◆ SpookStack

C RE: JOHN L. LEIS, ET AL Scotembser 12, 1943. He appearc iewed by Special Agents ongl:” sympethetic for tho UMT. He is int-Liigent, alort and decisive in his remarks. Be furnished the following Siuned stitemcnt: "Springfield, Illinois Septembcr 12, 1943" make the following voluntary statement to thom I know to be Spccial agents of the . Department of Justice. "T was born unempioy d, and livin; a My last cmployment was with Til. Tllinois, I am presently crineficld, Illinois. Springfield, "The first mine union I joined was the Unites Mine workers of America which will be referring horeinart:r as the UM. I joined this union nt this time I wes employed at the "J worked at other mines in Spr in:ficld under the UM. before I started working at Mine B which was about hen I start od working in Mine B i Tt held this job about six or seven months. I worked 2s a company jaan. Sout six months after the strike ended in 1939. I was a track layer. tlowent beek to work on the 3th of Wovember, 1939 when the mine About June, 1940 I became a "Face Boss" TeCK Lich, timbermen, company men and diggers. re-opuncd, and I then haa ch: "In 1932, when the Pil. was formed, Elshoff first refused to sign a contract with BL, at minc B. as I understood it, ho claimed it was an ilicesl orgonization and also that hu stili eld a contract with WM, At this time most of the men at Hin: 3 wanted to join the PM.. "Shortly after the TI. was organized and beforc the PI. and Elshoff sismed a contract, about fourtecn of us “who werc still members of the UET got toyether and tricd to keep the loctl UN” chartcr. I wanted the UT to re- main at Minc B, I do not remember the name of these other nen. ~ 133 - aoa a ee a rata ee