◆ SpookStack

eres, ca ee ee ee neal arid Sah CG ae RE: JOHN L. LEWIS, ETAL a field, +» Wes interviewed & 8 residence on September 16, 1943, by Special Agents and ieee, mu: + * . -. N24 ros ge FREI) ERED LH1s8 mon understands Sngiisn very W6Eli, and Cap speck Ngiien Ccoherentlys He said he is willing to testify if necessary. He stated thet he has no criminal record. " Springfield, Ill. September 16, 1943 wT make the following voluntary state~ ment to and whom I know to be Sreoial Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, of my own frec will, with no threat. or promises made me. "I am living aot ringfield, Ille, end am working at Mine 4&4 I was and came to the United States in I became o citizen a in I joined ‘tne United Mine Vorkors and WOE a member of that union until) 1934, when I began working at Mine 4, and joined the Progressive Mine ‘forkers of Amerion, I rejoined the U.MW. when ell the men at Mine 4 did in 1941. I nevor held an office in any union. Of the two unions, I preferred the P.M. o little, although there isn't a lot of difference batween it and the U.M.N. In P.Miie mootings, men were allowed to speak up, whilo you onn't do it in U.M.W. meotings, "TY hoard from somo men thot ELSHOFF had bought Mine 4 from RYAN. We wondered about it, becouse I hed heard that ELSHOFF was supposed to be broke, and wondered how he got the money to buy it. 4s soon es I hoard that ELSHOFF had bought the mine, I felt that I would have to join U.M.i. to keap my job, becouse ef what had happoned at Mine B. I wos not contacted by anyone about joining tho U.M.W., and I don't remamber moh eonvorsation about going U.M.W. to avoid trouble at Mine 4. "T hecrd at a P.M. mooting that Blshoff was going to work Mine J through Mine B, and had sont an entry toward Ming 4 from Hine B. Bt this mooting I heard a report that ELSHOFF would put one hundred men in Mine & and pull coal out through Mino B. There had been a comnittee that had mot with PALCETTI, and F.LCETTI my havo told the oommittoo this. I don't know where tho report started. I think that this report was o bluff on the part of ELSHOFF, and thet it couldn't be done. I heard other stories about what ELSHOFF was going to do; I can't remember thom now, but I think they were al] a bluff to gut tho mon to join tho UMW. I dontt ~ 266 = ee =.