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 training camp I am sure I contributed to the solution 
of some of these 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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