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Sprengrial’s 1943, by Special Acents Leer gunmen : J —— English very poorly, and is able to understand only when speken very slowly and plainly. He can write only his name. He expressed his willinmess to testify in court on this matter, and claimed noe efprescesu a teat he never has been arrested, . The followinr is the sicned statement as execited by "Sprincfield, I1l. September 3, 1943 make the following voluntary statement | whom I know to be snecial agents of tine om =. of Te 3 of my own free will, with no threats or promises made "TI was bo and entered the United States in work at the Panther Creek Springfield. I Mine Number 4, and live a "I joined the United Line Workers in Springfield ™ | and remained a member of that union until 1932, when I joined the Prorressive tine workers of America. In January of 1941, I joined the U.M.W. again, and was a member of that union until I quit Mine B, and went to work at Panther Creek. I am now a member of the P.u.A. again. As I remember, the PeM,A. was formed because the men didn't like the idea of Lewis accepting lower wages for the men aziinst their wishes, "The P.iM.A. union was a rood one. The union looked out for the men's interests, and treated them fair and square. Although I didn't ro to pany meetings, I wes entirely satisfied with the P.M.A. From 1932 to 1937, I didn't know of any troutle at the mine between the mine and Elshoff. "T dontt remember anything about a P.M.A. meetings the night before the strike. Qn the day of the strike the men all went down into the mine. When the Mine Minagement let some men, who were kicked out of the P.H.A. because of U.M.W. work go down into the mine, the men, members of P,M.A., began londing the cars short. The union officials hadn't told the Oy men to do this, but the men did it on their own. About two o'clock, the - strike was called and the men left the mine. "T don't remember sirning a petition for P.M.A., in the summer of 1937. I don't remember signing papers of any kind that summer. No one