Home
Search transcripts:    Advanced Search
Notable New     Yorkers
Select     Notable New Yorker

Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
Photo Gallery
Transcript

Part:         Session:         Page of 912

employer population, but among the average population, and particularly among the labor population--because we have no class structure. The labor population judges men by their actions, not by whether they are members of a labor union or not. They judge what kind of men they are by the way they behave, and the group that strives to exercise power is always unpopular in the labor movement. You know that. And the working people don't all belong to the trade union, and they can all get out when they want to.”

“Well, what shall we look to, then?”

I said, “You can look to your Government, can't you? The Government's done well for you. Look to the Government. Follow along the line we're now going on, of Government regulation.”

“Aw, but this is too slow. This is too slow.”

“Well,” I said, “but good gracious, there's been a War.

Certainly Roosevelt has done more--during Roosevelt's administration more has been done for the labor unions that at any other time, and it's made great headway, and there's every indication that the same pattern can be picked up and that whatever is justifiable and necessary in the way of regulation of labor conditions can be accomplished, and that cooperation with the Government is it.”

“Roosevelt!” he said. “Roosevelt! I have no use for Roosevelt.”





© 2006 Columbia University Libraries | Oral History Research Office | Rights and Permissions | Help