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Re: JOHN L. IZaIS, BT AL. . 45 =uuene Lin INTERV ae: « interviewed at his home on August 23, enh 1943, by Special cont is and correo quien © gave information voluntarily an ely. n\ \ It is believed tha make a good witness, He claimed to have no H , ¢riminal record, h The following signed statement was given y iS e ae an . August 29, 1943. \ ~ “I he following statement freely anc voluntarily an who heave identified themselves to me aS Special Agents of the Federa reau of Investigation. No threats or to promises have been made to me to obtain this statement. - "I presently resido at a. Springfield, Ill. orig am employed in Panther Creek Mine #4. IW f I came to the United States in in a Federal court. z "I first joined a nine union infiiifenen I was working in a mine in This vas the United Mine “orkers union, I remained a member of nm until 1932 when I joined the Progressive Mince Uorkers of america a an Springfield, Tl. I first started to rork et Mine B about and continued to rork there until Wa I have never been an officer of any union. “Prior to 1932 there was not any trouble betzeen Elshoff and the U.i'.b. at ine B. In 1632 the miners became dissatisfied vith U.N.%. after {t was said that John L. Lewis had stolen the votes in an clection in that year. The Progressive Minc “orkers of America started up in that year. I did not take any part in the formtion of P.H.A., but joined that union imnedintely. Another reason the miners did not like U.L.>. vas the many assessnents imposed by that unién on the members. They were called “special assessments" and the o-ficers of U.W.". did not tell the members for what mur7ose the assessments vere used. “after tho formtion of P.".A. in 1932, everything went smoothly at the minc. As I recall there vere no strikes or shut-downs. I don't ‘reeall any attempts on the part of the management of Mine B to discredit the leaders of F.U.a. "J did not go to many meetings of F.}.A., but when I did go to meetings I know that I could hive said what I wanted to at any time. The leaders did not attompt to tell us what to do. If we did not attend the - 441 - Ce ne nr pe ee ee ma ee ne ne le Sp a Ee EO “pre greener: