Originator: FBI
From: BAXTRUM, GEORGE P. JR.
To: DIRECTOR, FBI
Document date: 3/9/64
Document type: PAPER-TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Date:

4/3/2018

Agency Information

AGENCY: FBI

RECORD NUMBER :

124-10173-10381

RECORD SERIES :

CG

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: CR 65-645-8918

Document Information

ORIGINATOR:

FROM:

1O:

TITLE:

FBI

BAXTRUM, GEORGE P. JR.

DIRECTOR, FBI

DATE: 03/09/1964

PAGES:

10

SUBJECTS :

LHO, POST-RP, SWP, REACTION TO ASSA

DOCUMENT TYPE: PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: Not Assassination Related

CURRENT STATUS: Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 06/10/1994

OPENING CRITERIA: INDEFINITE

COMMENTS: 45 OF 55 PAGES NAR

v9.1

---

## Page 2

Date: 06/10/94

Page: 1

JFK ASSASSINATION SYSTEM

IDENTIFICATION FORM

AGENCY INFORMATION

AGENCY : FBI

RECORD NUMBER

: 124-10173-10381

RECORDS SERIES :

CG

AGENCY FILE NUMBER : CR 65-645-8918

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

ORIGINATOR : FBI

FROM : BAXTRUM, GEORGE P. JR.

TO : DIRECTOR, FBI

TITLE :

DATE

: 03/09/64

PAGES

: 10

SUBJECTS :

LHO, POST-RP, SWP, REACTION TO ASSA

DOCUMENT TYPE : PAPER, TEXTUAL DOCUMENT

CLASSIFICATION : U

RESTRICTIONS: NOT ASSASSINATION RELATED

CURRENT STATUS

: X

DATE OF LAST REVIEW : 06/10/94

OPENING CRITERIA :

INDEFINITE

COMMENTS

45 OF 55

PAGES NAR

[R]

- ITEM IS

RESTRICTED

---

## Page 3

FD-263 (Rev. 5-1-59)

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

REPORTING OFFICE

NEW YORK

TITLE OF CASE

OFFICE OF ORIGIN

NEW YORK

DATE

INVESTIGATIVE PERIOD

REPORT MAD

MADE BY

12/14/63-2/25/60NF

TYPED BY

GEORGE P. BAXTRUM, JR.

CHARACTER OF CASE

SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY-

NATIONAL

IS - SWP

ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED

HEREIN IS UNCLASSIFIED

EXCEPT WHERE SHOWN

Classified

OTHERWISE

REFERENCE:

123

Report of SA GEORGE

at NY.

BAXTRUMS JR.,

36

dated 11/22/63,

ALL INPORMATTAN CONTAINED

ADMINISTRATIVE:

HERE/N

EXCE:

Information included in instant report obtained from

NY T-l is mainly of a documentary nature with limited distri-

bution within the sWP, and has, therefore, not been identified

as to the exact date it was received.

This has been done to

further conceal a highly confidential source, who furnished

a large quantity of information when contacted which would

possibly tend to reveal the exact nature of the source.

The dates NY T-l was contacted were 12/13/63; 1/10,

2/7/64.

1020-93

Classified by

APPROVED

UCCIaSSIN OU

SPECIAL AGENT

IN CHARGE

DO NOT WRITE IN SPACES BELOW

COPIES MADE:

7- Bureau (100-16) (RM)

65

645

8918

1- DIO, 3rd Naval District (RM)

SEARCHED-

1- G-2, lst Army (RM)

SERIALIZED "

_FIL

1- 2nd OSI District, USAF (RM)

1- INS, New York

2- New

• Хок (200-4013) Ние)

FBI-

CHICAGO

Copies Continued on Next Page

Dissemination Record of Attached Report

Agency

Request Recd.

Date Fwd.

How Fwd.

