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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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I thought Roosevelt ought to run. I hold very heretical views about illness, health, medical care and that kind of thing. I think it's mostly on the lap of the gods, and that most illness is psychosomatic. Although I'm perfectly willing to admit that poliomyelitis is not psychosomatic, I think recovery from it is very considerably in the field of psychology, as is the recovery from a number of other devastating germ diseases. If you live through them, all right, then you've got to recover. That depends on your mental and spiritual outlook.

I was of the opinion that fooling around, seeing doctors all the time, and doing only what they tell you would never get you well. I hold the view of, “What if you aren't well? What's the difference? Get up and do your job anyhow and you'll get well if the Lord's got that written out for you.” Anyhow you'll feel better if you're doing your job. To get well isn't the first consideration in life. To do what you're supposed to do, what your destiny is, and do it well, is what you've got to do. You'll get well and you'll be happy on the side.

My views of whether Roosevelt would be well enough to be Governor were absolutely inconsequential. I never gave the slightest thought to it. I thought it would be a good thing to run.





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