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piecemeal - a piece one day, about which he would say, “That would be interesting. That's not a bad idea,” and then weeks later another piece. In the meantime he didn't hold the thread in his mind. I don't exonerate Roosevelt for not having become aware of this. He must have known some of it and he could have questioned, found out and gotten himself an independent view of it, an independent judgment, even it was a plan soberly made by his Attorney General.
Stephens went to Cummings within a very few days before this meeting and told his that from what he knew it was a very drastic and radical plan and one that would never get the support of the Congress and people of the United States, and one that would get the President into deep crouble. He asked him, “To what extent does the President fully understand it?” That was within a very few days before this Cabinet meeting. He was trying to head it off, trying to warn him against it. He has always felt that Roosevelt never understood it.
I feel that. Knowing Roosevelt pretty well and knowing his weaknesses, looking at it from the point of view of one public figure looking at another, instead
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