Mrs. OSWALD. He had the idea.
Mr. RANKIN. He was being prepared to become an agent, and inspired by
this recruiting officer?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. By what you have told us about his reading the communist
literature and this one pamphlet, and also the manual of the Marine
Corps?
Mrs. OSWALD. Yes, sir. And then living to when he is age 17 to join the
Marines, which I knew, and which he did at age 17 on his birthday.
Mr. RANKIN. Now, what else do you base your idea that he was--ever
became an agent or was going to become an agent on?
Mrs. OSWALD. Many, many things. We always watched--it is "I Led Three
Lives"--the program--Philbrick. We always watched that. And when Lee
returned from the service and the Marines, the three days--that program
was on, and he turned it off. He said, "Mother, don't watch that, that
is a lot of propaganda."
It has been stated publicly that the FBI did not know--didn't have
Lee on the subversive list--I am probably not saying this right,
gentlemen--but the rightwing in Dallas. I don't know anything
politically. The FBI and Secret Service had a list of names in Dallas
of people that had to be watched, and Lee Harvey Oswald was not on that
list. That would lead to believe there was some reason he was not on
the list.
Mr. RANKIN. Who did you get that from?
Mrs. OSWALD. From the newspapers and all over. And there has been a lot
of comment about this all through.
Now, I don't say it is correct. But what I have explained to you
before--my way of thinking has to go with this, because I know the boy
and the whole life, and you do not, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Well, I want to try to find out all you know about it.
Mrs. OSWALD. Fine. And I want you to.
Also, Lee's letters--and I have them in the hotel--I didn't bring them,
because I thought we were through, and you have the copies--most every
letter from Lee tells me something.
When Lee is coming back from Russia he says, "I plan to stop over in
Washington a while."