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¢ — Q Re: JOHN L. LE.I8, ET AL \ é ro py) D INTERVIE.. *ITH cer nerer aa neecrseimacl filinois, was jointly fF interviewed ot his ence on August 30, 1943, by This individual worked at the Mine on Kay ic, 1937 when close a the first day in November, 1939, when it opened. He was cooperative, eppeared sincere, and is presently employci at Mine "B". He executed the followings statement: rere an. Illinois &Bugust $0, 1943 "I make the following voluntary statement © and whom I know to be Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.&..Dopartment of dustice. Illinois. I presently reside at {ilinois. I joined the United Hine workers of america, hereinafter refcrred tc as tho Uw, in end Ee working in the Pee- "T was born body mine #52 eat Riverton, filinois, when I was years old. I worked at the Peabody mine fcr and then started working at Mine B, near Springfield, Jilincis adou wich was under contract with Ui. I con- tinued working at this mine under the UMW until 1932, dt this time I was not in favor of the wage scale reduction which the officors of UW wanted to sign us under and later the ballots were stolen. Therefore, I was dis~ satisfied with URS. management and I vclunvarily joined the Progressive Miners of Amcrica, which will be referred to hereinafter as the Pali. I have never held an office in any mine union. ; . "2s far as I knew, Elshoff was on good terms with UM. at Mino B. prior to 1932. I willingly joined PMA when Mine B went Progressive in 1952 end I wos wel] satisfied with the managenent of the union. Elshoff scomed to get clong with Pit local 54 from September, 1932 to April, 1957. I worked in the mine fron om: May, 1937, 1 went to fe me 1 Is or PUA as I lived too far avyay to ettend. I was not familier with what was going on except talk I heard at the mine. J still work at Kine B, and now under Un. "I never heard Elshoff or Faleetti say they favored UM. but I felt they wanted to sign a contract with UL because they let a group of mon organize in the mino. I noticed this eggitation and organizing for tiv start about april, 1937 and continued until the mine closed on May 12, 1937. The group of men I rocalled thet did this organizing were as followse Joe salhaness, andrew Schrel , Dominic Pesquale, Pete Carter, Frank : austin, Tony Plotch, Jo otton, who was cleo called John dnanias, John. mo, Sirtout, Ceorge decaway, Emory Jacaway, Charles Bohannon, who was also jo mown as Charles eivgroons and James Hale - at this timo these men were. members of Fils but were orgenizing for UW. after the mine closed in May, } - 297