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RE: JOHN L. LEWIS, BTAL INTERVIEW WITH was interyi awed Special Agents PF and ig friendly and co- operative, but appears to have little information concerning the details of the switch in unions at Mine 4. If necessary, however, be could be used as & Witness to testify to those mttere set out in the follow ing statement: " « Sept. 16, 1948 - oe Springfield, Ill. "I make the following voluntary state= ment to , Special «gents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. No threats or promises have been made to induce me to make any statement. + = es at ot (ee =| | started Working at Ming & in ployed there. I had been a miner for somes tins before I went to work at Mine 4. I think a lot of the men wore in favor of the P.M... because they wanted to get rid of LEWIS, Most of the men liked PMA & everything want a ood until Mina 4 whe aold by RYaN to ELSHOFT. untii Hanes «a Be ah iat Gi We - 7 * "IT racall that in the early foll of 1941 I heard that RYAN hod sold Mine & to ELSHOFF. I don't recall how I exaotly heard about it, but remember I thought at tho time that I might not have my job. "I ramomber that some timo in the first week of Sept. 1941, I went to a meeting at the P.M... This meeting was onlied for the purpose of finding out whether or not the men would join the U.M.W. I think it was settled that ELSHOFF intended to operate the mine only with United mon. Thie mecting was presided over by — and I believe & committes was appointed to go see ELSHOFF about the opening of the ming. ! "T also went to a second mesting at the P.M.A. hall a short time efter the first and I belteve that at thet time the committee reported thet if 200 progressive mon joined U.M.W., then BLSHOFF would open the mine. I don't remember any other details of this meeting. "I also went to a meeting at Redmon Hall and ME reverted thet ELSHOFF had said that if the men joined U.M."i, he would open the mine. I do not know of ony fighting that took place at any of these moetings & I don't know any further dctails about these meetings. ~ 403 - Setieentitaeeineiendttteameetitemtnad amen aie dieedincanan unahiame dennnam me ented tr alta, mattnaneatitineen Revaicaniine on tdtienee hel .