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Mary LaskerMary Lasker
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Part:         Session:         Page of 1143

Well, I grew up and I came to live in New York City and I felt some improvements could be made here. And my mother also lived here with me from about 1934 until 1940, and she was at that time, I think I mentioned, interested in the Outdoor Cleanliness Association which was largely fighting the smoke and dirt of New York and their efforts were to keep the streets clean with receptacles for trash and fighting against unnecessary smoke from apartment houses and factories. And I think I've told you that she was successful in getting Consolidated Edison to put smoke-consumers on their smoke-stacks. Now, since she's ceased to work I find there's still a great deal too much smoke and I can scarcely live in this house without air conditioners.

Q:

Your friend, Major Seversky, is interested though.

Lasker:

Yes. Did I tell you that, or do you know that from another source?

Q:

You told me that.

Lasker:

Yes, well, I'm tremendously sympathetic to this.

I think I've mentioned that in 1942 I gave some seeds to the City of New York, many millions of hardy chrysanthemum seeds and some money to plant them, to cover the cost of planting them at 104th Street and Central Park in the garden that's opposite the Flower-Fifth Avenue Hospital and also to plant them





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