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ae Se ce Oo o SA ade ee Fe: JOUN L. LIS, ET AL. ee eeeper emmy es : NTERVIN: * ITH Springfield, a Tllinois, *as - —_ = eer | —s residence on September 13, 1943 by Special Agents a He is presently employed as a disper a edid not desire *he change of operators and stated ELSHOFF treated the men like slaves then he first started operations at tfine A. He attended the four meetings prior to the shift of line A employees to the QF but is vague on details of these meetings. He executed the folloving written statement. #Springfield, Tilinois September 13, 1943 tT make the followin; _voluntary Statement to vhon 3 kmor to be Special Agents and I of tne recerat Bureau Te on, U.S. Depertnent of Justice. "J presently reside at Springfield, Tllinois. JI am presently employed at line d, Tilinois as amine digger. I Vas born 2 I first joined the United Hine Lorxers o erica, referred T° néresin- fter as the UfA at the l-oodside Ifine Local 999 at Springfisid, in oan I renained a member of the UA until about 1932 rhen 7 joined awnoaida tine Tarksyre af Amorica referred to hareinafter as the rs £VBs eee ee Se eR ee 2S Pease wane 2) a PY A, at ‘ine A yhen it signed a PITA contract. I started torking at Ifine A in nd have continued vorking there to date, "In 1932, vhen I joined the PIA, there ras a vote taken in the PwroaA Hall at 6th and ashington streets and the majority voted for the PITA. tent Tith the najority to retain my job, JI Kould just as soon have staved vith tne UTA as I Tas a charter menber of UTA. “after 1932,, I paid my ducs to the P.A and i va t ing my job, and not in any union. ‘he first I heard of the change operators Kas in 1941, through the newspapers, I did not relcome the change, and rould have preferred rorking under Avan. I did not think I rould lose my job, but felt that after a vote, the mine tould go UMIA. It rorked out that ray. I thought the miners vould vote for the UMA because if the PITA von, Elshoff 1 ould bring into the mine to vork, other Ula, miners. *e@ had a vote at the Elks Club on a Sumday afternoon at 2:00 Bi. It tas a fair election. The UIA won, 5 : ®hen Ryan vas the Upcrator at itine A, the vorking conditions there “= under the PLA were good, and the men vere satisfied. JI vas not approached - by any UM.A organizer to join the 2f A. I heard rumors that Elshoff rould : operate Wine & through tine B, Ly reaction tas that he vould not do it, but I did think he rould hire sone WEA men vho night take my job, and I still ranted to rork, so I voted for the UA. There Tere rumors that - 309 - come ac esiemianmemsiendameteiedieatenm tients meine intinis hie nein mommeeaeaiaaas a