◆ SpookStack

RE: JOHN L. LEWIS, ETAL —_ smaneecee seeuorr Was —_ —, . a — ‘on mame 16, 1943, by Special Agents a. Poteet understands and spealre Bnetieh walt enough to hich he is willing to do. He gaia he has no oriminal reoord. " Springfield, Ill. Beptember 16, 1945 _ af mv awn fraea will. with aS Sy Se = ’ = "Iam living at Springfield, Tll., and am working at Mine A. I was born as I began working at Mine A A joined the United Mine workers in that year. I joined the Progressiva Mine Workers of Amerioa in 1932, and rejoined the U. M. W. in 1941. In 1932, when we switched from U. M. W. to P. M. A. I was in favor of the switch because I was not satis- fied with the way LEVIS was running the union. In all the tima I we a member of the P.M.A. I was satisfied until toward the last, just before I joined U.M.%., when I grew dissatisfied because the dues were too heavy. The P.M.A. needed the same upkeep as the U.M.W., and didn't have the membership to take care of the expense as well as U.M.W. Then, too, the P.M.A. didn't have the power the U.M.W. did. "I saw in the newspaper that ELSHOFF had bought Mine A from RYAN. It was @ surprise to ms, and I didn't think it would affect nh he sé the mine would heave to be worked, and {fo wa navar etruak ny job, vocauss wii — = —— ewe Se together, we'd be the ones to work the mine. No. one talked to me about joining the U.M.W. previous to that time. I heard, from some of the other men, that ELSHOFF might operate Mine A through Mine B. I heard that he might be doing this to save the overhead of two shafts, and I knew that both mines could be operated out of the same shaft. I don't know if this rumor was spread for a bluff, to get men to join the U.M.W., or not. I also heard about this time, that ELSHOFF would operate Mine A under a U.M.Wi. contract, which he had already signed. I thought this might a Lenawee af all ¢hae tenuhia thaw had hed at Mina 5. and that be 56, Booeuse I BAuOn VA Bk WES Ve Ve see —_—— — Se Oe “Shortly after I heard these stories, beoause I needed a job, I went to Mine B for a job. The bosses there told me to hang on for a while, that Mine A would open up in ten days or so. I knew eer one of the bosses at Mine B, but I don't remember if he was the one that told ms this or not. ons - erm