January 27, 1942

San Francisco
January 27, 1942
Tuesday

I fear I'm not going to be very faithful in jotting down all of the news in this little book. Things just happen so rapidly that there isn't time to do the things that one would like to do.
The war situation is uppermost in all our minds. We make solemn resolutions that we won't talk about it, and then proceed to break the resolution before we've conversed three minutes by the clock. I wonder what we talked about before the war? It must have been something very insipid, inane and unimportant. But they were halcyon days, just the same – would that we could arrive at some peace and comfort and serenity.
General MacArthur is holding his own. It's quite evident that he's getting reinforcements and that the United States are sending aid to the Dutch East Indies. The maps prove that conclusively.
I worked last night. didn't get home until 9:30 and was I hungry! Some grind, but I don't mind so long as I get paid for it. Have to get some compensation some way out of that cheap "jerut".
Had a lovely letter from Anne and is she proud of "the little Captain"! But she has nothing on me. Only it isn't fun having a very own little baby grandson and not being able to see him and hold him in my arms. And I never had that pleasure with our darling little David. I shall never get over that if I live to be a million.
We haven't had another letter from Virginia since the first one. It does seem that some mail could filter through eer this. I think that dirty so and so at the station is responsible for some of this. Because he can be so "cussed" he takes advantage of it. Maybe, since they removed Admiral Kimmel, because of his dereliction of duty during the surprise attack on Honolulu, he won't be quite so braggadocio at his "beer busts".
We had quite a nice time at Vivian's shower that was given by Evelyn Andre and Ruth Rief. It was a canned good shower and, of course, I had to max poetic and the little jingle seemed to go over:

You may be quite efficient
And type letters all the day.
Make silly hieroglyphics
For a stipulated pay,
But here is just a word from me
who thinks she's "in the know"
A husband's very different
from a dashing Romeo.
To hold your man
take this advice
Just salvage all this loot
And with the aid of all these cans
Learn how to feed the brute.


Fulton Lewis Jr. exposed the guilty ones tonight who are responsible for the talk that there may be a rationing of sugar. It seems as though some people are determined to get rich during this war, but it's not going to be quite so easy as the last war. Too many people are too wise and shout too loudly and vociferously. There are those of us who just can't forget the last war and its aftermath – the deadly depression.
Congress clamped down today and passed the price control bill, but the wise acres seem to think it is rather inadequate and will have to be amended. We'll see! Food is still soaring. I wonder if this will be the least bit effective.