HAROLD L. ICKES - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 12/06/1947 - HFSID 86905

HAROLD L. ICKES
His signed, typed letter (1947) on a surprising topic: growing dahlias
TLS: "Harold L. Ickes", 1 page, 6x8½. Washington, D.C., 1947 December 6. To Carson C. Hathaway, Silver Spring, Md. In full: "I have your letter of December 3. I used to go in for the growing of dahlias in a large way as an amateur, when I lived in Winnetka, just north of Chicago. The seeds that I planted in trying to develop new varieties were our own seeds. I have never bought any dahlia seeds and would not know where to direct you. Scheepers in New York used to go in for dahlia tubers. In fact, I started my Winnetka garden on a tuber that I bought from Scheepers. We used to do some hand pollination to see what we could get in the way of a good cross. I am sorry that I cannot help you. Sincerely yours". Harold L. Ickes (1874-1952), a Chicago journalist, lawyer and civic reformer, was local head of the NAACP. Originally a progressive Republican, he headed the Presidential campaign of Senator Hiram Johnson in 1924. Named by President Franklin Roosevelt as Secretary of the Interior, he served in that office throughout FDR's terms and into Truman's (1933-1946), the longest tenure of any Interior Secretary in history. In that office he oversaw much of the New Deal program. His son, Harold M. Ickes, also a veteran political activist, was Deputy Chief of Staff in the Clinton administration. Lightly creased. Light stain at salutation and first line of letter. Overall, fine condition.