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Weiner, Sylvia (1912-2008) to Morris "Moe" Weiner

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC09414.0039 Author/Creator: Weiner, Sylvia (1912-2008) Place Written: Brooklyn, New York Type: Typed letter signed Date: 19 May 1943 Pagination: 6 p. ; 28 x 21.6 cm.
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Sylvia is tired because she walked all the way to her father's house. Saw children along the way, boys chasing girls and the girls calling them "dirty little Polack." Feels that "despite all we've gone through with the Depression and the War, things have not changed essentially."

John L. Lewis- Labor Leader-United Mine Workers. Founded CIO.
Wendell Willkie (1892-1944)- Utilities attorney and US presidential candidate in 1944.
American Federal of Labor (AFL)-The largest union grouping in the United States for the first half of the 20th century.

[Draft Created by Crowdsourcing]
Thursday
May 20, 1943
Dearest darling,
Here I am at Dad's now. It is 4:45 and am I tired - I walked from 15th St and 2cd [sic] Ave all the way up here - 17th St and 8th Ave. Look at me complaining that I am tired after that walk - ha ha - after you have described your tiny walks - Boy do I know how you feel - You see darling we constantly live parallel lives - only not so parallel in terms of distances - just tiredness - I am going to Mad Dad and Mom to have lobster cantonese now - Mad will call for us with Dad's car. It will be taking a chance because the "No pleasure Driving Ban" just went into effect again - I guess they couldn't trust the good old customers with the "honor system".
I complained about the walk but it was interesting enough - if you are of the turn of mind to get things as they come up -like for instance - Walking along fifth Ave and 16th St - there were three attractive little girls walking along - Along come three unattractive little boys and Goose the girls - there ensued just what the boys expected and wanted a chase - which was very frustrating to the girls as they could not run fast enough - so it ended in the girls calling the boys names like "you dirty little Polack". Then along 17th St a little Irish boy was fighting with an Italian girl - and they called each other names like - "you dirty little Irish Drunk" - and you dirty little guinea - etc - and so it goes on and on - I guess there is little change - As I saw these multitudinous children playing, calling each other names I wondered what kind of world they will have when they become adults. It seemed as though I were going back into my childhood when we fought in pig town and an Irish kid there called us "sheinies", but grew up to be one very friendly with us later - Have we really progressed - I get the feeling that in spite of all that we have gone thru - the depression and the War - things have not changed essentially - perhaps I am wrong - and these are just the superficial things - who knows.
How do you like our old stinken friend John Lewis asking to go back into the AF of L - What a dope - When I remember that he almost broke the unions by his backing Wilkie - and now the unions are behind Wilkie, I once again marvel at men - their desire for power - or their learning, their changing - At the union meeting today one of the women asked what the union stand would be politically and what had the union discussed in regard to this matter at their convention - Of course the union had not discussed politics because one never knows what the complexion of thing will be later in regard to what stand will be taken - but those who remembered Lewis and the Wilkie angle are already asking - I hope the union has learned its lesson that it must come to the rank and file before taking any definite stand - We shall see. Tonight I am going to a meeting of the Educational Chairmen of the chapters to start educating the Chairmen to educate the rank and file. Oh - yes I forget to tell you that I am the Ed. Chairmen. So I will see. Gee I wish I am able to develop that ability to speak in public without quivering all over - perhaps I shall.
Hell the week has flown by and I haven't had a chance to see Al and Al nor Dave and Lil - Tomorrow night I see Mom and a show - Well perhaps I shall see them over the week end. I will try although I should

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like to have them come to visit me. But if they can't especially Dave who will probably be working - I shall make every effort to see them next week. Now that I won't be able to drive the car it will be hard of course - but I will get there.
So darling - I will leave you now - I wonder where you are now - Thursday - my last letter from you was from Sunday - so I don't know where you are. Today - I received two letters but they were both free - Mad just walked in and brought them - they are both filled with my letters - so I still don't know -
O darling - I go now to think of you again as I eat my Chinese food - each morsel shall be a thought of you - and each morsel shall be fully enjoyed - because I love you - I love you - I love you - Good night dearest - I do hope you are feeling well.
Love
Syl (Me)

Weiner, Morris "Moe," 1909-1988
Weiner, Sylvia, 1912-2008
Lewis, John Llewellyn, 1880-1969
Willkie, Wendell L. (Wendell Lewis), 1892-1944

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