(Testimony of Richard Edward Snyder)
Mr. Chayes.
citizen who may get into trouble in the other country. That would be a matter governed by general principles of international law, and also one's own humanitarian outlook on the particular circumstance, rather than---or there could be treaty provisions perhaps, commerce and navigation, that might bear on it. But in the usual case, I think not.
Senator COOPER. May I ask a question here? It might save time.
Is there any statutory--any statute bearing on this question of renunciation?
The Chairman.
Senator Cooper, we just went through that, and it has been put in evidence here, and the statute has been read and it is very simple. All he has to do is go there and renounce before a consul or State officer to satisfy the regulations and requirements of the State Department, and he is out. Isn't that correct, generally speaking?
Mr. Chayes.
Yes, sir.
Senator COOPER. Is there any other statute bearing upon the effect of that renunciation with respect to any application or petition he might make later to renew his citizenship in the United States? Is there any?
Mr. Coleman.
I would assume, sir, if he has made a valid renunciation, he is then just like any other non-American that wants to come into the United States. He has to go through one of the immigration quotas.
Mr. Snyder.
He must get an immigration visa.
Senator COOPER. I remember during the war and after the war we had problems with persons who had become naturalized citizens, and were returned to their countries, and in effect renounced their citizenship in various ways. As I remember, under certain circumstances they could renew their citizenship with the United States. But, as I understand it, there is no provision of law respecting a citizen of the United States who actually renounces his citizenship.
Mr. Chayes.
The issues in all those cases, I believe, were whether the purported expatriating act was Actually an expatriating act. Whether they had voted voluntarily or served in a foreign army voluntarily, or something like that.
Senator COOPER. All this matter, the legal side of it, will be put into the record?
Mr. Coleman.
At 2 o'clock, sir.
Now, Mr. Snyder, after you wrote that letter to Mr. Boster, which is Commission Exhibit No. 914, you received a reply to your letter which was signed by Nathaniel Davis, acting officer in charge, Soviet affairs, dated December 10, 1959, which has been marked Commission Exhibit No. 915.
(The document referred to was marked Commission Exhibit No. 915 for identification.)
Mr. Snyder.
Yes.
Mr. Coleman.
Sir, also on December 1, 1959, you sent an airgram to the State Department indicating that you had been informed that Oswald had left the hotel at which he had been staying in Moscow, is that correct?
Mr. Snyder.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Coleman.
I show you a document which has been identified as Commission Exhibit No. 921, and ask you whether that is a copy of the airgram you sent forward to the Department.
(The document referred to was marked Commission Exhibit No. 921 for identification.)
Mr. Snyder.
Yes.
Mr. Coleman.
In Exhibit No. 921, you stated that you felt that he had not carried through with his original intent to renounce American citizenship in order to leave a crack open. Now, what information did you have which led you to put that in the airgram?
Mr. Snyder.
I am not sure whether this was my statement or----
Mr. Coleman.
Well, would you look at that, sir?
Mr. Snyder.
Yes; this was the statement of the correspondent. The correspondent states that.
Mr. Coleman.
Oh, you were informing the Department that the correspondent told you that she felt that Oswald may have been leaving a crack open?
Mr. Snyder.
That is right. This crack part here is part of the sentence "correspondent states."
Mr. Coleman.
Who was the correspondent?
Mr. Snyder.
This was Priscilla Johnson.
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