◆ SpookStack

‘RE: JOHN L. LEIS, FT. «3 INTERVIE.” ITH ®T attended the mectings which the Mince "A" minera held. presided ovcr the moctings held continue at Redman's Hail and at the Elks Hall. I also . -attended another mecting at the Progrcssive Hall. At the first weeting ar. umcnts took place as to whether or not the men should joliu U.Eu.. At the next mostin? I attended held at Redmon's Hall a Comiittze on which were ea and was appointcd to go and see Mr..Elshoff and gct his opinion. Omittes raportcd back to the miners on the following Sunday after noon at the Elks Club and said that Oscar Falcetti, the super, said that the ucn could cither cheng: to UM. or he would hoist the coal out through Mine "B" shaft. Then the miners voted to join (.M.u. After that & committee: went ot and got Roy Ediamdson of U.M..., and he eame over and madc a speech in which he promised the wn all th. rights and privi- leyes of the U.M.N. and promised the nen that there would be no initiation fec. about 150 to 200 miners joincd up there and then. Edoundson said that he would get a contract from Elshoff or call a strike of the nen at Vine "BA, Hs also told us to zo out to the Min. the next dry and ve could vo to work. I did. jzo out the next day and went rizht to work using the s‘2i2 check nu_ber as when I hed quit 5 months before. The next norn ing I read in the paper that Elshoff had signed a contr.ict the preceding night. There is no question in ny mind that the whole procedure was pre- arranged between the United Hine Workers and “lshoff apd thet Edmundson! s talk about calling a strike was just s0 much hot Sir. "I voted to switch over to the U.ILT, because the: nag ority hed decided to go over and because I was convinced I couldn t go back to work as’ a Progressive miner. If I had uy own free choice in the matter I would still be a nenthr of the Frogressive Mine “orkcrs because ny vote would then mean syucthin- and the officers would be responsive to the rank and file i«nbers which is not trues in the United Mine “orkers. "WT have read the within statenent consisting of f. our and a fraction paycs ami it is all true," || ns Niitnessed pecial sents, FBI. Sprin-field, Illinois® =~ 556 -