Mr. Seeley.

procedure, in particular with regard to whether the thing should have been classified, have a higher classification than it did.

Mr. Coleman.

You don't have any independent recollection of discussing Oswald?

Mr. Seeley.

No, sir.

Mr. Coleman.

Or whether the instruction should have been in a different form?

Mr. Seeley.

No, sir; I do not.

Mr. Coleman.

Could you tell me the next occasion where you had anything to do with Oswald, or the file?

Mr. Seeley.

The next occasion, I think, relates to document X--43.

Mr. Coleman.

I would like to mark as S-2 a memorandum from Robert D. Johnson to Mr. John T. White, under date of March 31, 1961, which in the State Department flies has been marked as X-43.
(The document referred to was marked Seeley Exhibit No. 2 for identification.)
COLEMAN. Is that the document referred to?

Mr. Seeley.

Yes, sir; it is.

Mr. Coleman.

Now, sir, did you draft S-2?

Mr. Seeley.

Yes, sir; I did.

Mr. Coleman.

Can you tell me the circumstances surrounding your drafting S-2?

Mr. Seeley.

This particular item I do have a recollection of because there was a discussion between Mr. Johnson and myself concerning the propriety of sending the passport through the mail as had been proposed. Mr. COLEMAN. What was that discussion?

Mr. Seeley.

We were opposed to this action on several grounds.

Mr. Coleman.

What were they?

Mr. Seeley.

One was the fact that I think we already had information that Mrs. Oswald, the mother, had not been able to get in touch with her son.

Mr. Coleman.

You are talking about Oswald's mother?

Mr. Seeley.

The mother; yes. And we felt that the mails shouldn't be trusted for a U.S. passport which we know has a value outside the United States.

Mr. Coleman.

Now, you also indicated in the memorandum that, "We should not be bound by the opinion he expressed in paragraph 2 of his letter set out in Moscow Despatch No. 985 of February 28, 1961."

Mr. Seeley.

May I get that? It is No. 585. The paragraph that we are refer:ring to reads: "I desire to return to the United States, that is if we could come to some agreement concerning the dropping of any legal proceedings against me. If so, then I would be free to ask the Russian authorities to allow me to leave. If I could show them my American passport, I am of the opinion they would give me an exit visa."
The item in the memorandum concerns itself mainly with his request for agreement concerning the dropping of any legal proceedings against him.

Mr. Coleman.

You indicated that the Department ought not to give such agreement.

Mr. Seeley.

Yes.

Mr. Coleman.

Did you have any discussions with Mr. Johnson with respect to this March 31, 1961, memorandum?

Mr. Seeley.

Yes, sir. I don't have a complete recollection of it, but I do know that I did discuss this particular item, particularly the mailing of the passport, with Mr. Johnson.

Mr. Coleman.

And do you recall what Mr. Johnson said?

Mr. Seeley.

I think Mr. Johnson was the one that instructed me to draft this so that we would not send this through the mail, so that the .passport would not be sent through the mail.

Mr. Coleman.

After the memorandum of March 31, 1961, and this discussion you had with Mr. Johnson, what did you do?

Mr. Seeley.

I am sorry?

Mr. Coleman.

Did you draft the instructions in the form that they actually went forward?

Mr. Seeley.

No, sir.

Mr. Coleman.

Did you have anything to do with that?