By

Notations

DO NOT DEST SERE FINS LITICATIO

DO NOT DESTROY -- PRESERVE FOR SZ

COMME

MONS

DO NOT DESTROY - PENDING LITIGATION

111-4 sub A po. 2386

---

## Page 4

NY 100-4013

COPIES CONTINUED:

_- Boston (100-442

- Chicago (65-645) (Into)

1- Denver (100-2050) (Into), (RM)

1- Detroit (100-1334) (Info)(RM)

1- Milwaukee

(100-7313)

- Minneapolis (200-1246) For (Rn)

1- New Haven (100-1191) (Info) (RM

- Newark (100-1984) (Info)RM

- Philadelphia (100-2036) (Info) (RM

COVER PAGE

- A1 -

SECRET

SACRET

---

## Page 5

PEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

POSTPONEMENT INPORMATION SHRET (JPK MATERIALS)

_Page (s) withheld entirely at this location in the file.

One or more of the following statements, where indicated,

explain this deletion (these deletions) .

Deletions were made pursuant to the postponement

rationale indicated below with no segregable material

available for disclosure.

All references relate to

Section 6 of the "President John

F. Kennedy Assassination

Records Collection Act of 1992."

[1 Subsection 1A (intelligence agent's identity)

[]

Subsection 1B (intelligence source or method)

[]

Subsection 1C (other matter relating to military

defense, intelligence operations or

the conduct of foreign relations)

[]

Subsection 2

(living person who provided

confidential information)

Subsection 3

(unwarranted invasion of privacy)

[] Subsection 4

(cooperating individual or foreign

government, currently requiring

protection)

[]

Subsection 5

(security or protective procedure,

currently or expected to be utilized)

I Information pertained to a matter unrelated to the JFK

Assassination investigation.

[]

For your information:

[]

The following number is to be used for reference

regarding this page (these pages) :

65 - 645-8918 p B, C, D, E

xxxxxXXXXX

xXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXX

xxxxxXXx

xXXXXXXXxX

XXXXXXXXXX

---

## Page 6

FD-204 (Rev. 3-3-59)

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

CONFAOVTIAL

1- DIO, 3rd Naval District (RM)

1- G-2, First Army (RM)

Copy to:

1- 2nd 08I District, USAF (RM)

1- INS, New York

Report of:

Date:

GEORGE P. BAXTRUM, JR.

3/9/64

Field Office File # 100-401.3

Title:

SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY - NATIONAL

Office: New York, New York

Bureau File *100-16

10-1-93

Character:

INTERNAL SECURITY - SHP

Synopsis:

NAR

LEE HARVEY OSWALD subscriber to The Militant

and SWP slowed activities after assassination of President, fear-

ing possible nennisals

NAR

Declassify off: APR

1/2383

ALL INFORMATTON CONTAINED

HEREIN IS UNCLASSIFIED

EXCEPT "VERDSHOWN

PYISE

CONDY DENTIAL

Group

Excluded

from automatic

downgrading and

declassication

This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to

your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.

---

## Page 7

CONFISENTIAL

NY 100-4:013

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

37(4)

MAR

12

19

...

B.

Reaction to

KENNEDY

Assassination of President

19

30

35

NAR

CONFIDENTIAL

- 1A -

---

## Page 8

PEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

POSTPONEAENT INPORMATION SHRET (JPK MATERIALS)

28

Page (s) withheld entirely at this location in the file.

One or more of

the following statements,

where indicated,

explain this deletion (these deletions).

Deletions were made pursuant to the postponement

rationale indicated below with no segregable material

available for disclosure.

All references relate

Section 6 of the "President John F. Kennedy Assassination

Records Collection Act of 1992. "

[) Subsection 1A (intelligence agent's identity)

Subsection 1B

[]

Subsection 1C

Subsection 2

(]

Subsection 3

Subsection 4

Subsection 5

(intelligence source or method)

(other matter relating to military

defense,

intelligence operations or

the conduct of foreign relations)

(living person who provided

confidential information)

(unwarranted invasion of privacy)

(cooperating individual or foreign

government, currently requiring

protection)

(security or protective procedure,

currently or expected to be utilized)

(]

Information pertained to a matter unrelated to the JFK

Assassination investigation.

