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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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must show he was doing something, and that he should be the one to make the appeal to the miners.

I said to the President, as well as to Harry, “I don't think they'll go back on the President's appeal.”

Byrnes was around by this time and he was looking at me, I remember, saying, “Why, Madam Secretary, certainly if the President of the United States asks a man to go back to work, he will.”

I remember this plainly because Byrnes told me later I was right. I said, “Mr. Byrnes, I know a good deal about the mine workers and I know a good deal about labor men. I know that particularly the United Mine Workers will not go back to work because the President asks them. We cannot put the President in that kind of jeopardy. The President musn't ask people to do something unless we know in advance that they'll do it, because that will do damage to the prestige of the Presidency. I can pretty nearly tell you now what will happen. I won't go and check with John Lewis, because I won't do that kind of thing. I won't demean myself and I won't put the President to that risk, but one bit of checking with him will tell you they won't do it. I know, from what I know of the way they do things, that they will not do it. They will only go back to work when John Lewis tells them to go back to work. They will not go back





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