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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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When he had moved over into the White House and was the President's Chief Assistant, there was coal trouble. I went to see him one day. He was then flirting with John L. Lewis and how he could settle things. Jimmy had more or less taken it out of the hands of the regulars who handled strikes ordinarily and he was going to fix it. I went to see him and said, “This is what they will do. If you do this and this, they'll do that and that.” He didn't believe me and I knew he didn't. He was very polite and said, “That's very interesting, Miss Frances.” He always called me Miss Frances in very Southern style. He said, “Now, my experience has been somewhat different, but it's very interesting and I think you for coming to tell me.” I tried to tell him and warn him as strongly as I could.

Four to six months later when what I said would happen did happen he had the grace, and very few people do have the grace, and I always thought it kindly of Jimmy for this, to say to me, with perfect good nature, “Well, you told me this would happen. Ah just didn't believe you knew what you was talking about. Now ah guess you know what you's talking about on that subject. Ah guess you know more thanah do about labor unions and John L. Lewis.”





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