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understanding of the situation. That's what gave you confidence in his ability to do these things in 1940. Of course, he had much more experience in the government than any other person in the Cabinet. He was a great help to the President in general discussions because he was a kind of elder statesmen. The President would often ask him his opinion about international problems, about foreign affairs, about diplomatic relationships. He would ask him to draw upon his past experience, although as Secretary of War he wasn't responsible for that. I thought him a very admirable appointment.

So that left us with a Cabinet that had two highly placed members in positions of great responsibility who were Republicans. Jones came into Commerce and Wickard came into Agriculture. Wickard had been Under Secretary of Agriculture and as such was favorably known. I think it was a natural appointment. I don't know whether Henry Wallace recommended it or not, but I presume he did. It was an appointment that seemed to suit the President because it offered no new policy problems in Agriculture, or at least none that the President saw. He had been Under Secretary with Wallace and presumably whatever the programs were that had been endorsed by the administration were going to continue. Whatever revisions