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."
Lee says in the letter, "Marina's uncle is a major in the Soviet Union."
"I am an American citizen and I will never take Soviet citizenship."
If you will read every letter--if you think 'he is an agent every letter is telling his mother--"If something happens to me, Mother, these are facts."
I might be elaborating. But I think my son is an agent. And these things piece by piece are going together, as far as I am concerned.

Representative Ford.

When did you first think he was an agent?

Mrs. Oswald.

When Lee defected. And I have always said a so-called defection, for this reason.
Now, we come to another letter. I am going to have to take some time now, because we are not going in sequence. The letter Lee wrote to me from New Orleans is what I need.

Mr. Rankin.

Do you have the letter in which he says he was going to Washington?

Mrs. Oswald.

Yes, sir, I gave you that copy yesterday. I don't have the letter with me. They are at the hotel.

Mr. Rankin.

You gave it to us yesterday?

Mrs. Oswald.

Yes, sir--that he would stop over in Washington.

Mr. Rankin.

Do you recall the date of that one?

Mrs. Oswald.

Well, now, he was supposed to arrive in New York on the 13th of June, 1962. And that is the letter. When he arrived, I do not know. And I do not know if he went to Washington.
As I stated yesterday, he went to Robert's house, and I was on a case. So I don't know when he arrived in New York.
Now, this is the letter. Lee is out of the Marines, and he stays home with me 3 days. And I have publicly stated--and this came out of my book this morning--Lee came home September 14, 1959. He stayed 3 days with me. Said he would like to travel on a ship working his way. Possibly export and import. He remarked he could make more money that way.
The next page is the letter he sent me, and then came the news of his being in Russia.
This is the letter.
"Dear Mother"----

Mr. Dulles.

Is that dated?

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir. This is just dated September. He was released from the Marine Corps on September 14th--I believe I am correct, Mr. Rankin.
And he stayed with me 3 days.
And then this is--well, the date on the envelope is September 19th. He stayed with me 3 days.
"Dear Mother, well, I have hooked passage on a ship to Europe. I would have had to sooner or later, and I think it is best to go now."
"I would have had to sooner or later, so I think it is best that I go now. Just remember above all else that my values are very different from Robert or us, and it is difficult to tell you how I feel. Just remember this is what I must do. I did not tell you about my plans because you could hardly be expected to understand. I did not see Lillian while I was here. I will write you again as soon as I land. Lee."

Mr. Rankin.

What do you think he meant by that?

Mrs. Oswald.

That is what I want to tell you. All of this speculation, gentlemen. And that is why I say the Warren Commission--unless they hear my story and the witnesses involved, cannot arrive at a true conclusion.
Now, what would you think about this?
A few days later you get headlines, "Fort Worth Boy Has Defected to Russia." And I made the letter public. This letter says to his mother he is defecting to Russia--right? That is the way you would read the letter.
It is easily read this way when you think a boy has defected to Russia. So you would read the letter that way.

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