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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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up in that organization.

Interviewer:

What years since then have you attended?

Perkins:

Since then, I went to the '45 meeting in Paris of the I.L.O., which was the great post-war meeting. It was the most important or seemed to be the most important that we had ever had. The War had intervened, you see, and this was the first meeting on European soil. There had been a meeting in Philadelphia and a partial meeting in New York, but this was the first regular meeting that could be prepared for, and could have correspondence in advance about it and be held on European soil. And it was a very moving meeting.

Frankly, I asked Truman when I was arranging my resignation. I said, “I have full anticipated going to the I.L.O. meeting, the first meeting after the War. It's going to be held in October this year, in Paris, and I had fully anticipated going. I'm prepared, the memoranda are ready, I've worked out the agenda, I've been in touch with Bevin, and it's all worked out, and I would like very much indeed to be appointed the delegate. I don't mind telling you that. If you just don't feel I'm suitable, say so, but this is what I would like.”

He said, “Why, certainly. Certainly.” And he wrote me a letter right then, and said, “You are to be appointed.”





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