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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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We said, “We can go, Senator. You don't need to break your engagement.”

He said, “I won't let you go without me. I won't let you two girls go out there without me.”

We said, “Why?”

He said, “Well, I think it'll be kind of rough. They're a rough outfit out there and I'm not going to let two girls from New York go out there unless I go with them.”

Aileen and I laughed about it and had very much the feeling that he was being an escort, that he didn't trust us, that he was being pater familias, going to protect us and tell us what to do. He broke his engagement and it was announced that we would go to Independence that night. It was not very far and we would drive out in somebody's car.

So we drove out. Senator Hawes told us the name of the man who was the head of the committee there and the name of So-and-so, so that when we were introduced it wouldn't be blank. Then he said, clearing his throat, “Now, I told you it might be a little rough. There are kind of rough people out there and they're kind of wrought up.”

“What are they wrought up about?”

“Well, they're wrought up about Al Smith's religion. They're very upset about his religion. They don't like it at all. It's a very bigoted place out here. They're all





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