Mr. Ofstein. Yes, sir; I asked him if he knew any other people who spoke Russian, and he indicated that he did, that he knew several Russian immigrants and I asked him at the time if he would be able to give me anyone's address so that I could speak with them and build up my vocabulary, and my ability to speak it, and he just kept putting me off and saying, "In time you'll meet them, in time you'll meet them" and I never did meet any of them.
Mr. Jenner. Did he give any reason for his apparent putting you off?
Mr. Ofstein. Yes, sir; he said that these people liked to speak with Americans who had an interest in their language, but they wouldn't want to take just anyone who went down to the library and picked up a book and sputtered off a few words. He said they enjoyed having someone around who could more or less keep up a running conversation with them.
Mr. Jenner. You thought he was classifying you as one who had a fairly poor command of the language?
Mr. Ofstein. Yes, sir.
Mr. Jenner. And that he had some hesitation about throwing you in with a group that spoke fluently?
Mr. Ofstein. Yes.
Mr. Jenner. This was not a derogatory attitude on his part?
Mr. Ofstein. No, sir; he said with a little bit of study that I could possibly get in with the groups and speak with them.
Mr. Jenner. And your feeling is fairly firm that his reluctance in that connection was along the lines you have indicated rather than a desire on his part to keep you from that group?