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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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felt uneasy about this that and the other thing, there were ways of handling it that wouldn't absolutely nullify the meaning of the labor relations act, and still make allowance for the common sense operations.

At any rate, when I sent for Edwin Smith, who came to see me after I had had this rebuff from Madden, I appealed to him as a good common sense administrator and a good Democrat. Edwin Smith was active in Democratic politics in Massachusetts and had been a part of the Governor's entourage, and was well and favorably known to men like Arthur Healey and John McCormack from Massachusetts. He knew what politics was about - not dirty politics, but political responsibility. So I talked to him, and said that I thought we ought to be very practical.

I remember that he looked at me and I was aware of a very curious expression on Edwin Smith's face. He began to get a little red, a little color began to come up. I said, “Can't you manage it? Can't you get the third member with you on this and raise the question? Try to modify some of these things so that the President won't be so uneasy about it and so without confidence in the labor relations act.”





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