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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. X - Page 110« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Farrell Dobbs)

Mr. Watts.
of the Fourth Internationale," indicating that 35 cents is enclosed and requesting the English words of the song "The Internationale," and attached is a receipt or a cash memo of Pioneer Publishers, indicating that 35 cents was received.
Mr. Rankin.
Mark that No. 7.
(Marked Dobbs' Exhibit No. 7.)
Mr. Watts.
We also have a carbon copy of a letter dated April 26, 1963, to Mr. Oswald, setting forth the English words of The Internationale. I believe that is all we have from Pioneer Publishers.
Mr. Rankin.
Do you have any document from the files of the Socialist Workers Party?
Mr. Watts.
Yes.
Mr. Rankin.
Will you describe those, please?
Mr. Watts.
We have a letter dated August 12, 1962, signed Lee H. Oswald to the Socialist Workers Party, asking for information concerning the nature of the party and expressing an interest in finding out all he can about the program. We have a coupon dated as having been received October 31, 1962, signed Lee H. Oswald, indicating that he would like to join the Socialist Workers Party, and we have a carbon copy of a letter dated August 23, 1962, apparently in answer to the first letter, thanking Mr. Oswald for his request for information and indicating that a pamphlet concerning the Socialist Workers Party was being enclosed and inviting further inquiry if he had any more questions.
Mr. Rankin.
The last material you have described, Mr. Watts will be marked Dobbs' No. 9.
(Marked Dobbs' Exhibit No. 9.)
Mr. Watts.
We have, in addition, a letter dated September 1, 1963, signed Lee H. Oswald. Attached to it is what appears to be its envelope from New Orleans, postmarked August 31, 1963. This letter requests information concerning SWP representatives in the Washington-Baltimore area and states that Mr. Oswald expects to be moving into that area in October. That is all I have.
Mr. Rankin.
Thank you. The last letter and envelope are marked Dobbs' Exhibit No. 10.
(Marked Dobbs' Exhibit No. 10.)
Mr. Rankin.
Mr. Dobbs, do you have some occupation at the present time?
Mr. Dobbs.
I am secretary of the Socialist Workers Party.
Mr. Rankin.
Have you been in that position for some time?
Mr. Dobbs.
Since 1953.
Mr. Rankin.
Did you have some correspondence with Lee Harvey Oswald?
Mr. Dobbs.
We have nothing in our files other than what we have turned over to you. I might add that I feel certain that we would have responded to his--the coupon that he sent indicating a desire to join the party. It's not surprising we wouldn't have kept a file copy, because our interest in cases of this kind is an established thing. It is our policy not to take anybody into membership in the party unless we have a branch of the party in the area where they are resident. In such case we would--we would have replied to him to that effect. We would have suggested to him that he interest himself in the circulation of The Militant and Socialist literature and would have expressed a desire for continued fraternal contact with him on that basis.
Mr. Rankin.
Do you recall having seen Dobbs' No. 1 at some time?
Mr. Dobbs.
I recall that only in the sense that I assisted in the search of the files after November 22 to find everything we could.
Mr. Rankin.
Will you describe to the Commission what happened at that time, what you did? Did you do something to try to find out if there was any contact or communication between your organization and Lee Harvey Oswald?
Mr. Dobbs.
Yes. I received a telephone call from one of the newspaper reporters asking me if Oswald had ever been a subscribed to The Militant. I told him not to my knowledge. I then, however, went and checked the files, discovered he had been, and with that I decided to check every file that I could, and find whatever information was in the files, and get it together.
Mr. Rankin.
About when did you do that?
Mr. Dobbs.
This would have been done, I believe, about Monday following the assassination. I think it was on Monday morning I received the call.
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