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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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before, the end of the longshoreman's strike, when at least the negotiations were completed and it was obvious that they were going to settle on something, that the union was going to be recognized, that they were going to have hiring halls, and so forth, I saw Lapham in Washington. I had not him before, though I don't remember then. I went into the Carlton Hotel in Washington one Saturday afternoon, at about two or three in the afternoon, and I ran into, by accident, Roger Lapham. We said, “How do you do,” and shook hands. I said, “Well, how are things going out there on the coast, Mr. Lapham? How do you think the settlement really is working out? Is it nearly over? Are they settling down? Is everything going to be all right?”

He said, “Oh well, nothing will ever be all right again. It's a mess and it's going to stay a mess. Everythings about as bad as can be, and I guess we're licked.”

I said, “Oh no, you're not lieked. Don't put it that way. Nobody has won anything.”

Well, what do you call that out there? They got a union.”

I said, “Well, I don't call that being licked. The waterfront employers have not been lieked. You've got good





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