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Xu 4d \‘ a> sy el Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, Ef AL. interview y Special avents and REE speaks and understanee ines very mer 20 ts Willing to tests ty it necessary. He claimed he has not been arrested, eile frssted the following Signed statement. "Springfield, Ill. September 9, 1943. "tT make the _f and voluntarily to ang who have identified themselves to me as Eoeci geuvs 0 deral Bureau of Investigation. No threats or promises have been made to me to obtain this statement. Wing statenent freely whe here "IT presently live a and am employe born Springfield, Thi., I was joined the tmited line Workers when TI was working I stayed in this wion until 1936, as 4 recall, when I joine opressive Mine Workers of smerica when I was working in the at Springfield. 1 first started to work at Mine B some time alter + became a member of P.UL.A. I never rejoined the U.N.W tine B shut dow in 1937 I ‘ ar "In in a coal mine in then I first started tu work at Mine B, everything seemed to be 0.K. However, soon J heard from general conversation of the miners that trouble was brewing. Some men were alleged to be paying dues to both the U.M.. and the P.M.a. Some of the men that I heard about doing this are: Bohannon, Sammy (Joe albanese), Frank Austin, Pete Carter, and Tony Plotch. It was common talk among the miners that these men were trying to work their way into the leadership ef P.l.A. so that they would be in a position to turn over P.H.As to U.elelle Prior to the start of the strike in 1937 no one ever approached me about joining the U.M.17. “JT don't recall a meeting of the P.l.a. on May ll, 1937, and I don't recall seeing any notice of a meeting. Om the day the strike started,I I saw many of the coal cars going out of the mine with short weights. #@t this time I was employed in ifine B as a timberman. I know ~ 165 -