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Chicago, June 8, 1971 (Cooler today here after two hot ones). (Sure a relief. Nice today).

Dear Jack:

    Thanks for your letter of June 4 and for the clippings.  I note the one clipping comes from Joe Diggles, whom I have for quite some time now considered to be trifling.  I don't think he can see humanity in other than R. C. hierarchy views.  I suppose his return to the fold - if indeed he ever left it - came with the death of his mother, a woman who had connections enabling Joe to get a job with Catholic Charities.  In a burst of enthusiasm about three years ago when I heard that Cathy Come Home (BBC-tv), the film that shocked England by exposing the treatment of homeless families, was about to be shown on W-T-T-W, channel 11 here, I 'phoned Joe.  He asked me why I thought he'd be interested in that sort of subject.  I replied that I thought he might still believe in more humane treatment of decent but unfortunate people, and particularly, the Irish had been suffering from the same conditions, notably at Dublin, where in 1966 troops had to be called out when married men insisted upon staying over the week-end at "hostels" where their wives and children were housed after tenements were "pulled down."

handwritten note in left margin: "Estate agents" and land speculators are really responsible for the lack of housing just as here - them & the politicians Mentioning that the Irish were also suffering from homelessness in England seemed to mellow him, but I was utterly disgusted, and I never suggested that he part with any money, though I had already forwarded forty dollars to the group known as SHELTER, which has varied elements (even a Catholic bishop) - churches of several faiths, many university students and faculty. Oh, I once talked over the 'phone with Connolly's daughter here.

   Your question re the Traven review is doubtless answered by the receipt of the two review sections I forwarded to you last Sunday, and your review appeared last Saturday in PANORAMA.  You probably know that Joe Haas died as a result of overexertion in a swimming pool while accompanied with Norman Mark, television critic for the Chicago Daily News.  Haas succeeded Bradley as head of the paper's book review section.   So, the dept. is probably in a state of flux.
  Have you seen Des' O'Connor on Kraft Music Hall, and have you seen Val Doonican?  O'Connor is capable enough, but perhaps over-cute.  Doonican is a charming Irishman who doesn't give us too much showmanship, but satisfies and doesn't overtire us with those wornout, overworked tunes;  sings well and has a pleasant manner.  Doonican came on for the first time last Saturday.  We used to see O'Connor and Doonican on their own shows and always enjoyed them, as they are certainly different from the stereotyped stuff we have to watch here - like Dean Martin, for example, who has for years been using the old Joe E. Lewis pseudo-drunk routines.  THE JOKER IS WILD, Lewis' book written quite a few years ago was interesting to anyone familiar with Chicago at the time Lewis had his throat slashed by syndicate thugs.  For summertime entertainment when the big shows were closed, many went to the Green Mill Gardens for outstanding shows.  As in the case of Fred Allen, Lewis' material was often stolen by M-O-T, though he was himself of Jewish origin.  I only saw him once or twice briefly on the Ed Sullivan show.   His material was considered much too risque for the general public, as you may know.   As I mentioned to you sometime last year, S. J. Perelman appeared on the Dick Cavett show and stated then his intention to depart for England, that he was tired of America, that England was so civilized.  Certainly he wouldn't want to take on employment there even if offered, as pay is meager, and he's used to lots of moola.
  I last saw Jimmy Sheridan about six months ago, by which time I was getting pretty tired (confidentially) of going to that hotel of his, where lately I always had to hear what a couple of other residents had to say and to listen to their questions.  These guys would simply walk into Jimmy's room without invitation.  Tiresome asses, both of them.  One of the men has since died, the other, a self-centered, middle-aged Jew, has attached himself to Jimmy almost night and day, though he doesn't live at Jimmy's place.  Jimmy called me a couple of weeks ago, and we talked at some length.  He says his legs give out after short exertion.  A couple of times I took him out to eat, using a taxi to go to the restaurant.  Jimmy seemed cheerful enough, though I think his operation was for cancer of the prostate gland.  By the way, who is Horowitz, the man who wrote THE FREE WORLD COLOSSUS?

OVER