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Re: JORN L. LEVIS, ET AL 6b C. 457n that in this manner there would timiayrb be enough of his employses go over to UMW that the mine could be_operated again. ELSHOFF then telephonically contacted RAY EDMUNDSON, vho was in Chicago. I believe EDMUNDSON was staying at the Morrison Hotel, He told EDMUNDSON he did not want any trouble to be caused by txking these men out to tha mine ani I then talked to EDMONDSON ~ on the telephoce and he instructed me to teli the men to return to Christian County without going to Mine “B™, . ~ E.i ITH (continued "Accordingly, on the morning of Scptember 27, 1937, only about 4& dozen UM¥ men, who were fornerly employces of Mine "B", went down into the mine. Thesc were the men I had met at UMy Headquarters prior to the strike on May 12th, About 100 other employees of Mirs “B" were congregated along the Jacksonville Road about one-half mile_from ‘he mine but, although the atmos- phere was tense, there was no violence and the men who went into the mine to work were not molested. "On the morning cf September 27th, I stayed in the mine office until about 9:00 otclock and it was anp.arent py that time that no further employees intended to go down into the mine. Accordingly, I returned to UMW Headquarters and reported to EDMUNDSON in Chicago that the attempted opening was a 'flopt, EDMUNDSON just passed the matter off by commenting that it waS simply the type of thing which will happen once in a while. *T don't recall whethcr ELSHOFF blew the whistle for work next day but I do recall I went out to the mine the morning after. The handful of men who had worked the previous day came out to the mine office but they did not attempt to go to work. However, I think possibly FRANK AUSTIN wont below for the purpose of feeding the mules. A considerable numbor of Mine "B" employces werc on the Jacksonville Road again that morning and belicve there were also about a dozen of them standing around on the mine premises, apparently merely for the purpose-of watching. There was no violence that morning, "During my conversations with FALCETTI and ELSHOFF at the mine office on September 27th and 28th, FALCETTI named over various employces whose names I cannot recall whom he stated were men having prestige among the employces,. He indicated that if these leaders could be won over there was a good chance that most of the men would then follow them into the UM¥. However, no plans concerning contacting these men vere made, I might state that my conversa- tions at this time with ELSHOFF and FALCETTI were not very comprehensive, inosmuch os this entire matter hed been handled more or less os a private deal between ELSHOFF, EDMUNDSCN and CALTER J. JAMES, who was Secretary- Treasurer of District 12, UMT. As I have indicated beforo, these men did not consult me.for advice on the various steps involved in this matter. - They simply geve me routine instructions whenever the occasion made this necessary. ~ 427 =