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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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members from the union to the government. Look to the union. Your union will get you what you need. Your union will get you the hours. Your union will get you the wages. Your union will get you the protection, if you need it.

The union didn't, or couldn't, do all that, but they didn't see all the areas that were left unprotected. I think they didn't realize that they weren't doing it. I think they didn't realize the complexity of industry. They didn't realize that there were all these things that really ought to be taken care of. Of course you couldn't take these laws away from them now, but they did not originate them.

The American labor outfit has never been, and between you and me is not now, concerned with social legislation or labor legislation. The Wagner act - National Labor Relations Act - and the Taft-Hartley amendment have challenged the attention of labor, because under the Wagner act they thought they saw a chance to build organization and have it almost compulsory. That was the first labor law that ever attracted their attention. They didn't think of it. That was Robert Wagner's idea, not theirs. That's the truth, so help me God! No labor man thought of that. That was Bob Wagner's own idea.

In this period of '24 and '26 there was no enthusiasm on the part of labor unions for labor legislation and I have





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