Evening star., 1937-02-07
Secretary Perkins Has the
Hardest Government Job
BY OWEN L. SCOTT.

be q woman State Governor or TWO anu
q small quota of Congresswomen, but,
as for the higher precincts of Govern
ment-they still were to be reserved
for men.
Yet, today, a woman is holding down
just about the toughest job that the
Federal Government has to offer, outside
the presidency. That job-Secretary OF
Labor, in a period Of worker uprising
rests on the rather frail shoulders OF
Frances Perkins She finds herself in
the middle, between determined labor
leaders who are out for results, and
equally determined industrialists, who
have their own ideas about what those
results should be.
Her performance, under the circum-
stances, gives every sign of satisfying
President Roosevelt, whose representa-
tive she is. Results to date make the
accomplishments Of her masculine prede-
cessors seem unimportant by comparison.
Miss Perkins really has good reason
to be envious of her male colleagues in
the cabinet. Each of them has SIM
ple lob when compared with hers. Their
departments are deeply entrenched; well,
even lavishly, financed. Their problems
often are quickly resolved by increasing
C0c QOSc Vi CdSll w 4d1hASAot VA @AASN>->o
Congress to build a bigger and better
Army and Navy, or by taking few
more dollars away from people with
money, or performing services for busi-
ness men.
But 1t is not so easy to solve the prob
lens of capital and labor. Money Will
not turn the trick, as it does with the
farm problem and, temporarily, with
,,oay,,y,10upoanf rrNh1an A snow OF
authority will not work. Labor leaders
balk at forced mediation and employers
cannot be bossed easily. In fact, the
task confronting Miss Perkins Is made
next to impossible by lack of any real
authority to deal with the problem that
the country expects her to solve.
When a big strike breaks, people ex-
pect action from the Government. Yet
the most that the Secretary OF Labor
can do legally is to offer a conciliator
who will listen to both sides and try to
find a basis for discussing dlnerences.
Even this conciliation service IS on
haphazard basis. with conciliators paid
$40 a day only when they are at work
on a strike. There is no trained, we'll
paid staff available for this impor-
tant task.
Results have been obtained, despite
these handicaps, through the skill and
teamwork of President Roosevelt, Miss
Perkins and Edward F.. McGrady, Assist
ant Secretary of Labor. All three have
a technique developed during the bick-
ering and strife of the last few years.
The President stays in the back
ground, moving openly only when he is
16- ~ ha
cessful. Miss Perkins is his principal
buffer. Mr. McGrady. former lobbyist
for the A. F. of L.. is specialist in
mediation He has carried much Of the
burden in all of the big labor disputes,
except the automobile strike, and. in
that, has been more deeply involved
backstage than many imagine.
But when the Secretary Of Labor
moved into the open during early stages
Of automobile strike maneuvers, heavy
firing started.
Stories spread that feminine traits
were coming to the fore. She was
charged with being jealous of her assist
sant. of locking him out Of meetings. OF
attempting to sidetrack him in order to
get a share OF the limelight for herself.
Washington began to hear Il told you
So stories from politicians who never
did like the idea of a woman in the
cabinet.
Actually, a little investigation dis
closed, there was nothing tangible to
the stories. She played her part, and.
by playing 1t, enabled MIR. Roosevelt to
even up scores with a rebuke for the
head of General Motors to offset pat
on the wrist that he previously had
given John L. Lewis. All Of the time,
Mr.. McGrady. instead of being locked
out Of proceedings. was extremely busy.
Miss Perkins makes no pretenSe OF
hiding her pro-labor sympathies. She
is convinced that the law expects as
much Of her. The statute creating the
Department of Labor sets out that its
purpose is ITO foster, promote and de-
velop the welfare of the wage earnerS
of the United States. to improve their
working conditions, and to advance their
opportunities for profitable employ
ment" This seems to require partisan
ship on the part of the Secretary Of
Labor, who tries to get as much as pos
sible for the workers Of the country.
Henry Wallace does the same for
farmers, and Daniel Roper follows suit
for business men. Each considers it his
job to do as well as possible for the
group that he represents.
The trouble is that, in the past, the
Job of Secretary of Labor has largely
been honorary. The department had
relatively few important duties, and the
group in the A. F. of L. that supported
the victorious candidate for President
expected the honor of picking the Sec
| retary. At one time, John L. Lewis
expected that Herbert Hoover would
name him to the job. When President
Roosevelt came into Office. the thought
| was that Daniel j. Tobin, head of the
| Teamsters Union. would be rewarded.
Instead, Mr.. Roosevelt wanted Miss
| Perkins and named her. Organized
| labor, as represented by the A. F. OF L.,
let out public howl and has had hurt
| feelings ever since.
| xA
AS Secretary of Labor, Miss Perkins
| has broadened and strengthened her
department until it is on the way to
becoming an extremely important
branch of the Government.
She took an active part in shaping
| the policies of N. r. A., and in the
process, crossed Gen. Hugh Johnson, the
| colorful administrator, who has not for
| gotten his experiences with the Secretary.
| AS a result, he loses no opportunity to
aim a torpedo at her official career.
Under her administration, the statis-
tical services of the Labor Department
| have been expanded and improved She
l sIas1 fr, J,~,iv,