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C © Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL b ro, Lb aD INTERVIEW WITH these men had a right of appeal and thet if it were found that they had been wrongfully discherged, the (continue Progressive Organization would underwrite any ex- pense that Elshoff might have had to stand by stopping the men from working at our request. He refused to consider this offer end refused to discharge the men. met “after May 12, 1937, for a period of about three weeks, there was ho, picketing at Mine B by the Progressive Organization. There was no violence, and it was during this time that a petition was circulated among the mem- bers of the Progressive Organization in which over 400 signed and which stated that they desired, as employees of Mine B, to be represented by the Progressive Mine Workers of America as Collective Bargaining Agency for Local Union No. 54. This petition wes one of the three originals which were made at’ thet time, inasmuch as when the men signed the petition, they signed three copies, one of which was presented to Elshoff, another to be retained with me es District Board !cmber, and the third furnished to the District President Upon receipt of the petition, Superintendent Falcetti, who was present, looked at each page of signatures, Carl Elshoff acknowledged the list of names and gevc @ i Re a receipt typed out on letterhead of Mine B Coal Company, Sig Elshoff, President. This letter acknowledged the receipt of the petition, but refused to acknowledge the authenticity of the signatures. at this time, Carl “lshoff stated that he had scen some cards which hed been signed by United Mine workers. However, he would not state es to who they were or how many they had seen or show anything to that effect. On almost every occasion that I went out to the mine, I generally noted that at least a few of the twelve men who had been expelled from Local Union No. 54 were hanging around the mines "On August 6, 1937, I went to Mine B with’ nee ge and two others to present a tentetive contract to Ei short for is signa Uree Elshoff did not sign this contract or indicate in any way that he would. He stated that if he decided to sign the contract that he wuld get in touch with me, "On August 14, 1937, I telephoned Elshoff, making an appointment with him, I proceeded to the mine wit ~* Meand the Pit Committee, Je at which tir » ff demanded the return of the ch we had previously given to Elshoff on July 12, 1937. This wes done in view of the fact thet Elshoff had not acted upon the receipt of the petition in recognizing the Progressives as the Bargaining Agent with employees of that mine. I asked Elshoff about signing a contract at that time, end Elshoff stated that he was "up in the air. You have asked for the - petition back.” In the course of further discussion, Elshoff said, “When I sign a contract, it will be with a Union. I started in 1912 and have - 411 =