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Presidential Medal of Freedom 7/6/89 [OA 6345] [1]
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Presidential Medal of Freedom 7/6/89 [OA 6345] [1]
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Records of the White House Office of Speechwriting (George H. W. Bush Administration)
Speech Backup Chronological Files
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MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Backup Files
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Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13675
Folder ID Number:
13675-013
Folder Title:
Presidential Medal of Freedom 7/6/89 [OA 6345] [1]
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26
19
2
2
Maine' First L
Margaret Chase Smith: C
M
argaret Chase Smith is 90 years old today.
But she's still in charge.
Prepared and written by Marie How
She picks up her own phone, dictates her
own mail and makes her own appointments.
Sentinel photos by Ron Maxwell
Her eyesight isn't as good as it once was, but she
walks without a cane or a helping arm and gets out
of a chair as quickly as anyone half her age.
Her day, every day, begins at 5:45 a.m.
She dresses, pins on the single red rose that is
her trademark, has breakfast and by 7 o'clock is
ready to take on whatever the day offers.
And for Margaret Smith, every day is different.
There is no such thing as a typical day in the life of
this determined woman.
If she isn't catching a flight to Texas, she may be
headed for the West Coast. Or, she may be
returning from Indianapolis.
Margaret Chase Smith retired from the Senate
MARGARE
in 1973, after representing Maine in the House and
Senate for 32 years. But she did not, and will not,
retire from public life.
She has served as chairman of the board of
Freedom House, as a visiting professor at the
Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation
and a director of the Lilly Endowment.
She still lectures regularly at colleges and
universities across the country, which have
honored her with 90 honorary degrees.
And she is busy when she's home, too.
She serves as a trustee and chairman of the
National Women's Board of Northwood Institute,
which houses the Margaret Chase Smith Library.
And she devotes many hours to talking with groups
of students who often visit with her at her
Skowhegan home.
As she talks, her chin still has that edge to it and
the determination is there, strong as ever, as she
talks of the past and of the importance of truth.
MI was determined to keep my word to the people
I served. I wouldn't give in once I'd made up my
mind. I would always see a thing though. This
continues to be true, she said on the eve of her 90th
birthday
She deplores liars.
wouldn't take lies: No, I wouldn't let them lie
to me, she says. History attests to this. No matter
how influencial they were in Washington, D.C.,
those who lied to Margaret Chase Smith didn't get
away with it. This forthrightness was as much a
trademark as her rose during her long career in
Congress.
She was the first woman in American history to
be elected to both Houses of Congress, and served
her state in Washington for 32 years. Her political
career, counting the time spent at her husband's
side, totaled 36 years.
Her husband, Clyde Harold Smith, was a
Congressmen representing Maine's Second District
when his life ended abruptly in April, 1940. Just
hours before his death, he asked that his wife be
elected to succeed for the remaining six months of
his term.
She did when the resulting special election and
went on to serve four full terms in the House of
Representatives before being elected to the Senate
where, during 24 years terms she answered 2,941
consecutive roll call votes, a record that stands
today
Anginning with Branklin Balana Docsevelt and
served under six presidents:
FDR, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John
Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon.
Her's was a long and distinguished service that
brought her national fame and resulted in her being
the first woman ever nominated for president by A
major political party.
What was it that brought this little girl from this
little town with an unusual name nestled on the
banks of the Kennebec River to become of the most
noted woman on the banks of the Potomac.
First Lady
A special section of the
Morning Sentinel
Morning Sentinel, Monday, December 14, 1987
1
Smith: On the go at 90
Maine not because of my playing either. I was
ared and written by Marie Howard
nothing special," says the former senator.
In addition to basketball, there were piano
Sentinel photos by Ron Maxwell
lessons.
"My mother paid 50-cents-an hour for my
lessons. Had I followed her wishes and cooperated,
I could have played the piano. But, I didn't have
time for anything like that. The piano was against
the wall and the clock was by the door. I played with
one eye on the piano and one eye on the clock so I
NORTH
GOD
wouldn't practice overtime. I didn't last too long,'
she recalls.
Then there was her first trip to Washington, D.C.
- as a highschool senior: And she almost didn't
make it.
VARGARE,
"We didn't have the money because it cost $60
for the 10-day trip. But, I remember my
grandfather listening to us talk about it around the
dinner table. He never said a word about the trip
until it was almost time to go.
"I had found that I could not go. He said I should
meet him downtown at the Skowhegan Savings
Bank at noon because he had an errand he wanted
me to help him with.
"He went into the bank and asked Mr. Merrill,
one of the bank officers, for $60 and a note. He then
asked Mr. Merrill to make it out for 6 percent
interest. I was to pay the $60 back plus the 6 percent
interest," she says. "And, I did."
"I was disappointed, of course. I thought he
would give the money to me.
"But, he taught me the full value of money. That
was a grand lesson. I'm sure I got a lot more out of
the trip, because I knew I had to pay for it," says
the Senator with a smile.
What didn't come out of the trip, though, were
any thoughts of working in Washington.
"I never thought of such a thing. Never thought
of it until the day my husband died," she answered.
History, let alone government service, didn't
interest her then.
"I didn't like history very well. I say that
because I am so interested in history today and
can't seem to get enough of it. I feel like I made a
mistake when I didn't major in history," she says.
It wasn't until she was elected to the Senate her
interest in history began to intensify, a delay she
came to regret.
"So much is built on the early history of this
country. But I learned the hard way. Had I taken an
earlier interest in history and followed it more
closely through the years I would not have had to
work so hard on matters that came before me,"
Mrs. Smith says.
She graduated Skowhegan High School in 1916.
Going to work was not going to be a new adventure
for the graduate. She worked all through her high
school years.
Working experiences
Her first job was at Green Brothers 5 and 10 Cent
Store in Skowhegan.
She was 12 when she first applied.
"They asked me if I could reach the top shelf. I
couldn't of course, I was so short. They told me to
come back when I could," she recalls.
"One year later at Christmas time I went into
the store and asked him for a job and reminded
them about the top shelf.
"Can you reach it?' I was asked. I stood on my
tip-toes of course, but I got the job.'
The pay wasn't spectacular, 75 cents for working
Saturday afternoons and evenings, and "If I worked
all day I got a $1," During vacations, working an
entire week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and
until 10 p.m. Saturdays earned young Margaret
$3.50.
"I was alwave a VAry independent
came to regret
"So much is built on the early history of this
country. But 1 learned the hard way. Had I taken an
earlier interest in history and followed it more
closely through the years I would not have had to
work so hard on matters that came before me,"
Mrs. Smith says.
She graduated Skowhegan High School in 1916.
Going to work was not going to be a new adventure
for the graduate. She worked all through her high
school years.
Working experiences
Her first job was at Green Brothers 5 and 10 Cent
Store in Skowhegan.
She was 12 when she first applied.
"They asked me if I could reach the top shelf. I
couldn't of course, I was so short. They told me to
come back when I could," she recalls.
"One year later at Christmas time I went into
the store and asked him for a job and reminded
them about the top shelf.
Can you reach it?' I was asked. I stood on my
tip-toes of course, but I got the job.
The pay wasn't spectacular, 75 cents for working
Saturday afternoons and evenings, and "if I worked
all day I got a $1." During vacations, working an
entire week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and
until 10 p.m. Saturdays earned young Margaret
$3.50.
"I was always a very independent child and
preferred to work," she says, "I was also a curious
one. I wanted experiences.
She got a lifetime of them as things turned out.
Still in school, she moved from clerking in the 5
and 10 cent store to the telephone switchboard at the
Maine Telephone & Telegraph Co.
front of her Skowhegan home
Its Skowhegan office was downtown, across
from the municipal building, in the old Masonic lot,
S my mother had all
having their hair cut. No one in the family was in
and Margaret became a substitute operator there
nd ready to go. Off we
favor of cutting mine. But, I wanted it cut.
"I earned 10 cents an hour and if I worked all
ithfield where the
"Finally one day my father told me to come to
night I got a $1. And, all night meant from 7 p.m.
e going rate of $1 a
his shop.
until 7 a.m.," the Senator remembers.
"I shall always remember those shears that cut
"It was a great experience. Everything that I
out 10 p.m. We all had
my first piece of hair on the right-side of my head,"
did all these experiences that I had with people
it there though,
chuckles the Senator, putting her hand to head as if
counted greatly many years later when I was in
r would say, Who's
to indicate where the curls once were.
Congress. That's the point I try to get across to
She never knew, she says, whether her mother
young people today,' she said.
[ was the one that
was aware that she was going to get her hair cut
It was through her telephone headset that she
ning with him at 4
that day.
first heard the voice of her future husband, Clyde
'All she said when I returned home was, "Oooh,
Smith. "He had a very impressive sounding voice.
ch fishing and young
Margaret!"
He would call almost every evening - he wanted to
ther cleaned the fish on
know what time it was," she says.
the cottage and my
School years
Those time checks led to conversations and to
another part-time job.
breakfast. I can see
Smith telephoned one evening and asked if she
he pan and rolling the
She attended Lincoln and Garfield elementary
would be interested in working on the tax books for
ars, she says, her face
schools before entering high school. The grammar
the Skowhegan Board of Selectmen. She told him
ose memories.
schools are vacant now and show the effects of
she couldn't because she had to remain in school
raised his family,
disuse.
since graduation was near at hand.
two more daughters
One of her treasures includes a yellowed piece of
r's wages.
paper which contain the signatures of all of her
But Clyde Smith, then a selectmen, was
t for a shave and a
Second Grade classmates.
determined. He visited the high school principal,
There wasn't much
As a Skowhegan High School freshman, she was
and young Margaret got permission to work days
amily like ours, but we
chosen by her teammates to be manager of the
and finished her schooling evenings.
S.
girl's basketball team.
For three months she entered assessment and
long curls during her
"I believe this was the school's first girl's
tax figures into ledgers. "This was another great
e by large bows.
basketball team," she says.
experience," she says. "It helped me later, when I
looked by Skowhegan's
Outfitted in a middy blouse and black bloomers
was on the Appropriations Committee in
utch-cut" became the
she was a team player all during her four years at
Congress.
Skowhegan High.
ly. all the girls were
"One year we were the champions of Central
Continued on next page
away with it. This forthrightness was as much a
trademark as her rose during her long career in
Congress
She was the first woman in American history to
be elected to both Houses of Congress, and served
her state in Washington for 32 years. Her political
career, counting the time spent at her husband's
side, totaled 36 years.
Her husband, Clyde Harold Smith, was a
Congressmen representing Maine's Second District
when his life ended abruptly in April, 1940. Just
hours before his death, he asked that his wife be
elected to succeed for the remaining six months of
his term
She did when the resulting special election and
went on to serve four full terms in the House of
Representatives before being elected to the Senate
where, during 24 years terms she answered 2,941
consecutive roll call votes, a record that stands
today.
Beginning with Franklin Delano Roosevelt she
served under six presidents:
FDR, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John
Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon.
Her's was a long and distinguished service that
brought her national fame and resulted in her being
the first woman ever nominated for president by a
major political party.
What was it that brought this little girl from this
little town with an unusual name nestled on the
banks of the Kennebec River to become of the most
noted woman on the banks of the Potomac.
The early years
A glimpse into Margaret Chase Smith's past
provides some of the answers.
Margaret Chase Smith in front of her Skowhegan home
She was born Dec. 14, 1897 on North Avenue in
Skowhegan, the first of six children born to George
finished work Saturday nights my mother had all
having their hair cut
Emery and Carrie Murray Chase. Her parents were
the family and food packed and ready to go. Off we
favor of cutting min
of Irish, English, Scotch and French-Canadian
would go to East Pond in Smithfield where the
"Finally one day
ancestry.
Chases rented a cottage at the going rate of $1 a
his shop.
"I had a good family background. My mother
day.
"I shall always re
was a very strong-minded woman and my
"We would arrive there about 10 p.m. We all had
my first piece of hair
grandfather was a strong-minded man. But it was
to go to bed as soon as we got there though,
chuckles the Senator
my mother who had a very great influence on my
however. At 4 a.m. my father would say, 'Who's
to indicate where th
future life," she explains.
up?'
She never knew, :
"She taught us to appreciate everything we
"Nobody answered. But, I was the one that
was aware that she
have, to work and to do what we were told," she
always did get up and go fishing with him at 4
that day.
says
a.m.,' the Senator recalls.
"All she said whe
The North Avenue house that was home to young
The pair usually went perch fishing and young
Margaret!"
Margaret was built by her grandfather, John L.
Margaret watched as her father cleaned the fish on
Murray, a carpenter who worked in a local sash and
the rocks by the shore.
Sch
blind factory. The Chase house is still there, close to
He would take them to the cottage and my
one of Skowhegan's busier thoroughfares.
mother would cook them for breakfast. I can see
"The house I was born in was the house my
her now - the salt pork in the pan and rolling the
She attended Linc
mother was born in and it was built by her father in
fish - those were happy years,' she says, her face
schools before enter
about 1860," says Mrs. Smith. Within walking
reflecting the fondness of those memories.
schools are vacant n
distance for a child was her father's barber shop,
Young Margaret's father raised his family,
disuse.
which young Margaret often visited.
which had grown to include two more daughters
One of her treasu
Her early years bring back satisfying memories
and three sons, on his barber's wages.
paper which contain
because her family was close.
"I don't know what he got for a shave and a
Second Grade classi
Ours was a family-minded group. My mother
haircut, but it wasn't much. There wasn't much
As a Skowhegan
and father were homemakers, but we had discipline
money in those days for a family like ours, but we
chosen by her team
in our family. However, as long as we were in our
lived comfortably," she says.
girl's basketball tea
own home we could do pretty much what we wanted
Young Margaret sported long curls during her
"I believe this Wi
to:
childhood, often held in place by large bows.
basketball team," s)
"We always had birthday parties and we always
But, fashion wasn't overlooked by Skowhegan's
Outfitted in a mio
celebrated Christmas," she says.
younger women and the "Dutch-cut" became the
she was a team play
Her summers she recalls as fun-filled.
rage for the school set.
Skowhegan High.
"My father had a horse and buggy and when he
"I remember very clearly all the girls were
'One year we we
The many expressions of Maine's first lady
( (Grant) )
July 5, 1989
A:freedom Draft two three
REMARKS: PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM
STATE DINING ROOM
JULY 6, 1989 TIME
Thank you. As President, I have been looking forward to one
of the most distinguished duties of this office -- the privilege
of presenting this nation's highest civilian honor, the Medal of
it
Freedom. And today I find myself standing with four American
heroes who embody the achievement, vision and dedication that is
the greatness of this country. You have left an indelible mark
as you have enriched this nation and America is grateful.
Each one here today is a pioneer:
General James Doolittle, a trailblazer in modern aviation;
Ambassador George Kennan, truly a visionary who foresaw the
future of Soviet-American relations; Senator Margaret Chase
Smith, a bold achiever who stood alone against the tide of
extremism; Secretary Douglas Dillon, an unparalled public servant
who shaped American foreign and economic policy; and finally, a
fifth great American who is not with us -- the late Lucille Ball,
First Lady of Television to uncountable millions worldwide.
