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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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Owen D. Young was involved in this because he was a public-spirited citizen, much respected, whose advice was often taken. He not only would intervene, but would be asked to intervene. I'm sure he offered to intervene. That was a public spirited citizen's duty. I'm sure he recommended compromise. He was a mediator. I've used him as a mediator in other strikes. He was a natural mediator and a natural mediator has to find a compromise. You find something that both sides will agree to and then the industry moves again.

It was very clear all through the summer and early autumn that we were moving into an area of greater activity in the European war. The people in the Cabinet and responsible officers of the government lived in terror of some episode, such as a German attack upon a ship, either by accident, or inadvertence, or deliberately, that would precipitate hostilities in a burst of anger when we were not prepared and hadn't things thought out. There was, however, an anticipation for a good many weeks that the Germans would attack an American ship, or a ship loaded with American goods, or a ship that America had said “hands off” of.

A zoning arrangement was set up by the President. That was a protective device for everybody. At least the enemy would know that that was where we were going to sail and that there should be hands off our ships in those waters. We were sending convoys all the time to England. That was





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