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= A ent sel eae ER Co - O Re: JOHN L. LEwIS, ET AL go Fe. bib "From September, 1932 wntil about three months before the mine closed on May 12, 1937, Elshoff seemed to got along alright with the Pla. I never heard Elshoff or Falcetti make any statement as to which union they preferred. Eowever, about three months before the mine closed in 1937 there were about twelve men in the mine eggitating for UMN. These men were the following: John Ananius, cames ple, Goorge Jacaway, Emory Jacaway, Frank Austin Charles Bohannon, Dominic Fasquale, Peter Carter; Tony Plotch Andrew Schrelevious,. "These above mentioned men were members of PMA, but aggitatt to get the men to join UMA. I heard Elshoff did not favor PMA as that union enforcecd the regulation: stricter than the UMi. It seems the PMA had more committce meetings with fSishoff than the UMW had and Elshoff became dissatisfied with PMA. These UMN organisers talked to the men in the mine prior to May, 1937 to get them to join DMN. Charles Bohannon ond talked to me in the minc about signing up with the UMW. Pohannon said in a fricndly way, 'you bctter sign up bcfore itts too late’. I nover thought this was a throat. I hcard the men, whose namos are given above as being former UM: organizers, had talked other minors about changing from PHA to UM, but I never overheard any of these conversations. "I only attended about 4 of the PMA union mectingg. I attended the special FA moeting at tho PNA hall on 6th St., Springfiled. I learned of the meeting from a notice at the mine. At this mcoting, about five of the aggitators were accused of organizing for UMv, but I don't rocall if they were discharged. There wore obout 125 men at this meeting. I believe the other miners hcard about it the next day. On May, 12, 1937 onc of tho PMA Fit Somittes mon told me to make my coal cars short, and I loaded mine a little under avcrage. I don't know why the FMA vanted them loaded short. I holped PMA picket for about three weeks in the fall of 1937, After that, I never did go back until it re-opened in November, 1959. "I do not remember signing any kind of 2 potition for eithor union fin 1937, “hen the mine re-opened on an oven shop basis relations ot the mino were rather quiet. Latcor, the men would be contacted personally by UM; membcrs and I would hoar that o miner had signod up with Us". In the letter part of 1940 and carly part of 1941, the UM® organizers worked hard organizing and sot a dead line of January 16, 1941 to sign up by then or you would not got to work unless the miner paid a foe to join again, "In Januzry, 1941, the 'Paocé Boss' at line B named a (phonotic ron Illinois, who was a UMi member, told me In the m it vould bo bottor to sign up with UNT as it would be a lot of trouble later and maybe I couldn't join up later, A few days bofore, o big organizer of UM. who came in from southern Illinois said it would be best to sign up as ~ 261 =