General Jimmy Doolittle is an American war hero, a record-
breaking pilot, and an innovator in modern aviation.
landines
After serving his country as a flying cadet in World War I,
Current
General varik Doolittle made the first cross-country flight with only
one refueling stop. He set land- and sea-plane speed records.
He was the first to fly "blind" 1929 by instruments only. Indeed,
P.S
Name of
Jimmy Doolittle was "the master of the calculated risk. "
book by
Carol W.
When the United States entered World War II, General
current Bio
Glines
Doolittle was assigned a top-secret mission that was "perhaps the
Quenting
most daring combined operation of the whole war. " He led the
first offensive aerial strike on the Japanese mainland after
The Amazing
Pearl Harbor. This courageous one-way mission electrified the
mc Doolittle
world and gave America's war hopes a terrific lift. During the
1953
war, General Doolittle also directed U.S. airpower in the
invasion of Africa, and participated in 25 missions including the
first attack on Rome.
Doolities
for
danarters USAF -Pentagon
General Doolittle is truly the father of modern aviation.
For his dedication above and beyond the call of duty, for his
bravery and valor, and for his innovation and daring, the nation
thanks him. ((PRESENT MEDAL TO GENERAL DOOLITTLE))
2519
As a 27-year career diplomat, renowned historian and astute
professor, George Kennan has shaped the way Americans have
thought about foreign policy in the postwar era.
CB/S94
As head of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff, as
Counselor of the Department, and then as Ambassador to the Soviet
Union, he helped our nation understand the dangers it faced and
contributed mightily to the political and economic reconstruction
of Europe.
CB 1959 124
224
After his retirement from government, Ambassador Kennan
joined the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, and turned
his formidable talents to scholarship. His many books, which
earned him the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award among
other honors, document the diplomatic history of our modern age.
Through his writings, and his guidance in the Kennan Institute
for Advanced Russian Studies, he has added more to our
Smithsonean Wood w
Wilson
understanding of the relationship with the Soviet Union than
Certer
perhaps any other individual American.
Today we stand on the threshold of a new era in that
relationship, one that looks beyond the successful strategy of
containment which George Kennan did so much to develop. For his
unique contributions to the national security of this country,
the United States honors Ambassador George Kennan.
((PRESENT MEDAL TO AMBASSADOR KENNAN) )
140:42-32
Margaret Chase Smith was the first woman in American history
to be elected to both Houses of Congress, serving for 32 years --
horning
holding office under six Presidents, beginning with Franklin
sent
14,87
Roosevelt. Her talent, intellect, and distinguished service to
XXX
Dec
this country resulted in her becoming the first woman to have her
Special section
party.
name placed in nomination Esazin for President Declaration by a major political
1964
P.30
Senator Smith's finest hour came when she issued the
Title haboo
"Declaration of Conscience," an historic and courageous speech
denouncing McCarthyism. She spoke out when so many others
Brographice
1952'2
remained silent.
1962
us
is
When was Bush's
Father m the Sinate
Senator Smith was also instrumental in improving the status
ple
of women in the armed services, earning her the title, "Mother of
chait
the Waves." She was an outspoken advocate of a strong nuclear
deterrent in the face of the Soviet threat.
305
We honor Senator Smith today for her commitment to truth and
honesty in government and in America, and to strengthening
America at home and abroad. She looked beyond the politics of
the time to see the future of America, and made us all better for
it. ((PRESENT MEDAL TO SENATOR SMITH) )
The brilliant achievements of Douglas Dillon raise the
nobility of public service to new heights.
He began his career as a businessman who later served in the
Political
Navy during World War II. While serving in the Eisenhower
Administration as Ambassador to France and later, as
Undersecretary of State, $50,959 Mr. Dillon pioneered an ambitious
he
years
foreign aid policy. In Latin America, his work with struggling
1977
economies strengthened democratic forces; in Western Europe, his
determined foreign aid strategies led to economic and military
unity among the allies.
Douglas Dillon also served President Kennedy as Secretary of
the Treasury, and became one of the most influential members of
political
the Cabinet. The Kennedy tax policy was revolutionary at the
time, and Douglas Dillon was the man who developed those policies
of lower taxes policies that worked.
this true
Thersdy
But Douglas Dillon's dedication went beyond serving his
nation as a public servant. Under his leadership as chairman,
see col "
MER
MESEAN
the Metropolitan Museum of Art became the second-largest museum
in the world after the Louvre.
Douglas Dillon dedicated himself to making America stronger
-- as a diplomat, a public servant, businessman and
philanthropist -- truly a "Renaissance Man."
For this, his
countrymen salute him. ((PRESENT MEDAL TO DOUGLAS DILLON))
Lucille Ball was known as the First Lady of Television, one
of America's greatest comediennes. The series "I Love Lucy"
quickly made her a household name and kept generations of
Americans laughing. In fact, according to TV Guide, her face was
Lit
Current 1978
seen "by more people, more often, than the face of any human
being who ever lived." "I Love Lucy" ran in over 77-100 80 countries
8'89
may
and the cumulative audience runs in the tens of billions.
Time p.101
Who can forget Lucy? She was like everyone's next door
neighbor -- only funnier. Her secret, she said, was to take
Rechead Red P. zary
everyday things and exaggerate them to funny absurdity. It
Everywom,
worked, and she became an American success story and a brilliant
businesswoman.
Lucille Ball was a national treasure who brought laughter to
us all. Love Lucy? America loved Lucy. This nation is grateful
to her, and we'll miss her dearly. ((PRESENT MEDAL TO HUSBAND
GARY MORTON) )
This nation is a better place because of the contributions
of each of you.
I thank you, and the American people thank you.
Congratulations and God bless you.
( (Grant) )
July 5, 1989
Draft three
A:freedom
REMARKS: PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM
STATE DINING ROOM
JULY 6, 1989
Thank you. As President, I have been looking forward to one
of the most distinguished duties of this office -- the privilege
of presenting this nation's highest civilian honor, the
Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The first Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients were
chosen by President Kennedy, but soon after his death they were
awarded by President Johnson, along with some of President
Johnson's choices. Some of the first winners included Marian
Anderson, Felix Frankfurter and, of course, a posthumous medal to
President Kennedy -- all American heroes.
And today I find myself standing with four more American
heroes who embody the achievement, vision and dedication that is
the greatness of this country. You have left an indelible mark
as you have enriched this nation, and America is grateful.
Each one here today is a pioneer:
General James Doolittle, a trailblazer in modern aviation;
Ambassador George Kennan, truly a visionary who foresaw the
future of Soviet-American relations; Senator Margaret Chase
Smith, a bold achiever who stood alone against the tide of
2
extremism; Secretary Douglas Dillon, an unparalleled public
servant who shaped American foreign and economic policy; and
finally, a fifth great American who is not with us -- the late
Lucille Ball, First Lady of Television to uncountable millions
worldwide.
General Jimmy Doolittle is an American war hero, a record-
breaking pilot, and an innovator in modern aviation.
After serving his country as a flying cadet in World War I,
General Doolittle made the first cross-country flight with only
one refueling stop. He set land- and sea-plane speed records.
He was the first to fly "blind" -- by instruments only. Indeed,
Jimmy Doolittle was "the master of the calculated risk. "
When the United States entered World War II, General
Doolittle was assigned a top-secret mission that was "perhaps the
most daring combined operation of the whole war." He led the
first offensive aerial strike on the Japanese mainland after
Pearl Harbor. This courageous one-way mission electrified the
world and gave America's war hopes a terrific lift. During the
war, General Doolittle also directed U.S. airpower in the
invasion of Africa, and participated in 25 missions including the
first attack on Rome.
General Doolittle is truly the father of modern aviation.
For his dedication above and beyond the call of duty, for his
bravery and valor, and for his innovation and daring, the nation
thanks him.
3
As a 27-year career diplomat, renowned historian and astute
professor, George Kennan has shaped the way Americans have
thought about foreign policy in the postwar era.
As head of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff, as
Counselor of the Department, and then as Ambassador to the Soviet
Union, he helped our nation understand the dangers it faced and
contributed mightily to the political and economic reconstruction
of Europe.
After his retirement from government, Ambassador Kennan
joined the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, and turned
his formidable talents to scholarship. His many books, which
earned him the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award among
other honors, document the diplomatic history of our modern age.
Through his writings, and his guidance in the Kennan Institute
for Advanced Russian Studies, he has added more to our
understanding of the relationship with the Soviet Union than
perhaps any other individual American.
Today we stand on the threshold of a new era in that
relationship, one that looks beyond the successful strategy of
containment which George Kennan did so much to develop. For his
unique contributions to the national security of this country,
the United States honors Ambassador George Kennan.
Margaret Chase Smith was the first woman in American history
to be elected to both Houses of Congress, serving for 32 years --
holding office under six Presidents, beginning with Franklin
4
Roosevelt. Her talent, intellect, and distinguished service to
this country resulted in her becoming the first woman to have her
name placed in nomination for President by a major political
party.
Senator Smith's finest hour came when she issued the
"Declaration of Conscience," an historic and courageous speech
denouncing McCarthyism. She spoke out when SO many others
remained silent.
Senator Smith was also instrumental in improving the status
of women in the armed services, earning her the title, "Mother of
the Waves. " She was an outspoken advocate of a strong nuclear
deterrent in the face of the Soviet threat.
We honor Senator Smith today for her commitment to truth and
honesty in government and in America, and to strengthening
America at home and abroad. She looked beyond the politics of
the time to see the future of America, and made us all better for
it.
The brilliant achievements of Douglas Dillon raise the
nobility of public service to new heights.
He began his career as a businessman who later served in the
Navy during World War II. While serving in the Eisenhower
Administration as Ambassador to France and later, as
Undersecretary of State, Mr. Dillon pioneered an ambitious
foreign aid policy. In Latin America, his work with struggling
economies strengthened democratic forces; in Western Europe, his
5
determined foreign aid strategies led to economic and military
unity among the allies.
Douglas Dillon also served President Kennedy as Secretary of
the Treasury, and became one of the most influential members of
the Cabinet. The Kennedy tax policy was revolutionary at the
time, and Douglas Dillon was the man who developed those policies
of lower taxes -- policies that worked.
But Douglas Dillon's dedication went beyond serving his
nation as a public servant. Under his leadership as chairman,
the Metropolitan Museum of Art became the second-largest museum
in the world after the Louvre.
Douglas Dillon dedicated himself to making America stronger
-- as a diplomat, a public servant, businessman and
philanthropist -- truly a "Renaissance Man. "
For this, his
countrymen salute him.
Lucille Ball was known as the First Lady of Television, one
of America's greatest comediennes. The series "I Love Lucy"
quickly made her a household name and kept generations of
Americans laughing. In fact, according to TV Guide, her face was
seen "by more people, more often, than the face of any human
being who ever lived." "I Love Lucy" ran in over 80 countries
and the cumulative audience runs in the tens of billions.
Who can forget Lucy? She was like everyone's next door
neighbor -- only funnier. Her secret, she said, was to take
everyday things and exaggerate them to funny absurdity. It
6
worked, and she became an American success story and a brilliant
businesswoman.
Lucille Ball was a national treasure who brought laughter to
us all. Love Lucy? America loved Lucy. This nation is grateful
to her, and we'll miss her dearly.
Now, I am pleased to read the citations and present the
Medals to each of you:
Aviation pioneer and military hero, James H. Doolittle is a
symbol of vision and courage. His numerous contributions to
aeronautical science, often at great personal hazard, extend from
the earliest achievements in long-distance flying to the age of
rockets.
In the uniform of his country, General Doolittle's heroic
leadership inspired the American people during the darkest hours
of the Second World War. In public service, he continued to
foster American advances in aeronautics, the cause to which he
devoted his life.
For extraordinary service to his country, the American
people salute one of their foremost heroes.
( (PRESENT MEDAL))
Career diplomat, historian, and educator, George Kennan has
helped shaped American foreign policy since 1933. His many years
in government service, and a lifetime of scholarly writings,
revealed a deep insight into East-West relations, a recognition
of the challenges of totalitarian expansion, as well as a man of
extraordinary sensitivity.
7
For his success in advancing our national security, and for
his many contributions to the study of international affairs,
George Kennan's fellow Americans proudly honor him. ((PRESENT
MEDAL) )
As a United States Representative for eight years and as a
three-term Senator, Margaret Chase Smith served the people of
Maine and the Nation with distinction. She influenced greatly
the development of our post-war foreign and domestic policies,
and her abilities and independent spirit made her one of the most
admired women in America.
A firm believer in a strong national defense, her efforts to
improve the status of women in the Navy earned her the
affectionate title "Mother of the Waves."
For many years of outstanding public service, America
proudly honors her. ((PRESENT MEDAL) )
In a lifetime of responsible positions, C. Douglas Dillon
has dedicated himself to bettering America and the world.
By fostering European economic and military unity, he
furthered the cause of democracy; through his leadership on
economic issues, he helped make possible the material advance of
a generation; and through his dedication to the Alliance for
Progress, he made real for millions America's determination to
promote social development.
For service to three Presidents, and for commitment to his
fellow man, America honors him. ((PRESENT MEDAL) )
8
A gifted comedienne known and loved by generations of
audiences around the world, Lucille Ball left a lasting
impression on American entertainment. For over fifty years, she
warmed the hearts of millions with her humor, both in films and
later on television, where no program was better named than "I
Love Lucy."
As president of her own production company, she set an
example with her commitment to programming of quality for family
enjoyment.
Lucy's work continues to bring joy and laughter into
American homes, and a grateful Nation remembers her with love and
appreciation. ((PRESENT MEDAL TO HUSBAND GARY MORTON) )
This nation is a better place because of the contributions
of each of you.
I thank you, and the American people thank you.
Congratulations and God bless you.
###
( (Grant) )
July 5, 1989
Draft two
A:freedom
REMARKS: PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM
STATE DINING ROOM
JULY 6, 1989
Thank you. As President, I have been looking forward to one
of the greatest honors of this office -- the privilege of
presenting this nation's highest civilian honor, the Medal of
Freedom. And today I find myself standing with four American
heroes who embody the achievement and unyielding dedication that
is the greatness of this country. You have left an indelible
mark as you have enriched this nation and America is grateful.
Each one here today is a pioneer:
Ambassador George Kennan, truly a visionary who foresaw the
future of Soviet-American relations; General James Doolittle, a
trailblazer in modern aviation and technology; Senator Margaret
Chase Smith, a bold achiever who stood alone against the tide of
extremism; Secretary Douglas Dillon, an unparalled public servant
who shaped American foreign and economic policy; and finally, a
fifth great American who is not with us -- the late Lucille Ball,
First Lady of Television to uncountable millions worldwide.
As a diplomat, historian and professor, George Kennan played
a vital and unique role in establishing our country's foreign
policy after the close of the Second World War.
Ambassador Kennan foresaw the beginning of the Cold War and
sounded a clear note that our government heard. In the late
1940s, he developed our policy of containment, which formed the
basis of a relationship that permitted the world to operate at
peace. Now, after the passage of a great many years, events are
taking place -- then recognized by Kennan -- that could result in
a new era in world peace. It is an era "beyond containment,"
made possible by the success of Kennan's initial prescience and
intellect.
