page 254 — May 1943

Friday 28^th

… Argument in Divin[ity] on jingoism of pamphlet read by PSN in chapel. … zrl zpg zag

Kuban [in southern Russia] fighting on again—strong Soviet attack. Lots of raids on Sicily and S. Italy. zru zlb zar

Monday 31^st

… It is amazing how we have come to accept the air war—in one normal large raid we dropped 1,500 tons on a little place I’d not heard of, while 600 tons on London was a hell. It must be pretty damnable dropping them, but quite hellish under. zar zwc zwg

[See note]

June

Tuesday 1^st

Another wet day. More raid news, coal strike on in USA demanding $2 per day more—rather a big bill—both sides are, I expect, too fond of ‘filthy lucre’. zwr zar zgk zpn

… good and enjoyable music period—quite successful. After lunch, a run in the rain … I played ‘Eine kleine nachtmusik’ twice. … Music is a very great and lovely blessing here. zmu zsp zwr zem

After consideration these are the opinions I have formed on the Comintern dissolution.

(1) Make America far more amenable to post-war co-operation.

(2) Have a very good effect on national C-Ps. They will consider far more sanely the background and suitable methods of (for) their own countries … I think there is far more chance of the CP here gaining influence now, after all suspicion of foreign control and money from Moscow is removed. It will become much more truly our CP to build on our own system … the Russian Revolution wasn’t Communism. … I’m zru zpn