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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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position would have a natural intellectual leadership and might influence the opinions of these men. Some of them would be frightened. Some of them were natural kow-towers and only wanted to do what the boss wanted them to do. There had been a few episodes of a boss laying down the law pretty heavily as to what he thought they should do. Tom Girdler, President of Republic Steel, was one of them who made some strong speeches as to what they should - they'd be fools if they joined the labor union, and so forth and so on. This created great resentment.

By the way, I was told the other day (1953) by an officer of the CIO, their legal adviser, that Tom Girdler was now a model employer. He thought I'd be glad to know it, because this lawyer for the CIO relayed his (Girdler's) conversion to me. I at once disclaimed any responsibility for it, but I was amused. Time works many things around. This man said that there couldn't be a nicer fellow for the steel workers to do business with than Tom Girdler. They got on fine. At one time Girdler was recalcitrant. He wouldn't come to a hearing if union representatives were present at the hearing. It wasn't even meeting with them, but coming to a hearing with a government





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