George Kennan's views shaped post-war foreign policy from
the promulgation of the Truman Doctrine, to the formation of
NATO, to the ingenuity of the Marshall Plan. America remains
long-indebted to him for his contibutions to the national
security of this country, the United States honors Ambassador
George Kennan. ((PRESENT MEDAL TO AMBASSADOR KENNAN))
General Jimmy Doolittle is an American war hero, a record-
breaking pilot, and an innovator in modern aviation.
After serving his country as a flying cadet in World War I,
General Doolittle made the first cross-country flight with only
one refueling stop. He set land- and sea-plane speed records.
He was the first to fly "blind" -- by instruments only. Indeed,
Jimmy Doolittle was "the master of the calculated risk."
When the United States entered World War II, General
Doolittle was assigned a top-secret mission that was "perhaps the
most daring combined operation of the whole war." He led the
first offensive aerial strike on the Japanese mainland after the
Pearl Harbor Attack. This courageous one-way mission electrified
the world and gave America's war hopes a terrific lift. During
the war, General Doolittle also directed U.S. airpower in the
invasion of Africa, participating in 25 missions including the
first attack on Rome.
General Doolittle is truly the father of modern aviation.
For his dedication above and beyond the call of duty, for his
bravery and valor, and for his innovation and daring, the nation
thanks him. ((PRESENT MEDAL TO GENERAL DOOLITTLE) )
The crowded history and brilliant achievements of Douglas
Dillon raise the nobility of public service to new heights.
He began his career as a businessman who later served in the
Navy during World War II. While serving in the Eisenhower
Administration as Ambassador to France and later, as
Undersecretary of State, Mr. Dillon pioneered an ambitious
foreign aid policy. In Latin America, his work with struggling
economies strengthened democratic forces; in Western Europe, his
determined foreign aid strategies led to economic and military
unity among the allies.
Douglas Dillon also served President Kennedy as Secretary of
the Treasury, and became one of the most influential members of
the Cabinet. The Kennedy tax policy was revolutionary at the
time, and Douglas Dillon was the man who developed those policies
of lower taxes -- policies that worked.
But Douglas Dillon's dedication went beyond serving his
nation as a public servant. Under his leadership as chairman,
the Metropolitan Museum of Art became the second-largest museum
in the world after the Louvre.
Douglas Dillon dedicated himself to making America stronger
-- as a diplomat, a public servant, businessman and
philanthropist -- truly a "Renaissance Man. If
Douglas Dillon
served his country through the power of his intelligence and his
dedication to freedom. For this, his countrymen salute him.
( (PRESENT MEDAL TO DOUGLAS DILLON) )
Margaret Chase Smith was the first woman in American history
to be elected to both Houses of Congress, serving for 32 years --
holding office under six Presidents, beginning with Franklin
Roosevelt. Her talent, intellect, and long, distinguished
service to the country resulted in her being the first woman ever
nominated for President by a major political party.
Senator Smith's finest hour came when she issued the
"Declaration of Conscience," an historic and courageous speech
denouncing McCarthyism. She spoke out when SO many others
remained silent.
Senator Smith was also instrumental in improving the status
of women in the armed services, earning the title, "Mother of the
Waves. " She was an outspoken advocate of a strong nuclear
deterrent in the face of the Soviet threat.
We honor Senator Smith today for her commitment to truth and
honesty in government and in America, and to strengthening
America at home and abroad. She looked beyond the politics of
the time to see the future of America, and made us all better for
it. ((PRESENT MEDAL TO SENATOR SMITH) )
Lucille Ball was known as the First Lady of Television, one
of America's greatest comediennes. The series "I Love Lucy"
quickly made her a household name and kept generations of
Americans laughing. In fact, according to TV Guide, her face was
seen "by more people, more often, than the face of any human
being who ever lived." Reruns of "Lucy" have run in over 80
countries and the cumulative audience runs in the tens of
billions.
Who can forget Lucy? She was like everyone's next door
neighbor -- only funnier. Her secret, she said, was to take
everyday things and exaggerate them to funny absurdity. It
worked, and she became an American success story and a brilliant
businesswoman.
Lucille Ball was a national treasure who brought laughter to
us all. Love Lucy? America loved Lucy. This nation is grateful
to her, and we'll miss her dearly. ((PRESENT MEDAL TO HUSBAND
GARY MORTON))
This nation has been changed by the contributions of each of
you. America is a better place because of it.
I thank you, and the American people thank you.
Congratulations and God bless you.
###
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
((Grant/Lord))
June 29, 1989
Draft one
A:freedom
REMARKS: PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM
STATE DINING ROOM
JULY 6, 1989
Thank you. As President, I have been looking forward to one
of the greatest honors of this office -- the privilege of
presenting this nation's highest civilian honor, the Medal of
Freedom. And today I find myself standing with five American
heroes -- one here in spirit -- who embody the achievement and
unyielding dedication that is the greatness of this country. You
have left indelible marks on the history of America, and indeed
even greater ones on the future. For you have enriched this
nation and shown the way for those to follow us.
Each one here today is a pioneer:
Ambassador George Kennan, truly a visionary who saw the
future of Soviet-American relations; General James Doolittle, a
trailblazer in modern aviation and technology; Senator Margaret
Chase Smith, a bold achiever who stood alone against the tide of
extremism; Secretary Douglas Dillon, an unparalled public servant
who shaped American foreign and economic policy; and finally, the
late Lucille Ball, the First Lady of Television to uncountable
millions worldwide.
As a diplomat, historian and professor, George Kennan played
a vital and unique role in establishing our country's foreign
policy after the close of the Second World War.
Ambassador Kennan foresaw the beginning of the Cold War and
sounded a clear note that our government heard. In an
influential article in Foreign Affairs magazine and in prize-
winning studies, he accurately described the nature of Soviet-
American relations. His views shaped post-war foreign policy
from the promulgation of the Truman Doctrine, to the formation of
NATO, to the ingenuity of the Marshall Plan. America remains
long-indebted to him for his great wisdom, intelligence and
foresight.
Kennan is given great credit for the formation of
containment policy in the late 1940s. This important doctrine
formed the basis of a relationship that permitted the world to
operate at peace. Now, after the passage of a great many years,
events are taking place -- then recognized by Kennan -- that
could result in a new era in world peace and a new type of
concord. We now call it "beyond containment," a challenge made
possible only by his courage and ability.
The prescience and intellect of George Kennan have remained
unparalled, and for his contibutions to the national security of
this country, the United States honors Ambassador George Kennan.
( (PRESENT MEDAL TO AMBASSADOR KENNAN) )
General Jimmy Doolittle is an American war hero, a record-
breaking pilot, and an innovator in modern aviation.
After serving the country as a flying cadet in World War I,
General Doolittle made the first cross-country flight with only
one refueling stop. He set land- and sea-plane speed records.
He was the first to fly "blind" -- by instruments only. And he
was the first to fly the daring "outside loop." Indeed, Jimmy
Doolittle was "the master of the calculated risk. "
When the United States entered World War II, General
Doolittle was assigned a top-secret mission that was "perhaps the
most daring combined operation of the whole war. " He led the
first offensive aerial strike on the Japanese mainland after the
Pearl Harbor Attack. This courageous one-way mission electrified
the world and gave America's war hopes a terrific lift. During
the war, General Doolittle also directed U.S. airpower in the
invasion of Africa, participating in 25 missions including the
first attack on Rome.
( (If you ask me, the only mistake Jimmy Doolittle ever made
was being an Air Force pilot -- and not a Navy pilot. ) )
General Doolittle has dedicated his entire life to the cause
of world peace. For his dedication above and beyond the call of
duty, for his bravery and valor, and for his tireless devotion to
the field of modern aviation, the nation thanks him. ( (PRESENT
MEDAL TO GENERAL DOOLITTLE) )
The crowded history and brilliant achievements of Douglas
Dillon raise the nobility of public service to new heights.
He began his career as a businessman who later served in the
Navy during World War II. While serving in the Eisenhower
administration as Ambassador to France and later, as
Undersecretary of State, Mr. Dillon pioneered an ambitious
foreign aid policy. He argued that Communist advances demanded
economic strength and coherency from the West
-- and he was
right. In Latin America, his work with struggling economies
strengthened democratic forces; in Western Europe, his ambitious
foreign aid strategies led to economic and military unity among
the allies.
As a Republican, Douglas Dillon served President Kennedy as
Secretary of the Treasury, and became one of the most influential
members of the Cabinet. He stood then for what has proved
successful now: low taxes to keep the economy strong, a capital
gains tax cut to stimulate investment, and tax reform to close
the loopholes. The Kennedy tax policy was revolutionary at the
time, and Douglas Dillon was the man who had the courage to stand
for what was right -- and what worked.
Under his leadership, the Metropolitan Museum of Art became
the second-largest museum in the world after the Louvre. He
presided over the period of the Museum's largest growth and
public success.
Douglas Dillon dedicated himself to making America stronger
-- as a diplomat, a bipartisan public servant, businessman
and
philanthropist -- truly a "Renaissance Man. "
Douglas Dillon
served his country through the power of his intelligence and his
dedication to freedom. For this, his countrymen salute him.
( (PRESENT MEDAL TO DOUGLAS DILLON) )
Margaret Chase Smith was the first woman in American history
to be elected to both Houses of Congress, serving for 32 years --
holding office under six Presidents, beginning with Franklin
Roosevelt. Her long and distinguished service to the country
resulted in her being the first woman ever nominated for
President by a major political party.
Senator Smith's finest hour came when she issued the
"Declaration of Conscience," the historic speech given by the
only woman in the Senate to her male colleagues during the seige
of McCarthyism. She spoke of the right of all Americans to free
speech and free thought, reputiating the current climate of "hate
and character assassination" brought about by one man. She spoke
out when no others would.
Senator Smith was instrumental in improving the status of
women in the armed services, earning the title, "Mother of the
Waves. " She was an outspoken advocate of a strong nuclear
deterrent in the face of the Soviet threat, prompting Nikita
Khrushchev to label her "the devil in disguise of a woman. " As a
candidate, she mastered grass-roots campaigning on a shoestring
budget the old-fashioned way -- by refusing all special interest
money.
We honor Senator Smith today for her commitment to the truth
and honesty in government, and to strengthening America at home
and abroad. She looked beyond the politics of the time to see
the future of America, and made us all better for it. ((PRESENT
MEDAL TO SENATOR SMITH) )
Lucille Ball was known as the First Lady of Television, one
of the greatest American comediennes of all. Her explosive
success in the series "I Love Lucy" quickly made her a household
name and kept generations of Americans laughing. In fact,
according to TV Guide, her face has been seen "by more people,
more often, than the face of any human being who ever lived."
Reruns of "Lucy" have run in over 80 countries and the cumulative
audience runs in the tens of billions.
Who can forget Lucy working at the chocolate factory
conveyor belt, eating more and more candies as the belt moved
faster? Or when she got her "big break" filming a commercial for
"Vitameatavegamin," (VITA-MEET-A-VEG-A-MEEN) , which she
couldn't pronounce as she tried to choke down the awful tonic?
Her secret, she said, was to take everyday things and exaggerate
them to funny absurdity. It worked, and she became an American
success story and a brilliant businesswoman.
She is a national treasure, a monument, an institution.
Love Lucy? America Loved Lucy. This nation is grateful to her,
and we'll miss her dearly. ((PRESENT MEDAL TO HUSBAND GARY
MORTON) )
The contributions of each recipient today are unique and
noteworthy. And the course of this nation has been changed by
each one of them.
America is a better place for each of you. I thank you, and
the American people thank you. Congratulations and God bless
you.
###
T
H
E
A
R
S
ENTERTAINMENT
Everyone Loved Lucy
A great comedienne leaves us laughing
look like an actress, but I feel like a
and landlords. Arnaz also out-
housewife. That's why I was able to
smarted the network honchos:
make a success of the show. I feel like
he and his wife offered to take a
Lucy." That was how Lucille Ball, who died
salary cut in return for CBS's
last week following open-heart surgery af-
giving them ownership of the
ter a heart attack, explained the Lucy phe-
series. The result was Desilu
nomenon that made her probably the most
Productions, which Lucy sold
popular woman in the history of show busi-
to Gulf + Western for $17 mil-
ness. Her simple secret, she said, was to
lion in 1967.
take everyday things and exaggerate them
Wise-guy friend: That was a
to a point of happy hysteria. If Lucy baked
long way from her beginnings
a loaf of bread, then something had to go
as a kid from Jamestown, N.Y.,
wrong, inflating the loaf to a 13-foot mon-
who struggled to make it as
ster that leaped from the oven to attack
a Broadway showgirl, often
her. When Lucy and her friend Ethel want-
stealing tips from coffee-shop
ed a souvenir of their trip to Hollywood,
counters to get by. She became
naturally they tried to swipe John Wayne's
a model, then went to Holly-
COURTESY CBS
footprints from the pavement in front of
wood in 1933 as one of the Gold-
Looks like an actress, feels like a housewife: Lucy
Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
wyn Girls in Eddie Cantor's
Well, you had to be there. And uncount-
musical "Roman Scandals." After a string
riage. Instead, "I Love Lucy" was an ideal-
able millions were there, in front of their
of small roles in forgettable movies, she
ized image of their real relationship. Lucy's
TV sets. (They still are, watching syndicat-
hung a sign on her dressing-room door that
pregnancy became part of the show-al-
ed reruns from Hoboken to Hong Kong.)
said PROPOSALS ACCEPTED and yelled out:
though a ludicrously jittery CBS would not
When the BBC made a documentary of
"Step right up, gents! Right this way! Mar-
allow the word "pregnant" to be used and
Britain's royal family, it was Lucy they
ry a girl with a wonderful shape and no
had the scripts checked by members of the
were seen watching on the palace TV. The
future!" She wound up making about 75
clergy. But despite the tremendous success
original Lucy formats ("ILove Lucy," "The
movies ("Stage Door," with Katharine
of the series, the marriage foundered and
Lucy Show," "Here's Lucy"), stretching
Hepburn, the Marx Brothers' "Room Serv-
they were divorced in 1960. (Arnaz died in
from 1951 to 1974, were an explosive, un-
ice"), specializing in what she called "drop-
1986.) She had converted to Roman Cathol-
precedented success story. And it almost
gag parts," the wise-guy friend who walks
icism but later switched to the more "work-
didn't happen. CBS didn't want Lucy's hus-
into a situation, drops a gag and leaves.
able" philosophy of the Rev. Dr. Norman
band, Cuban bandleader Desi Arnaz, to
In 1940 she met and married Arnaz, with
Vincent Peale, the author of "The Power of
play her husband in "I Love Lucy." Lucy
whom she had two children, Lucie and Desi.
