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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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then Assistant Secretary of Labor, tells me, did I get really mad. I can't remember now what it was, but he probably does. He told me at the time, “That was the only time I ever saw you angry. I didn't know you had any temper in you. I'm sort of glad to know you have.” I remember that he came over to tell me some particularly difficult aspect, something particularly unwise that Hillman had done and put through his organization over there. I kept jumping up from my chair and saying, “This can't be done. This cannot be done. I will not have it. This is just not possible. This is beyond the pale.” I walked up and down the floor of the office. I suppose I was pretty hot. I was pretty exhausted, and I did think it was incredible that Hillman should have done what he did. I can't remember what the episode was about, but Tracy was disturbed and had come right over to me to see if we could stop it. I seem to think we did, by one device or another, but it had to be by being very polite and subtle. I don't think we ever had a head-on collision with Hillman, but it was really very, very difficult.

Now, some departments were loaded, I am told, with old line bureaucrats who could not see the necessity of planning. Not my Department. That was loaded with very good people. At the time of the war, it is true that Roosevelt brought in many outsiders and often put them in supreme charge of operations





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