Tonight the lights at the White House are burning brightly — MacArthur's wife is in. Ditto in the house in front of us where Col. Soriano et al are definitely "in" and definitely "electrified." Well, I'm using two candles tonight as a special treat.

Conditions in Manila are still bad. Some are milking the rationing system while others are getting none. For the most part, people complain about having nothing to do. Maurice and George had enough of Manila and left for a five-day trip to Lingayen for the hell of it. Meanwhile, Malacañan has become a madhouse with everyone trying to get in to ask for favors, handouts, jobs and more. The crowd of women at Confesor's office is killing him. "Geeze, what can I do for them?" he asks in exasperation. "I sure have FRIENDS today ... even my relatives recognize me now." While a line of people stand patiently outside Malacañan, the big shots enter by devious ways, and it's them and their cronies that give the Cabinet members constant headaches.

. . . .

The other day, Lowenthal, a German Baguio evacuee, passed by Santa Mesa looking like some wild man. "Don't talk to me," he shrieked to a friend. "It was horrible. I've lost all my family ... terrible!" He escaped from Baguio via the mountains until he found the Americans and got a lift into Manila.

. . . .

The huge Swiss Oriental Vault was finally opened today after American welders with acetylene torches were called in. Everything was intact when it was opened, but in taking things out the helpers managed to steal 20 cases of booze right under the nose of Knecht.

...ooOoo...