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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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the Department of Labor will be totally responsive to whatever the thinks is necessary. I want to get there first. We ought to be the people in on the ground floor. Mr. Hillman doesn't know anything about the machinery of government. We've got it, and we have to make ourselves not only available to him, but we have to make ourselves available to him before some dirty rats get in there and do the planning for him.”

I knew the kind of people that were floating around Washington with big ideas in their heads. They could easily pull the wool over the eyes of a new person coming in. My problems was with Dan Tracy. He was an AF of L man and also as Assistant Secretary of Labor, a very fine and loyal man. He was loyal to me, loyal to the President, loyal to the country and always absolutely loyal to his obligations.

The night of the Cabinet meeting I got Tracy to meet me at the office. I didn't want him this in the paper. I told him all I knew. I told him Hillman was to be appointed and that there wasn't to be an AF of L man. He hit the ceiling too, just as I had. I said, “I did my best. It's all been decided.

He thought it was the greatest possible mistake. He said, “There'll be trouble. The AF of L will raise hell.”

We talked and talked for hours. I said finally, “Now we have to think quickly on this, and I think I had better





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