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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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Another gentleman who was operating around Washington in those days who was very cryptic, and solemn, was Adolph Berle. He was operating around Washington and was planting mysterious ideas always. I don't know to this day whether Adolph Berle understood the ideas he planted or not, but he was planting them. He planted some with me. What he was saying to people never was clear. You never knew what this was that he was alarming you about. He was involved in the London Economic Conference and confused that story even more.

People claimed that they were betrayed by FDR, but I never knew anybody who had a commitment from FDR who was let down without being told so. I had a commitment from FDR once, at least I was entitled to think it was a commitment, and he changed his mind on it. He stepped to the telephone, or had a telephone brought into him, and telephoned me at home about midnight to say, “You know, I told you this would be all right. I hope you haven't gone too far with it.”

I said, “No, I've only just got two people together on it and we're preparing a memorandum and a program.”

He said, “Well, some things have occurred. I'm not in a position to tell you all about it now, but I have got to change my mind, Frances. I'm going to do





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