pTttCsCth^birthday. After it was over his shocked to see how he had to be helped at ithout her hand. wife did not trust him to take a short flight * r - * ~ ~^ *C ,, k~ fiW- t June 11, 1955 Jerome Francis Marra was born about dinner time on June 2nd and weighing only four pounds 3 ounces in need of a good meal. He spent twenty four hours in the incubator and then joined the other babes in the nursery. Fran was toxic and he was helped into the world early. She,is fine and has gone home to her own apartment and will be ready to greet him when he has made the necessary five pounds for discharge from the Doctors' Hospital (Freeport)* It is a spanking new institution and is the first place of its kind I have ever visited totally lacking in hospital smell. Fran was fine when I went to see her and him when he was 48 hours old. Having been warned of his weeness I was pleasantly surprised, he seemed about the size of the others and without opening his eyes shook his clenched fist at us vigorously* Have we added some sort of a strange ideology to the family? He is^ named for Sal's dearest friend, Jerome Francis Murphy, who is studying .L or tne priesthood# I had not planned on Freeport last weekend in the hope J would further the packing preliminaries. Both Martha and Molly expected me tnis weekend, but we have all settled for the day tomorrow as the office has been so busy I have done nothing for myself this week either* With considerable effort I have managed to change my schedule and get a new set of flights for Continental travel--this gives me a couple of days in Engxand before Iiaorid. Otherwise I should not have seen Tracy at all, asjie has to be in Belgium in late June and the south of France in July. The xritish rail strike has bothered me a good deal, especially when it spread to ships# (There must have been some kind angel to put me onto the UN flight as the Cunard Line has cancelled three sailings from New York and "beached " some tnree thousand passengers. I might well have been one of them, had I not given up the idea of crossing by ship.) Should they involve aircraft I may yet have trouble as my three hour and 15 minute flight London to Madrid Sunday of next week is on a British company. My guess is that if the ground and raaintanence people were pulled out by the Union that Eden would send in the RAF and keep the airport open for foreign planes and I would have Lo >-'aii"L lines# It seems incredible that the Transport Workers would not go into negotiation after the Prime Minister retired from his announced position that they could not negotiation until after the workers had started to re sume service# A lovely big bljie and green bag of light construction has been added to my luggage with a matching swag bag to carry on my arm. The latter will not only carry the tickets, passport, Spanish pesetas (Purchased at a 10$ o.iscount) but books and. bot ties# It will be heavy and I must carry it as if it were a feather! ^The pesetas are beautiful, but the darnedest sizes and shapes and net fit in any wallet# At my request, the bank delivered $5 worth in small money" ior tips and a. taxi in case Larry should not get to the airpott. oo I have a handful of dirty little objects of paper worth 2h$ each. Although there has been an exchange of several letters between New York and Madrid, I hc.ve little faith in the Spanish mail# So allow plenty of time for it# Also, it is still not clear to me if Mrs# Harris and Larry will go by plane or their car to Paris. Should they be driving I might go along for the ride, or I might make an expedition to Toledo on my own. Jit any rate I would not trust the Span ish staff to forward ray mail in their absence# After devastating heat in late May it has been unseasonably cold all this week and I have worn my heavy winter tweed suit with comfort, though also of necessity as the black tailleur has been in the cleaners for the trip. I hope Tuesday is coolfor the take-off and the extra things I shall wear and carry." Larry asks me to carry nylon hose to his mother while the youngest son is to produce vitamins to go to her* Shades lof 1950, when I carried her inherited jewelry in an over size purse bought for the task I June 11, 1955 Itli.erary and edilWete France?! J. Pratt June 1< Leave New Yorfc (8*30 from US Building, Idlo^Lld Urrert 11 o.is, KLL charter ;f 5041 IS arrive ineterdaeft Leave * ^ UM Flight 129 Arrive London (Mortholt airport) lis55 a,r>e 2s p.. 3*25 19 July 1 Leave London British Sttropeen Flight /110 Arrive Madrid iddresst c/c Pre, J irria 10*15 *,. itao vi* -loaatles 26 I /I Madrid, Spain (allow 5 daya for airmail do not moil oftor Juna 24 as I may leave by actor a few days earlier than indicated below} Leave Madrid Iberi n Airways Flight .f 342 Arrive London 9s30 It 31 n#?