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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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or with deliberation, mention them. As a matter of fact, many did.

It was with that technique that the Seabury investigation proceeded. They questioned a man about whom they had some information. From their questioning of him they got a lead to two or three other people who might, or might not, be guilty of something wrong. Anyhow they went after all of them. It was a very harrowing experience. It came to be known even before there was any public report of what these hearings were.

I realize now that strangely there was no protest against the privacy of these hearings. The committee often gave out some information to the press after the hearing, but sometimes they didn't, although the press knew that So-and-So was heard and no conclusions were reached. There wasn't much protest at the in camera proceedings.

The dread of the operation got to be very severe. The tests that the Seabury committee applied with regard to rectitude of conduct apparently were not in full harmony with the tests which many of these public officials applied to themselves or to their associates to determine their rectitude, their proper behavior and their moral behavior. The reaction of the community affected - that is, the public official community affected - by these inquiries can be illustrated





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