Positive Thinking." In 1961 it was Peale
insisted, and Arnaz was a great success as
It was a troubled marriage; the charming
who officiated at the wedding of Lucy and
Ricky Ricardo, as were 24-karat charac-
but erratic bandleader spent a lot of time on
comedian Gary Morton.
ter actors William Frawley and Vivian
the road and off the wagon. She had hoped
In 1986 the 75-year-old entertainer made
Vance as the Mertzes, the Ricardos' friends
their TV project would stabilize the mar-
an ill-advised attempt to revive her classic
series on ABC with "Life With
Lucy." The show lasted only
two months. It was a new era,
and the knockabout innocence
shared by Lucy and her original
audience was gone. She had
once referred to herself as "a
hardworking hack with an in-
stinct for timing, who knows
the mechanics of comedy. I
picked it up by osmosis, on radio
and movie lots, working with
Bob Hope, Bert Lahr, the Marx
Brothers." Lucy, said Lucy,
"has a basic childishness that
hopefully most of us never
lose." Who knows about "most
JERRY OHLINGER
Glamour girl to clown: Film in
of us," but Lucille Ball, the
the '40s, TV with Arnaz,
glamour girl who became a
Vance, Frawley in the '50s
clown, never lost it.
JACK KROLL
PHOTOFEST
NEWSWEEK MAY 8, 1989 75
Video
met her look-alike, the actress Lucille Ball,
A Zany Redheaded Everywoman
the script concluded that the "real" Lucy
was the star-struck onlooker, not the star.
Yet, after Ball divorced Arnaz in 1960, the
Lucille Ball: 1911-1989
Lucy character also evolved into a capable
single mother, then an independent and
BY WILLIAM A. HENRY III
Their foremost concern was the
modestly successful career woman. Off-
yearning of one redheaded Everywoman
camera, Ball was happily remarried in
W
hen her first TV series debuted on
to get out of the kitchen and into a job and
1961 to a courtly, protective ex-comic,
Oct. 15, 1951, there was no way to
then, once employed, to emerge from be-
Gary Morton, and took a keen maternal
tell that Lucille Ball was beginning an ap-
neath the boss's thumb. She endured any
interest in the acting careers of her daugh-
parently immortal love affair with the
indignity in search of her big chance. The
ter Lucie Arnaz and son Desi Arnaz Jr.,
American public, and not much reason
greatest indignity of all, it generally
both of whom got started on Here's Lucy.
even to expect commercial success. Ball
turned out, was the chuckling condescen-
Despite the sophistication that under-
was a comely redhead with a semisultry
lay her slapstick and the respect she com-
voice and knockout legs, but she was also
manded as the first woman to head a stu-
nearly 40 and a veteran of almost two dec-
GEORGE ZENO COLLECTION
dio, Desilu Productions, Ball said she saw
ades in the supporting ranks of show busi-
herself as "not an idea girl but a doer."
ness. She had been a movie actress but
Like the silent comedians she studied
hardly a superstar; she had enjoyed mod-
(Buster Keaton, her onetime office mate
erate success in radio but had only fleeting
at MGM, taught her how to handle props)
experience in the new medium of video.
and impersonated (her mirror-image con-
She refused to move from the West Coast
frontation with Harpo Marx and her
to New York City, where nearly all shows
Chaplin homage were priceless), Ball re-
then originated, and she insisted on co-
hearsed every sequence obsessively. Yet
starring her husband, an obscure band-
when the cameras were rolling she made
leader whose Cuban syntax was so con-
each gesture look spontaneous, each wise-
spicuous that his dressing room featured
crack seem an ad lib. Memorably, Lucy
the sign ENGLISH BROKEN HERE.
and her sidekick Ethel Mertz (Vivian
Nothing, in short, about her prior ca-
Vance) took a job wrapping chocolates; as
reer hinted that she could be as deft and
the candies hurtled past on a conveyor
daring as Harold Lloyd, as rubber-faced
belt, the hapless duo tried to keep pace by
as Bert Lahr, as touching as Chaplin-
stuffing half of them into their mouths.
and more ladylike than Milton Berle.
Seeking to emulate a pioneer woman,
Along with the other foremost icon of the
Lucy opened an oven to remove freshly
'50s Golden Age of TV, Jackie Gleason,
baked bread-and was pinned against the
Ball was a larger-than-life talent uniquely
sink by a loaf 8 ft. long. At long last hired
suited to the small screen. Her signature
for a commercial, she grew increasingly
series, I Love Lucy, and its successors en-
malaprop attempting to pronounce Vita-
dured more than two decades in prime
meatavegamin, the 46-proof tonic she was
time, from 1951 to 1974, one of the few
touting, and swigging, at each take.
immutables in a sea of social change.
So familiar were her trademark facial
Lucy, seen in more than 80 countries and
expressions that after a while scriptwrit-
in perpetual reruns in the U.S., has a cu-
ers simply inserted code words for them.
mulative audience in the tens of billions.
She could be as
"Puddling up" meant that Lucy's eyes
The daughter of a Jamestown, N.Y.,
rubber-faced as Bert Lahr,
would fill with tears just before she emit-
electrician, Ball left home at 15 to study
ted a banshee wail. "Light bulb" signaled
acting in New York City. Although she
as touching as Chaplin
the alarming expression that crossed her
started as a model and chorus-line beauty,
face when she had a brainstorm. "Cre-
she never lost touch with the insecure,
-and more ladylike than
dentials" indicated an open-mouthed
self-conscious adolescent inside her and
Milton Berle
gape, as if to say, "How dare you!"
seemed most at ease when playing a zany
No performer can stay at the peak of
or a frump. Her great creation was the
popularity forever. In Here's Lucy's last
Lucy character, a Little Scamp who was
sion of her husband Ricky, played by her
season, ratings dropped abruptly. Al-
forever conniving, forever failing, forever
real-life husband and business partner
though specials featuring Ball proved
meriting punishment yet winning forgive-
Desi Arnaz. The confident king of the
popular, an attempt at a sitcom comeback
ness. The thwarted schemer was a figure
castle, he was always ready to teach Lucy
in 1986 was an artistic and commercial fi-
dating back to the Romans if not the
a lesson. Looking back from an '80s per-
asco. Audiences were uncomfortable
Greeks, but Ball deftly sentimentalized
spective, some observers have suggested
watching a senior citizen drop hammers.
the character, merged its cunning intel-
that Lucy was virtually an abused wife. In
stub toes and otherwise attempt a pallid
lect with joyously low physical comedy
retrospect, Ball might have agreed. Cer-
imitation of the pratfall past. But if the
and, perhaps most important, feminized
tainly, she was bitter about the off-camera
Lucy of her final years was limited to Os-
it. Her shows-I Love Lucy, The Lucille
problems caused by Arnaz's drinking,
car and Emmy appearances as a cher-
Ball and Desi Arnaz Show, The Lucy
philandering and intense workaholism.
ished memory, the eternal Lucy of the re-
Show and Here's Lucy-reflected the ma-
The Lucy character began as a saxo-
runs remained imperishably funny and
jor post-World War II social trends, from
phonist who bleated, a chanteuse who
tender. At the news of her death last
the baby boom to the exodus to the sub-
croaked, a hoofer who fell down. Even in
week, millions who felt they had known
urbs to the democratization of travel.
the final season, when the Lucy character
her all their lives were puddling up.
101
TIME, MAY 8, 1989
LUCILLE BALL
Lucille Ball was born on August 6, 1911 in Celoron, a
suburb of Jamestown, in western New York. She died on April 26,
1989 at the age of 77. The well known actress was both a
loveable clown and a shrewd business executive.
While Miss Ball was best known for being the star of several
hit TV shows she began her acting career as a motion picture
actress. From 1934 to 1974 she made over 70 films. In 1951 she
made her television debut in the series "I Love Lucy." This was
the first of several comedy shows which made her a household name
and which endeared her to generations of Americans over the
course of four decades. The innovative production method, with
each episode performed in sequence, like a play, before an
audience and filmed with a revolutionary three-camera technique,
had a direct influence on the shift from live television to film.
"I Love Lucy" rated as the number one show in six months;
accumulated over 200 awards, including five Emmys; and became one
of TV's four "all time hits."
In 1968 Miss Ball created her own production company to
further the cause of film as pure entertainment that provided, in
her own words, "hope, faith and fun" as an antidote to the
violence, sex, muck and mire on the screen" prevalent today. The
personal touch that she brought to her presidency helped to build
the company into one of the country's largest producers of filmed
television shows.
Lucille Ball was the recipient of the Emmy award for best
comedienne, 1952, 55, 67, 68; Golden Apple award, 1973; Ruby
award, 1974; and the Entertainer of the Year award, 1975. In
1984 she was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
ALL THE WORLD
LOVED THIS CLOWN,
LUCILLE BALL
Following a life of happiness and pain the comedy queen's death
atlage:77 leaves alegacy of laughter that can never be topped
By Brad Darrach
ucy. She bore the same name as the:
L
and, calm as you please, in--
heroine of Wordsworth's poem, but
quired: How's the dog do-
this Lucy was no violet by a
ing?" He told her Tinker was
mossy stone; half-hidden from the eye..
doing fine., Then she asked,,
This Lucy was the funniest woman of. the
"Was it a big surgery?" He,
century, the Mount Saint Helens of come-
said, "It was a big surgery, but
dy, a disaster-prone doozy who regularly
it was a good surgery. When
flipped her lid and spewed hilarity over
her daughter; Lucie, showed
delighted millions. But last week the vol-
up, she lifted her oxygen
cano subsided into final silence. At 5:47
mask and murmured drily:
A.M. on April 26, Lucille Ball died in Los-
"Wouldn't you know, this was
Angeles's Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
the day I was supposed to get
when her aorta ruptured and brought on a
my hair color done." The next
sudden and irreparable cardiac arrest. She
morning she got up and sat in
was:77..
a chair, and the day after that:
She did not go gentle. She fought to the
she walked around her room
finish and seemed in fact to be winning:
with a little help from herr
the fight. On April19, eight days before
nurse. Thousands of tele.-
her death e:complained of chest pains
grams piledup in the:hospital
and was'rushed to the hospital, where:car=
mail room, tons of flowers
diologist Yuri Busi diagnosed dissect-
were turned away (no pollen-
tunnel through
allowed in the intensive:care
the:wall'of the largest artery, that feeds
wing) and:fax messages, the
blood:to the:body Aliundred. minutes;lat-
postmodern versionof Hall-
NEAL PETERS COLLECTION
the operating table; and dur-
mark cards; came.im
ing:the next'sevembours and 40 minutes at
steady rate:of one.every two
team:of.specialists replaced her aortic:
minutes. When Doctor Busi lastisaw Lu-
valve:anda. portion of the aorta itself-ar
cille she wasin high spirits; keen to get/on
Lucy and Desi
high-risk procedure that can only. be per=
with her life "III be backsooner than:you
Ainazplayed
formed while the patient's heartis:
expect," she told him happily.
America's sweet-
stopped
But it was not to:beal ast Wednesday
hearts duringthe
Despite:herage Lucille veredirap*
justbefore.dawn,shewokewithisevere)
idlys Whemsh wokeupin intensive,cares,
back.painsandwas.deadwithinminutes;;
Mosmost popu-
she looked'up athusband. Gary Mortone
heraorta:hadruptured'againatapointe
ansitcom.
fairly distant from the site of the opera-
bread-and added enough yeast to raise
tion. A team of doctors and nurses
the Titanic. KABLOOIE! A loaf the size
worked frantically but failed to revive
of Portugal exploded out of the oven,
her. "I don't think she had enough time to
rammed her across the kitchen floor
know what was happening to her," Busi
and pinned her against the sink-
said. Would she still be alive if the entire
WAAAAAAA! And then there was the
aorta had been replaced by her surgeons?
time Lucy and Ethel Mertz, her nitwit
The question is academic: Theoretically,
landlady, tried to install a shower. Lucy
it is possible to replace the entire aorta,
turned it on full blast, then discovered in
but the operation is never performed.
pop-eyed terror that she couldn't turn it
off-and couldn't get out of a shower
Love Lucy? Who could help it? She was
stall that rapidly filled with whooshing
the most endearing of all the daffy
water while the dippy duo screeched and
dames who ever popped out of the tube.
floundered like overdressed tadpoles in
Who can forget the day she baked
THE BETTMANN ARCHIVE
a highball glass.
That was Lucy: slapstick Garbo, female
clown of the century, by every standard
Lucy, age 2, in Jamestown, N.Y., two
the First Lady of Television. I Love Lucy,
years before her father's death.
her original series, was the most popular
KOBAL COLLECTION
We loved Lucy's Raggedy
Ann looks: the big, red bow-tie
mouth, the ha-ha hairdo that
topped her off like a giant
orange dandelion.
sitcom in TV history. In 1952 the show
captured 67 of every 100 viewers at 9 on
Monday nights, and for four of its six
years (1951-57) on the air it ranked No. 1
in the Nielsen ratings. The Lucy Show
(1962-68) and Here's Lucy (1968-74) ran
for nine seasons in the Top 10. And for 32
years reruns of I Love Lucyhave dominat-
ed the worldwide syndication market. As
one fan said, "Every minute of the day,
somewhere, someone is watching I Love
Lucy."
Viewers adored Lucy-no TV per-
former before or since has been so dear-
ly loved. We loved her Raggedy Ann
looks: the big, red, floppy, bow-tie
mouth, the baby-blue, sunny-side-up
eyes, the ha-ha hairdo that topped her off
like a giant orange dandelion. We loved
her raucous guffaw that whacked the ear
like a seal's bark, and her high-low voice
that sometimes squeaked like Minnie
Mouse and sometimes rasped and rat-
tled like roller skates on rough cement.
We loved her high C squeals of panic
when she realized-too late-that she
shouldn't have attached her phony white
The 22-year-old ingenue landed a bit
part in 1933's Roman Scandals.
48
Lucy starred in 1937 with Ann Miller,
left, and Ginger Rogers in Stage Door.
beard with ever-grip glue. We loved her
greedy glee when she got pregnant and
ordered pistachio ice cream slathered
with hot fudge and-sardines. Above all,
we loved her for being her all-too-hu-
man, indefatigably silly self: a Don Qui-
xote in pin curls who tilted hopelessly
but hilariously at the male establishment,
a beguiling caricature of all those wistful
hausfraus of the '50s who dreamed of
conquering the great big world out there
but time and again wound up bitchin' in
the kitchen.
KOBAL COLLECTION
Caught up in the illusion, most of us as-
sumed that Lucy and Lucille were the
same endearing dizzard. Wrong. Tough,
smart, testy and grindingly ambitious,
Lucille was a career-obsessed control
freak who firmly believed that you can't
make an omelet without breaking egos.
On the set she deferred to no one, not
even to husband and co-star Desi Arnaz.
She demanded star prerogatives, monop-
olized close-ups and extracted speckless
perfection from a frazzled cast and crew.
But Lucille was just as hard on herself.
When she fell off an eight-foot-high bal-
cony and severely bruised her leg, she in-
stantly staggered to her feet and uncom-
plainingly continued the scene.
Lucille played Big Boss at home too.
Like her good friend Joan Crawford, she
managed Lucie and Desi Jr. like a drill
sergeant shaping up raw recruits. And
like Joan, she was a compulsive Mrs.