# fr& Jereingicn Address <5/0 A'r John '< ^eler-Penatt Oarsington Faror Garsiagten near Oxford legland 9-2Q Ac Ureses ^rtmouth House 37, Uhcrlee Street London, 1U ! (Gables feglnguni Audloy London) (allow 4 days for airmail to Jnglsmd--two Festaget we*kg for surface nail) 1(V tirBall folder sheet will serve for Spain end finigla 4t lirrall IV nor hslf-ounoe,.jeurfaee nail to both is fy par mince, 4e eoeh additional ounce) 20 Leave London KLtf Flight 424 .Arrive Aat#rdoa Recervntlen at Hotel tyseriewn 21 Leave tactendnn HI charter rf4l 12*J) Pjb9 Is50 p,a 22 Arrive Sew Yorfr Return to office T fi&^'b%4 *er a J *,, c^a?JC(r ""* wse 0/ ft to report on 3*. * * agatn.fHms. ?? *!^Ti *4 -est to J a,a4A1Tmafynrh*e**so**ld* than on and Hung about 't the bus left and then at IdVeutid to _ told that tne 11 a.m. d,> htJLf * bumitlnd*** airfuter, JtHe * *1TM'" before the }tT! 011 'breaking j* only Telephoning, mgni oefore afilled tne time shoe-shineand until ip ,!-, , 9 a lit' le ZfitiZ"W*U * Pm. acco/Jtplisaed tne rocs*, beefluncit-eon tii* *bg yKIM*Then iven a free w&tt ue were sent out to the olU struminj about until St 35 would not have taken much fir If tl nf li 2dlwild as 1 do, it at 2:4S9 arflm'bo^stto4 hooruarsnyIuntn#ere-t.j*Jt ,To le ^ioitnfgli Tjf#u"ere/Uayi> rbt oJrnor win# with a very fat ^iss' U tin otTl* foorrtTl^Quer as companion, Very pleasant irffi, . , transcription dept. Passage. Too cl4 tTJWJ&S ofTJf, tl "<*"* warn chewing gum and M&ermint J*L jfi Ialandm The first offer tea. two Tpet Ham SaZwTJi^.'sliTe l^rectes and about 5 coffee or glimpses of Nova Scotia Tf then New f^.i T1 1 00ki*' for fuel for the plane and antooothneerr Trooal^stTTb'eTeef m0ee/alreffousa**t dblaownnder. 1 had the wit to brush mu ,, loT .igmf/lTigihTt htoflrPertuersntuitc0k th(Secpoltalanendu)e. se>t*tt l,e,,^in AfT*, tT take ni9ht mayndlao*urr' tne earlg dawn there was aboutwt itlihnL~3*mbog ght & though 1 heard that erne atudded werfsicT^*tar Al- have slept better than I thought anti coul/T, f 2 *"** j. oecameaware of coffee being handed,,,* ",tfe longer when no. need fuel at Prestuick arid do?*is then we learned we would Ppr^eJstfwUifokt m anddNidu' ll,Mtehaennwhile glimpses T/tit Tt AjXithe.eradsvatm rj iapa*iTbeI,Tttw1e5.,dia9nalenp. T lucneheon of hot conso le, cold iJTt ield T the /Jdann*b* and etabie salad, pastry and fruit to,mato otuffed with veg- iLUi took my bags from plane to*plane'""-^ t Gvldt ^ndg and cloudy. Zondon airport. As there wa<> ,, TL . A 2,n*ver saw it until the don piled up during the raiTstrikt 03 at St30 and reached London at 3'55 ' ^ni i^- 0'}co^ plans took off message from TracyatZeairnfrf'r of a money, confirmed ay Sunday flight to ftTtlAT 901 som* blhgUsh snarl to Pasdtdaitnigotno,n iThtJ'TZA "T ta*ied in traffic though the only place ay porter cAuld AZf+ T for Didcot departure time was in m tJUrd cTATs a/JTfi tw.mH *tnutes before "" " * . L.Z vtiffzrssL'zz. - i . 6 c\' % >A S O y'A f\ '4 r\ Tae new cottage is sweet and much more cheerful than the old Orange* The new housekeeper is charming and embarrasses me in her concern for mg camjort. 1 suspect she attributes all manner of special requirements for Americans including ice with the caraf of water and bowl of a-pies she left in my bedroom when she turned down my bed* It is all so peaceful with birds chirping cont inutal I y--though no sound disturbed my over ten hours of sleep* tiou0' wonderful to stretch out again after a hoi bath, mien seemed- smn a luxury, tnomjh X was Less tarn 36 hours from my mm Tuesday morning tub at 17 Mat* That is my only problem 1 still cannot believe that J am here so quickly m u surrounded by a countryside filled with magnificent i Slu- J pT i% n}'e, iris, p*ink hawthorn jsndi v i t gi rrA ei e- . nc c n\e.