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RE: JOHN w. LEwIS, ET AL. INTERVIEW TITH =a interviewed at ois, by loe# not rea mgiish and doés not relate ery pes not reac gilsh ar 7 clear story. He does not have any information concerning details of the switch to United. He expresses himself poorly and is not recommended as a witness. His statement is as follows: = Illinois September 17, 1943. i the following voluntary statemont vo ay both of whom I know to be Special Agents he federal Sureau of Investigation, No threats or promises have been made to. mc to induce me to make a statement. "My address : llinois and I am now employed at Minc 4&4 as a track leyer. was born in cane to the U.S. in and became a U.S. citizen in ave worked in the mines nearly all of my life and I joined U.M.w. when I first started mining. I started at Mino 4 in 1935 and at that time I joined P.M.s. I was working at Mine 4 in 1941 and the mine closed down for the summer. Theat fall, about September, I got a letter from Ryan telling that he had sold Mine & to Elshoff. I did not feel good about that, I thought that he wouldn't start Mine 4 and I saw in the paper that Elshoff might pull the coal through Kine B. "T went to a P.M.A. meeting at Progressive Hall in Springfield which was called to sec what was going to happen at the mine. ‘ie were told that the minc wouldn't open unless under U.M.is. and there was some more talk, The men said we should fine out wheat was going to happen at Mine A. "I went to ancther meeting but I don't remember what happened there. "I went to a third mecting, at the Elk's Club, and at this neot- ing we were told that if we joined U.M.u. the mine would open. I don't remember whet else was said, but we had oa vote and the mon all voted to join United Mine workers. I joined U.M.0. that time because I wanted to ret mv job hacl. T had heen told that El shoff would not open thea mine Br ey gee Salas woos Sikes unless the men joined U.L.in. "No one ever threatened me to make me join any union. Unions are about the same but I lmow some of the fellows didn't join U.M... and never went back to Mine A. "The above statement has been read to me vy SB -0 is true