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anal a _ RE: JOHN L, LEWIS, ET AL. INTERVIE 71TH On September 14 was intervicwed WR, tis hone ct Springfield, Tilincis, by Special Accents ani erermwmerercd itn ecperret to bo esoperative 2ifficu:ty in conprehendiny questions propounded to him and “it is not be- Licved thet ho would make ea gcciwitness. He discleims any criminal reccrde He reve the followin; sizgned statement: "Snringficid, Illincis Scpterber 14, 1945, "Ty, Sprin-field, Illinois, dacoeke the follwing vi iuntary statcucnt t a shom 1 kmew to be &peciel ascents cf the Federal Bureau cf nvestipaticn. Ne threats cr premises have been mude to mo; I have been told I necd net make ery statement ani thet this statemont cron be usec in Ccurte "I was born in end became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1932 cor 1933, I wes employed at Mince "4" iQ ani neve been working there ever since. In that time I heve be- lenged to the United Mine workors Unicn and the Progressive Kine wcerkere Union. Before 1932 I was satisfici with the United Mine workers crgani- zetion and I chenced cver to tho Ft... because the rest cf them did. After I chengred ever to the HA Il wes satisfied with that crganisntion and beliove it representud the nincrs. "T learned of the sale cf Mine "4" tc Elshof in 1941 by reading it in the newspaper. I nlso received e letter from Hr. Ryan in which ho said he had scld the mine an? thet I wes no longer an employee cf Mine "4". I also received an unsisned letter telling me that if I wonted to keep ny job at Kine "A" thet I would have to change my unicn effilietions. J knew when I heurd the mine was sold that I would have tc change unions if I wentei to kocp my j.b. Hewever, nc one yut eny pressure cn mo to change unions. J heard a rumcr tc the offect thet Blshoff would not reopeh Hine Wa" unless it was operated by the U.L.u. but it hed no influence on my decisicn te join the U.M.i. "IT ettended cne meeting -f the Mine “A¥ employees held at the Elks Hell whore the miners discusscd cs to whether cr not they should go. cvor to the Um. I recall thet a decisicn wes reached at this necting to ce over tc U.N.%. ond then Rey Edmundsen was called in. He premised us cur jobs. "T have neticed no difference in working ecn’itions undor U.M..d, = 446 - oe EE a ET TE A