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CGC” O Re: JOH L, LEWIS, ET AL. . INTERVIEW WITH was interviewed oe nnd on September 13, at opringfield, Illinois. He is years of age and unable to read, He appears mentally sluggish and does not understand questions put to him. He furnished the following signed statement: "Springfield, Illinois September 13, 1943 i ee. make the following voluntary statement to an both of whom have identified as >)" ‘1al #gents in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, No threats or promises have been made to me to induce me to make a statement. years old 4 started working a ne A. At that time I joined .M.w. and I am still employed at Mine A, "I joined P.M.A. in 1932 but inasmuch as I was only ay yrs. old then, I didn't know much about unions and one was as good as another, the mine shutdown in the spring of 1941 and that summer I got a letter from Ryan telling that he had sold Mine A to Elshoff. J also saw this in the paper. At that time I didn't know what Elshoff would do, whether he would open under P,M.A, or United. we had been satisfied with P.M.4. and had been getting along well with Ryan. "The only meeting I attended during this time was held at the Elk's Club, Nearly all_of the men from Mine = were present at this meeting. As 1 recall, sked if the men wanted to join U.M.W., a standing vote was en and the men voted to join U, u. 4’fter the vote was taken the men sent for “dmmdson who came over and talked to us. I don t remember what he talked about. No threats were made to me to mike me join U.M.w, I joined U.M.w, because the rest of the men did, they all stood up and I did too, As far as I am concerned, one union is the same as another. "The above statement has been read to m by , and 1 declare it to be true and correct. ;/ ih ) Special Agents, FBI ) U.S. Dept_ of Justice" "WITNESSES } i } - 263 - E