Clean. Her idea of fun was to lint-pick
NEAL PETERS COLLECTION
and dust-bust, and when she traveled by
plane she meticulously tidied all the lava-
I
Dick Powell courted Lucy's wartime welder in Meet the People in 1944.
tory cubicles. Something of a prude, she
considered most modern movies ob-
scene, but her blowtorch temper some-
times incinerated her principles. When a
male interviewer stared at her upper sto-
ry, she angrily ripped the falsies out of her
bra and waggled them in his face.
Harsh influences shaped Lucille's tem-
perament. Her father, a telephone line-
man, died when she was 4, and when her
mother remarried. Lucille was left in the
care of her new in-laws in Upstate New
York. Some care. To keep her under con-
trol. they locked the poor kid into a dog
collar and leashed her to an overhead
wire in the backyard. Lonely and scared.
Lucy first turned redhead for a Techni-
color role with Red Skelton in 1943.
LEONARD MCCOMBE/LIFE
Despite appearances, by the end of
Lucy, the Arnazes were estranged.
Lucille invented an imaginary friend
named Sassafrassa who assured her that
someday she would be a movie star. The
fantasy took hold, and at 12 Lucille bold-
ly set foot on her potholed path to glo-
Γy. "I started walking toward what I
thought was New York," she recalled
some decades later, "and kept going till
someone brought me back."
At 15, she finally made it to the Great
White Way. Her hair was mud brown in
those days, but she had great gams and
a willowy figure and was hired tootsweet
as a hoofer in the road company of Rio
Rita. Tootsweet, she was fired-couldn't
dance. So she went to work as a soda jerk
but was fired again-no banana in the
banana split. When she changed her
name to Diane Belmont, her luck
changed too. She got a job modeling in
Hattie Carnegie's chic atelier ("I was her
organdy girl"), but at 17 she was para-
lyzed from the waist down by rheumatic
fever and spent two years learning to
walk again.
At 20, back on her feet, she lucked
into a small movie role: as a slave girl in
a flashy 1933 musical called Roman Scan-
dals. Frantic for fame, she made all the
right career moves: knew her lines, dyed
ELLIOT ERWITT/MAGNUM MAGNUM
her hair the color of boiled shrimp, snug-
As a Texas tomboy, Lucy danced and
sang in 1960's Wildcat on Broadway.
50
gled with influentials-among them
Henry Fonda. Now and then she landed
an up-market movie (Best Foot Forward,
Ziegfeld Follies), but she was almost al-
ways cast as the leading lady's smart-ass
sidekick. "Nobody in Hollywood under-
stands her talent," critic James Agee
said. "She's a giant tied down by pyg-
mies." In time her parts got better but
her pictures got worse. At 39, after 18
years in Tinseltown, she was looking at
the tag-end of a drab career as "Queen of
the B's"-and at the debris of a wrecked
marriage.
Five years younger than Lucille, Desi
was a Cuban bandleader who, as a lady
friend put it, "could rumba standing up
and lying down." Married in 1940, after
meeting on the set of Too Many Girls, the
Arnazes were mad for each other at first,
UNITED ARTISTS
but their schedules proved painfully in-
compatible. Lucille stayed in L.A. and
I The Facts of Life (1960) was one of good friend Bob Hope's four films with Lucy.
made movies; Desi was continually
on the road with his rumba band-and
on the prowl for a fresh hot tamale. To
Lonely and scared in the care
of heartless in-laws, little
Lucy was locked in a dog collar
and leashed to an overhead
wire in the backyard.
save the marriage and her career, they
RALPH CRANE/LIFE
decided to do a TV sitcom together.
Forget it, said CBS brass. Viewers will
Vivian Vance and Gale Gordon reunited
Ball paid her homage to the Little Tramp
never accept a Latin leading man. But
with Lucy for her 1977 CBS special.
in a 1963 episode of The Lucy Show.
Desi raised 5 Gs, made a pilot, sold the
show to Philip Morris and literally forced
CBS to put it on the air in 1951. What's
more, in an era when TV shows were pre-
served on blurry kinescopes, Desi shot
I Love Lucyon film and reserved all fu-
ture rights to Desilu. In effect, he invent-
ed one of TV's richest sources of profit:
the rerun. Six years after the series start-
ed, he sold the shows to CBS for $5
million-cheap at the price. Over the last
three decades, reruns of I Love Lucyhave
been telecast in more than 100 countries.
Desi also pioneered the basic produc-
tion techniques that have shaped the
modern sitcom: Using three cameras, he
filmed the show in segments before live
audiences. Juiced by audience reactions,
Lucille went gloriously wacko, and the
BOB
PHOTOFEST
show took off. Among all four principals
At 74, Lucy tried her first dramatic part,
Lucy played the brassy Mame with Rob-
the chemistry was flawless-on-camera.
a bag lady in TV's Stone Pillow.
ert Preston in the 1974 movie musical.
51
LUCY'S $50,000,000 BABY
On Jan. 19, 1953, 44 million viewers
tuned in to Lucy for little Ricky's birth.
TV
GUIDE
11
Off-camera, William Frawley (Fred
COMPLETE PROGRAM
Mertz) loathed Vivian Vance (Ethel
15t
Mertz), Vivian hated Lucille (though in
later years they became close friends),
and the relationship between Lucille and
Desi steadily deteriorated.
DESIDERIO
All week long, Desi worked from
ALBERTO
ARNAZ IV
dawn to midnight: acting, producing, cre-
ating a fantastic entertainment empire
©1953 BY TRIANGLE PUBLICATIONS,
out of thin air. By 1959, building on
Lucy's success, he had made Desilu into a
corporate giant that generated a score of
powerhouse series (among them Star
AP
Trek, The Untouchables and Mission: Im-
Wed first in 1940, Lucy and Desi had a
possible). But on weekends, when he
Catholic ceremony eight years later.
might have spent some time with his
equally hard-working wife, Desi sailed
away on his yacht with the latest inamo-
rata-a habit that flipped Lucy into red-
headed rages. On one angry occasion she
One night in a fury Lucille
grabbed a pistol, aimed it
at Desi's head and pulled the
trigger. A tiny flame
spurted from the muzzle.
locked him out of the house and he slept
in the lobby of the Beverly Hills Hotel.
One night in a fury Lucille grabbed a
pistol, aimed it at Desi's head and pulled
the trigger. A tiny flame spurted from the
muzzle. Whereupon Desi, ever the suave
Latin, calmly stepped up and lit his cigar.
After five years of corporate crisis and
domestic Sturm und Drang, Desi's nerves
at last gave out. Minor upsets threw him
into giant tantrums-when a pipe burst in
their Beverly Hills house. he took off on a
two-day tirade. To keep going, he drank
like a drain. In 1957, ill and exhausted.
he folded the show and had a serious
intestinal operation. In 1960 the King and
Queen of television were divorced.
"Those last five years," Lucille said after-
ward, "were sheer. unadulterated hell."
But they made her the most famous wom-
an on the planet and stuffed her kitty with
enough kale to buy Desi's share of their
EDWARD CLARK/LIFE
The happy family: Lucy, Desi, Desi Jr.
and Lucie on the Desilu ranch in 1953.
DESILU
BALBOA
H
CURT
COLLECTION
The Desilu was more often a plaything
In 1961 Lucy wed comic Gary Morton
With Morton, left, she made her last
for Desi than for family outings.
(here with little Lucie and Desi Jr).
public showing at the Oscars in March.
company. For the next seven years she
was sole owner of the world's largest pro-
duction facility.
Being rich and famous wasn't always
fun. Desi died of cancer in 1986, and in
his teens Desi Jr. got messed up by drugs.
But daughter Lucie has done well on the
stage (They're Playing Our Song) and in
television, and Lucille enjoyed a solid,
27-year second marriage to stand-up
comic Gary Morton, a steady, earthy
character who knew how to level out her
temperamental peaks and valleys. They
lived in an unpretentious two-story Bev-
erly Hills house, right across the street
from Jimmy Stewart's place, and dined
out regularly with old friends Lucille had
seen too seldom during her grab-for-glory
RON
years.
At 75, feisty as ever, she tried a come-
back in ABC's Life with Lucy, but the
Her mother, Desiree, here in 1974, en-
"It's very proud-making," Lucy said of
show was ill-conceived and quickly van-
couraged Lucy's entry into showbiz.
daughter Lucie's 1978 Broadway debut.
ished. Last year she had a significant
heart attack but recovered completely
and kept right on living at a lively pace.
She made her last public appearance
with Bob Hope at the recent Academy
Award show-they introduced the New
Hollywood number-and flashed those
still-gorgeous gams in a slit skirt that got
cheers from the crowd when she showed
up at Swifty Lazar's postceremony bash.
When she left us. she left 179 of TV's
most hilarious half-hours-and no re-
grets. "I had a sensational 25 years," she
said recently. "I won't try to top that. It's
nice to have entertained five genera-
tions." Five generations emphatically
agree. Thank you. Lucy. We all had
a Ball.
TONY PRESS
53
things that's happened to TV in a long time,"
newspapers, such as shoppers' guides and
proved beyond question that "the American
business publications, and data collection and
public can be led to something better." Fol-
dissemination systems. Furthermore, he ex-
lowing that example, Backe enthusiastically
pected to make huge capital investments in
supported the production of a number of lim-
CBS Records, with a view to the future,
ited series of high quality.
and he is committed to making further diversi-
More "inward-looking" than his immediate
fications as long as they make sense.
predecessors, Backe chose not to become an
As rumors of a massive talent hunt for a
industry spokesman and preferred to focus
successor to Backe circulated through "Broad-
his attention on the concerns of CBS. To
casting Row" in October 1977, he made his
facilitate internal corporate development and
most important move to date as chief ex-
promote managerial effectiveness, he set up
ecutive officer. In an effort to reverse CBS's
a training course for CBS middle managers,
falling prime time ratings, Backe ordered a
the first of its kind in the broadcast indus-
sweeping reorganization of the network's
try. "We want them to learn how to set up
broadcast operations, patterned after those
management objectives and how to measure
made earlier by ABC, the prime time leader
people," he said, as quoted in Fortune (May
in ratings. He replaced the presidents of both
1977) magazine. "In our industry, you run
the broadcast group and the television net-
into a lot of people who are very glib and
work and created two new divisions, CBS
attractive and bright. They are not always
Sports and CBS Entertainment, previously
effective. I want to find the people who make
under the aegis of the network president.
things happen."
Despite repeated CBS denials, some media
Although Backe's style of management is
columnists, among them, Kay Gardella of
e,
formal and, in his words, "pretty much ac-
the New York Daily News, conjectured that
cording to the book" from the standpoint of
Paley, not Backe, was the driving force be-
30,
business procedure, he is informal with cor-
hind the structural changes.
1g,
porate subordinates. "I get very involved in
John D. Backe stands about six feet tall
:SS
operations [and] I run formal business re-
and weighs about 175 pounds. He has brown
views on a regular basis," he admitted to
eyes and black hair, graying at the temples.
Rance Crain, "but the other side of it is that
In his rare off-hours he plays an occasional
ro-
I'm a very informal guy. I'm not hung up
game of tennis or reads historical novels,
of
by the trappings of the office. I try to have
but his favorite pastime is flying his twin-
the
da-
personal relationships with people and hu-
engine, seven-passenger Cessna 411. He and
manize the organization as much as I can,
his wife, the former Katherine A. Elliott,
im-
'BS
because this office has enough of a horror
whom he married on October 22, 1955, and
about it that you do everything possible to
children, Kimberly and John, live in Basking
rty-
knock down the built-in majesty, to get people
Ridge, New Jersey. Backe was recently award-
ong
to communicate with you."
ed an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from
ome
in
At the annual stockholders' meeting in Los
his undergraduate alma mater. He is a di-
Angeles on April 20, 1977, Paley announced
rector of the Association of American Pub-
1 to
"I
that Backe would take over the running of
lishers and a Trustee of the Morris County
in-
CBS's day-to-day operations as the company's
(New Jersey) United Fund.
iat's
chief executive officer on May 11. Paley re-
tained his position as chairman of the board.
References: Advertising Age 48:53+ Mr 28 '77
go-
sion
Despite Paley's assurances that Backe had a
pors; Fortune 94:33 N '76 por; N Y Times
ngès
free hand in the management of CBS's cor-
p74 O 14 '76 por, D p1 Ap 21 '77 por; Time
porate operations, some business analysts
108:52 O 25 '76 por; Who's Who in America,
speculated that the former chief executive's
1976-77
hour
huge stock holdings and control of the board
on
of directors guaranteed him continued power.
it of
"Paley has given up every position except
situa-
emperor," one unidentified CBS official re-
ma-
marked, as quoted in Time (May 2, 1977)
Ball, Lucille
orter.
magazine. Backe was well aware of his deli-
more
cate situation. "The toughest thing," he told
take
the reporter for Fortune, "will be to impart
Aug. 6, 1911- Actress; producer. Address:
t the
b. Lucille Ball Productions, Inc., 780 N. Gower
my style of management to people who are
es to
St., Hollywood, Calif. 90038; h. 1000 N. Rox.
obviously still wondering if Paley is really
stand-
bury Dr., Beverly Hills, Calif. 90213
stepping down."
versial
Intent on making CBS "as competitive as
NOTE: This biography supersedes the article
tically
possible in every aspect," Backe was deter-
that appeared in Current Biography in 1952.
right
mined to be more of an activist than Paley,
:o up-
e phe-
who concentrated on broadcasting. Among
Speaking "a universal language of wacky
Roots,
other things, Backe planned to expand
humor and warmth," the irrepressible red-
amned
CBS's publishing group by acquiring selective
headed actress Lucille Ball has gone on from
1978 CURRENT BIOGRAPHY
31
other child, a younger son, Fred. From her
grandfather, Fred C. Hunt, a woodturner in a
te
Jamestown furniture factory and an ardent
a-
Socialist, Lucille Ball derived her instinct for
Se
family loyalty and for survival by hard work.
a
In childhood Lucille Ball loved going to
fo.
vaudeville shows and movies in Jamestown
wi
with her grandfather and then acting out two-
ha
reel comedies and serials like The Perils of
nu
Pauline. Encouraging her interest in home
WC
theatricals and school plays, her mother was
se
in the habit of "making the costumes and
car
storin' up the makeup and sending to Samuel
gra
French for plays," as the actress told James
$3,
Gregory, who wrote The Lucille Ball Story
in
(1974). Eventually, "DeDe" Ball became a faith-
anc
ful member of Lucy's studio audience, and
The
before her death in 1977 her laugh could be
"I
heard on nearly every sound track. Telling
a b
about a high school performance of Charley's
Ball
Aunt, Lucille Ball once remarked, as quoted
an
scre
in Time (May 26, 1952), "I played the lead,
assi
directed it, cast it, sold tickets, printed the
at I
Lucille Ball
posters, and hauled furniture to the school for
1936
scenery and props.'
