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Ce ee ie he ah ae Ae Ue tn en om a i Re: JOHN L. LEWIS, ET AL sapuEeCn esscry Was —_ moot at his residence on September 18, 1943, by Special ewe 1 ig. “are: Po INTERVIEY VITH Agents questicas sehke to this iaglcy sw ns rowever, he had no information of particular value relatives He executed the following statement: . ta * Wenning Pi eT Titlimaia wo pl dig, 4 tty bd dt AHEAD September 18, 1943 make the following voluntary statement to ,» whom I know to be Special Agente of nvestigation, U. &. Department of Justice, ureau oO the Federa "I am presontly residing at Springfield, Tll., anc J am employed ct Mine A as a digger. I started working the anc heve workecad there ever since, I was born ‘1 as F | anc was naturalized at Springficid, 2 20 arrived in the JU. S&S. in Prior ta 1922 T was a memcer of the United Mine Workers of America, referred to hereinafter as the Tv, but in 1432 I veluntarily joined the Progressive Mine Workers of America, referred to hereinafter as the PMA, to got away from John L, Lewis, I was well satisfied with the PMA. "Il first learned Elshoff had bought Mine A, from the miners, Ryan was 4 pood operator and I would have rather worked under him. I knew working conditions under him vere good. Jt made no "No UMW organizors tried to got me to join the UMM. differcnee which union I belonged to. "l heard a rumor that Elshoff might operate Mine A through Mine B, and also that the mine might not open unless the men joined the UM;. I did nt care, I thought JI vould have my job anyway. "Then the mincrs were discussing joining the UMN, I only vent to one PMA meeting and this was at the Elks Club in September 1941, "I hoard about the meeting from the miners. GUS 2-320: at this meeting. I believe the men had made up their minds to join the UMW They took a standing vote to join the UMM and it carried before tho meeting. almost 100%, There werc no UMn organizors in tho meeting and no fights. After the vote, Eduonson of the UM\ was sent for to take us into the UM. Edmonson arrived with a notary public and the m ners signed UL" membership cards, Gmonson made a speech welooming the miners back to the UMW, and told + 505 = DET PT Oe Speer eee ype Dea ge Tn