But the way I have done it--the photographer had this picture in
particular--have come to my home and copied the pictures and gave it to
me back in my hand. I cannot afford to have any of these pictures lost,
sir. It is my story that some day I hope to write.
So I was told that if I continue with the life history of Lee as a
child and show the pictures, then they would have to be admitted for
the record.
Am I correct, sir?
The CHAIRMAN. That is our way of proceeding, yes.
Mrs. OSWALD. So now when I show the pictures, will you personally give
me assurance that these pictures will in no way be used?
The CHAIRMAN. No, I cannot do that. The Commission cannot do it. If you
have something that you consider your personal property, that you do
not want to give to the Commission, you may withhold it.
Mrs. OSWALD. I did not say, sir, I did not want to give it to the
Commission.
The CHAIRMAN. Just a minute. I do not believe they bear directly on the
matter we are investigating. They might be helpful. They might not be
helpful. But you may have the choice of determining whether you want to
introduce them or not.
But if you do introduce them, the Commission cannot put any limitation
upon the use that it might make of them.
Now, I don't mean by that that we are going to necessarily distribute
them or anything of that kind. But the Commission cannot limit itself
in the reception of its evidence. It must have the power to do with it
whatever is necessary to develop the facts.
Mrs. OSWALD. Well, I give you that power. And I voluntarily would like
for you to have everything I have, including pictures. But I just
wanted assurance that these pictures would not be exploited in any
way. For some reason or other--I am not putting it into words--but
these are my personal pictures. And I want the Commission to have them.
And it is pertinent to the story, I understand, Mr. Doyle, is that
correct--because it shows Lee smiling, and his life and my life in New
Orleans, which, I understand that the Commission is very interested in.
Am I not correct, Mr. Doyle?
Mr. DOYLE. Mrs. Oswald, as the situation has developed here, the
introduction of the pictures into evidence, of course, must necessarily
involve their physical copying, and the retention of the copies in
the file. The Commission itself has stated that it can give you no
assurance whatsoever concerning the use of these papers.
I would, myself, be of the view that the pictures introduced into
the record here would be certainly used for the purposes of the
investigation and the purposes of the Commission as established by the
Executive order.
But they can give you no blanket--or have not chosen to give you any
blanket assurance of the use of the pictures, and have given you
completely the choice that if you have any concern about it whatsoever,
that you retain the pictures yourself.
The choice they have given you is if you wish to have--to present
the pictures to the Commission in the course of your testimony, they
will be glad to receive them, they will--there will be copies made
of them, the originals, of course, will remain in your custody. Their
purposes will be--their use will be the uses of the Commission. But
the Commission gives you no assurance whatsoever of the use, and gives
you the complete choice of either submitting them or not under those
circumstances.
Mrs. OSWALD. Well, being a layman, I understand, I think, what you are
telling me, in a way. But, on the other hand, being a layman, I feel
actually I have no choice.
You have to understand I am not an attorney.
Mr. DOYLE. But you do have a choice, because you are not here under
subpena. Your materials have not been subpenaed. The Commission has
advised you openly here that you may submit them or not as you see fit
to do. So there is no force, no legal force at all. This is absolutely
up to you.
The only thing that has been expressed to you is that they can give you
no assurance or guarantee as to what use the Commission will make of
them, that they will make what use they believe in their judgment is
required by the Executive order and the purposes of their investigation.
Mrs. OSWALD. I understand. And that is why I wanted the Commission to
have all pictures that I have.
Now, may I request something? I don't think it is presumptuous of me.
Maybe it is.
Could I sign for my rights for these pictures, and then let you have
the pictures?