*s5 s. 3 #w *** ' ^ Jt was a magnif icent flight and if all the others go as well j shall indeed be fortunatei Fancy we enly had to have the seat belts fastened far take-offs and landings i Oh, 1 forgot to 'say that KIM gave me another luncheon on the Amsterdam *P Kondon flight. 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' I ' ' ' ^ '-,x W*S? y? *hX. 3 X' i Vw% *. w&, 1 fV? % XX '.m \ V & wi -", Mrs. Harris died suddenly and peacefully just after our luncheon on Saturday. Larry was desolated and it was fortunate I was there to s to things and spars M* Pope and Peter were wonderful and enrae to us promptly. They really carried th bur den of official red tap of which there was planter. So little could be done Satur day afternoon and Sunday, end so ranch hinged on where we could have th ashes returned after cremation, Gibraltar, Tangier, France and I think Bwitsorland war in turn elimi nated. Holland and England wore th possibilities and then th transportation of th casket det@mind London. Only two flight a week could accomodate it--Tuesday and Friday. The necessary papers would not b ready Tuesday, so wm left on the flight X had erf.finally boon scheduled for--and only mad thai boaaus I hah mistakenly been listed twice on th passenger heat, which released a seat for Larry9 Instead of running about with 14,H0O pesetas end the household keys, I travailed with s fat dossier of documents and the tickets end passports of both of us. Larry* aunt Isabel who wee travelling with a friend in England, greeted ue at th Lodon airport and st first id nut v.cjc.; lixe 13 c harvard nephew, whom she had seen at Chrlstuas in Italy. Jo stopped at Lloyd9 Ban** nrd got 250 pounds, of which 1 became guartiisn and vent is the Princ of Wale Hotel, ^er Brown* had put us *hen they could not honor th cable asking far two roomr for two right. The cremation ws at Golders Green st 10 ths next day (Saturday), Late that afternoon I paid off the undertaker and received the ashes. Sunday afternoon I packed Larry*s bag and Iabel and X took him to th airport although Ho was only "Hurabor 1 on the waitlist1*. I was ac sur that aornoom# wculd not chow that I had phoned Pepe at hi country place to meat th plane at half after mid~nljht. By the time we had had dinner, Larry had been promoted to pa^eengor and off he wont p.t sunset. i V 4 . ,,.y wJ> "> r .'I)f"$, J M, "% 0o, two different afternoons were encroached upon by separate men dropping in fro^ Harris- burg and an English friend from vhom I had parted in London with "See you in New York in three months" turned up in three weeks happily telephoning as^to could we not lunch that day? Aunt Annie has been here a couple of days and will be back for a few more next week Then I go to Molly now returned from Maine for next weekend and over Labor Bay weekend go to M'ohonk Lake to be with Aunt Mary. I have a seat on the two o clock Fridaytrain going up and we shall see if I'm able to remain until Wednesday morning as sne hopes. After all I do have a job on which the push is already building up #66,77c /.C 'Vu/. September 11, 1955 Ug-g*g! So humid today that the atmosphere can no longer support the moisture and the pavements keep wet with a lazy drizzle. My Sunday Times will go unclaimed while I do my letters and about five hours of office work. Arriving at Lake Mohonk Mountain House on the afternoon of tne 2nd and leaving on the morning of the 7th not only gave me a ver| long and restful weekend but opened up a experience quite new and different to me* Almost a hundred years ago a Quaker naraeu Smiley discovered this strange granite up thrust across tne Hudson and inland from Poughkeepsie she! acquired, it for his summer home. By 1870 he had had so many enthusiastic visitors that he opened the place as a hotel. Successive generations of Smileys have added to the building, each according to his own lights--result a 309 bedroomed resort hotel along the edge of the lake--which the Indians called "Lake in the Sky". The vari*= ety of architecture and a fat round tower of native granite reminded me of Windsor Gastle. They have 2,000 acres of farm and pasture land plus 5,000 acres of forest all cleverly traverse with 60 miles of shale roads, 40 miles of bridle paths and additional 25 miles of footpaths. No wine or liquor is sold and on Sunday one may not use the horses or the boats. Hie