March 24, 1944

(Letter from Vic to brother Rudy and wife Ann, written from the South Pacific to Passaic, New Jersey. In the bottom left corner of the envelope is the writing "Censored by (no name) Lt, F.A. Above that is a stamp "Passed by U.S. Army Examiner 25603". Written on the back of the photo is 'Funeral of Sgt. F. Lazar March 1944 Bougainville)

Dear Ann and Rudy,

Your two additional letters containing the clippings and mailed as of 3rd March arrived several days ago, but the letter you medntioned intending to write concerting the state of affairs within your local has not been received as of this writing. Understand the new exec element is stinko and the elections came off very unsatisfactorily. Heard you withdrew from the election after running for the Exec. Bd. at Large, Ruts.

The campaigning and primaries seem to've been a bungled affair from what I gather. Firstly, I think you could have campaigned on some very good and prominent issues and been more oriented with the opposing faction and their methods. Secondly, your forces could've been more unted and compromised to the extent of putting into office the best available union material. Thirdly, you should have had warning beforehand of the vote validness when viewing the mere election board roster, and taken steps much sooner to guarantee a genuine and democratically legitimate voting system when the members cast their ballots.

Perhaps you did some mighty good work and the opposition was stronger than I imagine. In any case, please give me coverage of the complete campaign.

The box containing the film, flash-light, lighter, etc. held up very well. In fact, I haven't received any package that were notably torn or mulitated. However, I've seen some come into the Btry. in sad shape and the owners had to salvage the unknown origial contents from a few mixed-up piles. These packages are en-route usually between one and a half to four months. Ordinary mail (3c 1st C) takes from three to five, ten, or fifteen wks. V-mail & air-mail vary between as short a time as 8 and 9 days to eleven or fourteen days. The most rapidly transited packages or mail luckily make good connections while the tardy stuff has sometimes unaccountable delays enroute. Does that satisfy your enquiries as concerns delivery?

I believe I already gave you my views about the present congressional legislation. Many fellows over here are of the opinion that congress is more or less selling them out. We don't get too much actual dope on impending and submitted bills so that some of us aren't too well familiar with their contents, implications, etc.

It's pure bunk when certain politicians sound off back there to the effect that Pres. Roosevelt gives unsided dope to the armed forces. Fact is, we don't get the true and detailed situation enough on some issues, and Roosevelt would certainly be inclued to give us sound information included in what little he has time for in his time aborbing duties.

I can't attempt to state how the soldier (overseas) will vote on the elections. Naturally, politics varies over here, too. No doubt Roosevelt would get a sizeable proportion of support - how much or whether it'd be a majority I cannot judge.

As to the possible Republican Candidate - be it Wilkie, Dewey, or MacArthur - there's even less formed opinion over here. That may be due to the fact that as of today many fellows don't believe they'll get the opportunity of expressing their legitimate right to vote in the coming elections. There's something in Vandenberg's (Rep. Senator, Mich) article on MacArthur in the recent Colliers'. However, the author is only another politician tho no doubt the Gen. is a strong character. Personally, I don't think he'll run and that Wilkie will get the Rep. nomination and be defeated by our President who qualifies better than any other figure in my estimation.

I just received a letter from Bob Mueckler who's been in an ack-ack outfit over in New Guinea for too long. Yuts Conrad is south of me in these islands and Ray Reed plies these general waters aboard a transport. Jack V. was still in N.G. last I heard. Bob Hoey was still in a marine rest area after Tarawa.

Well, I must sign off now but I'll continue this correspondence in a few day if I have time. Please write soon and often.

Best regards,
Vic