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others. The English boys, whose forces have been cut to pieces, have also done splendidly. In fact, the brigade as a whole has covered itself with glory.

The fact that we now have so much stronger political forces here than previously is making itself felt. Everywhere our work is picking up. The thousand and one “small things,” including mail, cigarettes, papers, improved food and supplies, etc., etc., are now getting organized attention. One can’t over-emphasize their importance. During my stay at the trainingwcamp I am sure I contributed to the solution of some of thése things, including also social and cultural activities there——and they too will help further to improve our situation. Our leading people who are here now spend a considerable portion of their time actually at the front, and those who go up as battalion commissars (political)

I understand that they necessarily must be right with the boys in the front lines at least a portion of the time, otherwise they cannot properly function. Unfortunately, some of the people we had -here earlier didn't always realize this, but now I have full confidence in our leading political staff. In- cidentally, the British comrades have worked much better with their leading forces here, with the result that their political leaders, who are or have been here, are really loved by the men. We have splendid relationship between the British and American comrades now, both at the base and in the camps at the front.

Tomorrow I am promised two joys—-a hot bath and a crack at a whole file of American Daily Workers. I have a lot of studying to do between now and the time that school opens to prepare myself for the commissarship——I must be- come more or less of an expert on the Spanish situation. During this week, though, I intend to make so much of a pest of myself around here that they finally give in and let me get at least a smell of the front or at least a trip to

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