lake is stocked and its edge, like the surrounding high pointed dotted with 150 rustic summernouse for tne weary to rest and enjoy tne spectacular views, to tne north the seried ranges of the Catskills beyond the Rondoui Vallejr, to the east the Berkshires in Massachusetts and to the southwest the Poconos of Pennsylvania--all this about 75 miles from Hew York Mntil recently no motors were permitted beyond Mountain Rest about two miles from the hotel. Transfer was made to horse drawn vehicles. Nov;, unless one is a chaffeur in Smiley employ or license, one picks up a "pilot" at this point to drive one's car me remaining distance. Certainly the road is filled with nairpin turns but I think t .is caution is saiu to oe ior the protection of walkers--of whom i saw none on the one way entrance and exit roads biw**ii we Louse and Luunt&in Rest The population is just what one would expect -conservative, God-fearing people in tne upper age- -rackets v/no can afford to pay xrom N17 to 727 a day for a room with a bath. Aunt Mafcy had a room Balcony overlooking the Lake, mine was on the Catskill side where I made good use of the balcony for writing and reading--and just sitting. We walked gently together, drove about the woods in a fringe topped surrey, sat and chatted on tne several huge vcrr. d' r c enjoyed the concerts, illustrated lecture or movie offered each svening -- e quartet and the soprano were good. While she rested I swam in the lake and one after noon ws,red around it. There is a great variety of trees, though the evergreens are hemlock, lots of laurel, some rhododendron, a few white birches, a maple with a green and black striped trunk and to me an equally unorthodox oak with tne long narrow ^o.m -cu. u . I haa noped to persuade Aunt Mary, who had sounded pretty feeble on the telephone, xo stay longer. But having been -mere since June she yearned ior her own home ana I played hooky irom the office Tuesday and Wednesday morning so as to drive down with hei Wednesday morning. After all she is 85 and entitled to doing as she wishes! Somehow we managed to get out the SAS mailing before I went to Mohonk despite the absence because of family illness of ray transcriptionistc I was happy to have a letter fioi-i a new subscrioer on Friday in the "where has this been all my life" vein. My office correspondence is slowed up again as Friday we started breaking in a new man, replacing tne previous one who has been promoted to being a "confidential secretary" at a pleasant increase .in salary--which he does not altogether merit. It has been admitted to mc- that people generally m the office consider the Speakers Bureau transcriptionist a good break Z'\S>CL'/' 0 f1::e .pl{. ae *.raidt A little t0ush on me* Vera is back and instead of T rlCa.stayec mth ^riends in the South of France near Nice end then spent four oa^s . X met her at the airjenoinal and had a fresh report on Larry, Me was ketlo ?oledo.int 8 new rp8rtBent' but t00k tine out to be **d to her, inciting a jun- tot oinxe spent tie weekend of the 20th with Molly staying with me a few days before fM One mining here was a Shriners parade on Fifth Avenue and loud speaker for ? .**" stand at tne end of 64th Streit made so much noi.e we went willy-nillv to water. The police wanted tc keep our side of the Avenue deer, but an appeal to the sXt seat, Triced TM .fe vished v-e hUd had rel,T f orted to a lovely spot to see it all, I counted the number of bands which played "Onward even Chri foun stian d 38c l d i e - ffiuet nave been a dozen fully half. Guess it was Knight Templars, notNhri^rst A?B- J* MckieWKa^ ^ C~ Mcy -- JufcjQ- (^U^_ ' September 17, 1955 Oli mi, .... am in little pieces .1 The first order of business this morning was to have been .inking out the application for the renewal of my driver* s lisence (you see ^roil that spelling hoi shattered I am) The expiring one is necessgrv--~and not to be found* Dim recollection that I took it with me to Europe "just in case". However, I did come upon the envelope with my quarterly income tax payment--which should have .. t... * *re+oniarnn1+,on m uufci^lwt-1oo muchfuhlulmyidciotyol,tocsriusipt , msyunhneyad*days f2o?rnewrdhicl h1 vI umrelcome as this is the reek dedicated to the common cold antibiotics, have reacted more violently than usual this year. ' tnhe l of n r sm h ^ " rsss!tSrieke",n ek^fe hha'dTdIifn by ner ?t oeg eSt hUe rr et l Bni est anyi gehs tte rtt o, a yc.a t c h duany loantethetoneawvos idof !fV al!