(Testimony of Mrs. Marguerite Oswald Resumed)
Mr. Rankin.
What do you mean by everything?
Mrs. Oswald.
Well, Cuba---because we know in New Orleans he was arrested for Fair Play for Cuba. He read the Daily Worker. And the other ones I don't know. But it was in the paper. There is plenty of subversive material.
Mr. Rankin.
What about books? Did he read books much while he was living with you?
Mrs. Oswald.
Yes, he read continuously. He went immediately to the library upon coming to the United States. He read continuously. All kinds of books. I tried, when he defected--I went to the library to find out the kind of literature that Lee read. But they could not give me that information. They said the only way they could give that information was when a book was overdue, and was out. But otherwise they have no record.
Now, it has been stated in the paper--maybe New Orleans is different, I don't know, but I know in Fort Worth I could not get the information. Stated he had books--the assassination of Huey Long and things of that sort. They must have a different system. Because in Fort Worth, Tex., they do not have that system. The only way they can tell is if a book is out. But I know Lee read. And I have stated in 1959 all of this.
Anyway, from Vincent Peale on down to anything you want to mention. Lee read continuously.
Mr. Rankin.
Now, was there any time that Marina said anything to you to lead you to believe that she thought your son, Lee, married her because he was an agent?
Mrs. Oswald.
No, sir, no, sir. Not at any time at all.
Mr. Rankin.
You think she loved him?
Mrs. Oswald.
I believe that Marina loved him in a way. But I believe that Marina wanted to come to America. I believe that Lee had talked America to her, and she wanted to come to America. I say this for a lot of little things that happened--that Marina wanted to come to America. Maybe she loved him. I am sure she did, anyway. She said that she did.
Mr. Rankin.
I am not clear about this being ordered to marry her. You don't mean that your son didn't love her.
Mrs. Oswald.
Well, I could mean that--if he is an agent, and he has a gift friend, and it is to the benefit of the country that he marry this girl friend, and the Embassy helped him get this Russian girl out of Russia--let's face it, well, whether he loved her or not, he would take her to America, if that would give him contact with Russians, yes, sir.
Mr. Rankin.
Is that what you mean?
Mrs. Oswald.
I would say that.
Mr. Rankin.
And you don't think it was because your son loved her, then?
Mrs. Oswald.
I do not know whether my son loved her or not. But I am telling you why he would do this--in 5-weeks time. Now, you have a 5-week period in here.
Mr. Rankin.
I understand that. But I think it is a very serious thing to say about your son, that he would do a thing like that to a girl.
Mrs. Oswald.
No, sir, it is not a serious thing. I know a little about the CIA, and so on, the U-2, Powers, and things that have been made public. They go through any extreme for their country. I do not think that would be serious for him to marry a Russian girl and bring her here, so he would have contact. I think that is all part of an agent's duty.
Mr. Rankin.
You think your son was capable of doing that?
Mrs. Oswald.
Yes, sir, I think my son was an agent. I certainly do.
Mr. Rankin.
Have you got anything more that caused you to think he was an agent?
Mrs. Oswald.
Yes, I have things that have been coming out in the paper. And I am not the only one that thinks my son is an agent. There has been many, many publications questioning whether Lee was an agent or not because of circumstances, and so on, and so forth, through the newspapers.
Mr. Rankin.
That is newspaper accounts you are talking about now?
Mrs. Oswald.
Yes. And as I said about the FBI.
Mr. Rankin.
What about your own knowledge?
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