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Re: JOMN L. LEVIS, DT AL INTERVIC. FITS who resides at Sprincficld, Illinois, was inte torber 14, 1943, by Special Asents and would make a good witrcss. Le an intei fcerte abeve that iw averace miner, Ho s:ea’:s tood English aud can oxpre.s himself well. ie gave the information set forth in the followine si:nued stutencnt: 8 - *Sprinsfield, Il Septomber 14, 1943. "hy nome is Iomuke the folloviat ston wre) wro have identified thors:zivos Dp a ra) © Fcaeral Burcon: of Investization. Mo proxsc, threats, or considero- tion of any kind has been made to me to make thie statement, "T workod at ins A from June 1934 until the minc was sold to Carl Elshoff in the summcr of i241. In 1941 when the mine was sold, it wos closed t2ceausc of s.asonnl closurc, @s was the usual custom, I was on the pit committee of the local Frozressivs Mine ‘iorkcrs of amorica union at linc A, local #51. Until the timo that the minc was sold, there had been no talk thet IT heard of about anyonc wantinz to chanze unions, The men were ell satisfied with the operation of the irozressives, and the local, "Then Elshoff bouctht the minc we had a meeting of the local to sec what was coins to be done with the minc. I went to the moetings at the Trosressive tall, There had boon many rumors goin; cround as to what Elshoff was toinc to do with the mins. ost of the mon thought, at least I know that I thoutht, that Dlshoff would favor the UM., becauss of things that we had hoard had heppened at Wine E. as I rceall we electcd a committcce to talk to Elshoff, and if I rocall the cormittese could not find him. A now committee telked to him, and they rcported back to us that he had told them that he wruld not open up under the ik, but would keep tho mine elosed, and take the conl out through mine B. Tho mon wanted to work, so they went and joincd the UM! on the promise or hope that they would bo atle to have their jobs and workin’ conditions exactly the samc as before, I did not want to join the UU, and was able to 3ct another job. J never went to any of the mectinzs at any other place than the frogressive Tall. "] reccived o lettcr and a card atout the meetings to be held at the othor halls. siened the card, invitinz me to one mooting. The othzr was a lettcr si -nca ty Edmunson, tcllins us that we would be able to cone tack into the UMW without any prejudice etc, and would be able to run our local ss we had before, This lcttcr also said something obout Mine & having been sold, and thet it misht not open. I do not recall the details of what it said abeut whether he could promisc that it would be opened, or not. - 534 -. ww Ee ae RL ET: TUT fy SATIATION so