◆ SpookStack

0 O RE: JOBN L. LEWI6, ET AL INTERVIDW ¥ had to, and I didn't havo to at that time. No one olse contactec me, and Iwas not throatonod in any way by “continued } anyone to join the U.ii.W. in that summer. ~ "I don't remember whether I got 1 notice thot the mine ws to be re-opened in Sentenber of 1957. I remember thit I did go on thé picket line in the fall of 1937. No one ferced mo to pe on the pickot line, but I just went because ao lot of the men did. I don't know the purposé cf the picket linc, but I believe it was tc keep ol] the men fron working, beth UMW. and P.H.A. It seams tc me that the injunction cotten by the mamgement wns dircctod amcinst the P.L./., dDecause the mena rement fnvored the U.M.d. The erizinc) trouble started when some of the men tried to cet elected to offices, in the P.M.ie, and lost cut. COTTON ANANIAS, TONY +LOTCH ond ANDRE SCHREL- EVICUS were the cnes who ran for office and got’ licked, and were the leaders ‘cf the trouble. I con't kmcow anything specific, but 1” just have the feeling thet the ohove named wore shown favors by the mnogenent. "In Docombeor cf 1937, I voted in tho electizn at the State arsenal. I voted for the r.M.i., because I wis thoroughly satisfied with the iHA. Fron the timo cf that election until the mine re-opened, I was not contacted by anycne in attempts tc sway me in my cheice cf unions. "In the fell cf 1939, I received a nctice from the mamizement of Mine 3, telling me to report to work, that my old jcb was open. “After I returned tc wrk, it scemed to me thit the manarenent favored the U.H.W. men in the mine. After I begen work, o man cane to me in the mine and told me I had better sign with the U.H.W., becauso the U.M.W, wns coing to ret a m jority in the mine, ond unless a man wos U.M.W, he would lese his jol. I dco not kmew the name cf this mn, but he was 2 big man. He wes in the nine, but I never sow him doing any work in tho mine. At the tine he tcld me that all but twelve mon had joined the U.M.W., ond I was cne of the twelvo. This wis just before the election of 1941. He never throat- oned ne in any wy. “"I joined the U.M.7. just before the election, bocause, on account cf my age, I couldn't get c Job in oncther mine afd I felt I had to join VU... to koop my jcb at Mine B. At the olection, I voted PM.A., in spite of being a momber of U.E.., dctause I felt it ws tha best union. I didn't join U.H.i/. becouse I wanted tc, but because I had tc to keep my job. i think that P.H.A. is the bost union, and would like tc see it in the mino at the present time. re “Before the election I did not seo or hear of any viclence on the port cf eithcr union to influence the election of February, 1941. — - 403 -