◆ SpookStack

GC” O RE: JOHN L. LEIS, £T AL oa 1 . INTERVIE, CIT! WILLIAM MN. RYAN The following is a resume of the interview conducted with Mr. WILLIAM i. RYAN, 801 South Douzlas, Sprinzfield, by Svecial A.ent in Charrve FRD HALLFORD and Special Axent i, - the 6? ce afternoon of August 25, 1943: Wr. RYAN is 62 years of ave, is retired from the coal business and presently resides at 81 South Dou,las, Sprinzfield, Illinois. Previous to his retirement in the Fall of 1341, at which time he sold Springfield Mine "A" to CARL ELSHOFF, subject in this case, he had operated this mine for approximately 19 years both under the United Mine Workers and the Frogressive Mine workers of America. “Then the break cane hetreen the United Hine Workers arvl what is now known as the Procressive ifine vorkers of America in “oe Hine "4" and line "B" emplovrees decided that they desired to be represented by the Progressive Mine “orkers of america. At that time Mine "A" was shut down and I!fr. RY¥aM! called a meetin of his employes and asked them what ther de- sired and they stated the: desired to obtain a contract under the rrogressive Wine “orkers of America. Accordin ly, Ur. RYAN entered into a contract with this union and continued this relatioushi,» until the sale of the mine in the early Fall of 2941. a The matter of makinz a contract was handled through the Tilinois Coal Froducers Association. This association, according to Mr. RYAN, was “completely dominated by four or five of the largest coal mines in the state and all asreenents entered into which bound mines being operated by the Progressive Miners worked more or less to the particular benefit of these four or five mines. In order to belon; to this association, it was neces- sary to pay a small tax upon each ton of coal mined amounting to aproxi- mately one or two mills. Mr. RYsi’ stated that he felt personally the bene- fits derived from membership in the Coal Producers Association were not worth the expense and, subsequently, he dro ped out although still making his contract with the Frogressives in accordance with the former rules. Mr. RYAN had no definite information concerning the situation of Mine "B" and CARL ELSHOFF but felt that ELSHOFF dropped out of the Coal Producers Association for possibly the sane reason as he did. At the heivht of its power, lir. RYAI estimated that the Progres- sives had betueen 60% and 75% of all miners in Illinois in their union. - This union has stoadily declined due to the raiding of Progressive Mines by the United Mine Vorkers and by the United Mine vorkers' buying off the outstanding organizcrs for the Frogressives. The mine workers in Hine "B" included some of the most radical elenent of the Progressives, several of whom were convicted in Federal ~ 447 -