Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-12
GIRL STATE SECRETARY PLANS
"VACATION" IN NEW POSITION
Miss Alice Lee Grosiean, "a,
Says She Realizes Heavy
Responsibilities.
But Post Will Afford Her Rest
After Work as Gov.
Longs Aide.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW ORLEANS, October IL (NA
Mail am thrilled to death over
my new position" was the comment to-
day Of Miss Alice Lee Grosjean, "a
years old, petite and pretty, as she COM
pleted her work as secretary to Gov.
Huey p. Long and prepared to leave
Tor Baton Rouge to assume her duties
as the first woman secretary of state
IN the history of Louisiana.
now to go to few dances, play some
golf and tennis. and In general get re-
acquainted with few of my old friends"
she said. You know people make me
feel like laughing when they ask II I
am worried over the responsibility OF
the secretary of states office. II they
only knew the responsibility had dur
ing the days and weeks that Gov. Long
was away on his flying campaigns and
business going!"
AS she talked, Miss Grosjean's pretty
hazel eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.
With her wavy, dark auburn hair
bobbed and her tiny figure (she Is )
feet in height) attired In knitted red
and white sport suit, 1t was dif1cult to
realize that she holds the highest po-
litical office ever given q woman IN
Louisiana.
Plans Reorganization.
1T am going to completely modernize
the operation Of that ONCE" she said
in discussing the position to which she
was appointed Wednesday, q few hours
after the death of James j. Bailey, who
had been elected secretary OF state for
four consecutive terms. "You know the
methods haven't been changed in the
Office for Is years and believe we can
make some alterations to the advantage
of the State.
'T am having an audit made of all
departments of my office now, and until
that Is completed I cannot say what
changes will be necessary. But, in the
meantime, am going to take a kind
Of vacation. I haven't had one in q
long, long time.
II love to dance and to play golf and
tennis, but have had very little OPP
portunity for any kind Of recreation
during the last few years" continued
Miss Grosjean, and then added at
length:
When Gov. Long took office his first
act was to appoint me as his secretary.
1t was a big thrill for me, but was the
beginning of some terribly hard work.
Wednesday when he made me secre-
tary of state, of course was much more
thrilled, not so much because of the
bigger position, but because I had never
dreamed that I would be considered.
I'VE were up at the Capitol on some
Board of Liquidation business. The
Governor went to offer his coincidence
to Mr.. Bailey's family. and while he
was out the State auditor, Mr., Bay
nard, said to me, I hear you may be
appointed secretary of state That
was the first intimation ! heard, but
I did not take it seriously.
Ordered Her Commission.
'I was in my office when the Gov
ernor returned to the Capitol, and the
he walked into the once and said:
Miss Grosjean, write out a commits
sion appointing Miss Alice Lee Gros-
jean secretary of state, effective at
once. You had better address it jointly
to Assistant Secretary Of State r. II.
Flower and to Miss Grosjean, secre-
tary Of the Governor
You can imagine how surprised ]
was. In fact, was 50 excited that !
am just now beginning to get really
thrilled over the prospects of the POSI-
ton. / really want to make a success
of my term and render service to my
people.
while I love politics when 7 am
watching from the side lines. have
no intention of running for election to
the ONCE after this term expires. dc
not believe woman's place is in poll
tics, but that only applies to my own
personal feelings. ] do not condemn,
IN fact, admire any woman who
wishes to carve out a career in BUSH
ness or in the political world. per-
sonaliy would rather manage home
II 1 did not have to earn q living"
Miss Grosjean was married at the
age of is and divorced short time
later She left school in the tenth
grade to wed James Terrell at her home
In Shreveport, and subsequently entered
commercial school, where she studied
stenography and secretarial work.
Learned New Shorthand.
TN high school," she said in discuss
ing her girlhood, II did not take part
in many Of the school activities, al
though always played tennis. After I
left school I went TO q commercial COL
lege. Later I worked as stenographer
for two or three Shreveport law firms.
In 1924 I was given a position by Gov.
Long. He was then practicing law in
Shreveport The frst thing he made
me do was to 60 to night school and
a.,
believe me, used to have some trying
days with legal briefs and two short
hand systems garbled up.
That seems trivial now, as I look
back over the two years he has been
Governor. He had hardly taken ONCE
when his opponents began to throw OBJ
stacles in the path of his State program
OF construction. This brought on hur-
rted trips over the State and finally
open campaigns for the governorship.
AS time went on he placed more and
more responsibility on me while he was
away.
Then came the impeachment pro-
ceedings," went on Miss Grosjean, land
later the road-program campaign, to be
followed by the senatorial campaign.
All of this, in brief, meant that worked
most of the time night and day, with
little or no opportunity of seeing my
friends. So you Sc my appointment an
secretary OF State almost means vaca-
ton.
Don't misunderstood. I realize that
the position gives me great responsible
ties as head Of the State Insurance Rate
Commission, the Motor Vehicle License
Tax Bureau and member of the State
Board of Liquidation in addition to the
other duties Of the secretary of State.
Large Responsibility.
"As head of the License Bureau /
will be responsible for the collection of
about $4,000, 900 annually, and then, too,
1 am a member Of a special committee
named to supervise the construction of
the new 29-story State Capitol Building
But despite all of that, will still get
a chance to go out at night once in a
while, maybe to a picture show or a
dance, and then on week ends I plan
to run up to Shreveport and see my
family"
Miss Grosjean, at "a years of age. is
holding a position which is of much
greater Importance in Louisiana than
the secretary of States Office in most