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ce ee, a rt ly a sd ‘’ questions put to CG Q Ret JOHN L. LEWIS, ET aL | . . . Lic b19 vas interviewed o: 31, 1943, by Special and at his residence. appeared willing to cooperate in answering the m, appeared to be alert and definite, and would willingly testify if called upon to do #0. Following is a signed statement obtsained cron “Springfield, Illinois August 3], 1943 ERV GITH make the following volumtary statement to whom I know to be Special Agents of the ureau of Investigation, U.S Department of Justice, "I was born in ersearmmeneericnennicerd I was naturalised an American citizen at Springfieid, inois, aate not recalled, but before I wa nty one years old, as I gained my citizenship through father, I am presently employed yay 2 live at Springfield, mols. tT have worked off and on at mines including Mine “Aa", Mine “B", and at the Capitol Mine owned by the Peabody Coal Co. “J recall that I was working at Mino °B" under the United Mine workers of America that will be referred to hereinafter as UMW in and I continued to work at Mine "B" under the UMW until 1932 when Mine went Progressive Mine workers of America that will be referred to hereinafter as the PMA. At thet time I became a PMA member. *] was a member of the Pit Committee under the UMW for a period of two and one half years and held the same position for two years under the PMA. I attonded all union meetings under the UM and under the PMA. “Sometime in the year before 1932 whn the PMA organized in Mine a and enother miner whose name I don't iscnarged from Mine "B™ by the company bosses. UMW had the contract with Elshoff at this time. "The above mon wero considered by me to be fair loyal union mon who wanted te look after the interest of the minora. I believe some of : thesc men were UMW officials at this time. I believe that tho discharge of these men contributed to the success of the organization of the PMA in September, 1932. "It was my job as a member of tho Pit Committee, UMI, to get these - 419 - - ae a a RE OR IE EN I SIL I A TT me