This post is also not current date identical, but is from April and mentions Roosevelt's death. It is rather long but mentions key events in the death of Roosevelt, Truman assumption of presidency and a famous Hollywood strike.
I
got home early tonight – have read the latest McCall magazine – eaten some
crackers and cheese – and have brewed me a pot of coffee so now I am all ready
for letter writing.
You
know how you hate to write some letters – not because you don’t want to write
but because you don’t know what to write? Well, I have just finished on
to a fellow overseas who used to work at Columbia and I feel very halo-ish now.
Walter
still has a pack of R.K.O. pin-up pictures so
I think I’ll send a set of them off into the pacific area.
I
feel very halo-ish, too, because my house is clean. I get so disgusted with
this place but then when I give it a thorough cleaning it almost looks
respectable. I even wiped down cobwebs – what few I could find. Then, too, just
re-arranging, even if it is only putting the lamp behind the chair instead of
beside it, always gives a lift to a room. And tonight the lights are dim – and that
is as flattering to an ageing room as it is to an ageing woman.
You
undoubtedly heard of Roosevelt’s death almost as soon as we did over here.
It was so unexpected and so unbelievable, even though all his recent newsreel
pictures have shown him as tired and worn looking. You wonder how much this is
going to affect world conditions – you can only guess.
President Truman
is certainly going to have a busy and unenviable term of office. The studio
closed down Thursday afternoon – was open today – but will be closed all day
Saturday. All retail stores are closing and even the movie theaters for part if
not all of the day. There have been practically no schedule radio broadcasts –
and almost all commercial announcements have been banned. I’ll try to send you
some clippings.
I’m glad one of the boxes finally arrived.
Can you use the camphor ice? I had read where some flyers were glad to have it
for chapped hands and lips –maybe they were fighter pilots who are more exposed
to the wind than you are. I
had fun packing the box, though. Practically everything came from the dime
store – which is as you suggested. As I remember – the second box had more food
in it – I’ll try my luck at roasted nuts and hope that they don’t get rancid
along the way.
Do you need film? Can you borrow a camera?
When I last took a roll in to be developed I was told that if I brought in an overseas
envelope I could have priority on tow rolls of film. I’ll get some 127 but let
me know if there’s any brand that you could especially use.
Billie is
coming over tomorrow evening - it will be nice to see someone from home. I have
a rand surprise for her – two packages of cigarettes!! She’s asked me on the
phone to pick up any I might find – and strange as it may seem, I managed to do
so. One pack is even her favorite Kools – if it is still her favorite.
You hear people say now that they don’t have favorites – just cigarettes is all
they ask.
The movie strike still goes on to a
certain extent. We have pickets out in front but are so used to them by now
that they are as much a part of entrance setting as are the magnolia trees in
front. It’s a silly strike, I think, especially for war-time. It
demands nothing for the worker, but is a protest against the producers not recognizing
a War Labor Board Decision. The producers, are on the spot. A rival film union,
the I.A.T.S.E. says that if the producers do recognize the W.L.B.
decision that all movie projectionists (the fellow who throw the movie on the screen)
will be called off their jobs and all theaters will be closed. So – it goes on
and on. Here at Columbia we now have a new job – convoy custodians – who
escort the workers outside to see that the get safely past the picket line. It
is a joke – and not a very funny one! Walter has been at Monogram for two weeks
– they are an independent concern and not directly involved.
News over you way certainly sound
encouraging. You almost hate to mention it, though, because we got too darn
optimistic last winter. If and when – is there any chance of your coming home
rather than being sent on into the Eastern end of it? I
sure hope so.
How do you like the cakes? They almost
made me drool. When I saw them. Wish I could send you one a week – as it is, it’s
sort of a dirty trick sending the pictures. Eh? Just some more pin-ups
Walter was very pleased that you liked
the pin-up pictures and says he will get you some more. We don’t remember just what
we sent so you may get duplicates but you can get rid of them.
Love
