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b7e e1D . Re: JOUN L. LEWIS, ET aL rea INTIRVIE WITH been out and something was said abowt some men being expelled pe but not fired. When I came out of the mine I did not know continue there was a strike and I left my tools in the mine and they are still there. I believe that the trouble was over those men and I know it was not over any wage trouble. JI also heard something about cars beine loaded short that day but ZT was not told to load them short and T cid not see any or my cars were all full. "Several weeks after the mine closed I signed a PMA petition and I think I signed it at Sprinrfield, Ill. I sipmed it of my own free well and no one forced ne tc sim and I never heard of any force being used to sien it. The men were ail crowded around and seemed hanpy to sign it. I hecrd the ULV got up a petition too durin: summer of 1937 but I never Sipnes it sand vas not aporoachee sy anyone in regard to it. taAcants rg ae heve shown me an affidavit dated August 25, 1937 at Virden, TII., which 1s 3imed by several men and I recognize my sicnature on it. This 1° in regard to Gharies Roth, who 1s now dead, con- tacting some of us abous soins to a UMW meeting and the information in that arricavit is correct anJj true ard ~s one forced me at that time to make the affidavit. If I recali right the lever for PMA made it un after we miners told hin what hanpened and no one forcsa us to make it. Gina NT also heard that curing the summer of 1937 the UMW started a ~— nev local in Sprin:field, Tll., but J never was comtacted by anyone and Lo don't know a thine about it. I also recall hearinr somethine that several men fron Mine B went over to the Jefferson mine and I also heard that Oscar Falcetti took that mine over and that he was bess there. "In September, 1937 I did not go out to Mine 2 to work but I heard they were coins back under WW and I went out and helped them picket until the arshall came out. I went out to see what wes coine to happen and did not go out to work under Wy. I recall that the same men I have mertioned before went down isto the mine but no PMA men went dom. Sam is the richt name too for Joe Albunese. We PliA men did not work beczuse - we heard the nine vas to be reopened as UMW. Nobody asked me either to fo oa out there. When I did go out I say Falcetti there too, PMA had a regular necting before the picketing started and I understood that it was decided upon that if UW went in there that PHA would picket tut I did not attend that meeting but just heard that. I would come home from the sit down strike several nights a week but did stay out five nights a week and PMA Jocal men were just out there ane no strangers were brot in at all. The bicketing anc euarding of the mine was very peaceful and we men were there to protect our jobs and we did not.do anything wrong there and the place : sot cleaner than it ever was before, Uiiy did not come out and muse us any trouble. However, I onee heard that UMW was coing to brinrc some outsiders in. We men went out to the sit down strike of our own free will and no -313-