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RE: JOHN L. LewIS, ET AL. field, Illincis, was interviewed at his residence on September 18, 1943, by Special Agents was born in eee TITH employed as a digser a ‘A", He can speak and understand english feirly well, but has a poor “nemory and therefore would not make a satisfactory witness. He advised he had never been arrested. The following signed statement was obtained tron Gp “Springfield, Ill. "T, make the following vciuntary statement to vhom I know to be Special agents of the Federa make it withcut fear of threat, force or promise of any kind. "1 ves born in (iS 2 20 enployed at kine "4" as an entryman. first started working in coal mines when I started at the Mine "4", Springfield, in I then joined the United Wine “serkers of America Union. In 1932 I joined the Progressive Union be- cause the majority of my local did. "I did not, and I do net, care what Union I belong to. Onc is just the samc es the other to me, just sc I have food for my children, "I read ahout Ryen selling Mino "A" to Elshoff in about Sept., 1941. I didn't think very much about it. I went to two meetings at PMA hdgtrs, one at Redman Hall and one at the Elks Club, "The men at Kine "A" didn't seem to talk much except they all wanted to work. at this first meeting they all wanted to know whether Mine "4" would open. So they appointed a Committee to see Elshoff to see if he was going to open Mine "4A". I did not hear any one say that Mine "4" would not open if we did not join Uthi, “at the second meeting at PMA hdgtrs, SB ca1%24, but I cannot remember what he said or what else was said. "At the meeting in Redman Hall the men talked about going back to work, but I cannot remember much about that. I heard some talk about the company pulling coal from Mine "4" thru Mine “B". I do not remember anyone saying that Elshoff or anyone else said if we joined UMn he would open the Kine "4". Everyone was talking and it was so confused I cannot remember what en, I heard there waa te be a meeting at the ep 14, 1941, ab 2:00 ofclock, 80 I went. ‘we voted then to join UMW and then Edmundson talked, ~ 6&7 =