She also appeared in a
Pari
community theatre
production of Bayard
Veiller's melodrama Within the Law.
a pt
her instant success in I Love Lucy in 1951 to
in i
brighten screens with her inspired slap-
Nonetheless, Lucille Ball was a washout at
Didc
stick. for over a quarter of century. By the
the John Murray
Anderson-Robert Milton
beca
Dramatic School in
time of her announced retirement in 1974,
New York City, where
Tear
after 179 episodes of her original situation
she enrolled at the age of fifteen. Spellbound
Th
comedy, 156 of The Lucy Show, 144 of Here's
by the school's star pupil, Bette Davis, she
unre
Lucy, plus many specials, her face had been
felt, as she recalls, "terrified and useless."
over
seen "by more people, more often, than the
After six weeks she returned home to high
crack
face of any human being who ever lived,
school, but periodically renewed her courage
the t
according to Terrence O'Flaherty's estimate
to try again on Broadway. Although several
Affai:
in TV Guide. Variously called national
sources report that Lucille Ball became a
(both
successful showgirl, she has said that her
treasure a monument an institution, a legend,
Oakie
and a daily habit, Lucille Ball is also an inter-
Broadway experience was limited to "some
hardh
rehearsals and some calls." With her new
national personality whose shows have been
Came
dubbed in several different languages and
theatrical-sounding name, Diane Belmont, she
queen
was hired for Earl Carroll's Vanities and the
aired in seventy seven foreign countries over
top-bil
the years In Lucy reruns and repeats of her
Shuberts' Stepping Stones and promptly fired.
(1940),
She then rehearsed for the third road com-
Lorenz
films (nearly eighty in all) devoted Lucy-
pany of Ziegfeld's Rio Rita and later for Step
as bef
watchers can enjoy her comic expertise in-
Lively, but was not called.
the foi
definitely. She is both a lovablewelown and a
After a stint as a soda jerk in a Rexall
named
shrewd. business executive who successfully
drugstore on Broadway, Miss Ball turned to
leader
managed the mammoth film factory Desilu
Productions from 1962 to 1967 and, beginning
modeling as another means of paying the
marrie
in 1968, Lucille Ball Productions. To further
rent. She worked at Hattie Carnegie's elegant
In R
the cause of film as: pure entertainment that
dress salon and in the evenings freelanced
ness, a
provides in her words, hope, faith and fund
for commercial photographers and for the
Miss ]
as an antidote to the violence,sex, muck and
magazine illustrators McClelland Barclay and
much
John Lagata, until a bout with rheumatoid
"Pretty
mire on the screen prevalent today, in 1974
arthritis disabled hereform two years. Later,
parts (
Lucille Ball essayed the most demanding
her nationwide exposure as the Chesterfield
emotio
činema role of her career: the heroine of
Cigarette Girl led to her selection in the sum-
didn't
Mame, an elaborately gowned, matronly wom-
mer of 1933 as a last-minute replacement for
her dyr
an rather than a madcap.
one of twelve Goldwyn Girls in Eddie Cantor's
story, N
Of mixed Irish, Scottish, English, and French
film Roman Scandals (United Artists, 1933).
a "stra
ancestry, Lucille Désirée Ball was born on
Moviegoers had earlier glimpsed Miss Ball
to star
August 6, 1911 in Celoron, a suburb of James
as a walk-on in a beach scene in the New
Was a
town near Lake Chautauqua in western New
York-filmed Broadway Thru a Keyhole (United
While
York, Her parents were Henry Dunnell Ball,
from th
Artists, 1933).
a telephone lineman who died before she was
graced
During her first eighteen months in Holly-
four, and Désirée (Hunt) Ball; they had one
as Best
wood, Lucille Ball merely decorated a total of
(1943), M
32
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY 1978
er
ten films with unbilled parts under her $150-
Ziegfeld Follies (1946). She found more satisfy-
week contract with Goldwyn-United Artists.
nt
ing screen moments in lively comic scenes
Sensing that her forte was comedy she secured
with Keenan Wynn, as a flip realtor in With-
or
a contract with Columbia's stock company
out Love (1945) and as a tempestuous, scatter-
for which she appeared in two-reel comedies
brained show girl in the farcical Easy to Wed
to
with Leon Errol and the Three Stooges and
(1946).
vn
had bit parts in five full-length films. As a
Partly because of her disenchantment with
10-
nurse in Carnival (1935), the last of these, she
such mediocre cinema fare as United Artists'
of
won her first screen credit. She then spent
Lured (1947) and Columbia's Her Husband's
me
seven years on the RKO lot, where she be-
Affairs (1947), Lucille Ball accepted a role in>
/as
came "Queen of the B's" and enjoyed a
the CBS radio show My Favorite Husband
and
gradual raise in salary from $50 a week to
naJuly 1947 as hiz, the featherbrained wife
uel
$3,500. After playing an anonymous mannequin
of a Midwestern banker, played first by Lee
nes
in the fashion-show sequence of Roberta (1935)
Bowman and then by Richard Denning. The
ory
and making another unbilled appearance in
comedy series March 195 Miss Ball
ith-
The Three Musketeers (1935), she insisted,
had earlier appeared on radio in 1938 as fea-
and
"I am not going to work as a show girl in
tured comedienne on Phil Baker's show and
be
a background anymore." Consequently, Lucille
on Jack Haley's Wonder Bread Show and
ling
Ball was cast in a brief speaking role, with
later had been heard on such programs as
ey's
an individual identity for the first time on
Lux Radio Theatre, Suspense, and Screen Guild
oted
screen, in I Dream Too Much (1935). Between
Playhouse. She also turned to the legitimate
ead,
assignments she had been studying her craft
stage, touring during late 1947 and early 1948
the
at RKO's Little Theater. In the sixth of her
for twenty-two weeks in Elmer Rice's Dream
for
1936 releases, the musical That Girl From
Girl. In the challenging role of bemused Geor-
in a
Paris, she stepped up to second lead, giving
gina Allerton, she demonstrated "her efficiency
yard
a performance that landed her a leading role
as a comedienne" and was able to "tinge a
in a Broadway-bound musical, Hey Diddle
scene delicately with pathos," as Edwin Schal-
it at
Diddle, which closed prematurely in early 1937
lert attested in the Los Angeles Times.
ilton
because of the death of its star, Conway
At Bob Hope's request Miss Ball went to
here
Tearle.
Paramount to portray another nightclub singer
ound
The standouts among Lucille Ball's largely
for Sorrowful Jones (1949) and rejoined him
she
unrewarding roles in her twenty two pictures
for the slapstick and sight gags of Fancy
less."
over the next six years were a plucky, wise-
Pants (1950). But her talents had been "shock-
high
cracking, aspiring actress in Stage Door (1937)
ingly wasted," her admirers complained, as
urage
the temperamental, fading movie star of The
secretaries in Easy Living (RKO, 1949) and
!veral
Affairs of Annabel and Annabel Takes a Tour
Miss Grant Takes Richmond (Columbia, 1949).
me a
(both 1938), in which she teamed with Jack
Her amusing The Fuller Brush Girl (Colum-
t her
Oakie as her overenthusiastic press agent; the
bia, 1950) had only limited success, and she
'some
hardhearted woman on the rebound in Five
lost the prize lead in the film version of Born
new
Came Back (1939); the gold-digging burlesque
Yesterday to Judy Holliday. Soon afterward,
t, she
queen of Dance, Girl, Dance (1940); and the
however, in I Love Lucy she found the show-
id the
top-billed spoiled heiress of Too Many Girls
case for her comedic gifts.
fired.
(1940), an adaptation of the Richard Rodgers-
Before the premiere of Love Lucy on
Lorenz Hart Broadway musical hit, in which,
October 15; 1951, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz
com-
r Step
as before, her singing was dubbed. One of
went on a nationwide vaudeville tour to per:
the four football-hero bodyguards of the last-
suade CBS executives that the public would
Rexall
named film was Desi Arnaz, a Cuban band-
accept the comedy team of an American red-
ned to
leader and bongo player whom Miss Ball
head and a Cuban bandleader with a marked
married on November 30, 1940.
1g the
accent. Their twenty-minute act, which in-
In RKO's The Big Street (1942), as Her High-
cluded a trick-cello bit, a seal routine, and a
elegant
elanced
ness, an embittered, crippled nightclub singer,
"Cuban-Pete" Sally Sweet" medley, as they
Miss Ball elicited James Agee's encomium,
played themselves, was transmuted into a
or the
much quoted from Time (September 7, 1942):
half-hour situation comedy about a young
ay and
"Pretty Lucille Ball, who was born for the
couple, Ricky and Lucy Ricardo, and their best
imatoid
parts Ginger Rogers sweats over, tackles her
friends, Fred and Ethel Mertz, who are also
Later,
'emotional' role as if it were sirloin and she
sterfield
their landlords. The innovative production
didn't care who was looking." Impressed by.
method, with each episode performed in
he sum-
her dynamic trouping in that Damon Runyon
séquence, like a play before an audience and
ent for
story, MGM officials created her new look as
filmed with a revolutionary three-camera tech-
Cantor's
a "strawberry-pink" redhead and signed her
nique, had a direct influence on the general
i, 1933).
to star in the Cole Porter musical DuBarry
shift from live televisionato film Love Lucy
iss Ball
Was a Lady (1943), opposite Red Skelton.
rated as the number-one show within six
he New
While she was learning the use of props
months; accumulated over 200 awards. includ-
(United
from the silent comedian Buster Keaton, she
ing. five Emmys (it was nominated twenty-
graced such routine programmers for MGM
three times) and became, along with Milton
n Holly-
as Best Foot Forward and As Thousands Cheer
Beriels Texacowshow The Beverly Hillbillies,
total of
(1943), Meet the People (1944), and the lavish
and All in the Family one of TV's four "all-
1978 CURRENT BIOGRAPHY
33
time hits." It is indicative of the series' extra-
prepare for the limited but arduous role of
(
ordinary emotional hold that on the occasion
Wildy Jackson, a lithe, tomboyish oil driller,
1
of Little Ricky's birth more people watched
she had months of vocal exercises with Carlo
t.
I Love Lucy than the inauguration of Presi-
Menotti as her coach. "Hey, Look Me Over,"
g
dent Dwight D. Eisenhower. Through advanced
which she sang in her husky voice, became a
Y
filming, the birth of the fictional son coincided
smash hit, but some New York critics were
p
with that of Lucille Ball's second child, Desi-
unenthusiastic about an otherwise rather awk-
a
derio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha IV, on January
ward and unamusing libretto. "I kept fixing
CI
19, 1953. Her daughter, Lucie Désirée Arnaz,
"and changing Wildcat up to the night I closed,"
had been born on July 17, 1951.
she told Rex Reed in an interview for the New
cl
The production of the show, with complete
York Times (October 8, 1967). The show ended
sl
plot summaries of each episode, has been
its standing-room-only run of 171 perform-
ni
generously documented in Lucy and Ricky and
ances on June 3, 1961 because of the star's
in
Fred and Ethel: The Story of "I Love Lucy"
illness.
re
by Bart Andrews (1976). Earlier, Jack Gould
To the delight of the many fans of her zany
(M
of the New York Times (March 1, 1953) had
Lucy character, Lucille Ball portrayed widowed
WC
analyzed the distinctive appeal of its treat-
Lucy Carmichael of The Lucy Show during
the
ment of the husband-versus-wife theme: "[It
the five and a half years from October 1962
Lu
is] the extraordinary discipline and intuitive
to the spring of 1968 In that series she shared
De
understanding of farce that gives I Love Lucy
a house with her two children and the divorcée
Ba
its engaging lilt and lift.
Only after a firm
Vivian Bagley, played by Vivian Vance, and
Gl.
foundation of credibility has been established
worked for the banker Theodore Mooney,
the
is the element of absurdity introduced. It is in
played by Gale Gordon. About the time of
Ho
the smooth transition from sense to non-
the premiere of The Lucy Show she had
25,
sense that I Love Lucy imparts both a warmth
bought out the shares of her former husband
OVE
and a reality to the slapstick romp which
in Desilu. The personal touch that brought
der
comes as the climax." While Lucille Ball has
tosher presidency helped to-build hecompany
app
always credited her then-husband with the
into one: of the country largestaproducers: of
Viv
concept and execution of the undertaking, in
filmed television shows before the com
and
his autobiography, A Book (1976), Desi Arnaz
plex was sold to Gulf & Western Industries
A
accords her "ninety percent of the credits,"
in early 1967 for $17 000,000 In, March 1968
the
among all those involved, for its success. In
she formed Lucille Ball Productions: whose
on
an assortment of such mirth-provoking guises
first major undertaking was Here's Lucy.
the
as a ballerina, matador, Indian, Martian, grape
Lucille Ball starred as another widow; Lucy
To
stomper, statue, and toothless hillbilly, Lucille
Carter who supported herself and her son
Cent
Ball exhibited unflagging physical stamina and
and daughter (played by her own offspring)
vint:
comic flawlessness: Her superb sense of timing
hy toiling for her irascible brother in law
made her according to Jack Gould, the distaff
Lucy
(another role filled by Gale Gordon) in a
28, 1
equivalent of Jack Benny
predictably wacky employment office The
Blt
During the six-season run of I. Love Lucy,
series was seen on CBS-TV from the fall of
scrib
which ended on May 1957, moviegoers saw
1968 through the spring of 1974.
stand
an amiable variation on the "yelp-mates" of
On two of her periodic returns to motion
abou
TV in The Long, Long Trailer (MGM 1954),
pictures Miss Ball costarred again with Bob
which one critic called "a comedy with gor-
a dog
Hope-in The Facts of Life (United Artists,
man
geous moments." Another Desi-Lucy film, how-
1960), a spoof of extramarital flirtation, and
discip
ever, Forever Darling (MGM, 1956), in which
Critic's Choice (Warner, 1963), a farce about a
of po.
a guardian angel saves a troubled marriage,
drama critic whose wife writes a play. After
servat
was judged a weak meld of comedy and fan-
tasy. With the sale of the rerun rights of
taking a cameo role in A Guide for the Married
her b
I Love Lucy to CBS, the producing company
Man (Twentieth Century, 1967), she appeared
to vo
Desilu, formed in 1950, was able to acquire
opposite Henry Fonda in Yours, Mine and
1950's
its own studio, the former RKO lot, where
Ours (United Artists, 1968), an innocuous but
Activ:
many landmark TV shows had been made.
warmly received family film in which the
charg
widow she portrayed resembled a matured,
wome
From November 1957 through April 1960 the
quote
I Love Lucy format persisted through thirteen
somewhat subdued Lucy.
14, 19
hour-long specials, each a lavishly budgeted
There were traces of Lucy also in Mame
lighted
Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show focussing on the
(Warner, 1974), a synthesis of Lucille Ball's
for m
familiar quartet's world-hopping antics with
acting, singing, and dancing talents. The role
she m
many top guest stars. But increasing business
is a favorite of the actress because she feels
merly
stresses together with personal differences led
in tune with high-spirited, sophisticated Mame's
execut
to the divorce of the seemingly ideal TV couple
attitude toward life in the song "Open a
Beverl
on May 4, 1960.
