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Mary LaskerMary Lasker
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Lasker:

I talked a little to Jenkins about it. He just listened to me; he didn't say whether he was for or against it. Jenkins had appealed to me in behalf of Abe Fortas' brother-in-law last summer. The brother-in-law was dying of cancer of the lung, and I made some suggestions about how to have him treated, and both Fortas and Jenkins were very grateful to me for my suggestions and extremely gracious about expressing gratitude, which people seldom do. The truth is that the man died in spite of the aid that was offered.

The commission is still unresolved. And I'd now like to go back to the social life under the Kennedy Administration, because I think it was for everybody extremely enjoyable.

In the party for the President of the Sudan there was for the first time a stage and a company of players, I think from Stratford, who spoke short scenes from Shakespeare, including wonderful scenes from Henry V, Agincourt speeches. At any rate, it was the first time the White House had given as entertainment any serious drama or any effort at any high-minded or really very serious after-dinner entertainment. This was very touching to me. I was very moved by it.

The second big party that I went to there, other than meetings or appointments, was in January of '63, when I went to a party in honor of the Vice President, Speaker McCormack and the Justices of the Supreme Court. This evening there was no entertainment, just dancing. It was a splendid party, with small tables in the dining room and in the Blue Room and the Red Room and in the Green Room. It was spoiled for me by the fact that





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