Frances Perkins

“This administration must find a way to bring these children to safety.”
—Frances Perkins, U.S. Secretary of Labor

Frances Perkins was Secretary of Labor under FDR. She became the moral voice of the President, sometimes disagreeing with his policies, especially for the Jews. Because of this, she was labeled “FDR’s Jewess,” even though she was Roman Catholic.

In 1933, Cecilia Razovsky chaired an Advisory Committee to the Secretary of Labor  to reform immigration legislation. Cecilia brought the plight of Jewish children in Germany to the Secretary’s attention. From then on, Frances Perkins was an ally and supporter helping to bypass those who would keep the children from coming to America.

“The plight of the Jewish Children in Germany is tied to the anti-Semitic mood in America, which, fueled by isolationism and political neglect, has given rise to a system which will allow thousands of children to die rather than granting them sanctuary.”
—Frances Perkins