Mr. SNYDER. Well, particularly the Petrulli case, yes; a few weeks
earlier.
Senator COOPER. Would it be normal in your judgment that this period
of time, from the time he applied to the Soviet for citizenship, the
Supreme Soviet, which was on October 16, as he said, it would not be
acted upon in 2 weeks?
Mr. SNYDER. I would think it would be highly unusual if it were acted
upon in 2 weeks; yes, sir.
Senator COOPER. Did others talk to him in the Embassy beside you?
Mr. SNYDER. Not to my knowledge; no, sir.
Senator COOPER. Did you know whether or not newspaper people, American
newspaper people were talking to him?
Mr. SNYDER. I know that Priscilla Johnson talked to him. Whether others
got to him, I don't know. He wasn't terribly communicative.
Senator COOPER. Did she tell you she talked to him?
Mr. SNYDER. Oh, yes.
Senator COOPER. But you do not know whether or not other members of the
Embassy staff talked to him?
Mr. SNYDER. I have no reason to believe that anyone else talked to him,
other than myself, Senator Cooper. That is, at this time. I mean at a
later time, Mr. McVickar, I presume, talked to Oswald. He talked to his
wife, I am quite sure. I presume that Oswald was with her. But up until
the time that I left Moscow, Oswald was my baby, and I don't think
anyone else talked to him in the Embassy.
Mr. DULLES. Were there other cases, other than the Petrulli and the
Oswald case, where Americans attempted to or did renounce their
citizenship while you were in Moscow in this period?
Mr. SNYDER. No, sir.
Senator COOPER. To whom were you directly responsible in the Embassy?
Mr. SNYDER. My immediate superior was Mr. Freers, Edward Freers, who
was the Deputy Chief of Mission.
Senator COOPER. Was he informed about this case?
Mr. SNYDER. Yes, sir.
Senator COOPER. Who was the American ambassador at that time?
Mr. SNYDER. Ambassador Thompson.
Senator COOPER. Did he know about it?
Mr. SNYDER. I presume he did. Ambassador Thompson knew everything that
went on in his shop. If through no other means, both the Ambassador and
the DCM, the Deputy Chief of Mission, read the correspondence coming in
and out, and this is their basic line of information.
Senator COOPER. In your report, Commission Exhibit No. 908, you stated
that he knew the provisions of U.S. law on loss of citizenship, and
declined to have them reviewed by the interviewing officer. Is that
correct? He said he knew how he could renounce his citizenship?
Mr. SNYDER. Yes; I attempted to explain to him at the time the
seriousness of his move, the meaning of it, the irrevocability of it
and the section of law applying. He was quite curt in his manner, and
apparently among other things, declined to have me read the law to him.
Senator COOPER. Exhibit No. 920 refers to the letter received by the
Embassy from Lee Oswald, who was residing in the Metropole Hotel. It
does show that it was dated November 3, and received, according to
this, on November 12, no, date sent November 7.
This could be a speculation. It appears to me, though, it is a very
well written letter. "I, Lee Harvey Oswald, do hereby request that
my present United States citizenship be revoked. I appered [sic] in
person, at the consulate office of the U.S. Embassy, Moscow, on Oct.
31st for the purpose of signing the formal papers to this effect. This
legal right I was refused at that time. I wish to protest against this
action and against the conduct of the official of the United States
consular service who acted on behalf of the United States Government.
My application requesting that I be considered for citizenship in the
Soviet Union is now pending before the Supreme Soviet of the U.S.S.R.
In the event of acceptance, I will request my government to lodge a
formal protest regarding this incident."