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Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL bow bib ITERY Te wet “A few days before the mine closed I heard of about 10 P.M.A. men who were for the U.M.W. I dont recall any tcommece, of these men being expelled at any meetings I attended. "TI heard that Sammy (Joe Albanese), Andrew Schrelevious, Dominic Pasquale, Pete Carter, Frank Austin, Tony Plotch, Joan (Coston) ananias, John Sirtout, Geo. & Emory Jacaway, Chas. Bohanon and James Hale were the ones trying to get tne miners to go back to Uk, None of these men ever bothered me. I dont know who did it but someone was vaying these men as they had a lot of money & some even bought new cars at this period. "I knew nothing about any parties given by Elshoff for UML. officials or U.M.W. officials for Elshoft. “When the contract expired in 1937, it was understood from the P.h.a. officials that Elshoff had agreed that if we would go ahead and work we would get back pay when a contract wis signed. The Progressive officials told us all about this and the men wore s:tisfied. The feeling was that the F.M.A. men could get just as good a contr.ct as U.U.W. In April of 1937 and early May there was no commotion on paydays, everybody seemed satisfied. TI heard nothing regarding how the mar.agement felt in regards to the wge nue stion. "On the night before the mine "B" closed _ I dont recall for sure whether the mecting held was regular or special. I attended this mecting and know there wis discussion concerning the expelled miners and the fact that the Go. would not fire them , "Cn the moriing of the last day we worked, I was not sure whether there would be a strike or not. I believe thit the men were mad about the Co. not firing the expelled miners end rot over the wage question. i remember we were calledout of the mine that afternoon, I came out & went home. J saw a fer cars loaded short, I did none of this and dent know why it was. It is my understanding that the strike was called because of the expe lied miners and not because of money. I dont think there was any picketing that spring. I dont recalling signing any petitions the summer the mine closed for either U.H.v. or P.M.A. About duly of 1937 I left here and went to Florida, for about 8 weeks, “I heard of the forming of the U.M.W. local in Springfield in the summer of 1937 and that men went from house to house getting people to sign up for the U.N.W. They did not approach me. I am still a P.M.A. member. "I was beck in Springfield, when they started the Mine "B" in Sept. 1937. Iwas working at Panther Creek when this started. I took no part - 212 = woke TOMER OTL nOr TTT erent gn SET Cayton tt te |