Home
Search transcripts:    Advanced Search
Notable New     Yorkers
Select     Notable New Yorker

Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
Photo Gallery
Transcript

Part:         Session:         Page of 915

out of the dining room. It was over. That's right. The final toast should have been to the President. That's the way to do it. That should have been the final toast. There shouldn't have been any other toasts, but there should have been two or three little speeches, and he could have responded.

If you had just thought it out, it could have come out handsomely. All this business that the military aides do is all thought out. They all were on their stations. They had their arms out at the right moments. The marine band played when it should play. That was all done. But what had to come out of the minds and lips of the principals was just nothing. I don't know why it wasn't planned. I would say it was lack of social experience. This kind of thing has to be planned. It doesn't just happen. The formality of the occasion would prevent somebody from jumping up and saying, “I want to say our President...” I think if John Nance Garner had been present, he would have done it, because he was incorrigible, irrepressible, and made a damn good speech when he wanted to. He would have sat there and would have been mad because Vinson hadn't said anything. Then he would have gotten up and said, “Mr. President, I have a few words I want to say.” Although they would have been somewhat on the rough side, they would have been interesting. They would have had style.





© 2006 Columbia University Libraries | Oral History Research Office | Rights and Permissions | Help