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ones. There was nobody else.

I immediately got in touch with Florence. We complained bitterly to Matt Connolly and he said, “Well, you know, really the only one who can get anything done if she really wants to is Mrs. Truman.” And we said to ourselves, “Why didn't you tell us that before?” However, Florence immediately did get in touch with Mrs. Truman.

Evidently, the letter had not ordered them to make the increases, although the Budget had asked the Institutes of Health to retestify to these higher figures, which gave the Directors of the Institutes and ourselves hope that the figures actually were going to be used. But somebody down the line decided against it.

It didn't then convey the full authority of the White House?

No, but the President didn't do this.

Florence thought the only approach now still open was through Mrs. Truman with whom she had become very friendly, and she decided this was our only hope. Mrs. Truman was charming and powerful although she seldom used her influence for anyone as far as I know. She was very shy. She seldom interfered in anything that we know of, but she did gradually get involved in this. And this was getting to be the end of their term of office. You see, this was October, and they were going to go