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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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people committed to the Consumers' League. We were people connected with the Consumers' League and that's why we did it together. She by this time had gone into politics in a big way.

We said to him, “What can be done? How in the world can it be done? We know the Supreme Court turns you down on child labor laws. We know the Supreme Court has held that regulation of hours of labor is not promoting commerce between the states and has to be done on a state level. What can be done?”

So we discussed it. Felix came up with the idea that since the government can regulate its contracts for purchases with regard to the quality and kind and physical specifications, they could also regulate and by contract agree that certain labor specifications, as to wages, hours, general working conditions, and employment of women and children, be met. As a part of the contract which you get to build a ship, or produce so many thousands of yards of yard goods, for the government's purchase, you agree not only as to the quality, character and size of the article that you will make, but you also agree as to the working conditions under which they are made.

Felix was quite interested in it. I think it





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