◆ SpookStack

CG - O ore Re: JOHN L. LEVIS, ET AL L ID ~ INTERVIEN WITH “The trouble in the Spring of 1937 started because of an argument. over whether the new wage scale would be retroe continue active or not. At this time there was about a dozen men at Line B who were believed to be spies and in the pay of UMA who stirred up trouble about the wage scale. Some of these men that I remember off hand sre Charles Bohannon, Pete Carter, Tony Flotch, Frank Austin, Jimmy Hale, Andrew Skreleveous (phonetic spelling). I believe that there were three trials at which these men were suspended for 99 yzare. These trials took place a short timo before the strike on May 12, 1937. I was eat the trial the night Charlies Bohannon end BDomonic Pasquale and at least one or two others «ere suspended. The only persons present at these trials werc the witnesses and frial Board of Five Hembors. The trials were held at the THA Meeting Hell, "The day of the strike I loaded tvo cars and came home and didn't know about the strike until the night of “isy 12, 1957. I have heard that short cars were being loaded on the day of the strike, "I was on pickct duty at cine B nearly cvery day after the picketing started in September of 1937, During this period a few UMWA men tried to open the mince but they nevcr had enough men to be successful, "T never sa. any violence’ or blood shed while I was picketing at “ine B, "I remember the first election in Deccmber of 1937, It went Protrcossives won 404 - 25. I romembcr that there was soma trouble about ramplets Being passce out but can't romember what was on them. I voted Frogressive. "Sftor the cleetion Elshoff didn't seem to want to deal with the Frogressivce. JI was on the committee to see Elshoff in the fall of 1939 about opening th: mine. At the meeting Elshoft said, "I will lct you go back to work, and give you the check off, but if we run short of men I'l] hire whoever in the hell I want to,? - "There was a rumor soing around at the tins thet the United Mine corkers-were paying tlshoff during the strike. J heard that they had given him as moh as $200,000.00, but cantt prove it, "hen I vent back to work in 1939 undor the ‘open shopt azreement the majority of the mincrs still favored the Frogressive :“inc -orkere. Soon efter we went back to work 2 man by the name of .s on as an ‘air inspectort - this was the first time they ever at “Vine B. He tricd to make friends with all the men ang ¢ o join UMA. Other ibe who came in : = Fee ato ay ee ™ These mon -~ 57 = a ae Re ee i ee ee fs