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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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So I don't remember all this period very clearly. What happens to me is that the time that Wickard was under secretary and came to Cabinet meeting occasionally, the time that he became secretary when Henry Wallace resigned, and his continuation as secretary after the election and on into '41 are all blended in together. So one episode passes into the other and I don't distinguish them at all.

I remember that Henry Wallace, in bringing things into Cabinet meeting, very rarely talked in Cabinet meeting about what was going on in the Department of Agriculture, or what they were doing in the actual operations of Agriculture, or the policies of the department - very rarely did. He had a good deal to say in Cabinet meetings, but it was by way of comment on other problems - political, international, general economic, making very wise and intelligent contributions, and very very worthwhile. But he very rarely described and reported on, except in answer to a direct question, anything about the Department of Agriculture.

The thing that I noticed when Wickard came in was, “Here is a man who is really interested and wrapped up in the operations of the Department of Agriculture”, because he began to report on actual things that happened





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