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ee ee te i ‘ ‘, ( YU RE: JOHN L. LEVIS, ET AL bIC INTERVIEW WITH which he opofates - of August 380, ; ‘ NG where he resides. Re wae invorvi \ % 943, by Special Agents A wes born at sidered as o fair witness By interviewing Agonts. 8 intelligoncé doos x not rank above the averego, but he can express himself fairly woll, hme o Pa foir memory, and e fair appearance. He would not be easily confused on N eross exonimation. He gave informition set forth in the following signed nN et.tement: © | ’ | "Soringfield, Ill. August 50, 1945, “My none is . I make the following statement to a a who have identified then- selves to mé to be Special Agents o oderel Bureau of Investigation. Ne promises, threats, or consideration of any kind has been mode to me to mceko this statement. It is true and accurate and I om willing, if necessary, to repent any part of this statoment in court, ' "I worked at Minc B os a digger from sometine in until May 12, 1937, when the strike at Mince B started. I wos a Mmbor of the United Mine Workers unti] 1932 when the Progressive Mine Workers of 4m erico wos organ ized. I did not heve to mich to do with the organizotion of the PMW, but I wes glad to join the orgenization because I wanted to get rid of John L. Lewis. I wos c member cf the Pit committee of tho PMW union at Mine B for ma yeor and a half sanctime betwecn 1932 and 1937. I had not been on the committee for a couple of yocrs before the strike startod. I atteneded the meetings cf the Unicn quite regularly. the attendonoe at the meotings varicd from very large numbers to very small numbers, depending on whot was to cone up at the neotings. “I did not attend the neoting of the union the night before the strike started. There hod been some discontent about the mine but I do not know oxnotly what it wes about. There hnd been some discussicn in the mge abcut going ovor tc the United Mine Workers. Charley Bohannon, Tony Plotch, and talked to me ond asked me to join the United Mine Workers, and asked me what I thought about it. Frank Austin aleo talked to me about joining the United Mine Workers, before thé Strike started. I had not intention of jcining the United Mine Workers. I was satisfied with the Progressive Mine "crkers of America, and with the operation of local 754. I have never wanted to change over to the UMW. No one connected with the PMW evor asked me to do anything tht 1 did not wont to do. Aftor the str_s I did not go back to the mine because I decided that I would get out of the mines if I had to fight for my life for o right to work, I had quit tho i ; =S5S~