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the personal relationship.”

I said, “But I don't know Washington. I don't know the political scene at the federal level. I'll make a mess of things.”

She said, “No, you won't, because you'll feel your way.”

Anyhow, we had a long drawn-out talk. I told her all my personal difficulties, that I just didn't see how I could. It was going to break my heart if I did, and so forth and so on.

“Well,” she said, “let's leave it this way. I want to make one more big plant. We have to have trial balloons, of course, but there hasn't been any considerable number of unfavorable comments. You've had a lot of letters, haven't you, from people who congratulated you just because they read in the Times that you might be appointed.”

I said, “Yes.”

She said, “Well, Roosevelt's had a lot. Other people have had a lot. There have been only a very few unfavorable reactions to what's already been spread. Now I want to spread another one. I want to plant one more big trial balloon.”

Mary Dewson wanted to arrange the release of a statement to the press by somebody that I was going to be appointed Secretary of Labor. She wanted to make sure that I wasn't