Mr. Oswald.

forth, and it is my upbringing, it is what I always believed in and I will always believe in it.

Representative Ford.

Did you say that was your mother's philosophy, too?

Mr. Mckenzie.

No, sir; he did not say.

Mr. Oswald.

Would I say that?

Representative Ford.

Yes.

Mr. Oswald.

I would say--I will tell you, at this present time I feel like perhaps she has been hurt a great deal and perhaps her thinking is being changed at this very moment and at the present time since November 22d.
But prior to that time my opinion would be that she would be of the same opinion that I was.

Representative Ford.

That is why you said your attitude was based on your upbringing.

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir. Of course, to qualify that my mother didn't actually bring me up too much. The orphan home and the military academy, and I believe there my basic philosophy was formulated. It was a very good school.

Representative Boggs.

What military academy was that?

Mr. Oswald.

Chamberlain Hunt Military Academy at Port Gibson, Miss.

Representative Ford.

During the 6 or 8 weeks that Lee resided in your home, did he ever indicate why he went to Russia. You must have talked about it some.

Mr. Oswald.

There again I believe we did more talking through the mails about why he went to Russia than we did when he returned from Russia. I, of course, wanted to talk to him about this.

Mr. Dulles.

You have those letters, I believe.

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir; we have those letters.

Mr. Mckenzie.

Those letters have already been given to the Commission.

Mr. Jenner.

We will present them in evidence, I think probably this afternoon.

Representative Boggs.

Did he ever tell you?

Mr. Oswald.

No, sir; not point blank did he ever tell me why he went to Russia.

Representative Boggs.

Did he tell you why he came back?

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir; that he was in--the letters that I have from him while he was in Russia would indicate the same thing, that he was very unhappy living in Russia and he wanted to return to the United States, which, of course, made me very happy, and I felt like, and tried to look at it from the standpoint that maybe he just sowed some wild oats. He kind of went off to the far end of it, but I believe everyone of us at one time, especially around that age, might have done something or reached out far afield, so to speak, before we came to our senses and returned to a normal life.

Mr. Dulles.

Did he seem different when he came back from Russia, was there a change in the man before and after?

Mr. Oswald.

Physically?

Mr. Dulles.

No, I mean at all--changes, outlook, attitude and general----

Mr. Oswald.

The mental attitude he had from his letters that he wrote me when he first arrived in Russia were quite disturbing to me. Statements, various statements, I can't quote them word for word, but in the line of--well, he wanted to denounce his citizenship. He was a Marxist and he was a Communist and he wanted to stay in Russia, and so forth.
But when he started writing again in 1961--yes, 1961, his letters certainly indicated that he had changed his mind, and that he wanted to return to the United States and start his life as a U.S. citizen.

Representative Boggs.

You got to know Mrs. Oswald when she returned with him?

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir.

Representative Boggs.

Was the relationship between your family and your wife and Mrs. Oswald, of course, I realize you had a language barrier, but was it pleasant?

Mr. Oswald.

Yes, sir. I would describe it as very pleasant. We immediately, my wife and I both, took to Marina and June, the baby, at that time, and my wife and I both were just tickled to death, so to speak, for an opportunity to be