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RS: JOIN L. LEWIS, ET AL e INT RVIEN ITE — The folloving investigation was conducted | 7" , } > ea Special Agcnts Siem and \ c wa: Springfield, Illinois on August 28, I¥43, ree rr ae . At the residence of wale Mee N) ficid, Illinois, agents interv ¢ mresence x) Pi wile and he advised he has never beon arrested. Ev appeared to be very cooperctive and appears to speak the “n lish languase | in a fairly understandable manner, However, he cannot read or write the “n lish lanyuaze and at times had * difficult: in understanding Azents!' questions. It is felt that he has a fairly good Kiowledze of the events that took place at the mine , and it is t.lioved that he would make a fair witness, The following is a sicned statement obtained fron | who are known to me to be Special Azcnts nvestigation, United States Department of Justice, and n no promises or threats have been made me to give this stateuent, and it is truc and correct.- "JT was born in d became a citizen ‘ and came to the United States in ‘ort “id ave bee.. working at Mine B in _Dpringf G Till. from to the present ata a ffs Tae baome Tintan t and I am a egal da aicr. ri first joined the United Hiner WODARCES vlisol at ee 7m) in mati 3 lie te the I have never held an_ union offices. From bm t star a. ; the UL there at Mine B seemed te be alright and I dont recall of any troubles then. I just don't recall now how the miners felt then in regard to relationship between UMY and the manajment of Mine B. Around 1532 or so John L. Levis stole some votcs and we miners decided te form a new union and the lrouressiyg, Miners of america 2c. #54 was formed. J joined the PRA then in 1932 because all uS miners decided to join it but I did not have any activa part in forming it. As I recall it Carl “Ishoff got alon_ alright with the FlA men and officials from 1332 until the strike started in 1937. I recall that ever; thing went alon, smoothly from 1932 to 1937 and that there Were no troubles or strikes at Mine B. I never card Elshoff or Falcetti condenn the PHA wen or officials, The PMA union looked to mc to be alright and they did a lot of ,ood for us miners as they helped us with our work and ot us b nefits but now we have to do a lot of that work ourselves, The conditions now at inc B are a lot worse now than they evor were undcr PMA. From 1932 to 1937 we miners ran the local and not a picked few, If we wanted