For your information:_

[ ]

The following number is to be used for reference

regarding this page (these

pages) :

65-645-5918p 2 then 29

xxxxxxxXXX

xxxxxxxxXX

xxxxxxxXxx

xxxxxxxXXX

xxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxXXX

---

## Page 9

NAR

NY 100-4013

CONFIDENTIAL

NY T-12

February 11, 1964

B. Reaction to Assassination of

President KENNEDY

Speaking in New York City on November 27,

1963, FARRELL DOBBS stated that the Party was very

upset over the fact that LEE HARVNY OSWALD, the

accused assassin

of President KENNEDY, was reported

in possession of a copy of

"The Militant"

According to DOBBS, SWP files reflected that

OSWALD had a subscription to the publication

which expired in September, 1963.

However, he

was still receiving copies of the paper at

time of the assassination, November 22, 1963.

It is the policy of "The Militant" to continue

sending issues subsequent to the subscription

expiring in the anticipation that it might be

renewed.

According to DOBBS, the SWP was

distressed over the fact that it possessed

information possibly pertinent to inquiries

being conducted by the Bovernment concerning

the dosass nation. 4(4)

-

30 -

CONFIDENTIAL

---

## Page 10

NY 100-4013

CONFENTAL

The Party could not, without embarrassment,

furnish this information to the Federal Bureau of

Investigation DOBBS said, so the information

was

made available to the

"New York Times'' through a

lawyer retained by the Party.

This action was

taken in an attempt to get the Party "off the

hook" in regard to information it had concerning

OSWALD.

NY T-6

December 4, 1963

It is noted that in the edition of the

'New York Times" of November 27, 1963, the following

was

printed:

"Publishers of "The Militant', a weekly

newspaper here that reflects views of the Socialist

Workers party but is not an official organ of

that

Trotskyite, group, said yesterday they had found

that OSWALD had been briefly a subscriber.

"A spokesman said OSWALD had sent in

$1 for a four month introductory subscription in

December, 1962 and renewed this for another four

months at $1, expiring in September, 1963, with

no further communication indicated in the records.

"The mere fact that a person subscribes to

a publication, a spokesman added, is no indication

of whether or not he is sympathetic to any position the

publication espouses - sometimes just the opposite"

•

A letter was sent by DOBBS to all branch

organizers

of the SWP on November 27, 1963 setting

forth that the current issue of "The

Militant"

would deal extensively with the assassination of

President KENNEDY and the political aftermath.

- 31 -

---

## Page 11

NY 100-4013

CONFIDENTIALI

He recommended that balanced judgment.

be exercised in all Party activities in view of

the many political implications of the assassina-

tion.

He said that there was a "smear attack"

against the socialist movement which created

unknown factors concerning the present public

attitudes. DOBBS cautioned that it would be

necessary to feel the way carefülly. into the

changed situation. DOBBS further wrote that

for the present, the role of the SW would be

to help others

think out,

the basic meaning

of the changed political situation.

He said

that it would be a serious mistake

to try to

immediately resume activity at the tempo. and

scope that prevailed before the assassination.

DOBBS enclosed photostats of the article

appearing in the New York Times of November 27,

1963.

NY T-4

December 4, 1903

In "The Militant" of December 2, 1963

there was set forth a public statement issued

by FARRELL DOBBS as National Secretary of the SWP

immediately following the assassination of

President KENNEDY.

The

statement condemned

the assassination as an inhuman, anti-social

and criminal act, and sympathy was extended to

Mrs. KENNEDY and her children. It set forth

that the assassination stemmed from an atmosphere

created by racists and ultra-conservative forces.

Reviewing the political outlook at

the SWP plenum on December 27, 1963, FRED HALSTEAD

said it was still not clear what the finenoial fal

reaction would be, but for the present there was

a definite

smear

against the socialist movement

because President KENNEDY had been assassinated

by an avowed Marxist.

HALSTEAD said he did not

believe there would be a witch hunt

however,

because the United States Government was too

afraid of world opinion.

- 32 -

CONTENTAR

---

## Page 12

CONFDENTIAL

NY 100-4013

HALSTEAD further said that the direct

effect on the Party since November 22, 1963 had

been at a minimum.

