Word: bensons
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...words were hardly out of his. mouth when farm-bloc politicos began trumpeting the alarm. Benson, they said, was "leading down the road to disaster"; his stand "could wreck agriculture." Washington buzzed with the word that Benson's head would be first on the chopping block in the new Administration. Benson was new in politics; he was amazed at the attacks. But since then, with his mail running 16 to 1 in favor of his stand, he has stuck to his free-enterprising guns-at least in principle. The day-to-day struggle that centers around his office...
Early to Rise. Benson has taken command of his vastly complex task with the calm assurance of an able administrator, the energy and prayerful devotion of a Mormon missionary. A committee worker who believes, like every good Mormon, in cooperative endeavor, he has already streamlined the huge Agriculture Department so that only four men, instead of 20, report directly to him. Up at 5 and usually in his spacious, paneled office by 7:30 or 8, Benson starts most working days with a round of handshakes; he has met about one-third of the 8,000 Agriculture employees who work...
Because of his loaded schedule, Benson does much of his memo-and letter-writing at home (his memos are irreverently referred to by some in the department as "epistles from the Apostle"). He holds staff meetings at night twice a week; these are always opened with a prayer. Associates, in fact, are never surprised, when they walk in on the Secretary, to find him praying. Says one: "He spends as much time on his knees as he does on his feet...
...tireless Benson machine, prayer is the basic fuel. A few years ago, when touring Mormon churches on a rehabilitation mission in Europe, Apostle Benson and other church leaders were blocked from entering Russian-occupied Poland. When things looked hopeless, Benson said: "I think I would like to pray," and went to his room. When he emerged, he announced to his assistant: "We are going to Poland. I have been commanded...
Within a day, Benson had cut through all the red tape, arranged for transportation and the necessary permission. Benson matches prayer with a tither's cash: at least 10% of his $22,500 Cabinet salary goes straight to the Mormon Church...