Contrasts

Wednesday, March 6th., Cannes.

"Milestones" by me and Knoblock produced at Royalty last night.

Edward Knoblock (April 7, 1874 - July 19, 1945) was an American-born British playwright and novelist most remembered for the often revived 1911 play, Kismet. Knoblock was born Edward Gustav Knoblauch in New York City of German parents and was the grandson of the Berlin architect Eduard Knoblauch. He was graduated from Harvard College in 1896, but he spent much of his professional life in Europe, first in France, then in Great Britain. In 1912, his Milestones, written with Arnold Bennett, became a hit at the Royalty Theatre, playing for over 600 performances.

I had four telegrams today all agreed as to its immense success, if only the coal strike won't upset it.
The coal strike began last Friday. Said Mrs. Frankau, who with Sydney Pauling came for tea on Sunday: "Of course I'm feudal. I'd batten them down. I'd make them work. They should work I'd force them down."

The national coal strike of 1912 was a strike by coal miners in the United Kingdom, which lasted from February to early April of that year. The dispute centred upon an attempt by the Miners Federation of Great Britain the main trade union representing coal miners, to secure a minimum wage for miners in their district, and to replace the complicated wage structure then in place, which often made it difficult for a miner to earn a fair days wage. The same issues had caused a major dispute the previous year in South Wales, and had become a national issue. The strike began at the end of February in Alfreton, Derbyshire and spread nationwide. Nearly one million miners took part. It ended on 6 April, after 37 days. The Coal Mines (Minimum Wage) Act 1912 was a result of the strike. The strike caused considerable disruption to train and shipping schedules.

Battle of Flowers yesterday. The most interesting people were the flower-vendors, 3frs. the panier, without the panier! Seat-shower quarrelling and grumbling about ticket-holders all the time, "Vous avez le No. 1. Eh bien le No. 1 est pris. Vous pouvez vous metter la. Qu'estce que ca fait?"



Larbaud brought Andre Gide in at 5.30. And we kept them to dinner and had a great evening that finished at 10 p.m. I wasn't so well today.