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C Ro: JOHN L. LECIS, ET AL be bb INTERV TE. OTH Springfield, Ris inois, Was interviews pecia nes and on September 6, * was noted that nderstood the questions asked him and that he respond:. very well with his answers and it appeared that he knew what was going on at Kine B during the period in question waile he was there. Jt is felt that would mike a good witne testimony is needed. The follu.. ing signed statement was executed by ——— vere Sept. 6, 1943 — ty Qe give the fclloring statement to wo are known to me to be Special Agents o1 : Paaey "J have been a coal~digser at Panther Creek Mine #2 since Mine "B" closed in 1937. I worked at mine "3 for about ears prior to the strike. I was born in o U. S. in & became a U. §&. eRe a me Aiver in Springfield, I was = Weta T a Union nen}cT I first joined a U.M.u. Union in Springfield in I have never neld a union office. , ‘fron the time I started at mine "B" until 1932, I knew nothing of the relation between the U.M.¥. and the mine management. I felt the miners did right in 1932 to leave the U.4.". and form the Progressives. J took no active part in this_ however. From 1932 to 1937 Elshoff got along just fine with the P-K.A. I heard that there were 2 or 3 men around who wanted to swing the men from P.MA. to U.M.W. Faelsetti toid a group of us a short time before the strike that if we wonted to be Progressives re should go over to Peabody Mine and go to work. This was when the U.M.n. was trying to first get back into the mine. The P.M.A. miners alway got along well with our officials. There was no feeling that the union was run as a racvet. The miners themsclives ran the union and not a picked group. From 1932 to 1937 I attended most of the Union meetings. There was no feeling that the money of the F.M.A. was being mishandled, reports were made on this at each meeting. "I dont know whether the P.bi.A. men who were sent up for property bombing were guilty or not but talk at the time was that they had been framec "From 1932 to 1937 there was no trouble at mine "B® between U.M.W. & PMA. that I know of. J never saw any UMW. literature at the mine. ~ 211 =