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C tf O Re: JOHN L. LEVIS, ET Ab bce L£%4D NTERVI En “ITE The following investigation was conducted by Sp3ojal Illinois, on cep r ji, 1946, ents interviewed Wy at hie home at iy quinn Illinois, and he advised he has never besn grreste ) _ ain his life. He Was interviewed in the presence of his wife, end it was noted that although he speaks and understands the English language very well, he could not recall things very rapidly, and his wife had to assist him in recalling specific instances. It is felt that if (Jy is needed as a wit- ness that he would make a fair witness. furnished Agents with a signed two page typewritten state- ment which ig as follows: . Ws 1. Sept. 1, 1943. "I, Ill., am making this free and voluntary statement To an whe are known to me to be Special Agents o e Federal Bureau o Testie gation, United States Department of Justice. No force or threats have been made me to give this statement. “I was born 2S: cama to the United States in and became a citizen nite ates in Illinois. I have not worked for the last 5 years or so. I first joined a union and when I came to U.S. I became a member of United Mine *orkers, shortly after I came to the United States. I never have been an officer of any union. I started at Mine B in Springfield, I1l., about years ago or so. ‘hen the split happe in 1932 or so when Joln L. Lewis wanted lower wages I was working at but afterwards I went to Mine B. I think I joined PiiA union went to Mine B, I joined the PMA of my own account because I was against John L. Lewis anyway. Before the mine closed in 1957 O8Cak FALCETTI of Mine B always segmed to favor the UMW over PMA even tho PMA was the local there. For about @# months before I got my job at Mine B Falcetti would have me come out to the mine every day and it seemed because I was a essive and a (MW man he would not hire me, Finally my brother-in-law, wiiian told me that Falcetti was hiring men and finally I saw Faloetti tha would work in any place and finally he hired me, "“Wost of the miners felt that PMA was a good union but there were a few traitors in the place. I never hoard any complaints against the Pro- gressives and most of us miners were satisfied. I was a coal digger at Mine B. I and other miners all felt that those FMA men convicted for the bombings were all framed and were not guilty and we felt that UMW had something to do - 431 -