^ ^ . r e her mother,s arrive* today from Virginia! They will both lunch lit ' oo^.o., icw c-x Cosmopolitan Club, I must remember to get her views on British ToTZTr' ^ S III lte Th 1tte" ab0Ut the TMs ***" SHn London t o W e e ^ d h TM ^ o T Z r T ^ ' u s% " ? ^ y U a d S H J 1 ? of Conformity, Deploring the latter i f df 1 " 8 nanifes^tion of the Age sis-tent can one be?" * ' one oan only ask the question "How in con- Wednesday I went to a Pakistan reception to bid farewell to the departing +" ' " 1 " , a W c e .'"E!1 n a m e " e w i l l b e s u c c e e d e d b y h i s p r e d e c e s s o r i n ''fashing, ton also named ill, who created a great stir and come stink in Karaohi late last ^ised howl'^l-rom^H " ^ ?,%*** S SeCnd l7ife* 1116 emancipated Muslin worn ' ErSs - -- n z SXfS iTSitl for "Public InfLfiatiofof'the . Chill6d rhn Bofari Under Secretary like--Pressed nv h^nd +n J g u ;he^efore.a Person I must greet dispite my dis- over the shoulders of some intervening guests.^^ybeTc'! X' i fmU hW to him afternoon when I am sunnnp^ 4- : *. " ; ' a ^ry that teclinique tomorrow Assembly opening E t 0 3 reCeptl0 f o r t h e US delegation to the General men's aui'E^rrLTt 1^ *?"" T Hft?OTer Square for l"cheon at India House-a gre't desI of character in its taaee of buildings thrown info ona f ih?r-Ue^arto!i ^"nh Cnd ,d?li^tful appointments reminiscent of the days of' sailing " SvSsf.'.WW-'.' SS- !";"* WVW,' ZTIk- s^,.s-Es ; FU-rd o"t tlTrvTM b v 7 r s: ^ r r - fe,el 116 very lonely and 1 fecr 811 of Ms 31 years, The S S S -- " cell _r , . -^ile 1 was abraod this summer the New Orleans FPA signed un N-inr PA+*V. ,,-r Yugoslavia for September 30. After my return I had an fficiel ?rTM1he Yufo fnoaneH^T-S1"E aTher sldl H" T C0nC8rn' ruesday Ne* Cleans phoned r. fr^ticlylpetefhas i* ^an operation early in October an/heluet* ave^il ^50 P ^ I?0" ^ 8 l6CtUre agnt had arra"ed 75 dates ^ him hoPtePnahff^tea rss prerty cavalier merely to send a letter announcing his defeo- , : 8 .ly8 -.<^r'jfe November 19, 19;.5 Last weekendl vent to Freeport after an early lunch to find I had missed the glory of the yellowed Norway raaples This is the stage^ where all the leaves are gone but sere, drab oak and willows, privet and honeysuckle making splashes to peculiar green, richer, darker and somehow more precious for daring winter so strongly, There had been so many rains that there were leaves to be raked and I spent happy hours at the task* Many were sodden and perhaps I had more smoke at times than blaze but the front lav/n looked tidier and I got healthily tired though the smell of the smoke was in my hair even when I got beck to town Sunday evening. Today is another matter* I woke to a steady drizzle which soon became mingled with rain. This combination has continued all day. Fortunately it is just warm enough that no snow remains on the s^rrets and ice does not form--so far (8:30 p.m.) so good* Ruth Wheelei>-Bennett sailed for England on Thurdasy, so she, her mother and sister-in-law had dinned with me at Gloucester House the night before. : any Southerns love fish and seldom seem to have it and a fish dinner was squeezed out of the "arrival round of activity", Ruth claims this is the best visit home she has ever had--she bought a little old car and she and her mother went about at will. But there were complications--the car made it such fun to go to the iuper market that the refrigerator soon became overtaxed* A new and larger model was installed and it was tnen filled with frozen food. Then they had so much food$$$$$ that they had to stay at home to eat it, and the car defeated its purpose in the end. But they loved it all, Monday I went to the "warming party2 of Maria's new studio on Madison Avenue where she now has her classes. It is most attractive and I hope will be profitable. At any rate it gets the pupils out of her lovely 60th Street studio, wherfe she and Hank make their home * Judith was leaving as I arrived* She wore a small white fur hat and a black lace over green suit--very smart* Reports on hiss Lusk are good, she is making progress and we hope she will be back in