Evening star., 1954-04-13

through them, I began to sense
the larger sorrows of the great
depression. I began to under
stand how deeply. political and
economic events could affect
mems lives. I began to feel the
need to participate more fully
in the life of the community.
But I had no framework OF po-
litical conviction or experience
to give me perspective in these
matters.
In the spring of 1886, I had
been introduced by friends to
Jean Tatlock, the daughter OF a
noted professor of English at the
university; and in the autumn,
I began to court her, and we
grew close to each other. We
were at least twice close enough
to marriage to think OF ourselves
as engaged.
Told Him Of Red Ties.
Between 1899 and her death in
1914 saw her very rarely. She
told me about her Communist
Party memberships; they were
on again, off again affairs, and
never seemed to provide for her
what she was seeking. do not
believe that her interests were
really political. She was person
of deep religious feeling. She
loved this country and its people
and it's life. She was, as it turned
out, a friend of many fellow
travellers and Communists, with
a number of whom I was later
to become acquainted.
I should not give the impress
sion that it was wholly because
of Jean Tatlock that I made left
wing friends, or felt sympathy
for causes which hitherto would
have seemed so remote from me,
like the Loyalist cause in Spain,
and the organization of migra-
tory workers. I have mentioned
some of the other contributing
causes. I liked the new sense of
companionShip, and at the same
time felt. that I was coming to be
part of the life of my time and
country. ....
In 1887 my father died; a little
later. when I came into an in
heritance, / made a will leaving
this to the University of Califor-
mia for fellowships to graduate
students.
This was the era of what the
Communists then called the
united 'front.'" in which they
Joined with many non-Commu-
mist groups in support of human
itarian objectives. Many of these
objectives engaged my interest.
Helped With Teachers Union.
contributed to the strike fund
OF one of the major strikes of
Bridges union; I subscribed to
The Peoples World; I contrib
uted to the various committees
and organizations which were in
tended to help the Spanish Loy-
alist cause. I was invited to help
establish the Teachers Union,
which included faculty and
teaching assistants at the uni
versity, and school teachers of
the East Bay. I was elected re-
cording secretary. My connec-
ton with the Teachers Union
continued until some time in
1912, when we disbanded our
chapter.
During these same years,
also began to take part in the
management of the Physics De-
partment, the selection of
courses and the awarding Of
fellowships. and in the general
affairs of the Graduate School
of the university, mostly through
the Graduate Council. of which
1 was member for some years.
I also became involved in other
organizations. For perhaps a
year, I was a member of the
Western Council of the Con-
sumer's Union, which was con-
cerned with evaluating informa-
ton on products of interest on
the West Coast. I do not recall
Arthur Kallet, the national head
of the Consumers Union: at
most I could have met hina If
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