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| Cc - @) Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET al. , 5 é 3 é + . 7 IN TERVIEY WITH GEORGE REED, Chitago;—Tlinois. He stated that this was well known to coal mine- (Continued) operators generally. Ir, REED advised that he could vaguely recall some conversation Cee ty nuh ind he Sonnet. peoal) nent Sea Company taking over itine "3" but that he cannotrecall anything definite in this matter. He said that his answer at that time would have been that the Peabody Coal Company did not want anymore mines as they already had at_ that time more mircs than they wanted. Ile stated ELSHOFF was unable to rurnis “ny information concerning the association of JOM L. LEWIS, CaRL ELSHOFF and RiuY EDSNDSAN, other than that people in the coal business took it for granted that C..RL ELSHOFF and JOIN L. LSWIS are good friends. He advised that he had never seen these two together, tr, RERD further stated that he will causc a scarch to be made of the records of his company, presently located in a district warchouse, to determine whether or not a copy of thc letter which he wrote to ELSHOFF and which contains their agreement for the sale of coal is still in existence. Hc said he will also nave a scarch made for the ledger records or any other records showing the amount of tonnage, sale price and commission or any other figures which may be available in connection with the ELSHOFF account, Mr, REED advised that the situation between the employers and the employees is and has been tense for some time; that he is operating without any contract at this time with the United Ifine workers; that his company has always bcen a United Mine ‘jorkers Company, because of which fact he, of necessity, deals with RaY EDUINUDSQ! and JOHN L. LiwI5, since his company is the biggest producer of coal in the State of Illinois. If, R&ED stated that because of this fact hc does not want to do anything which would jeopar- dize his position with the United Miuic jorkcrs or which vould result in his failure to sccure a contract by the end of Vctobcr 1943. He pointed ee ee ee Thorehne he be in conne € employer-employoe relati therefore he has not decided whether or not he will furnish whatever information his files disclose, of his own accord, to an investigator, He stated that he would gladly furnish informtion to the Federal Burcau of investigation if it were not for the circumstances set out above and that hc would be glad to at lcast advise es to the nature of the informition in his files, How- ever, because of his relationship with the United Mine workers, he said ~ he much preferred that he be forced by subpoena to produce records rather “%S than to furnish them voluntarily,