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Well, the only one who had lasted was Truman. The others had all disappeared. But he still remembered Schwellenbach, who had been loyal for the A.F. of L. out in The President asked me what I would like of all the posts that were around. I said, “Well, you know, I'll tell you frankly, the one enterprise of the Government in which I am preponderantly interested and tremendously interested and would like to have a finger in is the Social Security. And if that's convenient and you would like me to do it, why, I'd be delighted. But you mustn't do it now, of course. You can't ask Paul McNutt to resign. I wouldn't think of your asking McNutt to resign. It would be disgusting. I would be there, and I wouldn't-- But if Mr. McNutt does resign, and things work out, and it's convenient--that's what I would really like. I don't insist upon it, I mean--far from that--nor do I insist in anything, Mr. President. But since you ask me, this is what I will tell you.”

Then I went off, and went to Europe. Then I came back and wrote my book.

On this day in late August of 1946, I had this telephone can from Paul Fitzpatrick, the Democratic State Committeeman of New York. “I want to know a few little things,” he said. “I think the President wants to appoint you to something.”

I said, “Oh well, that's fine.”

He said, “Are you in a good state of mind to accept it?”