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Prosperity and Thrift: The Coolidge Era and the Consumer Economy, 1921-1929
Boone Papers. Chapter on President Coolidge from the Memoirs of His Physician, Joel T. Boone.
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Mrs. Coolidge said she would not want to say anything to have me feel that I must not follow the di
s
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tates of my conscience and what I considered wisest and for my best interests, adding that each one of us must thin
g
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of him- or herself's future and map some tentative course on which to travel as we progress along life's highway. She emphasized she did not wish to have my career stunted in any way, observing: "I was the one who knew you first among us Coolidges and I have always relied upon you. I would feel very badly to see you go, but whatever you decide, I will leave it and accept it as for your best interests." She was sure that I would give most careful consideration in arriving at the final decision, very solicitous as to the climate of Peking for Mrs. Boone, Suzanne, and me. She regretted very much to see me go so far away from my father, with him in poor health in his advanc
ed
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years.
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reviewed the talk I had had with the President and then advised me to get the Surgeon General's reaction, what had occurred and what had been said between the President and myself and her. I told her that I had talked to the Surgeon General on two occasions, and on the second one I asked him to think longer about the subject and sleep upon it before he gave me his really final decision. I told her I was not prepared
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this time to tell her what the Surgeon General's
rea
first reaction was, but I would say that it was an emphatic one.
That afternoon I saw the Surgeon General again and
took
told him
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about the conversation I had had with Mrs. Coolidge. Admiral Stitt said: "Boone, the more I think about it, the more convinced I am that you must stay."
I was living in an air of turmoil within myself. I was having constant headaches, feeling the fatigue of concentrated mental effort, but I realized that I was passing through a mental transformation in this experience. Assurance of confidence of others in me was certainly stimulating and, I am sure, would weigh
t
heavily in the decision that I would make.
I made a trip to New York a week later and had a good visit with Doctor and Mrs. Derby with whom I imparted in confidence the problem with which I was wrestling. They were most hospi
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able, very gracious in their interest in my problem. Assured me that there was always room for the three of us--that's my wife, Suzanne, and myself--whenever we would come to Oyster Bay and be with them. Dick Derby told me that he had talked to Burt Lee, the consultant surgeon of the Second Division in World War I, on the subject with which I had been wrestling. As a result, I got very valuable advice from Ethel and Dick Derby and indirectly from Burt Lee, in the three of whom I had great confidence as to their judgment.
Under date of February 25th, 1926, I wrote and directed a letter to the Bureau of Navigation
b
via the bureau of Medicine and Surgery and the Commanding Officer of the MAYFLOWER, the subject of which was a change of duty, request for. It was endorsed the following day by Captain Andrews, Commanding Officer of the MAYFLOWER, and on February 27
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BY THE
by the Surgeon General of the Navy, Admiral Stitt. The Bureau of Navigation under date of March 4 replied officially to my letter. Herewith is quoted that correspondence in full, which is an historic document.
Before
Before the Chief of Navigation replied to my letter, I understand that there were held several conferences between the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation and the Surgeon General of the Navy.
To quote this correspondence in full:
(pages XXI-507, 508, and 509.)
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They both informed me, after giving the subject considerable thought, that I should protect myself and my Naval interests by making an official record of my efforts to another duty assigned me after the long period of time that I had been on the present duty. The Surgeon General recognized the President's position left in a very difficult position in initiating change of duty by official request.
Under date of February 25,
1965
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I
d
wrote and directed the letter to the Bureau of Navigation via the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery and the Commanding Officer of the MAYFLOWER, the subject of which was a change of duty, request for. It was endorsed the following day by Captain Andrews, Commanding Officer of the MAYFLOWER, and on February 27th by the Surgeon General of the Navy, Admiral Stitt. The Bureau of Navigation under date of March 4 replied officially to my letter. Herewith is quoted that correspondence in full, which is
a very
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historic document.
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of
the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation
replying
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to my letter,
proposed,
I understand
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,
after
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several conferences
{begin inserted text}{begin handwritten}held{end handwritten}{end inserted text}
be
f
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ween the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation and the Surgeon General of the Navy. To quote this correspondence in full: (following three pages)
Information about SGML version of this document.
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