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Cc | O "0643: Re: JOBN L. LEWIS, ET AL i and the PMA did not hold any moeting as to what action should be taken, About the dey after at about 1 o'clock in the night the sit down strike started. Soma PMA committeeman phoned me to get to the minc at once os about 150 UMW were coming in to take over our jobs anc I went down to Mine B. I heard thet the 150 men were met by deputy sheriffs at Big Leake anc never wore 2llowed to get into towm, PMA did net bring in any outsiders at all to help with the strike anc it was ell done just by local PMA members. «2 21] had this sit down strike to protect our own jobs and wo all did it of our own free will as we 211 livod here in Springfield, 111. and did not sant outsiders to como in and teko our jobs away. It vas a very quiet strike end the sheriff was out there and I was there most of ths time and wo walkod around fsr 2 hours to watch the property. =< guarded the Mine B property as we Cid not want anything to happen to the mins 2s we wanted our jobs and also wo die not want PMA blamed for anything. Sever2l men were caught coming onto the proverty anc they were turned over to the shcriff., The U. S. continuod Vershall came out efter about two months and rcad something to us and told us. to leave ncacebly an@ we told him we would and that wo were just protecting the property. "I did not know anything bout the mine supposed to bo opening again in fow days. Our men wore told by the Marshall that no ono would work at the place and that when it reopened we would be notified. "During Dee, 1937 the National Lebor Relation Board held an olection 2 the ermory in Spr ingfic eld, Ill. ane it was held by scerct ballst and was he 1d under supervision of NLRB. “c¢ met at the meeting hall and went over to the armory in groups anc voted. PMA officials did not force us how to yots anc we also voted the way we wanted to and it was a regular election, I and others all felt that the election wis not crooked at all and that it wos & regular clection. 5 "In Jan. 1938 I never reecived any notice that Mine B would reopen and some clerks from Nine B dropped in at the house and tried to fcel me out in regard to returning there without 2 contract. "Altho PML was the bareaining agent from Jan. 1938 until Sept. 1939 IT have no kmowlcdge or information 2s to why Er. Elshoff refused to deal vith PMA. I fccl tht he must have had o strong reason for refusing to deal with PMA. It was the gossip that UN werc paying Mr. Elshoff and that was how hc was able to keep the mine closed, "About a month or 69 after the mine reopened in 1939 there was Bome dispute as to whcther PHA or UM was to ect the check off money and “r. Flshoff turned it back to the miners instead of giving it to the unions. - 173 -