Evening star., 1961-09-08
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Ambassador Gavin Affirnns
Mr.. Rooney Kept His Word

The social life in Paris is
rugged-according to Ameri-
can Ambassador to France
James Gavin, who was in
town for consultations
Wednesday.
In June, for instance, be-
fore Parisians began to dis
perse to vacation points, he
and his attractive wife Jean
had to dine out every night
they didn't give a dinner
themselves. I'VE tried to get
a night off on week-ends,"
he said, but were hard put
to do so.
Paris is probably the
busiest capital that way"
observed the personable gen.
eral. He was referring. of
course, to foreign posts;
otherwise he would have had
to include this eternally
jumpin' Capital of ours.
BECAUSE OF THE EX-
TENSIVE entertaining re-
quired at the No. crossroads
Of Europe, there was a con-
siderable stew over the ap-
pointment of the former
chief of Army Research De-
velopment. Would the gen.
eral, who was not regarded
as a truly wealthy man, be
able to represent America
properly in France? That was
the question that Republican
Senator Bourke Hickenlooper
of Iowa kept needing the
general with when he came
before the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee before
confirmation.
Jim Gavin, who, was then
president of the Arthur D.
Little industrial research and
development company, drew
laughter from the audience
when he replied, II must say
I rely on the good judgment
Of this body to increase the
allowance"
Not wanting to be limited
to millionaires in his choices
for ambasSadorial posts. Pres
ident Kennedy was known
to have discussed the matter
with the man who controls
State Department purse
strings, Democratic Repre-
sentative John Rooney Of
New York. But no guarantees
of additional allowances
were brought out in the Sen
ate hearings.
Mr.. Rooney was always a
tough man when it came to
disbursements for entertain
ing, but when a Kennedy
and a Rooney got together,
things must have happened.
SAID AMBS SSADOR
GAVIN, II think Mr.. Rooney
has kept his word right down
to the last decimal point.
The embassy is normally
provided with funds and
was merely assured that they
would be adequate. I have
expressed my needs and they
have been met"
What did he think Of the
State Departments cancel
lation of Fourth of July par
ties for the American colony
at our embassies around the
world?
1T was a heck of a good
idea" replied the first Amer
ican Ambassador to Paris
who didn't have to invest a
big expenditure on one Of
those crushes for swarms of
countrymen he didn't know.
The prominent Americans
had stopped coming, he said,
but tourists had been flock
ing in by the thousands
prompted by travel agencies
which promised an embassy
fling.
How does he like his post?
Il like it very much. 1 am
having a marvellous time
there. You couldn't go to a
place where there's more to
do" said this man of action.
He likes Gen. de Gaulle.
finds him exceedingly inter-
esting and willing to talk
about anything" He has the
impression that the French
President likes President
Kennedy very much"
I'VE have our differences"
he added. erica and
France have always had diff
ferences. But basically I'VE
couldn't be getting along
better" said Gen. Gavin,
admitting with smile that
he was biased.
THE FRENCH PEOPLE
couldn't have been more
friendly or kinder, he con-
tinued. and he and his wife
have seen quite a lot of
France to date. They have
been down to Bordeaux for
a meeting, to Normandy for
D-Day anniversary and to
Lyons, where Jean was pre-
sented with a lovely piece
of silk by the silk in
dustry. That was when
Mrs. Gavin, who had never
even studied French before
this assignment got up and
made a speech of thanks in
French and her audience was
charmed.
How is his own French?
".AsSeZ bon." he replied with
quite a good accent. II con-
tinue to work at it. I discuss
articles Gin the French
press I am particularly in
terested in with the profess
sor who comes to the en-
bassy every morning to give
Jean a lesson" And before
talking in French over tele-
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