January* Tomorrow no Monday, Patricia Holt a beautiful red head reports* She knows the ropes, having been my trans- criptionist for six months almost two years ago, She ought to pick up 30% of Lusk13 job which will be something. Of course, she shoubd have come two weeks ago when we got the Lusk diagnosis and prognosis, but the strange personnel manager decided to do a good turn to a friend in another organization and recommended her for a temporary job I I nearly blew my top. However I have now begun a more sensible personal atti tude which included having my belated flu shot, which was accompanied by injunction to have a basal metabolism and blood count as soon as possible. Suspicion being that I have too few red blood corpuscles --more likely to be a spring than autumn condition, though it has never raised my blood pressure before. I have lost a lot of time going to bed early this v/eek and last resting after two extractions spaced eight days apart-- and still feel as if someone had given me a vicious punch in the right jaw. Tuesday at 4i50 Providence telephoned that the Ambassador of Ceylon had just reported he could not speak at luncheon the next day because he was busy at the UN trying to get hie country admitted to membership. After three tries I persuaded a roan in New Haven to take the assignment ond went happily home. The next day he phoned me at two o'clock to say the taxi had failed to call for him, he had missed the train, found there Was no air connection and himself telephoned Providence. Somehow they had dug up a Burmese locally. Never before had a "pinch-hitter" f died me. Today I went to a luncheon at the Waldorf for Frances Willis, our Ambassador to Switzerland, She is the first American "career" diplomat to reach the top of the heap. It is curious that she should be assigned to a country where women do not have the vote. She is a nice person with fine standards, probably a very hard worker though I wonder if the term brilliant could be applied. .Vhile sloshing around I picked up a pair of elastic nylon hose for Mary Mahlmeyer, vho is about to set out : or New Zealand* It was necessary to make out five fine forms at the post office to air mail them to Holland* Evidently the post office deficit is being met by economy of electricity, I could hardly see the print in the resulting dimness* 7** < y |c > 5 AlcP November 27, 1955 In the words of /alter Winchell "Now for a race around the clock"..,, this must be fast yet I hope coherent as the next two weeks probably will not include time for chit-chat# The PASTt Thanksgiving was a lovely, crisp sunny day. Aunt Annie was suddenly tapped to go to a Secondary School Conference at Kent School and did not come dorm as planned. I went out on a late morning train and we had dinner with holly and Jim, except Fran who went with husband and babe to the in-laws. CI evee loves college, Jay is doing well at Stony Brook this year and the little boys are effervescent as always. After dinner we sat about and told jokes. vOn the way to the train Bill said he liked one of mine and asked me to tell it again, ) In the late afternoon Fran and Ralph (as Sal now wants to be called) stopped with the baby and we all went to look at tneir new house in Levituown into which they will be moving this weekend, although a lot of the china and glass has already been carried over on inspection trips. It is well h~d out and skillful use has been made of every inch of space. Heavy frosts since my last trip h.-.ve muted the lovely autumn green of the privet with an overlay of bronze, lore attractive than the willows where the leaves still hold, but look as ii tney had "had it". We worked on Veterans Day in exchange for the day alter Thanksgiving bat somehow between staying late on Wednesday and going in on Friday and Saturday- I have managed to work about 14 hours during the "long weekend , cau X cu.se Had the basal metabolism and blood count done and hope to see Gerry Tuesday to see what "dietary supplements" I take now. Christmas souvenirs to go with the checks to three of my nephews were pureahsed a,s well as two so called cocktail dresses. One P blue and silver lame sheath with a deepish neck in back end tne other a soft rosy brick with a paisley pattern in gold and blue with atight- bodice and full skirt