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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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Labor field in the years that I'd been Secretary of Labor. It was a pretty imposing list. I've got a copy of it upstairs with my things. I saw it the other day. When I picked it out--it wasn't labelled or anything--I saw what it was and I put a label on it, because I remembered exactly what it was and how interested I had been, how anxious I had been to get it down. I remember saying to Mr. Fitzgerald, “I've got get this stuff down. This is my swan song, and I want it published. Once I'm out, I want this printed.”

Interviewer:

You really thought that he would let you go, this time?

Perkins:

Yes, I did. Plenty of people were anxious to take the post.

Interviewer:

This is one of the interesting questions this business raises. Supposing Wallace had said “Interior”?

Perkins:

Well, the President said to me, “He can have anything he wants except State.” I don't know what would have happened if he'd said “Interior.”

Interviewer:

I know what would have happened if he'd said “Agriculture.”

Perkins:

Wickard would have resigned.





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