Evening star., 1938-08-14
SECRETARY KEEPS
FIT ON 40 W|NKS
Miss Perkins Observes No
Set Rules on Sleep, Food
and Exercise.
~ the Associated Press.

and Exercise.
~ the Associated Press.
Frances Perkins, the first woman
to shoulder responsibilities OF a cabi-
net job. explained how she can keep
up high-speed working schedule on
a couple of crullers and 40 winks of
sleep.
Il have rugged constitution" Miss
Perkins told a reporter while she
worked late at her desk It's God
given. like singers larnyx And it's
able to stand lot of misuse"
The 56-year-old Secretary of Labor
Is able to keep fit despite an irregular
schedule of rest, eating and exercise,
but she wouldn't suggest that any
one else follow her example.
In addition to sound health which
seems to adjust itself to emergencies,
Miss Perkins said it is temperament
ally easy for her to readjust even
the most carefully laid plans when
necessary.
ITS no trouble to modify my pat
tern she said. IF I have to take a
7 7o'clock train instead of the o'clock,
don't get hot and bothered about it,"
Organized job Service.
As head of the Labor Department
Miss Perkins not only has had to
cope with strikes and labor troubles.
She has organized the United States
Employment Service and Public Con-
tracts Division as a result of new
legislation. She administers maternal
and child welfare services of the
Social Security Act
And she has reorganized the Bureau
OF Labor Statistics and added a divi-
sion OF labor standards Because she
Is woman, she also is called on to
do some of the entertaining which
is attended to for other cabinet mem
bers by their wives. She is in fire.
quent demand as speaker.
But Miss Perkins smiled a denial
when asked if she had any hard and
fast rules for keeping up with such
busy schedule. She looked crisply
efficient in black sheer suit with a
dainty white collar and a black straw
sailor with the veil pulled back. She
frequently wears hats at her desk and
usually pearl necklace or bracelet.
Il usually come down at g. she
said. but I don't when I've been up
until 3 am. the night before keeping
in touch with a strike on the West
Coast.
Takes Lunch at Desk
Il may have a lettuce sandwich or
q piece Of cheese and a glass of milk
at my desk for lunch, if have any.
But that isn't because I want to save
time. l like a light lunch. and /
don't like to interrupt my train of
thought at the best working time of
the day. I could never belong to the
two-hours-for lunch club"
Miss Perkins said she doesn't count
eslories or try to eat scientifically.
Eat what's set before you" an old
New England rule she learned AS a
child. has kept her from spending a
lot of time fussing about food.
L haven't missed vacations because
didn't want to take them" she said
But when she does vacation. Miss
Perkins does variety of things.
If I'm where people are going
swimming. I 90 swimming. II I'm
where they're padding canoes, pad
die canoe. Here in Washington, l
exercise when there's opportunity, but
not regularly. Chiefly it's walking
Can't Forget Business.
1t isn't necessary for her to take a
vacation to rest and relax, however
Il can go off and spend the day and
be completely away from work. she
explained. although that doesn't mean
she can dismiss business entirely at
will.
Il don't think you can put out of
yolr mind, even for a second. an
emergent situation which is chang
ing from minute to minute But l
don't know that I can keep it in my
mind AS worry-any more than a
mother with a sick baby does wnen
she goes about her work with one ear
peeled for the baby's cry"
The Secretary of Labor organizes
her days, but there, too. follows no
set rule. If she finds she has 8 or 20
appointments which will prevent any
sustained work she likely will have
her secretary fill up the rest of the
day with appointments. Maybe 20 or
30. Then the next day she works
steadily at her desk.
There's little time at the office for
reading long reports. But there's an
open leather Upper bag on one
corner of her desk. They go there
That's my train work." she said.
NATURALLY, do a good deal of trav-
cling on this job. I like to work when
the wheels are grinding underneath
me. Then write out memorandum
by hand on what seems the reasonable
thing to do"