He said the police had

come to the SWP Rational headquarters in New

York, but there was no reason to think their

presence was anything other than what was

claimed, protection against counter-revolu-

tionary

activity.

He said the largest anti-

Trotskÿist indications had been in Blooming-

ton, Indiana.

commended that the SWP line should be to em-

phasize his claims of innocence. It was rec-

commended that the Party stay away from any

Trotskyist versus right wing discussions.

151333

Speaking to the plenum on December

29, 1963, EDWARD SHAW also

noted that there

had been

some increase in " the witch hunt"

since the assassination, but felt that the

SWP propaganda offensive could overcome

this.

NY T-3

December 27, 1963

December 29, 1963

In a letter sent by FARRELL DOBBS to

another SWP leader, foklowing the SWP plenum,

DOBBS said the SWP

would remain in the back-

ground and wait for further developments.

said the Party was watching the proceedings

of the WARREN Commission very carefully and

would decide future action after analyzlagain

the Commission's report.

-

33

-

NY 1-13

January /26. 2964

КЛАТ

---

## Page 13

NY 100-4013

CONFISENTIAL

On January 27, 1964, FARRELL DOBBS was

interviewed in the presence of his attorney,

ROWLAND WArdS, at 112 East 19th Street, New

York, New York. DOBBS was interviewed by

Special Agents ALESIO SAVIOLA and ANTHONY D.

LEONE, who advised DOBBS that the Presidential

Commission investigating the assassination

of President KENNEDY had specifically requested

the Federal Bureau of Investigation to obtain

from the SWP any data concerning LEE HARVEY

OSWALD.

WATTS stated that DOBBS searched the

SWP files and had found that OSWALD had a

trial subscription to "The Militant"

OSWALD

also sent a letter to the SWP setting forth

a change of address and another indicating a

desire to join the organization,

According

to WATTS, this latter letter was answered in

a routine manner to the effect that it took

more than just filing out an application to

become an SWP member. OSWALD was told that

since there was no SWP branch in his locality,

he would

Militant, Perhaps desire to distribute "The

in his area.

WATTS stated he had possession of the

material described and DOBBS would willingly

turn it over to the Presidential Committee

upon receipt of a letter to WATTS requesting

the data.

New York daily newspapers on February

19, 1964 carried a: story saying that the current

issue of Life Magazine would feature a write up

On LEE HARVEY OSWALD.

Also printed was a photo-

graph of OSWALD appearing on the cover of Life

Magazine, which it was stated depicted him holding

a rifle which may have been used in the assassination

and holding in

front of him a copy of an

paper called

"The Militant".

news-

- 34 -

---

## Page 14

NY 100-4013

CONFIRENTIAL

Once again there was considerable concern

on the part of the SWP leadership as to what reaction

there might be to this further publicity of the

fact that OSWALD had subscribed to "The Militant'fU

NY T-6

February 24, 1964

NAR

- 35 -

CONFIDENTIAL

---

## Page 15

3

[]

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

POSTPONEHENT INFORMATION SHRET (JPK MATERIALS)

Page (s) withheld entirely at this location in the file.

One or more of the following statements, where indicated,

explain this deletion (these deletions) •

Deletions were made pursuant to the postponement

rationale indicated below with no segregable material

available for disclosure. All references relate to

Section 6 of the "President John F. Kennedy Assassination

Records Collection Act of 1992."

[]

Subsection 1A (intelligence agent's identity)

[]

Subsection 1B (intelligence source or method)

Subsection 1C (other matter relating to military

defense, intelligence operations or

the conduct of foreign relations)

Subsection 2 (living person who provided

confidential information)

[]

Subsection 3 (unwarranted invasion of privacy)

Subsection 4 (cooperating individual or foreign

government, currently requiring

protection)

[] Subsection 5

(security or protective procedure,

currently or expected to be utilized)

Information pertained to a matter unrelated to the JFK

Assassination investigation.

For your information:

[]

The following number is to be used for reference

regarding this page (these pages) :

65-645-8918 p 3l6 4hru 41

XXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXX

xxxxxxXXXX

xxxxxxxxxX

xXXXXXXXX

---