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ar a ne ae Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL INTERVIG WITH Springfield, Special Agents his resicance on September 15, 1947. alert, but aprcared willing to answer the questions put to him. His mate wg MES OS AOL Be eeste appearance is unfavorable. He furnished the following signed statement: "Springfield, Dilinois September 15, 1943 ake the following voluntary statement +o *hom I know to be Special Agents of the Federa Bureau of Invzstigation, U.S. Department of Justice, "T reside at Snringfield, Dlinois. pe I am presently employed at Mine A as a digrer. J was born on esteem rin I arrived in the United States in was naturalized in Springficld, Illinois in Qj The firs e union T oined was the United Mine Workers of America, ect \ —_ Springfield, Dllinois. I worked in several mines at Spring a member of the UM and went to work at Mine A about S a member of the UMW. I have worked in this mine continuously until the present +imnn Value @ "I voluntarily joined the Progressive Mine Workers of America, referred to hereinafter as the PiéA, at Mine A in 1932, when the majority of the miners voted to join the PMA. It made no difference to me which union had the barpaining rights. I just wanted to work. After 1932 i felt the same way about this. "I heard that Carl Elshoff bought Mine A in 1941 and I saw a e in the newspaper. Also, Mr, Ryan sent me a letter saying he had the mine. It did not maké any difference to me who operated the mine. The working conditions at the mine are about the same at the mine under the ULW as they were under the PMA. No UMW organizers contacted me. I never heard any rumor that Elshoff planned to operate Eine Ah through Mine B, or that the miners had to join the UMV before Elshoff would open Mine A. When Mine A employees, or mincrs, talked about going to Join the UM in 1941, they had four meetings, Two of these meetings were held at the PMA H322, and one at Redmans Hal? and one at the Elks Club. I knew about theso metings by the newspapers. At both the first and second meetings at the PMA Hall, the President of the PuA local was in charge. I do not remember what was decided. As far as I know, there were no UMT orgonizers present at these metings. There were no fights as far as I know, there were no UMW organizers present. I do not know what was dis- cussed because it was so long ago. . ; ~ 492 «