◆ SpookStack

Illinois, was Special Agents on September 3, 2942.. presently is employed at Vin . & understands and speaks English well and ho claimed no knowladgs which would be of aid to successful = stated he prosecucinz. Ee would not be a good goverrmont witness. The following sizned statement was obtained fron has no criminal record, “Soringfield, Ill. Sept. 3, 1943 vhom I know to I make it without voluntary statement to be special agents cf the Fedcers fear of threat, force ov promise of any kind. "I vas born i: ay I started working in the Vine "B" in Srringficid, Til., in 124, an vas & merber of the United «ins Workers of America Union in 1924, In 1932, most of our Ubi local went over to the Progressive Mine Tiorkers of America Union, and so in 1932 I joined the PLA to keep my jon. "During the time from 1932 until about Mey, 1937, I was satisfied with the PMA union. I thought it was an honest union and J] did not think any of the officiels were crooked, J noticed no unusual assossmonte during this time excerting when I first joined our PEA local had a ten percent asscssment fer helping other miners out of work, and I thought that was rather hi gh "I was not active in the organization of the PMA local, and I have never held an office in any union, . . "During the period from 1952 to Vay of 1937, I do not recall that there wore any strikes, excerpt that at one time, it may have’ been in about 1934, our firat contract expired with the company, that is the PMA contmct, and I believe we wero out on strike just a vory short while until the contract was signed, But during this time I do not remember that thero wore any close downs because of labor trouble and I do not recall that any of the company mon or officials in any way tried to discredit PLA or influence me to join UN. The company did not seem to show any partiality to either the UMy or the PMA, "I renember that thorc were some bombing cases back at that time, took t Uttle intcrest in them and I did not and I do not know anything +b ~ 214 « BU eR SER SS oe et oa San eee om an pert ge eee + ne . f wat