Willkie made his labor speech in Pittsburgh before an audience largely of labor men. I thought it was pretty good. He put himself on the record in favor of the things that labor traditionally wanted, but we would have expected any politician to do that in 1940. Then he worked up to what he would do as President in improving the labor laws and their administration. He was not specific, except on one point. He said, “I will appoint a Secretary of Labor directly from the ranks of organized labor.” This was sure of a big hand, as the labor leaders tended to believe that the post belonged to them. Althought they had, with few exceptions, cooperated with me in my period in office, it was natural for them to believe, as I did, that the post should go to labor. So far so good. But when the cheers had died down in the audience, largely of men, Willkie continued, hoping to get another hand — and he did — “And it will not be a woman either.”
The President, listening to the speech on the radio, was quick to catch the blunder. Although the audience of men applauded loudly and Willkie undoubtedly left the hall thinking he had made a hit, women in the United States, including Republican women, were pained and insulted.
The President said to me, “That was a boner Willkie pulled. He was all right. He was going good when he said his appointment of a Secretary of Labor would come from labor’s ranks. That was legitimate political talk, but why didn’t he have sense enough to leave well enough alone? Why did he have to insult every woman in the United States? It will make them made, it will lose him votes.”
“You’ll be surprised to know, Mr. President,” I said, “that I already have about 500 telegrams and letters from women, expressing irritation, and more than half of them tell me they are Republican women.”
