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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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all kinds of Washingtonians. They went, gladly--youngish people, many of them. They were very pleased to go to John L. Lewis's parties. They were suitable parties, very pleasant. I went to two, I guess.

He obviously enjoyed that. He enjoyed that sense of hospitality in his own house, which was an ancient house and very interesting. And of course, when he moved into his big house, he enjoyed that very much, and still lives there. I think he still enjoys that. I don't know about that. I haven't seen him.

Interviewer:

I've heard him called “an opportunist.”

Perkins:

An opportunist? Well, certainly he was an opportunist. Every labor leader is an opportunist--must be, has to be. I mean, how else would he make any headway? He does what he can do today.

Interviewer:

It could be said that nearly everybody is an opportunist in that sense, but when I use the word, I mean this was one of his outstanding characteristics--that he is more of an opportunist than most people.

Perkins:

Well, that implies that he is not sincere in his general purposes. I think that's not true. I think he is sincere in his purposes. He may be more of an opportunist than most people, but at the same time, that merely means that





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