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ieniihiena nes Tm DR SPR TT a C c Ret JOHN L. LEWIS, ET ab b? aed bn aa WITH P| "Before the strike in 1937, I never saw the U.M.7/. picket mine B and never got any literature or Geont immed) pamphlets from them. Tiere were five men in P.Mva. Who wanted to get the P.M.s. men to join U.M.u. Some of those I remember are "Sammie Joe Albanese, andrew Schrele-~ vious, Dominic Pasquale, Pete Carter, Frank austin, Tony Plotch, John ananias, & Chas. Sohanon. Most of them never bothered me before the mine closed. But I heard that they were around contacting others. I knew nothing about any "Parties" being given by Elshoff for U.M.%. officials or UE. for hin. When the union contract rai. out in 1937, we were told by F.M.A. officials that there wns a temporary ayreaacnt under which we were to get bick pa: for any inercase we might get. Vo all fclt .at this time that the P.liae would get the same contract as U.IL... The men seemed satisfied with the way the contract was bein, handled and there was no fussing about pay on wy doy. I don't know any thing about shat the so-calicd U.M". Spics hed to say at this time. The management seid nothing about the wage question. I did not go to any necting the day before the strike and did not know anything cpout it. Tho morning of the strike I heard that the Company tinuid not fire five mon who where for the U.M..., there was nothing seid about wazeus thet norning. The niners felt these men should have besn fired, I knew nothiny about any cars boing loaded short on the da, of the strike. I knew nothin. abwt any strike until quitting time. I was in Dox ‘inen we cane on top I heard a strike was called becaus. the Co. would Mot fire the 5 U.L.. agitators. For a couple of weeks aftcr this we had a picket line at Mine "BY this was on the road away from the mine and was entirely peacefui and voluntary. ‘Ve were just ther. to protect our johns. Uf ronenbur simmin,, a setition on the roed while out on the road picketing. I signed this of my own free will, This was to show thet the most of the men were P.us.., they wanted to see how many werc P.M... & how many U.M.... Tage 1 ana n't remember anyone say U.N. pet "Tl don't remenbur signin, any other petition for P.M... I would been: willins to hovever. iiins tO novever. 2 what Fe fa, "J saw in the sumncr of 1937, by the papers, that U.1.°. was forming 2 loc«dl in Sprinzficld. I romemb:r nothing else happening during this summer. -195- eo TE TR tt oy ghee Te pee rn