◆ SpookStack

RE: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL FP inois, was interviewed at his residence on and Scptenber 17, 1943, by Special igents are speaks, reads, and undersands Fy suliiciently veil to testify. He said he is willing to testify. He claimed to have no criminal record. The following signed stetement was obtaincd fron "Springfield, Th. Septenber 17, 1943 "T ake the following voluntary stateent to an whom I know to be Special “gents of the ederal Burcau of Investigation, of my own free will, with no threats or promises made to me, Springfield, Ti1. "I an living 4 and an working at Panther Creek Mine was born and cane to the United States in I was naturalized i at “pringfield, i and when I came to this country in J i was switched to the United Mine “orkers, I joined the Progressive Mine I was a member of a union Workers of anerjca i I was working at Peabody Mine No. 57. in Js or of the Peabody Local, I. ave never rejolne. the U.N.u. In sugus € gan working at Iiine A, and worked there until af’ Tet akin atlac.A As SAwnt+ 2p hank mheanr ¢4 Granado un apr il Va AToL ys wien the itLne ¢s10sea qaonn. I didn Be BY MAVA Flea 2 MPU Lb that fall, because I didn't want to change fron P.u.4. to U.M.W. In all the tinc I was in the P.M.a., I was entirely satisfied with the union, and was in favor of the original switch fron U.H.W. to P.H.a. in 1932, "I read in the paper that Elshoff had bought Mine 4 from Ryan. After hearing what hal gone on at Mine ' in the switch fron P.H.a. to U.M.W., I ° felt that the same thing might happen at Mine 4. I felt, when I saw the notice of the sale, tiat I wouldn't have a job unless I joined the U.M.N. After J envy thie nstifre in the naner, Althoanuah TI woe nover annmroanchad by amronons to. eciit Wide SE i ee Be Be a et Freee Sk ple wre ee A rk ke join the U.M.W., I heard that the U.H.T. was circulating a petition to get a” majority at the mine, JI don't know how I heard this, for no one came to ne with any such petition. There were several ruriors circulating about this time, one ~ a to the effect that Elshoff wonld work Mine “ through Mine B, another that he Be would operate the mine only with U.Mi. men. These rumors just added to the’. " feeling I had that I no longer had a job, because I would never join the U.M.7, “After Elshoff bought the maine, I went to a regular P.H.A. meeting, held at Progressive Hall, at which mectiny there was a discussion about joining the UH, I think was chairuan of this meeting. and old { can had a lot to say in the discussion, and favored a switch to the U.M.u. Some men, whose nancs I can't reuember, spoke in favor of the P.M.A., = 276 -