Evening star., 1933-12-24
Tales of Well Known Folk
In Art, Literature, Politics
Lady Cabinet Member Brushes Away Any Pref
udice in Southern Speech-Mrs. Gam Makes
Hit in Dixieland-Mrs Hartman On Charm.

Miss Frances Perkins, Secretary Of
Labor, viii now admit that Georgia
chillun got Shoes" after her warm re-
ception In Atlanta the other day, and
her polite explanation of a remark she
made in a speech not long ago in a shoe
manufacturing State, when she sug-
gested that the exchange Of products
would increase buying power, and as an
illustration said, for instance, the South
needed shoes-or something to that
effect, which was Immediately broad
cast through the Southern States and
most unfavorably commented upon.
She was speaking before the Presi-
dents Club in Atlanta, where Gov.
Talmadge had just made a speech, In
which he enumerated the resources of
his State, and among other things said
that some of the finest shoes in the
country were made in Georgia in one
of the biggest factories in the South.
The audience was with Miss Perkins
heart and soul when she frankly re-
ferred to her statement in the previous
speech, which she said was apparently
nlisinterpreted, and asked that they ac-
cept her assurance that such a thought
as any intimation of a shoelesS South
had never occurred to her.
Miss Perkins is perhaps the speech
maker par excellence of the present
cabinet. as she is great persuader and
has way of melting the prejudices of
her audience by her frankness, feel
ing their attitude as she goes along, and
making her vital point only after she
has prepared the way She has a sense
of humor even in a cut and dried radio
speech, and her work in social service,
where she had direct contact with all
sorts and conditions of men, has given
har that OIIa litIy Of hu vrrINinh r.
enabled her to discriminate between
justice and sentiment. She speaks
largely without notes and has what the
psychologists call total recall" in
remarkable degree. She is said to COL
1ect funny stores along with facts and
in preparing speech sometimes makes
a telling illustration with a humorous
story.
Nine. Secretary Is good looking, and
when she takes off her tricorne hat
and her liquid brown eyes are in full
relief, she is able to keep her listeners
with her as they follow her eyes as one
might In a portrait She enjoys ex-
hibitions Of furniture, paintings and
likes to erllbroider, especially to "Smock."
In college she was called "Perk" and
was executive of half the activities on
the campus, from the golf club to the
Y. w. c. A. She still has the farm of
her ancestors in Damartscotta, Me,
which she uses as a Summer home.
She calls the President Frank and does
not feel bit sighted as cabinet off,
Ger that she is not invited to the Grid
iron dinners.
The South which has had a dearth
of cabinet officers and cabinet visitors
during the past IL years or more, well
coined the Secretary of Agriculture re-
Gently down in Birmingham, Ala, and
turned out en- maSse to hear Secretary
Wallace explain agricultural phases OF
the new deal, and especially the steps
planned for cotton reduction next year |
Mr.. Wallace is too Scotch to possess
Secretary Perkins persuasive manner,
but sometimes goes rather speedily to
the point without diplomatic prepara-
tlon-as he did on one occasion at a
meeting of the Daughters of the Amer |
tcan Revolution, when he explained at
some length; In fact, went into details
regarding the American coloniStS lack
of affection for George III The Brit
ish Ambassador, Sir Ronald Lindsay,
sat just back of the Secretary while
he was speaking, and maintained his
diplomatic poise superbly while a merry
twinkle In his eyes showed he appre-
ciated the humor of the situation.
4hC NAolJ VI WdlldCe IO
Alabama seemed to have had a sooth-
ing effect, as there was a feeling in
some quarters that they had not had |
their full part in the recovery program
funds. After Mr.. Wallace's talk they
felt a whole lot better and were also
enlivened by the announced intention !
Of President Roosevelt to visit the Ten |
nessee Valley area of Alabama and ad- |
joining States early next Spring.
This youngest member of the Roose-
welt cabinet looks even younger than |
his As years and has decidedly Scotch |
appearance with his wiry. reddish |
brown hair that does not yield grace
fully to the comb his serious gray-blue |
eyes and his tanned face. When Mr.. |
Wallace WAS student at Anes State |
Agricultural School of Iowa. he was
making study of the soy bean, and
not feeling satisfied with the labora-
tory experiments. he went on diet of |
soy beans for several weeks. recording |
his own reactions and physical response |
to the foo.', with the result that at the
end of IT, time he felt satisfied that |
the beans -.;ere an ample diet and also |
that he aud live on IS cents a week. |
Farm pl 3HcationS have not had much |
about the agricultural attache appoint |
ed last J%all by the Department of |
State to the American embassy staff |
at Paris. Sudging from his name. Neils |
I. NeilSeIh he must have come from |
Secretary IWallaceiS part of the coun- |
try. Mr. TNeilsen is known to Wash |
ington ast the former commissioner Of
the Depftment of Agriculture, and
more reclT,tly in charge of the foreign
agricultu FL service at Marseille. France.
His new guties are more in the way Of
an agricultural intelligence service than
that of tssde promotion.
cabiset berth used to be a very
comfortable one, allowing plenty of |
time for Receptions, dinners and ban
quets-evSl a coZy siesta now and then |
on a cou 81 behind screen in the pri-
vate off fSe-and in days gone by a
handy cigarette. but not so now. Presi- |
dent RoGfevelt keeps his cabinet on the |
qui vive Sand each member knows he
may be .sslled to confer with the Presi- |
dent at almost any time. day or night |
When s Postmaster General Farley |
sailed fGe Europe for little vacation |
and thas the steamer chair would be
his closek companion Mrs. Farley went
along foe company, but found her duties |
5pent eh time 6n deck fast sseep
They hRd a delightful, rather quiet |
time in Rome, where Mr.. Farley talked
with tbA Premier MuSsolini and they |
we're gi@en an audience by Pope Plus |
-zI. Mr.. Long, wife of the American |
Ambasst dor. and Mrs. Farley Went
sightsee Tg together. Like all convent
bred wI,nen, Mrs. Farley is an expert
needle conan and was much interested
in the centuries old embroiderieS II
Italy. isIr. Farley will doubtless have |
= somethrig to say about the postal |
service gin England in which he was
much Tlterested, because they do net
have tly, immense deficits the American
service fhas had for the past 10 years.
Mr.. arGl Mrs. Farley expect to spend
Christmas with their family at their |