Mr. Jenner. Mr. Chairman, I would suggest, if I may, that the witness might read this short letter aloud to the Commission which will, indicate to the Commission the mental state of Lee Harvey Oswald at the time he went to Russia in the very early days, and bring it to your attention immediately.
Mr. Dulles. What is the date of this?
Mr. McKenzie. November 8, 1959, sir.
Mr. Dulles. Proceed, if you will.
Mr. McKenzie. Do you mind if I read it, Mr. Jenner, and saving his voice a little bit?
Mr. Jenner. No.
Mr. McKenzie. This I believe is the second letter that Robert received from Russia after he had sent a telegram to Lee telling him what a mistake he had made, and this is the contents of the letter.
"November 8, 1959. Dear Robert:
"Well, what shall we talk about? The weather perhaps? Certainly you do not wish me to speak of my decision to remain in the Soviet Union and apply for citizenship here since I am afraid you would not be able to comprehend my reasons.
"You really don't know anything about me. Do you know, for instance, that I have waited to do this for well over a year? Do you know that I" then there is a parenthesis and some Russian printing which I presume to be Russian and the parenthesis is closed, "speak a fair amount of Russian which I have been studying for many months? I have been told that I will not have to leave the Soviet Union if I did not care to. This then is my decision. I will not leave this country, the Soviet Union under any conditions. I will never return to the United States which is a country I hate. Some day perhaps soon and then again perhaps in a few years I will become a citizen of the Soviet Union, but it is a very legal process in any event. I will not have to leave the Soviet Union and I will never leave.