FDR Admin's gay sex scandal: Sumner Welles

[Captain Hilts]

Welles was Assist. Secretary of State under Cordell Hull - whom no one liked. FDR really liked Welles. Among Welles primary qualifications for the post was being a good childhood chum with Hall Roosevelt, Eleanor's brother. Welles held her train at the Roosevelts' wedding.

During the war Welles got sloppy drunk on the presidential train and made a pass at a black porter, so he violated both sex and race sexual codes of conduct in one gesture. The Amabassador to Soviet Russia - Bullit - hated Welles and spread the story all over DC.

It was generally agreed that Welles would have to go because of blackmail issues. Eleanor went to FDR and said that if Welles were fired he might be suicidal. FDR agreed with her and called William Bullit to his office and wouldn't let him even step through the doorway and told him he was fired for trying to take advantage of an unfortunate situation - a VERY rare gesture by FDR. And Welles soon resigned.

Welles's house is now the Cosmos Club in DC on Mass Ave. near Dupont Circle.

Other than that, Harold Ickes had the most female trouble of the cabinet members.

[Cooley Hurd]

1. I just LOOOVE historical perspective posts!

WAY cool, Mookie!:thumbsup:

The multiple Roosevelt admins are/were so fascinating to me. He reached across party lines to build VERY effective admins (Frank Knox, a Republican & former Rough Rider, comes immediately to mind).

Of course, Harold Ickes, Jr is a very trusted confidant to both Bill and Hillary Clinton (which I'm sure that, both students of history, the connection ISN'T lost on them. ;))

[Captain Hilts]

2. Harold Ickes, jr. is as mean as his old man. I ADORE Harold Ickes, sr....

He had started out as a Republican and was head of Chicago's NAACP.

But he rekindled an old romance when he got to DC in 1932 and was smart enough to go confess what was going on to FDR in the event the situation blew up. Still waters run deep!

Kinda neat how the three most liberal/progressive people around FDR were all former Republicans: Ickes, Wallace and Eleanor.

[Cooley Hurd]

3. Back then, the repugs were the progressives...

If you get the chance, go to Hyde Park in NY and check out the new Henry Wallace Center at FDR's home (if you haven't already). Henry very nearly became our 33rd President.:thumbsup: