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The President's study, the Blue Room, is that big oval room on the second floor over the South Portico. The room was quite full with a lot of extra chairs. The President was sitting at his desk where he always sat. His desk had its back toward the wall where the door was that went into his bedroom. The room was always likely to be in disorder at any time that you went there. So that was not striking. when I say disorder, it was clean disorder - maps, books, more furniture than was necessary. On this occasion a lot of extra chairs had been brought in from other rooms. There were a number of maps hung up, but I had seen maps hanging up there often, because the President was a map-minded person.

The President was sitting at his desk. He was preoccupied. It was a large room and he didn't notice us right away with so many people coming and going. He was sitting turned a little sidewise, as you do when you have a shelf pulled out on one side of your desk. He was looking at papers, had a cigarette in his mouth. People were moving around, showing him things, pointing out things to him. Frank Knox was among those who was right close to him and showing him something or other. The President didn't look up, acted as if he didn't see us. I remember Knox being there because he was obviously in a high strung mood, as naturally he would be, although we didn't know the whole story then.

Cordell Hull was there already and seated quietly