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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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boat some day, if nothing else. Everything becomes an incident. Depending on the tensions of the day, a small or large incident can become a very important factor.

“I think that for this we need to have a situation which is not partisan politics. I think it would be a good idea to have in this post of Secretary of the Navy a Republican. If we are going to be faced, as we undoubtedly are, with incidents where we've got to judge the situation as a responsible nation, and not as a party striving for influence and strength within the country over another party, we have to settle this together with the Republicans. I don't know that we can do that in any way except by having Republicans, as well as Democrats, in the high administrative offices, no matter who is elected in the Congress, or how the Congress is composed. I'm thinking of appointing a Republican.”

I remember Harold Ickes piping up and saying, “I think that's fine, Mr. President. I think it's a good idea. I think that's a fine idea.” I remember Hull saying, “That's a very good idea,” and then making his little speech, saying that if Wilson had had the foresight to move toward a bipartisan policy early we in this country might have been spared many, many terrible





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