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we ee ee et a a te area par mene aicedimtentin Tan airiPrth sacamememrmmfaiele tam Co. él RE: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET Als ee eevIE WITH On September 15, 1945 , qi. — Springficld, Illinois, wos intorviewed by Specie: coun Sy ::: Cio, GR «: cooperative and it is believed that he will make a goo disclaims any criminal record. His ata coment if as follows: Gisclaiims ee id “September 15, 1943 Springfield, Illinois liligpis e the To and Bureau of inves rgat 20M» aa T ana mat melea anu st te Tie j I have becn told 2 necad Tov Mese en ment can be used in Court. a naturelized citizen through ny father a on November I began working at Mine "4" about as a United Mine worker. I noticed thet the UV... secmed to get along with Mr. Ryeon ail right. In 1932 our men became dissetisfied with Jchn L. Lewis as President and when he stole the ballots on the question of the wage scale we formed a now union, the Progressive Kine Workers of America. I did participate in the formation of P..A. by soliciting mew memters., During the entire time the P.M.A4. union represented the miners at Mine “A. I wos setisfied with the erganizetion and it appeared to properly represent the mene I first heard sbout the sale of Mine "A" when I came home from town and sew it in the paper. I figured this wos bad fcr the miners and knew that we would either have to go back to the Unitod Mine workers or give up our jobs. "I heard the rumors that Elsheff wouldu't reopen Mine "4" unless it wns under the United Mine \orkers and I also hoard it said that ho was coing to operate Mine "A" through the Mine "B" shaft. ‘hile I didn't pry cny attention to the latter rumor I was inclined to belicf that the former rumor wes true. I heard these stories from fellow members of our local. "I went back to work et Mine "4" as a United Hiner becouse I felt that I wculdn't be able to go back to work es a Progressive Miner and because a mejority of the Mine "A" employees switched over to UM, tihile I was with the Progressive Hine Workors I served as Pit bn ... Committceman. I did nct cttend any of tho meetings et which the miners dis~ cussed the sale of Line "a". 7 c conditions are not as good as