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Erie, Pa.,
Thursday, Dec. 29, '38

Back to work today. The Colonel left at 9:35 AM for Louisville. "Cash" Davis called the whole Dept. into the conference room at 11:45 to announce we go back on full time Jan. 2 with pay adjusted to July 11th rate, which means we all get a "raise" of $200 per year or get back the 10% cut on the first $2000 which they took away at that time. And that is our new rate. In other words, we fight upward from there and can make progress only through bona fide raises – no more blanket raises like the one today. Well, it is encouraging anyway. It just dawned on me that my last raise was Oct. 1937 and I should be in line for one in April or October again, the gods willing.

Perk showed me his letter to Mr. Swope and the latter's reply, which really didn't answer Perk. So Perk is writing another. I think he is sticking his neck out for trouble. His first letter impressed me as being just a few shades away from insolence and I can't see where he's going to get anywhere with the thing at least with the line he's following. But Perk says he's going to get somewhere "or else." Perk has said many times he's "no shrinking violet," which is certainly no lie, but I still question how far he will get with his tactics. I flatter myself into thinking I will get farther by being quietly a pusher for what I want.

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