Ella - Severn's book was published in 1975. He has no footnotes on the pages, but his bibiliography includes FP's 2 books and sev'l books by other New Dealers, including Ickes; sev'l books by historians, including Robt Caro, Arthur Schleslinger and Joe Lash's book Eleanor and Franklin and Anna Roosevelt's book about ER. He also lists 9 articles by FP.
Trude - FT was an opponent of the ERA, as was ER for a long time. They were concerned that women would lose the privilieges of protective legistlation that had been passed by many states including limiting hours - it was women pushing for limited hours that initiated first a 10 hr day and then an 8 hr day - limited weight lifting requirements and barriers to women working overtime and over night. The proponents for the ERA pushed for many of the protections to be extended to men and argued that overtime and over night restrictions kept women out of higher paying jobs and overtime pay. ER eventually changed her mind and in the 60's became a supporter of the ERA.
Jonathan - i loved that Gracian quote also. It may tell us more about FP than anything else we've read, or at least about her philosophy of dealing w/ all those men so successfully.
I learned something from the Severn book that i didnt know before. He writes of FDR " He doffed his cloak as commander in chief ......................." I have seen many pictures of FDR in that famous cloak, but didn't know it had military significance.
Again from the Severn book that gives an entirely different mood to many events:
.....F wrote a letter of resignation to the Civ Serv Comm to which she had been appt'd in 1946, and told reporters, for the second and final time, that she was retiring from public life..........She was leaving partly to clear the way for Pres Eisenhower to appt someone of his own choosing as her successor, but she said she was also looking forward to resuming her career of soc'l service in some other field. .............but she had no intention of adopting a rocking-chair way of life. She smiled and added, 'How could i? I don't even knit.' .............But Pres E was in no hurry to replace her. Once again she remained in office while the pres looked for someone to fill her job. She stayed on ....for another 3 months. ......E finally accepted her resignation, w/ a letter expressing appreciation for her services.
..........when someone remarked that it was sad to see her go, since she was the last of the orig'l Roosevelt New Dealers to lv office, she answered cheerfully. 'It's quite an accomplishment to be the last leaf on the tree.' ..............she......turned to others ......as she was leaving, 'I'm grateful to God to have lived in these times.'
Reporters called attention to the fact that .... another woman, following the path she had broken, was starting her first working day as the second of their sex to become a mbr of a pres's cabinet, Oveta Culp Hobby, named by Pres E to be sec of the new Dept of Health, Ed and Welfare.
Much of the press joined in editorially wishing F well. 'FP, ....managed to ride out storms of abuse w/out losing her admirable sense of humor or her capacity for efficient public service,' the Nation said. ' Miss P probably had a clearer conception of the ND and was more unsellfishly dedicated to the achievement of its goals than any of her colleagues. The list of social achievements w/ which her name is associated si indeed impressive.....She has our best wishes.'
The NYT said,' After a notable half-century devoted to the public service....FP is opening a new chapter...Her interests have always been as broad as the social horizon itself, encompassing the welfare of women and children, minimum wages, safety in industry, care of the aged and problems of unemployment. We wish her well in the next phrase of her constructive career.'
........In June 1957, she visited her alma mater.......(to) receive and honorary degree of Doctor of Law to add to her collectioin of many honorary degrees. /color]
Just a little more............he writes "Her research notes (on Al Smith) filled more than a thousand typed pages and she tape-recorded thousands of words of reminiscences that were deposited in the Comlumbia U Lib's Oral History Collection." That was way beyond the amt of work I presumed she had done when reading KD's book.
And finally, about her funeral and death - ... the pres respresented by Sec of Labor Willard Wirtz (at the funeral) and Pres...Johnson, 'deeply grieved to learn of the passing of this great woman,' said, 'She was a pioneer in the field of human welfare and equal rts. Her selfless dedication to the sevice of others will always be an inspiration to people of compassion and good will.'
The natio has lost one of its first citizens.' Sup Crt Justice Arthur Goldberg said. 'Under her wise and inspiring leadership, the dept of labor came of age.'
To Geo Meany, head of the AFL-CIO, ' she was a great lady who served this nation and its workers at a time of grave nat'l distress w/ honor and distinction.'....... 'The good she did for millions of her fellow citizens stands as an enduring monument to her memory and there could be no greater memorial.'"
This is such a more uplifting picture. Of course, it was important to read KD's description of her infirmities and her relationship w/ the young men at Cornell and Susanna's lack of concern about her mother
I don't know who first suggested that we discuss this book, I suppose it was Ella, but i send great thanks for whoever did. We should all know about her and tell others about her..............jean
