The CHAIRMAN. Well, Mrs. Oswald, of course you have no power of
subpena, and we have no power to give you the power of subpena. But you
may be sure that if your evidence produces anything that is critical
to this investigation, that we will pursue it to the end, in order to
determine the weight of the testimony for our final report. You may be
sure of that.
Mrs. OSWALD. I appreciate that.
The CHAIRMAN. But as to how we do it, or when we do it, you will just
have to leave that to the Commission.
Mrs. OSWALD. You will give me the assurance that these people I name,
regardless of title--I am liable to name some very important people----
The CHAIRMAN. No, we cannot give you any assurance, because we don't
know----
Mrs. OSWALD. I see no reason, then, for my testimony.
The CHAIRMAN. Well, Mrs. Oswald--you cannot commit us to subpenaing
anybody. We don't know. You are talking to us, and we are in the dark.
You cannot commit this Commission to doing something that might be
improper, it might not even be helpful in any way, shape, or form. The
Commission will be reasonable in every respect. We have no desire to
protect anyone. We have no desire to injure you or anyone else in this
matter. And certainly you ought to have some confidence in a commission
that is appointed by the President, and not try to tie our hands in a
way that would be contrary to the manner in which commissions normally
proceed.
Mrs. OSWALD. Now, Mr. Warren, you made a statement that you in no
way--I cannot quote your words--intimidate me. But you did not include
my son. My son is being accused of the murder of President Kennedy. And
I think that my son should be considered in this. He is dead. But we
can show cause that my son is not the assassin of President Kennedy.
And so I would like my son--he is the main object of the Presidential
Commission, is he not, sir?
The CHAIRMAN. No, no, he is not, Mrs. Oswald. The purpose of this
Commission is to determine what the facts are in the assassination of
President Kennedy.
It is not an accusation against your son. There was an accusation
against your son in the Texas courts. That is an entirely different
proceeding.
We are here to do justice and be fair to everyone concerned in this
matter. And I assure you that that is our main and our only purpose in
serving on this Commission. None of us cherish this responsibility.
Mrs. OSWALD. I am sure, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. And the only satisfaction we can derive from it is to be
fair to all concerned.
And I assure you that is our objective in the matter.
Mrs. OSWALD. I do not mean to imply that this Commission will not be
fair. I know about the men on the Commission. And they are all very
fine men, including yourself, Chief Justice Warren. If I have implied
that, I will--will now say I do not imply. But I do state a fact that
I do not think that you can come to a true conclusion. I want that for
record.
Now, I am going to produce--and this will be a fact--and this is on the
basis----
The CHAIRMAN. Now, we have finished the three things that you are
talking about, and we are going to your testimony?
Mrs. OSWALD. This is in connection with this, Chief Justice Warren. And
I think it is very important to present a picture.
And then if you allow me these few minutes, I will be through.
Is that satisfactory, sir?
The CHAIRMAN. Yes, go right ahead.
Mrs. OSWALD. Now, I believe you mentioned that you would not have the
power or give me the power to subpena them. But if I could produce the
facts in my story, then I believe we should have these people called.
Now, here is an article in the Washington paper--and the date happens
to be torn off, but I can get it--that Senator John G. Tower had made.
And I have outlined here----
The CHAIRMAN. I wonder, Mrs. Oswald--before we get into any details of
this kind, let's settle this situation as to whether the Commission
will say to you now that it will subpena anyone you ask.
I must say to you that you cannot put that burden on the Commission.
The Commission will have to exercise its own discretion as to who it
subpenas and when.
Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Chief Justice, may I say something? I was wondering
if whether or not what Mrs. Oswald is addressing respectfully to the
Commission is her confidence that if in the course of her own testimony
and the actual facts that she is producing, she expresses confidence
that if those facts recommend the subpena of additional witnesses, or
the recall of others, she expresses her confidence that that would be
done, if the facts she outlines so require.
The CHAIRMAN. She may be very sure of that, as I tried to tell her.
But the only thing--I would not want Mrs. Oswald to leave here and say,
"I gave the Commission a list of witnesses and they did not call all of
them."
Now, that is a matter that will have to be in the province of the
Commission, and not in the province of a witness.
And I say that without any combative--not in a combative spirit.
Because, as your counsel states, I think we are not far apart on it,
Mrs. Oswald.