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O O Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL NTEQVICY WITH i wags jointly interviewe 1943 by Special Agents He stated it made no difference to him what union he was in, that working corditions wer? better under RYAN, and that he did not attend any of the meetings of tS, because he was tao old for that sort of thing. He had nothing of value to contribute to this inquiry, but executed the following - statement: i peo ven 9 Illinois September 17, 1943 bi . re the following volunter:; stateuent to n whom I know to be Srecial Agents of the ederal Bureau of Investigation, U. S. Department of Justice, _ eee "I was born in and became & naturalized I am presently employed @ continuously since United States citizen in at Mine A, Springfield, Ill., and have worked thr "I started working at Mine A as a member of the Progressive Mine Workers of America, which will be referred to hereinafter, as the Pua. I liked this union, but it made no difference to me when J changed ower to the United Mine workers of America, which will be referred to hereinafter as the UMN. "I heard no rumors or talk about the mine not opening unless the miners joined UMv or that the mine would be opera ted through mine B. Tliinois, 7 i E of | “I liked Mr. Ryan better than Elshoff as the mine operator because working conditions at the mine were better under Ryan. "I thought I would have to join the UW when Elshoff bought the mine because Mine B was operating under the UMW, "I attended none of the meetings in the Fall of 1941 which were ealled by the PHA to decide what union to work under. I was too old for that sort of thing. "The only reason I signed with the UMT was because I wanted to work and not because I liked the UM. "No one ever contacted me to get me to join the UMi. ~ $50 -