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Mary LaskerMary Lasker
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the middle of June, when I went at once to Madison, to the University of Wisconsin, where I received an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.

During the summer, about the middle of July, I went to see President Truman to ask him if he did not now feel that it was a strategic time to appoint the health commission. He this? said he did not think it was the right moment and the concern with civilian defense did not seem to be very great at this time.

Early in September I returned to Washington to talk with David Stone, the President's assistant, and showed him a printed plan which Florence Mahoney had obtained which the AMA had outlined to defeat a Congressman in Pennsylvania, based on his presumed support of the general idea of national health insurance. This plan really gave David Stone a shock. I believe he showed it to President Truman. Stone realized that if this sort of thing was done on a big scale it would mean something important politically which would mean mischief-making for the candidates of the Democratic Party.

Stone then urged the President to appoint a health commission and wrote a Presidential statement. It was at this time that Florence and I asked for an appointment with Clark Clifford, who was no longer at the White House, and asked him to go with us to see Charlie Murphy, who was the legal counsel to Truman at that time. We told him of the AMA's plans, their potential for real confusion and harm, and urged them both to urge the President to appoint a health commission that would





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