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26 intor= viewod ut his rosidenoce Soringficld, Illinois, by Special scents a on Septombor 17, ioc: ine “a” op man. Ho was torn in He spenks ond understand English well, und would make & os tistuetory witncese Ho advised ho his nevor been crrestode eS :--- the following signed statencnt to egentss "Springfiold, Ill. Septe 17, 1943. fn I, “nko tho following voluntary statencn on whom I kmow to be Speoiul agents of the Federal Buretu investigiutione I make it without four of throat, forse or proniso "7 an employed as u top mon ct Mine “a™. I wos born in I first went to work in coal mincs n <bou then joined Ufje I startod to work &t tho Mine "" in about . In 1932 I joined tho Progressivo Union because tho rest of the UM? looal shanged to Pia und I wented to keop ny jobe I would have proforred to stay with U7, but no one foreed ne in uny wy to ed with PM. cnd I always proforred De it. Tar. . 1 oin Pause I wes nover satisf aforr 4 a ‘ Sasa hale "In about Septe of 1941 I read thut RYaN sold Mino "A" to RISHOPF. I imnodiutely felt that wo would have to join UMW if we wented to work at Mine "4." boonuso ELSHUFF wos operating Mine “B" und thet wos UJ. No onc fron Wl or the cumpany over told no I would heve to join Uf? nor did they tell me that Mino "A" would not open oxocpt under Wi. “But tho mon who worked ut Mine “," telkcd end they suid BLSHOFF would not open "a" wuiless thc nen wont (Me I also heard tills that if "a @id not go UAT, thoy would not open "i" und would pull gol fran "4" thru Mine "Be "I nover huve hold an office in any union und I wes not Pee intcrested in union uctivitiocs. «after I rend tht ELSHUFF bought Ifine bac ne 1." ond until the Mine "." opened in ubout Sept. of 1941, I only ut- a : tonded one moeting of any kind = und that wos at the Elk's Clube | ne Some of the men told ne ubout this mecting und they told no if wo would 2a _ an |