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en ain ee a Se C - O Re: JOHN L, LEWIS, ET AL. bIw~ bID RIX 1 TT sprictse73, Illinois, was intorwiecved at his home on September i, 1943 by Special agents a: aay Wl is uneducated, and professed an inability to read or write English, ex- cept his owm name. He can understand English only when very simpie, rleadn nneaetian 2 awe aeban af hies Sansles dan hd mma” Lee roa qGuestici.. a? GAC BOAO Wa fitile Ne Speaks ALL & very high, equcenry voice. He claimed to have no criminal record, The following signe2 Statement was obtained from "Springfield, Ill. September 1, 1943 "i make the following voluntary statement to an wher I know to be Special agenis ~ a Ss eral Bu ote TF atinn af wr o=n fwon cil with ac Veh Wes POL oF ee ed ee a ak oe | F aie Wt Ah no force used, and no promise de me. "I presently live at Springfield, Illinois. T am working at Mine B. I was ecrnamammtrrira I came to the United SU a naturalized citizen in "I just Joined a union, the United ifine Workers, in Opring- f4aolda ahaut VOSRre oan T anincda the Prorressi wo Mine Tarlve re eae Ok Fears weBve waste eae Ee ew soe see oe of america in 1g) B° and Went back to the U.M.W. in 1940. I never held an office in any union. I started work in Mine 3 when the Superintendent was a man known as L | I was working at Ifine B in 1932 when the P,}!.-. took over the union, and I followed the mfority of the men and joined the P.M... From that time wtil the striko in 1937, conditions at the mnc were all right, and there was no trouble, "I don't remember any Pisa. meeting on the night befere the strike and t don't knuw the reasons for the strike. I think that called the men out of the mine, but JI don't know why, other than that I heard it was because we didn't gct a raise in pay. I don't remember signing a P.M... petition, or any other one, in 1937, and I don't know whether I voted in the 1937 olection or not. Be- eause I can't read English, speak or understand it well, 1 nzver took much interest in wnion meetings, 2 was @oing on, Geer NV ot told me that af THA the et oF de ol whee Ce ae Se Pie =] eve. B& ay ht ee 2OT BY. ae a eee = I stayed in the P.U.a, I couldn’t have a job at itine a, He told me tha’ . the men would go back to work, and the company would open up ths mine, yO if the men would join the U,M.W. - 429 - >