Crack at Perkins

In voting a $22,682,041 deficiency appropriation last month, the U. S. Senate transferred control of $850,000 in Wage & Hour Division funds from Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins to Administrator Elmer Frank Andrews. By the time the bill returned to the House for action on Senate amendments last week, the prestige of Madam Secretary was clearly at issue.

"... I cast no reflection upon the Secretary of Labor," said Missouri Democrat John J. Cochran, proposing to concur with the Wage-Hour amendment. Ever vigilant in behalf of public women, New Jersey Democrat Mary Teresa Norton angrily asked why the House should pick on her friend the Secretary. "A rather embarrassing situation," observed Democratic Majority Leader Sam Rayburn of Texas.

Said a gentleman from Virginia, Clifton Alexander Woodrum: "If you wish to take a crack at somebody, I cannot stop you. ... It will be construed that our party is repudiating a Cabinet member. . . ."

"Has the gentleman in his own mind any doubt but what that would reflect the true attitude of the membership of this House?" barked crude Edward Eugene Cox of Georgia.

"I would not wish to say that, no," replied Mr. Woodrum.

To say exactly that, cackling Republicans and frank Democrats ganged up 137 to 93. Again published to all men was the low esteem in which the U. S. Congress holds the only woman ever to sit in a U. S. President's Cabinet.

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