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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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chatty. She went around the country and saw everybody. She was not easily managed. I mean, if you wanted to manage the Embassy, you couldn't have managed it through Ivy Litvinof. Her name was Ivy--a good English name. I forget what her maiden name was, but she belonged to a very well-to-do English family and was a very independent person. She was pretty sad about being recalled. I mean, she was pretty sore, I think-- sore and sad.

Gromyko had appeared. I think he had been in the Embassy before, under Litvinof. I don't remember how far down, whether he was Number Two man, or when he came. I don't recall that, but he was now Ambassador. I had not met him at the time. I may have met him at some formal occasion, but I hadn't recalled him.

At any rate, I had talked to Hull and asked him what I should do. I think the President had also suggested that I see Gromyko and see if we couldn't sell him this idea, and get him to present it favorably to the Russian Government. Hull said, “Well, if you will go to see the Ambassador, we will make the appointment for you. That's the proper way. The State Department will make the appointment.”

I said, “Will somebody from the State Department go with me?”

“Well, I don't think that's necessary,” he said. “I suggest, however, that you take one of your own people.”





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