Mr. Stern.

Specifically, the kind of information you were interested in, that is before the assassination?

Mr. Belmont.

Yes. Specifically the kind?

Mr. Stern.

Yes.

Mr. Belmont.

Any information indicating the possibility of a threat against the President and Vice President and members of the family.

Mr. Stern.

Have you broadened----

Mr. Belmont.

I may say, sir----

Mr. Stern.

Yes.

Mr. Belmont.

That this practice was assiduously followed, and you will find that the files of the Secret Service are loaded with information over the years that we have furnished them. That was a practice religiously followed and a practice voluntarily followed without request. In other words, we do not have a written request for this type of information but rather considered it our responsibility and duty to furnish this information.

Mr. Stern.

Did you ever participate in or do you know of any discussion with the Secret Service before the assassination regarding the kind of information they were interested in?

Mr. Belmont.

We had close liaison with Secret Service, and I have no doubt that in oral discussions that the question came up. I wasn't present but I would assume it has come up, particularly as we were constantly furnishing information. We have no written criteria, you might say, as to what should be furnished.

Mr. Stern.

That is, established by the Secret Service.

Mr. Belmont.

That is correct.

Mr. Stern.

And you yourself never participated in any discussion of----

Mr. Belmont.

No; I did not.

Mr. Stern.

This liaison function.

Mr. Belmont.

This is something we have done for years on the basis that we consider it our responsibility not only as far as the President goes. As you know, Mr. Chairman, we have also followed the same policy relative to other high officials when it appears desirable.

Mr. Stern.

Have you subsequent to the assassination augmented your instructions to special agents in this respect?

Mr. Belmont.

Yes. On December 26, 1963, we prepared additional instructions reiterating those already in effect, and adding other dissemination to Secret Service concerning the security of the President.

The Chairman.

Where do those new ones appear in the exhibit, Mr. Belmont?

Mr. Belmont.

They appear as an attachment-working from the back, I think, Mr. Chairman, I can help you most.

The Chairman.

Yes.

Mr. Belmont.

Eight pages from the back it starts, it reads, "Manual of Instructions Section 83."

The Chairman.

Yes; I have it.

Mr. Belmont.

The first page is the same information that we previously furnished to Secret Service involving threats.

The Chairman.

The first page is intact, as it was before.

Mr. Belmont.

There may be some slight changes in wording but essentially it is the same dealing with possible threats.

The Chairman.

Yes.

Mr. Dulles.

Mr. Belmont, I wonder if it would be possible for the Commission's convenience to date each one of these papers as of a certain date. It is quite difficult going through it now without referring to the letter in each case to determine whether the instructions are as of the date of the assassination or as of the present date?

Mr. Belmont.

We can do that without any difficulty. I would be glad to do it with the staff, or can I help you here?

Mr. Dulles.

Well, I think we can do that later but I think it would be useful when this goes into the record for our later reference in studying this to have those dates available to us on each one of the attachments.

Mr. Belmont.

Very good.