Correspondence; Political organizations; Political parties; Coffeehouses; Military life;
Paul thanks Mus for her long letter and is sorry to have missed Mother Bloom's birthday. Mother Bloom was a popular communist figure in the 1930's. Paul asks Mus to keep sending magazines (with chewing gum and show laces tucked in). He mentions...
Travel; Orange trees; Orange orchards; Military life;
Paul has arrived in Spain and it reminds him of New York State, but there is an abundance of orange trees. Since he has just arrived he is not sure which branch of the International Brigade he will be in, but he is sure he will fit in. Paul...
Paul discusses the beautiful Spanish nights, which make up for the scorching hot days. He hopes Mus will write to him, as Paul has not received a letter in the five weeks he has been in Spain.
Rain; Radio broadcasting; Signals & signaling; Baseball; Music;
Paul describes the torrential rain but is glad that his unit is in a house, very dry and comfortable. He explains his work in the signal corps to Mus, describing the telephone work and communications he is responsible for. Paul says he and the...
Fund raising; International organizations; Communists;
Paul sends Mus several books from the Socorro Rojo Internacional (SRI, or Red Aid International) and hopes she can fill one out and pass the others along.
Paul describes a two-day train trip with the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion. He affirms his decision to come to Spain and is truly enjoying himself. Asks Mus to send chewing gum, cigarettes, pen fillers, etc. He also warns her to be wary of death...
Paul describes an air fight between the Fascists and the Republicans. He replies to Mus' questions about mail procedures, and answers everyone's letter in numbered points.
Paul writes from aboard the "Lancastria" ocean liner. He describes his table's server, an Englishman with a thick cockney accent. Paul finds it hard to concentrate on his world politics books with so many young people on the ship. He plans to...
Paul writes a quick note to say that he will be in Oostende, Belgium, the next day. He writes that even on the immense ocean, he felt very compressed, especially without a newspaper.
Paul is now in Paris after sailing across the English Channel into Oostend, Belgium. He writes this note on stationary from the Hotel Montana (still in existence). He describes the beautiful town of Oostend and plans to visit the Parisian...
Paul writes that he has been placed in the signal corps because of his background in engineering. He is glad that he is useful and gives him the morale boost he was looking for. His battalion has just been named: the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion,...
Military life; Military maneuvers; Military occupations; Military training; Signals & signaling; Telephones; Children's parties; Cigarettes;
Paul describes the International Brigade's offensive maneuvers to force the fascists out of Madrid. Paul discusses some of the men he has met while in Spain. He is busy doing telephone work with the signal corps, as well as continuing his military...
Communists; Fascists; Jewish-Arab relations; Political purges;
Paul writes that it has been one year since the fascists invaded Spain. He also mentions that some brigaders have just come from Palestine, expelled because they were communists. They say that Palestine is in the worst economic crisis of its...
Political participation; Correspondence; Activists;
Paul writes that the Spanish have joined the Americans and his Spanish language skills are improving. He is impressed that the youth have already started building "new Spain." Paul encloses (not included) pins that he picked up at a store in the...
Paul encloses a copy of The Volunteer for Liberty (not included) so that they can use the articles for their work in New York. Paul is feeling well and I enjoying the outdoor life. He writes that the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion has been on the...