supported by a built in crinoline. The sheath will pack like a dream, the other I am not so sure about, so I'll wear it to the Yugoslav National Day Party on Tuesday. The Yugos and I are getting thick, tneir director of Information took me to luncheon on Tuesday. Wish he did nou have so strong an accent and fewer "Marxian habits. Gentility and hard work has had a wonderful effect. Instead of motoring to Syracuse --a most of the day trip--on Wednesday, I am to be at my desk^urui a*ter luncheon :ID IT up for an evening meeting and return by sleeper. Again instead of motoring to Washington on Friday I go by train, where I^can work en route to stsv at the Willard until Monday afternoon for the FrA National Conference, ,,,o of this will be relaxing but much better f en having to travel mth four other chattering reo-nle-and then be ok, so helpful in conference situations, worked out nicely without my having to ask for special treatment, Lurrv1s aunt Isabel arrives on the 8th, so as to be sure to be here on tne 10TV when" he is out on the Andrea Dori- from Gibr ltart rc teems no, TO have done much at pulling out of his shell in the weeks he ns been bac^in.-drid.^,,.. wHee what a hard journey this is for him to be coming nc, x - o ... . J 9 :,C ho- he rw ""of rt ri* f-e Hank, .Mle 1 am desrer^telv for him, iHt oeeirif two pe announced it would enow by noon in New York, much to the amusement o.t t.ae driver and me os by that time --a little after ten-- it was already coming down merrily! The con ference began with a cocktail party at the Chamber oi Bommeree followed by dinner at the ilillard at which Assistant Secretary of State Allen made a most curious speech and the cash awards were made to the communities which had made the outstanding con tributions to world affairs understand^ne For my sins I had read the pounds and pounds of applications in September and did not agree with trie judgement of tu.e dis-^ tinguished panel making the decisions, however* That evening there began the growling of an internal revolution directed at the dictatorial methods of Allport whioh^ continued to en0"' end k*r>t a great many people busv far into the night One could see the thing spread as the ringleaders huddled with fringe people* Hanpily 1 VeTrfc out of i-fc and Sunday evening Naeon very skillfully gave oil the objectors a chance to express them selves in a plenary session. It will be interesting to see if anything cranes of itc Eth no session scheduled for Saturday night, Vera, and I dined together at tne Occi- dental and went to Antonio and his Spanish Ballet. Our ears had been so bombarded that it was a treat to sit back and use our eves---he is excellent, tnough there us little of the traditional classical ballet in the troupe* Monday there was State Department briefing and in the aft-moon Dulles joined us --was nl cnnt, sold he nad never been so interested in any job as being Secretary of State and did not mention his curious statement on Cop--one can only assume it stemmed from the need to protect our Portugese bases# Happiiv I made the 5 o'clock, train for Hew York and bv in was cn bed with the large accumulation of mail* New York has been cold this week, the report this morning is 21 o/o but sunny. I wanted to buv Christmas presents yesterday and. did not* However three or four hours in the practicallv unheat office accomplished about half of my backlog of top priority work* we are now in full holiday attire with the trees on Park Avenue and Rockefeller Plaza lighted and all the world coming to gape* Result: traffic creeps stands still* The other night Judith Listwel and I were being to "The Lark" , Anouilh's stirring Plav about Joan of Arc in which Julie Harris does a superb job in a very taxing role. We could not get a cab# One driver, who would not take us because he wee going oo nia aupper told us to walk when I asked his advice as to where we might get transport* That in effect is what we ended by doing, hopninp twi oe into busses to we1-'* ourselves irom the strong,, bitter wind. Despite h-vin^ set off in reasonable time we must^ have missed the first twenty-five minutes! I was amused to see that Boris Karl off was born yjii..lxam uenry Pratt in Dulwich, England# Aorlav ura hod p verv large Off-the^Record luncheon with ex-oenstor William Benton