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£0e pap * IFTERVIEW WITH ®In about 1936 Jaci lcetts who was the bottom boss at that time wa¢'talking alone with me at the on bottom of Mine 'Bt and he said if we all belonged to UM/J it would be better. But I told him a fellow had no voice in UMW and he sa_d nothing more about it. Between 1932 and 1937 no one tried to get me to join Uv? end curing this time I thought that the company favored Us? but I can remember nothing to substantiate this except that it was just a feeling I had. Between 1932 and 1937 a man honey whe was a motor- man at Mire 'B' - but who is now dead - told me that Oscar Falcetti had told him he, Oscar, didn't think I, a was on the right side. I thought the were talking about the fa alcetti thought I should - belong to UM/. But nottong more was ever said or done about that. “i~hen some of the PMA men were convicted of bombings along about this time, I really felt they had been railroaded and were not guilty, and I still really believe tney were not guilty, I think most of the men who belonged to PMA at that time felt the same way. "\ few weeks before May 12, 1937, some of the PMA men were ex- pelled from the PMa union for spying for UMJ. There were about six men ex= pelled, but they were not expelled all in t ame day but probably over & period of a week, These men were Charles#*bowling Green. Elmer Jacaway, who was one of the last ones to be expelled because I re- member him voting to expel ‘Bowling Green', Frank Austin, Pete Carter, and I can't remember the rest. I had never noticed these men acting as spies for UM. "TJ remember there was ashaee okheppie. ween PMA and the company in the Spring of 1937 and/ mine were bad. The company would refuse to talk with the PMA committee. JI think the committee, PMA, tried to get the company to fire those men who were expelled from the PMA but the company would not do this. During this time, the Spring of 1937, I noticed no slow downs or work stoppages.- and paydays were no different from any other ‘day, “e were working pending settlement during this time and 1 felt the company was trying to force trouble so they could close the mines, But I cannot remember now what caused be to believe that. But I still feel that way about it. "T do not remember whether I went to a PNA meeting May 11, 1937. I went to work the morning of May 12, 1937, and sometime during the morning the “ cager told me that work was to stop and that everyone was to come out. 2 ben I got on top, or rather in the cage on the way up I was with Elmer Aiacanay on a track layer and said, 'They finally got them!, not know what he meant, op I heard rumors that ths company refuacd to meet with the committee and I thought that was why we were strilcing. = 305 = nee — on _