Mr. Rankin.

FBI about Lee Harvey Oswald, and we recognize that some of these items should not be considered important by anyone, as we look at the matter, but we wanted you to be able to satisfy the public and the country that whatever there was that the FBI had, the Commission had it, and we didn't think that in light of the security problems the whole file should be a part of the files of the Commission. And we tried to present here a summary, even of items that did not seem important, but we did want the record in such condition that the Commission could say in its report, "We have seen everything that they have." I think it is important to the case.

Mr. Mccloy.

I notice, Mr. Belmont, in running through this file, a note here that symbols are used in instances where the identities of the sources must be concealed.

Mr. Belmont.

That is correct, sir.
Mr.McCLOY. If that is so----

Mr. Belmont.

In some instances.

Mr. Mccloy.

Only in some instances. There are other cases where that is not the case.

Mr. Belmont.

Yes; that is right.

Mr. Mccloy.

There is a great deal of narrative in here about Oswald and his relations with the Embassy. Maybe it is elsewhere in the record.

Mr. Belmont.

I would presume that you have received that from the other agencies. Those are copies of communications that the other agencies sent to us.

The Chairman.

Well, why couldn't we go over this list and see what items we would be interested in and then we can determine, can we not, whether we want----

Mr. Mccloy.

I am not so sure, you can look through this yourself, I am not so sure if from reading just that short summary you get the full impact of all the narrative that is in the various reports. There is a good bit here. For example, one page I have here about this business of beating his wife and the drinking. There is a good bit of detail.

Mr. Belmont.

Mr. McCloy, you have that record.

The Chairman.

We have the record, I have read the records myself.

Mr. Mccloy.

Maybe we have that one.

Mr. Belmont.

Any investigative report you have.

Mr. Mccloy.

Is there any investigative report in here that we have not got?

Mr. Belmont.

No, sir.

Mr. Rankin.

We are trying to develop, Mr. Chief Justice and Commissioners, that you have everything that the FBI had, this is their total file in regard to this matter of Lee Harvey Oswald so that there is nothing withheld from you as far as the FBI is concerned. That is part of what we are trying to develop this morning, in addition to the items themselves.

Mr. Dulles.

I wonder if the staff, Mr. Rankin, could not go over this and check over those items we have from other sources and what the FBI has already furnished us so what we deal with with respect to this file are only items that are not in the Commission's records already. That would cut this down by half, I would imagine or more.

Mr. Rankin.

Yes; we could do that for you.

Mr. Dulles.

Then we could have this available possibly at a later date just to check over the other items against your files to see if there is any information there that we really need.

The Chairman.

You could come back, couldn't you, Mr. Belmont?

Mr. Belmont.

I am at your disposal.

The Chairman.

I think that would be better. I think, Mr. Rankin, your purpose is entirely laudable here, but I think we do have to use some discretion in the matter, and you say that you want it so we can say we have seen everything. Well, the same people who would demand that we see everything of this kind would also demand that they be entitled to see it, and if it is security matters we can't let them see it. It has to go back to the FBI without their scrutiny.
So unless, I would say, unless there is something that we think here is vital to this situation, that it isn't necessary for us to see the whole file, particularly