Mr. Jenner.

A very great man.

Mr. Oliver.

A very distinguished man. I have been successively instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, and professor of the classics, and I have also been assistant professor, associate professor, and full professor of Spanish and Italian--largely a matter of my giving courses in the Renaissance.

Mr. Jenner.

Do you teach Latin and Greek, too, or have you?

Mr. Oliver.

Oh, that is classics.

Mr. Jenner.

I see. During the war did you have some special assignment militarily oriented or Government oriented ?

Mr. Oliver.

Yes; during the war I was on leave from the university for service with the War Department.

Mr. Jenner.

And without revealing any secrets, would you tell us the general nature of that?

Mr. Oliver.

The general nature of that was work that is supposedly secret in nature. I can only say I was with the War Department and that the offices in which I principally worked were located on Lee Boulevard in Arlington, and not in the Pentagon.

Mr. Jenner.

Was this civilian oriented rather than army oriented?

Mr. Oliver.

I was a civilian expert. It was, however, an Army Establishment under the command of a general.

Mr. Jenner.

What was that, research work?

Mr. Oliver.

Yes; under the command of a brigadier general, I should say.

Mr. Jenner.

This research work, did that involve any work of investigating

or inquiring into the commission of crimes or conspiracies, work of that nature?

Mr. Oliver.

Not actual investigation on my part.

Mr. Jenner.

But

Mr. Oliver.

It involved the use of the results of the investigations of others.

Mr. Jenner.

So that you had experience in examining investigators' reports and reaching judgments from those reports?

Mr. Oliver.

Yes.

Mr. Jenner.

And reporting your judgment to your superiors,

Mr. Oliver.

That is right.

Mr. Jenner.

Are you a member of the John Birch Society?

Mr. Oliver.

I am a member of the council of John Birch Society.

Mr. Jenner.

Would you explain to me what that is ? I am frank to say to you

Mr. Oliver.

The John Birch Society was founded by Mr. Robert Welch in Indianapolis, Ind., in December 1958. Very shortly after its foundation a council was organized. The council consists of persons whom the society regards as prominent, and has approximately 30 members. The number fluctuates, of course as a result of deaths, and so on. The council meets with Mr. Welch periodically.

Mr. Jenner.

Is it in the nature of a board of managers or a board of governors of a bar association? I am not trying to be technical, but just trying to get a notion of what the council is.

Mr. Oliver.

I am not sufficiently familiar with the board of governors of a

bar association but I think as a general analogy that would stand, yes.

Mr. Jenner.

That is all I wanted.
And you became a member in 1958, did you say ?

Mr. Oliver.

At the foundation.

Mr. Jenner.

And you have remained one ever since?

Mr. Oliver.

Oh, yes.

Mr. Jenner.

Do you have any other official connection with the John Birch Society apart from being a member of the society and of the council?

Mr. Oliver.

No; I write for American Opinion. And I am associate editor of it, I believe. American Opinion, by the way, is published by Robert Welch, Inc.

Mr. Jenner.

Explain that to me, if you please?

Mr. Oliver.

Which is a corporation, some of the stock of which is held by the John Birch Society.

Mr. Jenner.

Could I ask you one thing, Doctor?

Mr. Oliver.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Jenner.

You tend, and many witnesses do, you tend to drop your voice