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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. III - Page 134« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Ruth Hyde Paine Resumed)

Mr. Jenner.
What is the official name of that?
Mrs. Paine.
The name at that time was the Young Friends Committee of North America. It included Canada young Friends. And in this connection I was, I served, as Chairman or Conference Coordinator for a conference of young friends that was held in 1955.
Mr. Jenner.
Where?
Mrs. Paine.
At Quaker Haven, Ind.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you attend that?
Mrs. Paine.
I did. It was at this conference, toward the latter part, part of really arising out of a discussion of the need for communication and more of it between the United States and the Soviet Union by no means the bulk of the business of this conference, but a small committee of interested people, was working on this matter.
Mr. Jenner.
Are these interested young people?
Mrs. Paine.
These are all young Friends.
Mr. Jenner.
And you were then of what age, 1955. 23?
Senator COOPER. 9 years ago?
Mrs. Paine.
22, going on 23, that is right.
Mr. Jenner.
22 going on 23. Was this in the summer time?
Mrs. Paine.
Yes.
Mr. Jenner.
Vacation period?
Mrs. Paine.
Yes.
Mr. Jenner.
I see. By the way, Mrs. Paine, you had been to England, had you not, in some activity of the Friends Society back in 1952?
Mrs. Paine.
Yes.
Mr. Jenner.
That was what meeting did you attend, and as a delegate of what?
Mrs. Paine.
I was selected as a delegate of the Lake Erie Association which
is the larger group to which my meeting in Columbus belonged.
Mr. Jenner.
Your Quaker meeting?
Mrs. Paine.
My Quaker meeting. To go as a delegate to the Friends world conference held at Oxford, England, in the summer of 1952. I also attended a young Friends conference held in Reading, England, just before the larger conference. Shall I return now to the conference at Quaker Haven in 1955?
Mr. Jenner.
Yes.
Mrs. Paine.
I felt a calling in Friends terminology at that conference.
Mr. Jenner.
An impulse, a desire, is that what you mean, a pulling?
Mrs. Paine.
More than that, that God asked of me that I study language, and I can't say that it was specifically said what language. This was at the time that plans first began for encouraging an exchange of young people between the Soviet Union and the United States, and I became active with the committee planning that, and from that planning there was an exchange, three Soviet young people came to this country and four young Quakers went to the Soviet Union, and I was very much impressed with the dearth of people in this country who could speak Russian. Here was a need for communication with people we had to live with, although we disagreed with them, certainly disagreed with the government, and the first elements of communication, the language, was not available among most young people, and even among older people in the country. My letter of June 18, 1959, marked Commission Exhibit No. 459-1 contains a statement of my motivation to study Russian. So it was this really that started me upon a course of study in Russian. Then once started, I was more propelled by my interest in the language itself. Shall I describe what training I have had?
Mr. Jenner.
Well, please. I want to cover something else before that. I offer Commission Exhibit No. 459-1 in evidence.
The Chairman.
It is received.
Mr. Jenner.
Was there a movement also in this connection which you are now describing of a pen pal communication between young people here in America and young people in Russia?
Mrs. Paine.
Yes.
Mr. Jenner.
Did you have anything to do with that?
Mrs. Paine.
There was a subcommittee of this Young Friends Committee of North America which was called East-West Contact Committee.
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