◆ SpookStack

i i E i RE: JOHN L. LEVIS, ET AL “tihen the mine opened the summer of 1937 I read of it in the papers I did not go out the first dey_ I did fo out the 2nd day on this day sone men tried tc go to werk they walked up to the cage but were blocked. I think either the gre or 4th dry the sit-down started I was there most of the tine it wis on. This strike wes corried on by our own local so far as I know. There were ne imported hoodilums cr thues. We one forced me to teke part in this and I did it figuring J was orctecting my job. Thero wns no violence at this strike sc for as I knew, I was there whon the U. 8. #crheoll ceme out and read the injunction. He came cut and told whe he wes, read the law to us end tclé us te lecve. Some of the men esked us what to do & I told tham, that men was the law & we haa tc goe There w.s no trouble. I heard cf the attempt to open the mine in Dec. 1937 but I did not go out. "I voted in the first N.L»R«B. electizn, I wted the way I mnted end of my cwn free will. I went to the leesl hnil first und we went over in 10's, explained the purpose of the voting cond why we were scing to fo in groups he did nct tell me hew to vetc. I did not sce ony U.M.W. men cn the wuy to cr ot tne Amcry. I think this was an honest election. I re+ momber the attempt to cpen the mine in Jon. 1938, but I did net ro. "I dic net hecr why ELSHOFF weuld not mike a contract with rb.A. from the tine of the electi:n till the mine opened nor do I hnve any knowled7: £s t where he gct the money to keop it clesed fron, "I did not heur cf FALSZTTI or any “f the Kine B mon working at Jef- fers=n mine while Mino B wus shut down. “then the mine opened I got no recistercd letter from the camzany telling mo to report in 5 deys. I went cut, saw FALSETTI who pave me my check anc put me tc work at cnce. I den_t recall what the wage scale errangement at this tine w.s. “hen I went back tc werk I kept on paying dues te the rro- pressives, “hen we went back te work there were many falls in the mine. Two toxes never did open. I did nct hour cf any fire in the mine while it wus clcsed down. ffter I wont to work IT was net contreted in regerd to joining the U.M.W. I wes nct thrertcned in any way. I jcined up with the U.M.47. the first workine cey in Jan. of 1941. I signed then because sc mony hed already signed. ay: I just decided we might just es well jcin. ‘I signed cf my cwn free will 1 cid not care about my job there as I knew I could get a — jcd somewhere else. I only heard of one man teing beaten and I didn't see this and don_t kncw whether there was anything to it or nct. So fur as I know the lropressives cid ncthing to keep the mon with than. J dont think there wis any particular rvason why thoy did nct bother me excent that they knew I would be my own judge. During the summer cf 1940 I sisncd a meabership card for FMA. but not for U.M.W, During this time the mancecment did nothing to - 87 «+