Mrs. Paine.

To Mr. Hudkins I said many things, which I hoped would convince him that he had no story, that his information was very shaky, that Oswald was not in my view a person that would have been hired by the FBI or by Russia. I said to him "You are the other side of the coin from a Mr. Guy Richards of the New York Journal-American who is certain that Oswald was a paid spy for the Soviet Union, and just as inaccurate," and coming to, in my opinion, and of course I made it clear this was my opinion, to conclusions just as wrong.

Mr. Jenner.

That is, it was your opinion that Lee Oswald was neither a Russian agent nor an agent of any agency of the United States?

Mrs. Paine.

That is right. I said indeed to Mr. Hudkins, I had said to Mr. Richards that if the so- called great Soviet conspiracy has to rest for its help upon such inadequate people as Lee Oswald, there is no hope of their achieving their aims. I said I simply cannot believe that the FBI would find it necessary to employ such a shaky and inadequate person.

Mr. Jenner.

And is that still your view?

Mrs. Paine.

Indeed it is.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you also say to Mr. Odum on that occasion that you knew that Agent Hosty had not interviewed Lee Harvey Oswald?

Mrs. Paine.

Probably.

Senator Cooper.

Did you read the statements after they had been written?

Mrs. Paine.

What statements?

Senator Cooper.

The statements of the FBI.

Mrs. Paine.

Oh, no; I have never.

Senator Cooper.

You have never seen them?

Mrs. Paine.

Never seen anything of it. I knew they must write something, but I have never seen any of these statements.

Senator Cooper.

You never asked them to show you the statements?

Mrs. Paine.

No.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you ever make a statement to anybody that you can recall that Lee Harvey Oswald in your opinion was doing underground work?

Mrs. Paine.

That has never been my opinion. I would be absolutely certain that he never--

Mr. Jenner.

Please, did you say it?

Mrs. Paine.

And I would be absolutely certain that I never said such a thing.

Mr. Jenner.

To anybody, including when I say anybody, Mrs. Dorothy Gravitis?

Mrs. Paine.

Absolutely certain. Never said to anyone that I thought Lee was doing undercover work.
Senator COOPER. What is that name?

Mr. Jenner.

Gravitis, G-r-a-v-i-t-i-s.
Senator COOPER. Do you know this person?

Mrs. Paine.

She is my Russian tutor in Dallas.
Senator COOPER. What?

Mrs. Paine.

Russian tutor and the mother-in-law of the translator that was at the police station.

Mr. Jenner.

To conclude this series--

Mrs. Paine.

Would you clarify for me, someone is of the opinion that I thought that Oswald was an undercover agent for whom?

Mr. Jenner.

That you said so.

Mrs. Paine.

For whom?

Mr. Jenner.

For the Russian government.

Mrs. Paine.

Oh. I have certainly never said anything of the sort.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you ever say to anybody including Mrs. Gravitis that you thought Lee Harvey Oswald was a Communist?

Mrs. Paine.

Well, it is possible I said that. I thought he considered himself a Communist by ideology, certainly a Marxist. He himself always corrected anyone who called him a Communist and said he was a Marxist.

Mr. Jenner.

When you use the term communist do you think of a person as a member of the Communist Party or a native of Russia?

Mrs. Paine.

I seldom use the term at all, but I would confine it to people who were members or considered themselves in support of Communist ideology.