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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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over him. I know his name came up at least twice. He caused so much difficulty when I was Industrial Commissioner and was making the appointments, after 1929.

I bring this up to illustrate that Smith's idea of politics was a very sound one, which was to recognize that you have to have these clubs and this organization, just as Curry said, and that the people who are in high office have to treat them right. They don't have to be slaves to them. They don't need to do as they tell them to. They don't need to regard them as a boss, but there's no reason in the world why you shouldn't be polite to them, helpful to them and understand their problems. “They don't want to wreck the administration,” said Smith, “but they want a job.”

I never did a thing like dismissing Flinn without telling Curry about it in advance. So he would be prepared. He never let me down when I told him the whole story. He would defend me to the other Tammany Hall leaders if they made a fuss about somebody not being appointed or let out. I developed one or two bright little ways of making them feel that they were being consulted. I think the Governor knew I did this. I told him once. I had a person in my office who ran the personnel section, although she wasn't a personnel officer. No appointments were made unless she saw what was





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