◆ SpookStack

- b RE: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET aL. INTERVIEW WITH Springfield, Illinois, was interyj sewed on Septenbe 1943 by Special ‘cont Ala wos fairly intelligen but it is believed becouse of his appearance and domosnor in onsworing questions th.t ho will be only o fair witness. Ho hos boon urrosted on cherges of investigation. His statement is as followss "Springfield, Illinois Scptembor 168, 1945 L 2 followins volmtary statement to ous whom I mow to Yc Speoinl agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations Wo throats or pranises of any kind howe buen mide to mee I heave doen told I nood not mke any statoment und that this statement oun be used in courte "I was born in SSE Tog c driver end I hive been working ot I um now omployed aot Ifinec ©. this mine sinso about Sst thet tine I ws o nonber of tho UMA. which wion troated me O.K. I boounc dissutisfied in 1932 with the U.M.i7. and wes in favor of the change to the Progrossive Mino Workers. I wes a menber of Pdi? util 1941 and I wus satisfied with this union 211 the timo I belonged to tte I would ba o mombor yet if the loool hodno't chungpeds "I, "T first heard about tho sule of Mino "," to ELSHOFF whon I reooived a letter from BILL RYai] in which he etutod that ho h¥.d sold the mino and that I was no longer an cmployeo of Hino "."%. Whon I pot this lotter I thought I mes out of o job cnd thet I would heve to find cnother jobe “I did not uttond any cf the special meotings held by the employocs of Mine "4." to decide what to doe I first found out thot the local hed smmg ovor te OMT when I got a lotter fron telling me that if I wanted my job I hud better conc out thoro and sign up with Yll, thet it wouldn't oost me onythings I wus one ef the last non to sign up which I did at tho Inited Mine Workors Holl. If I hed my om way Itd still bo u monber of the Pile bootuso the P.H.W hus more respoct fur thc wishes of the runk and filo and besause PEt ia o more demooratio orgunizotions. Pu.l{etle Glso provides bottor working conditions.