After lots of discussion and what Morgenthau called “a regular whispering gallery around here,” John Pehle was finally selected as Acting Executive Director of the War Refugee Board. The “Acting” part hung on until the end of March, when he was finally named full director.  Of all the other candidates considered, Frank Graham, the President of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, came the closest, even meeting with Roosevelt about the job. But for some reason, FDR changed his mind about wanting him.  Eugene Meyer, the publisher of the Washington Post, was also a favorite.  But when Morgenthau heard that FDR agreed to give the job (at least temporarily) to Pehle, everyone seemed pleased with the selection, though Undersecretary of the Treasury Daniel Bell also offered his commiserations.