New Window." Despite the thorough drubbing
away
As she began to follow a separate career,
that many anti-Mame critics gave the expen-
Ball Sl
Lucille Ball at last realized her dream of
sive, old-fashioned production, Miss Ball, who
ing ac
Broadway success, opening in the musical
promoted the movie on a lengthy personal
she tu
comedy Wildcat on December 16, 1960. To
appearance tour, won such accolades as Judith
to begi
34
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY 1978
of
Crist's validation in New York (March 18,
References: Films in R 22:321+ Je '71 pors;
eΓ,
1974) of her "penetrating warmth and inner
Good H 166:50+ Je '68 pors, 183:118+ N '76
TO
humor." Conceding that Miss Ball "has some
pors; Look 35:54+ S7'71 pors; McCalls
r,"
great moments," Vincent Canby of the New
100:72+ Je '73 pors; N Y Times II p19 0 8
a
York Times (March 8, 1974) anticipated the
'67; Sat Eve Post 244:60- Winter '73 pors;
eΓe
popular reaction: "I have great reservations
TV Guide 22:15+ J1 6 '74 por; Andrews, Bart.
k-
about Mame, but I suspect a lot of people
Lucy and Ricky and Fred and Ethel (1967);
couldn't care less."
ng
Foremost Women in Communications (1970);
d,"
Miss Ball's more recent TV performances in-
Gregory, James. The Lucille Ball Story (1974);
ew
cluded her portrayal of the dowdy, overweight,
Parish, James Robert. The RKO Gals (1974)
led
sharp-tongued Norma Michaels of Happy An-
m-
niversary and Goodbye (November 19, 1974),
ar's
in which she played opposite Art Carney, who
rejoined her in What Now, Catherine Curtis?
any
(March 30, 1976), a modest script about a
ved
woman confronting life alone after twenty-
ring
three years of marriage. She headlined the
962
Lucille Ball Special Starring Lucille Ball and
red
Dean Martin (March 1, 1975) and the Lucille
cée
Ball Special Starring Lucille Ball and Jackie
and
Gleason (December 3, 1975) and impersonated
ney,
the late Sophie Tucker on NBC-TV in Bob
of
Hope's All-Star Tribute to Vaudeville (March
had
25, 1977). In another of her specials, aired
and
over CBS-TV in November 1977, the Presi-
ught
dent's mother, Lillian Carter, made a special
any
appearance. Also featured in the show were
'S of
Vivian Vance, Gale Gordon, Ed McMahon,
com-
and Steve Allen, among others.
tries
Among Lucille Ball's countless honors were
1968
the "Lucy Day" at the New York World's Fair
hose
on August 31, 1964 and the "Comedienne of
Lucy.
the Century" designation at a benefit show,
Lucy
To Lucy with Love, at the Los Angeles Music
son
Center on May 23, 1971. Testimonials and
ring)
vintage film clips in the two-hour CBS Salutes
n-law
Lucv The First 25 Years, aired on November
in a
20, 1976, capped.her tributes.
The
Blue-eyed Lucille Ball, who has been de-
all of
scribed as "sleek, serene, and stunning,"
stands five feet six inches tall and weighs
Beene, Geoffrey
notion
about 120 pounds. She is a Scrabble enthusiast
1 Bob
a dog lover, an admirer of the painters Nor
rtists,
man Rockwell and Andrew Wyeth, and a
Aug. 30, 1927-
Fashion designer. Address:
1, and
disciple of Norman Vincent Peale's doctrine,
b. Geoffrey Beene, Inc., 550 7th Ave., New
York
out a
oppositive thinking Although politically con-
City, N.Y. 10018; h. 333 E. 69th St., New
servative, back in 1936 in an effort to please
York City, N.Y. 10021
After
arried
her beloved, elderly grandfather she registered
peared
to vote for the Communist party. During the
Quality, originality, and surpassing elegance
e and
1950's, however, the House Un-American
in ready-to-wear fashions are the hallmarks
us but
Activities Committee cleared her of any
of Geoffrey Beene, the internationally popu-
charges of Communism. Uninterested in the
lar designer who became, in 1976, the first
:h the
atured,
women's movement, she once declared, as
American in his field to open a manufacturing
quoted in the Christian Science Monitor (April
branch in Europe. That same year Geoffrey
14, 1975), liberated that I'm just de-
Beene, Inc., which he founded on a shoestring
Mame
lighted to have a husband who does things
in 1963, grossed $47 million at wholesale. The
Ball's
for me" Her husband, Gary Morton, whom
creative and unorthodox Beene first attracted
he role
she married on November 19, 1961, was for-
attention in the late 1960's for his sophisticated,
e feels
merly a stand-up comedian and is now her
figure-flattering, simple styles that were, at
Mame's
executive producer. They have homes in
once, classic and contemporary. "I no longer
Open a
Beverly Hills and Palm Springs and a hide-
look at a sketch and say 'Is it beautiful?'
rubbing
away at Snowmass, Colorado, where Lucille
Beene remarked recently. "If it's logical, it's
expen-
Ball suffered a multiple leg fracture in a ski-
beautiful. It's more conceptual design than
all, who
ing accident in 1972. Indefatigable as ever,
fashion design." The winner of three Coty
personal
she turned up on the Mame set a year later
American Fashion Critics' Awards, Beene was
is Judith
to begin rehearsing the dances.
elevated to the Fashion Hall of Fame in 1974.
1978 CURRENT BIOGRAPHY
35
6; of counsel
Natural Sci., mem. exec. com. Mus. Trustee Com. for Research and Devel.
69 chmn.
Mem. Am. Inst. C.P.A.s, Nat. Assn. Accountants, Fin. Execs. Inst., Tex.
JN, 1968; sr.
Soc. C.P.A.s. Methodist. Clubs: Houston Country, Ramada, Garden of
ine of Power,
Gods, Houstonian. Home: 6122 Valley Forge Dr Houston TX 77057 Office:
Another Pat-
1700 W Loop S Suite 1500 Houston TX 77027
fficer Legion
1 of Freedom
BALL LUCILLE b Jamestown N.Y. 1911, d. Henry D.
Library Place
and Desiree (Hunt) B.; m. Desi Arnaz, Nov. 30, 1940 (div. 1960); children:
Lucie Desiree, Desiderio Alberto IV; m. Gary Morton, Nov. 19, 1961. Ed.
high sch., dramatic sch., studied with John Murray Anderson. Desilu
4, 1930; S.
Prodns. 1962-67, Eucilles Prodns., 1967 Motion picture act
ren: Howard,
1934 pictures include Broadway thru a Keyhole, 1933, Blood Money,
1972. Edn.
1933, Moulin Rouge, 1933, Roman Scandals, 1933, Nana, 1934, Bottoms
I.C. State U.,
Up, 1934, Hold that Girl, 1934 Bulldog Drummond Stikes Back, 1934, The
emeritus Ala.
Affairs of Cellini, 1934, Kid Millions, 1934, Broadway Bill, 1934, Jealousy
:., Huntsville,
1934, Mea of the Night, 1934, Fugitive Lady, 1934, Carnival, 1935, Roberta,
editorial bd.
1935, Old, Man Rhythm, 1935, Top Hat, 1935, The Three Musketeers, 1935,
34-85; contbr.
I Dream Too Much, 1935, Chatterbox, 1936, Follow the Fleet, 1936, The
ans in CATV,
Farmer in the Dell, 1936, Bunker Bean, 1936, That Girl from Paris, 1936,
Democratic
Don't Tell the Wife, 1937, Stage Door, 1937, Joy of Living, 1938, Go Chase
bient NAACP
Yourself, 1938, Having a Wonderful Time, 1938, The Affairs of Annabel,
1973. Mem.
1938, Room Service 1938, The Next Time I Marry 1938, Annabel Takes a
dnl. Research
Tour, 1938, Beauty for the Asking, 1939, Twelve Crowded Hours, 1939,
pa Alpha Psi.
Panama Lady, 1939, Five Came Back, 1939, That's Right You're Wrong,
X Jordan Ln
1939, The Marines Fly High, 1940, Too Many Girls 1940, A Guy, a Girl
and Gob, 1940, Look Who's Laughing, 1941, Valley of the Sun, 1942, The
Big Street, 1942, Seven Days Leave, 1942, DuBarry Was a Lady, 1943, Best
1911; S. John
Foot Forward, 1943, Thousands Cheer, 1943, Meet the People, 1944,
1942; 1 son,
Without Love, 1945, Abbott and Costello in Hellywood, 1945, Ziegfeld
.H.D., 1978.
Follies, 1946, The Dark Corner, 1946, Easy to Wed, 1946, Two Smart
rator Hayden
People, 1946, Lover Come Back, 1946 Lured, 1947, Her Husband's Affairs,
1947, Sorrowful Jones, 1949, Easy Living, 1949, Miss Grant
Takes
945-47; music
19 1951-52; dir.
Richmond, 1949, Fuller Brush Girl, 1950, Fancy Pants, 1950, Magic Carpet,
Inc., 1961-62;
1950, The Long, Long Trailer, 1954, Forever Darling, 1956, The Facts of 68
n Springboard,
Life, 1960, Critic's Choice, 1963, A Guide for the Married Man, 1967,
er, 1962, Judo
Yours, Mine and Ours, 1968, Mame, 1974; TV shows I Love Lucy,
t, 1965 (Edgar
1951-55, The Lucy Show, 1962-68, Here's Lucy, 1968-73, Life With Lucy,
:. 1968), Arctic
1986; starred on Broadway in Wildcam; TV movie appearances include Stone
1966 (Mystery
Pillow, 1985. Emmy ward for best comedienne, 1952 55; 67, 68,
Blossoms, 1968
Golden Apple award 1973; Ruby award 1974 Entertainer of Yr. award,
Get Your Gun,
1975 inducted into Television Acad. Hall of Fame, 1984. Presbyterian.
Office: Lucille Ball Prodns 9200 Sunset Blvd 916 Los
Angeles
CA
90069
S of Jade, 1972
Mark One-The
of Mitamura,
BALL, (ROBERT) MARKHAM, international lawyer; b. Wilmington, Del.,
Mil. Book Club
Mar. 24, 1934; S. Robert William and Helen (Slepicka) B.; m. Harriet Laura
The Killing in
Janney, July 6, 1957; children: Laurence Markham, Richard Janney, Martha
Violence, 1980,
Harriet, Julia Helen. BA magna cum laude, Amherst Coll., 1956; BA with
e S.O.R., 1984,
honors, Oxford (Eng.) U., 1958, MA, 1973; LLB, Harvard U., 1960. Bar:
1978, The Mys-
D.C. 1961, U.S. Supreme Ct. 1968. Law ck. U.S. Supreme Ct., Washington,
942-45. Mem.
1960-61; assoc. Covington and Burling, Washington, 1961-64; asst. gen.
aker St. Irregu-
counsel U.S. Office Econ. Opportunity, Washington, 1964-66; staff dir. U.S.
:, Calif. Aikido
Peace Corps, Washington, 1966-67; from assoc. to ptnr. Leva, Hawes, Sym-
eran. Address:
ington, Martin and Oppenheimer, Washington, 1967-77; gen. counsel U.S.
Agy. for Internat. Devel., Washington, 1977-79, mem. adv. com. on vol. fgn.
aid, 1981-; ptnr. Wald, Harkrader and Ross, Washington, 1980-85,
on executive; b.
Morgan, Lewis and Bockius, Washington, 1986-; adj. faculty Internat. Law
n (Fleming) B.;
Inst., Washington, 1985-. Editorial adv. Internat. Fin. Law Rev., London,
n Fleming, Jr.,
1985-. Council mem. Friends of the Amherst (Mass.) Coll. Library,
Asso. producer,
1981-. Rhodes scholar, 1956-58: Mem. ABA, Am. Soc. Internat. Law,
on Co., N.Y.C.,
Internat. Bar Assn., Am. Arbitration Assn. (mem. arbitration panel 1986-,
IS, 1965-67, dir.
mem. corp. counsel com., 1987-), Alexandria Literary Soc. (sec. 1981-).
1972-; pres.
Home: 7223 Stafford Rd Alexandria VA 22307 Office: Morgan Lewis &
NW
Washington
DC
20036
LUCILLE BALL
A gifted comedienne known and loved by generations of audiences
around the world, Lucille Ball left a lasting impression upon the
entertainment industry. For over fifty years, Lucy entertained
millions with her warmth and humor in films and on television.
As president of her own production company, she was committed to
quality programming for the whole family. In all her endeavors,
Lucy brought joy and laughter into American homes, and a grateful
nation remembers her with love and appreciation.
insure, and since January
maguage, interature, history, and politi-
1956 he has been professor at its school of
Address: b. Institute for Advanced Study,
cal theory. From 1929 to 1931 Kennan studied
historical studies.
Priceton, N.J.
under this program at the Berlin Seminar for
Many of Kennan's observations on United
Oriental Languages and the University of Ber-
States foreign policy first became generally
NOTE: This biography supersedes
lin. When the United States reopened its em-
known through lectures which later appeared in
the article which appeared in
bassy in Moscow in 1933, he was called from
book form. His lectures in 1951 for the Charles
Current Biography in 1947.
his third secretaryship at Riga to accompany
R. Walgreen Foundation at the University of
In seeking to answer the questions of how to
Ambassador William C. Bullitt to the Soviet
Chicago were published in American Diplomacy,
capital.
1900-1950 (University of Chicago Press, 1951),
end the East-West "cold war" and how to
The posts that Kennan filled during the next
which began with a chapter on the war with
prevent a global atomic war, George F. Kennan
can apply more than twenty-five years of ex-
few years included vice-consul in Vienna
Spain and carried its review of the fifty-year
perience as a United States career diplomat
(1935), second secretary in Moscow (1935-36),
period up to a consideration of America and
and the lifelong study that has made him an
second secretary and later consul in Prague
the Russian future. The book, which won the
undisputed authority on Russia His series of
(1938-39). At the outbreak of World War II,
Freedom House Award, was praised by critics
lectures heard over the British Broadcasting
in 1939, he was sent as second secretary to
for clarity of thought and phrasing.
Corporation in the fall of 1957 and subsequently
Berlin, where he became first secretary the fol-
Similar favorable reception was given to
published in Russia, the Atom and the West
lowing year. When the United States joined
Realities of American Foreign Policy (Prince-
(1958) urged a new approach in dealing with
the war, in December 1941, he was interned by
ton University Press, 1954), a series of four
the Nazis at Bad Nauheim. Repatriated in June
lectures which Kennan delivered as the Stafford
the Soviet Union. And his suggestions, espe-
cially his proposal for "disengagement"-with-
1942, a few months later he took up the new
Little Lecturer at Princeton during 1954. An-
drawal of United States troops from Europe-
assignment of counselor at Lisbon in neutral
other book by Kennan published in 1954 was
have aroused a continuing stir of controversy
Portugal. During late 1943 and early 1944 he
Das Amerikanisch-Russische Verhältnis (Deut-
in many world capitals. Much of the current
was counselor of the American delegation to
sche Verlags-Anstalt, Stuttgart).
United States strategy which he now finds out-
the European Advisory Commission, which met
A major area of exploration for Kennan has
moded for meeting the Soviet threat is founded
in London to prepare recommendations on
been the origins of present Soviet conduct in
upon policies which Kennan himself helped for-
policy in Europe for the United States, Great
world affairs. Russia Leaves the War (Prince-
GEORGE F. KENNAN
mulate as a top State Department adviser dur-
Britain, and the Soviet Union.
ton University Press, 1956) was the first vol-
ing the Truman administration.
