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i RE: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL, NTERVIE. “after the man leading tho meeting told us that we could not go back to work at Mine A unless we joined U.M.idi, continue the meg by a najority vote decided to Join the U.Mact csuse of the trouble thet had happened in Mine B, and we knew thet - wo could net work in Kine «a unlcss we signed up with UsMetee "I den't know if any U.U.T. orgenizers were at this necting, but they cvuld heave been there. After the vote by the men, Ray Edmundsen came into the mecting, made a little talk, end left the mecting. I doen't recell what ho said. te. hr aiGT the Tor did. I needed a job, and if, t join the Uekivieey Z felt thot I would not be eble to werk in Vine A. felt the intention of the mine company was to get UL... into the minc, but was not sure that they would not work in the Pei. I figured that the only thing that I could do was to join the U.M.we, sc I joined of my own free will. No force was used on mc tc make me join the ULL. I went heme right after the meeting. ; ; U.K I think t1s% they felt as I wee “Under the U.E.u. conditions were just the samc and as good as aay weeG unAane tT po nw fam ne Tam armrerne 7 they were under P.E.A. «as far as I an cencerned, the U.Ua. is just as satisfactcry es the P.l.A. I wos just as satisfied with the P.k.A. as I am with U.l.ts. Either union was 0.K. for me as long as the leaders were honest, “hon I first heard thet Elshoff had bcught Mine 4, I did not think that the union weuld havo to change. whon I heard that Elshoff wanted tovrun both mines wnder the same union, I knew thet I would have to join the U.lM.+. if I wonted to work in Mine 4 J knov this from the talk thet I heard from the men who work in the mincs.e. I den't know any particular person who told me this. I nlsc heard that Bishcoff was pning to run Kine A through the ff wa plana ing tO TUM wind & ThPOuseA Une Line B shaft if the miners did not join U.K... No one talked tc me about joining U.N... "I had been perfectly satisfied with P.i.4., but «all of the circun- stences which I have told about above made me think that it was necessary for me to join the U.L.i.. if I wanted to work in Mine A. "This stotement consisting of this and two cther typewritten peges . + = . es a a a or af = — 7 + a m 7 has been read to me, and I state that it is true to the best cf my knowlodge end reecllection. (;) jatnesses: re ....... FBI, Springfield, Ill. bd - 265 -