◆ SpookStack

RE: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL. INTERVIE: WITH ee eerremenacced Springfield, Illinois, iy wes interviewoa et his home September 18, 1943, by Special a a SB etn he did not have a criminal record. is unable to speak and und:rstand English very well and would make a very poor witness. The following signed statement was obtained fron “Springfield, Ill. Septomber 18, 1945. "T pringfield, Ill., make the following voluntary statement to on gg hon I know to be Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. No force, threats, or promises have beer made in obtaining this statement and Il know that what I mey eay may be used in a ccurt of law, “IT was bourz: i: emigrated to the U.8. ebout end became a naturalized Ci U.s. in, about Ry x Petersburg, Ill. "Tl was employed at Mine "4" about (RD anc I am employed at Kine "4" at the present time as a digger. "Someone told me in about Sept, 1941 that Elshoff bought Mine ta", YT theught et that time that Hine "A" would become an UMW mine as Elshcff operated Mine "BY as UMW, "Before Elshoff bought Mine "AT the employees were satisfied with Pla. I thought PMA was e good union, but it made no difference to me whether I was a member cf PMA or Ui. "Someone told me thet Elshoff would operate Mine "A™ through Mine "B" anc that Elshoff would not operate Mine "AT unless the employees joined WO, I do not kmow whe told me this. I dedided to join TG so that I could work at Mine "A" but it made no difference to me whether I was a member of UN or Pith. "I did not attend any meetings between the time Elshoff bought Mine "4" and the time I joined UMW in Sept. 1941. I do not kmow whether I had notice of such meetings or not. I took ne interest in union activities. “Someone told me that if I wanted to work at Mine "4" I would heve to join UMW as Min "2" wes an Uli mine. I went to the UMW building and voluntarily joined Uw so that 1 could go to work at Mine "A" in Sept. 1941. - 639 -