◆ SpookStack

Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL Springfield, illinois, wos intervioted on 5 and became a Unite zen Pe spesks and understands English fairly well, but connot re- member very much tbout what happened during the portinont period. He would moke only « fair witness. "Springfield, Ill. Scot. 15, 1943 "I, Springfield, make the follow- ing voluntary stcuencnt nt ET v= I know to be Spocicl Agents ot the Federni Burecu of Investigation. I make it without fear or threat, force or promise of any kind. ee I wis born Ue Se Citizen int st I came to he U. S&S. in about and becamc a U. , 8. Citizen infT et Citizen in startod work- ing in coal mines in and thit yerr joined the United Mine workers of Anerica Union. I started working ot Mine tat, Springfield, in about 1931. In 1932 I joined the Progressive Wine iorkers of Americo Union because the whole local changed and because I did not wont to lose my job. I was not forced in any way to join PMA and I wns sotisfied wrking at Mine ‘A’ under 5 Ls] ter rst i" rt ny > ct "In ebout Sept. of 1941, I got a lottor from Ryan Kine 1A!’ had been turned over to Elshoff. I felt right awny + hot there would be trouble like there had boon a Mino 'Bt and I folt we would pro- bably have to join U67%. Wo onc fron tho compeny cvcr told me I would havo to join U7 and no one "prom: UL ever triod to got mo to join Uill. Tho talk among the mon who worked at Mine 'A' wos that Elshoff would only run Hine 15% under Uli and that if we wanted to kocp our jobs at Mine '4' we would hsve te join Uti, I also heard stories that if wo did not turn UM7 Elshoff would operste Mine 'At thru Iiine 'B' by hauling coal thru 'B'. "TY did not attend any PMA meotings or any Special meotings after I learned that Elshoff had bought the mine until one dey our PHA leaders told us thcre wos going to be a necting ot the Elks Club on o Sunday and we would voto to go UI!%. They said wo had to vote UMT to koep our Jobss The men who said this were men I worked with ot Mins 'a',. "T wont to this meeting at the Elk's Club and voted to join UMT. Right ofter thet I signed up with USie I do not remonber mich about the mecting exeopt that Edmundson talked after the vote - but i do not renenber what he said. - 435 -