Serving first under Ambassador W. Averell
ume in a projected series on Soviet-American
pean satellite nations, and that Germany be re-
Since 1956 Kennan has been a permanent
Harriman and then under General Walter
relations from 1917 to 1920. The second vol-
united and neutralized. He questioned whether
professor at the school of historical studies at
Bedell Smith, Kennan was minister-counselor
ume, The Decision to Intervene, was published
arming the NATO countries with atomic mis-
in Moscow from May 1944 to April 1946. The
in 1958.
the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton,
siles would succeed in maintaining peace and
New Jersey, having become a member of the
State Department next appointed him as its
Besides winning the Pulitzer Prize, Russia
whether the United Nations could resolve the
institute upon his retirement from the Foreign
deputy for foreign affairs at the National War
Leaves the War received the National Book
deep-seated conflict between the U.S.S.R. and
Service in 1953. Briefly during the preceding
College in Washington, D.C., where he was
Award, the Bancroft Prize, and the Francis
the West. He expressed his belief that the
year he had been United States Ambassador to
lecturer for almost a year on foreign policy
Parkman Prize of the Society of American
U.S.S.R. does not want a general war: the
the Soviet Union. He is probably otherwise
and international relations.
Historians. Reviewers were much impressed
Russians present "a combined military-political
chiefly known to Americans as the author of
In the spring of 1947 Secretary of State
both by the thoroughness and integrity of Ken-
threat," but "with accent on the political."
Russia Leaves the War (1956), which won the
George C. Marshall named Kennan director of
nan's scholarship and the literary quality of his
Among those disagreeing with Kennan was
Pulitzer Prize in history for 1957.
the policy planning staff of the Department of
writing. Commenting in Political Science Quar-
Dean Acheson, who in January 1958 issued a
George Frost Kennan, a descendant of Scotch-
State and charged him with responsibility for
terly (June 1957), F. C. Barghoom stated,
statement that Kennan's opinions, especially re-
Irish settlers in pre-Revolutionary America,
long-range planning of United States action in
"This work of historical reconstruction and
garding troop withdrawal, did not represent the
was born to Kossuth Kent and Florence
foreign affairs. His appointment helped to
criticism possesses great power, subtlety, in-
views of the Democratic party. He said that
(James) Kennan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on
bring about an important change in policy
tegrity, and charm.
One
of
the
finest
when Kennan had advanced the same proposals
February 16, 1904. He has a brother, Kent
toward the Soviet Union. Turning from its
qualities of Ambassador Kennan's account is
in 1949, the Democratic Administration had
Kennan, a musician. His uncle, George Kennan,
immediate postwar attitude of appeasement and
its charitable spirit. While the author finds
rejected them. While acknowledging Kennan's
was an expert on Czarist Russia who wrote
compromise, the United States adopted the
much to criticize or to deplore and frequently
authority in the field of Russian history, Ache-
Siberia and the Exile System, an abridgment of
policy of "containment" of the expansionist
gives expression to wry irony regarding the
son stated, "Kennan has never, in my judgment,
which from the first edition of 1891 was pub-
tendencies of the U.S.S.R. through application
follies and frailties of statesmen, he is never
grasped the realities of power relationships, but
lished in 1957 with an introduction by George
of "counterforce" wherever Soviet imperialism
harsh, intolerant, or dogmatic."
takes a rather mystical attitude toward them"
F. Kennan.
might make itself felt. Kennan laid the foun-
On a leave of absence from the Institute for
(United States News & World Report, January
For his college preparatory training Kennan
dations for this new program in an article in
Advanced Study, Kennan held the George East-
17, 1958). Months after his BBC broadcasts,
attended St. John's Military Academy in Dela-
"X." Foreign Affairs for July 1947, signed by Mr.
man Visiting Professorship at Balliol College,
however, Kennan's suggestions were still being
field, Wisconsin. He then enrolled at Princeton
Oxford University, England, in 1957-58 and
debated in European and other government
University, chose history as his major subject,
After Dean Acheson became Secretary of
lectured there on the subject of Soviet-Western
circles.
and received the B.A. degree in 1925. The fol-
State in 1949, he chose Kennan as one of his
relations during the period from 1918 to 1939.
In another important contribution to the
lowing year, in September, he entered the
principal advisers, with the title of counselor
For six Sundays in late 1957 he gave radio
continuing debate on foreign policy, Kennan
United States Foreign Service and subsequently
of the Department of State. Kennan returned
addresses on the British Broadcasting Corpora-
declared in October 1959 that the conscience
was assigned as vice-consul to Geneva in 1927,
to Moscow in May 1952, as Ambassador to the
tion which attracted world-wide attention. Ex-
of the nation balks at a policy of basing se-
to Hamburg in 1927, to Berlin in 1928, and to
U.S.S.R., but remained there only until the
cerpts were printed in many newspapers in the
curity on weapons of "indiscriminate mass de-
Tallin (Estonia) in 1928. During part of the
following October when the Russians declared
United States and abroad; the lectures formed
struction." He proposed that the United States
year 1929 he served as third secretary in Riga
him persona non grata-ostensibly because of
the bases of two articles by Kennan in Harper's
develop "conventional forces" and at confer-
(Latvia), Kaunas (Lithuania), and Tallin.
critical comments on Soviet treatment of West-
Magazine (February and March 1958) and
ences between East and West foster the abolish-
These cities were regarded as "listening posts"
ern diplomats that Kennan made while on a
they were published in the book Russia, the
ment of nuclear weapons (Christian Science
for the Soviet Union, where the United States
visit to Berlin.
Atom and the West (Harper, 1958).
Monitor, October 23, 1959).
hen had no diplomatic mission.
While serving as State Department coun-
According to Newsweek (August 27, 1956),
Kennan's BBC addresses, the Reith Lectures,
In anticipation of eventually extending recog-
selor, Kennan had taken a leave of absence in
Kennan was "originally a moderate Republican
offered a number of ideas for governments to
ition to the Soviet Union, the State Depart-
1950, to carry on research in problems on for-
he became an active Democrat out of
"think about," including the proposals that the
nent opened a division of Russian studies to
eign policy at the Institute for Advanced Study.
strong disagreement with John Foster Dulles'
United States withdraw its forces from Europe
Leaving the Foreign Service in 1953, he became
foreign policy." He has several honorary LL.D.
while the U.S.S.R. withdraw from the Euro-
degrees, including those from Yale Princeton
224
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY 1959
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY 1959
KENNAN, GEORGE F.-Continued
university's young intellectuals. Among the stu-
and Northwestern universities. He belongs to
dents Kerouac met that winter was Allen Gins-
and at way stations across the continent. An
the American Academy of Political and Social
berg, who later became the poet of the "beat
example of the style and general attitude of the
Science, among other professional organiza-
generation" just as Kerouac became its novelist.
novel is the passage in which Sal, the narrator,
tions, and to the Century Club in New York.
Kerouac apparently devoted the years from
describes the first meeting of Carlo and Dean:
George F. Kennan married Annelise Soren-
1943 to 1950 to roaming through the United
they danced down the streets like dingle-
son on September 11, 1931 and is the father of
States and Mexico. He made at least one more
dodies, and I shambled after as I've been doing
voyage as a merchant sailor, spent a summer
all my life after people who interest me, be-
Grace, Joan Elizabeth, Christopher James, and
as a forest-fire lookout in Washington's Mount
cause the only people for me are the mad ones,
Wendy Antonia. He is tall and slender and has
Baker National Forest, and returned from time
the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad
blue eyes. For recreation he plays the piano
and guitar and he reads extensively in English,
to time to his mother's home to work on a novel
to be saved, desirous of everything at the same
American, Russian, and German literatures.
about his Lowell boyhood. The book was pub-
time, the ones who never yawn or say a com-
lished in 1950 by Harcourt, Brace.
monplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabu-
References
Showing little kinship to his later books, The
lous yellow roman candles exploding like spi-
Directory of American Scholars (1957)
Town and The City was favorably regarded by
ders across the stars and in the middle you see
Robinson, Donald The 100 Most Impor-
the reviewers. "In many respects, John Kerouac,
the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes
'Awww
tant People in the World Today (1952)
now 28, is the best and most promising of the
Who's Who in America, 1958-59
young novelists whose first works have recently
On the Road eventually sold 20,000 copies in
World Biography (1954)
appeared," wrote a Newsweek critic in a review
its hard-bound edition, and 500,000 in soft covers.
(March 13, 1950) which was illustrated by a
Kerouac's third published novel, The Dharma
photograph of Kerouac as a serious and well-
Bums, was published by Viking in October
KEROUAC, JACK March 12, 1922- Author
groomed young man wearing a sedate jacket
1958. Indebted to Buddhist philosophy and Japa-
Address: b. c/o Viking Press, 625 Madison
and tie.
nese haiku poetry, the novel covers the develop-
The book displayed all of Kerouac's warmth
ments in Kerouac's life and outlook during the
Avenue, New York 22
and enthusiasm for detail. "Kerouac has as
six years between the writing and the publishing
To the American reading public, the writer
keen an eye for externals as Sinclair Lewis had
of On the Road. Zen Buddhism, an enthusiasm
Jack Kerouac is the standard-bearer and leading
in his early novels, but he has none of his
of many members of the "beat" movement, plays
Keith W. Jennison
novelist of the much-publicized "beat genera-
sarcasm or mockery," the same critic wrote;
a major part in the novel, which is about two
JACK KEROUAC
tion." The "beat" movement that he captains
"he has the ability to infuse grandeur into
young men who try to find Dharma (truth)
has not only given the English vocabulary a
simple doings that marked Thomas Wolfe's first
through poverty, rejection of society, and union
new adjective and the young a new fad but has
books, but he is more balanced than Wolfe. He
with nature in the Western mountains.
always money for him. I used to send it any
time he needed it, for food, clothes. I was
also furnished columns of copy for hard-pressed
has a zest for the ordinary."
At the time The Dharma Bums was pub-
working in a factory, I was making good
feature writers. Kerouac first became prominent
But even while his first novel was being re-
lished, Kerouac reportedly had six more novels
money. You know, he's really a nice boy." Mrs.
when his On the Road was published in 1957.
viewed, Kerouac was working on a new one.
already written. Several have been released:
Kerouac has read thirty-four pages of On the
He followed it with four others in quick suc-
He abandoned the process of write-and-rewrite
The Subterraneans (Grove Press, 1958) deals
Road, and plans to finish it some day.
cession, and in the process became one of the
in favor of a spontaneous composition that
with a Negro-white love affair in San Fran-
could capture the emotions and personalities of
cisco, while Doctor Sax (Viking Press and
References
more controversial novelists of recent years.
Usually called Jack or John, Kerouac was
his seven-year odyssey. He had spent three
Grove Press, 1959) returns to Lowell, Massa-
N Y Post p4+ Mr 10 '59 por
christened Jean ; he was born in Lowell, Massa-
years writing The Town and the City, but he
chusetts, and Kerouac's boyhood; Maggie Cas-
Reporter 18:30+ Ap 3 '58
chusetts, on March 12, 1922, the son of Leo
wrote On the Road in a period of three weeks
sidy, (Avon, 1959) is a sequel to Doctor Sax.
Who's Who in America (sup Je-Ag '58)
Alcide and Gabrielle (LeVesque) Kerouac. His
in 1951. He bought art paper in twenty-foot
In the future Kerouac may bring to light
father was a job printer in Lowell; his mother
rolls, pasted the ends together, and typed virtu-
several more novels that he wrote in the lean
was of French-Canadian extraction. Jack at-
ally non-stop until he had completed his epic.
years before On the Road was published. The
KERR, JAMES W(INSLOW) March 11,
tended local Catholic parochial schools, then
Segments of the novel were printed in the
ones released so far have met with similar re-
1914- Canadian business executive
went to New York City to prepare for college
Paris Review, New World Writing and else-
views: some critics have maintained that his is
at the Horace Mann School.
where, but not until 1957 did Viking Press pub-
an extraordinary and refreshing talent others
Address: b. Trans-Canada Pipe Lines, Ltd.,
Having won an academic and athletic scholar-
lish the complete novel. Although it flirted only
have agreed with Eugene Burdick that "Kerouac
92 King St. E., Toronto 1, Ontario, Canada;
ship to Columbia University, Kerouac matricu-
briefly with the best-seller lists, On the Road
is a bad writer and often a silly one.
He is
h. 15 Forsythe Place, Hamilton, Ontario, Can-
lated there in September 1940. He played foot-
was certainly one of the most controversial
like a sensitive eyeball that sweeps and perceives
ada
ball in the freshman backfield, and although he
books of recent years. Together with Ginsberg's
but is not connected to a brain" (Reporter,
broke a leg in the season's third game, he
Trans-Canada Pipe Lines, Ltd., the world's
poem Howl, it has been accepted as the literary
April 3, 1958).
showed enough promise to be chosen for the
longest natural gas pipe line, running 2,290
expression of youth's current revolt against the
A number of articulate young Americans have
miles from Alberta to Quebec, went into
varsity team in 1941. But Kerouac was even
adult world (or "Squaresville") on its own
adopted the way of life that Kerouac celebrates
operation in October 1958. Its president and
then restless with the wanderlust he was later
to celebrate in his novels. He left Columbia in
merits it has been welcomed as counterpoint to
in his novels as an ideal, transforming a cult
chief executive officer is James W. Kerr, who
the self-conscious formalism of much of Amer-
the fall of 1941.
into a national movement. The originators of
was appointed in December 1958. succeeding
ica's university-based writing.
the cult have complained, however, that their
Charles S. Coates, who supervised the design,
First he went south to Virginia "to become a
The word "beat," Kerouac explains, origi-
ideas are being corrupted by the disciples.
engineering, and construction of the pipe line.
big poet," as he remarked later, then he enlisted
briefly in the United States Navy. He served
nated with Herbert Huncke, one of Kerouac's
"Lately the vision has been invaded, mauled,
Kerr came to his new position after a suc-
innumerable friends. "To me, it meant being
overstudied, imitated," commented Eugene Bur-
cessful career in Canadian Westinghouse Com-
two months in uniform before he was given a
poor, like sleeping in the subways, like Huncke
dick (Reporter, April 3, 1958). "The ring of
pany, Ltd., during which he became the firm's
psychiatric discharge. He did odd jobs in auto-
used to do, and yet being illuminated and hav-
bemused spectators has pressed in close with the
vice-president and general manager of the
mobile service stations, and served for a while
ing illuminated ideas about apocalypse and all
inevitable result: the vision has suffocated.
apparatus products group. As a native Cana-
in the Merchant Marine in the North Atlantic.
that.
"The Beat Generation', that was sup-
Some of the originals, like Kerouac, want out."
dian, he should find more favor with the
He returned to the United States-and Colum-
bia-in October 1942.
posed to be the title of 'On the Road' (New
Married at twenty-two and again at twenty-
"Canada-First" elements in the Conservative
York Post, March 10, 1959). Later, Kerouac
eight, Kerouac now lives with his mother in
Parliament than did his predecessor, Charles
His second sojourn at college was even
decided that "beat" stood for "beatific."
Northport, New York. Each of his marriages
S. Coates, a Texan.
GEORGE FROST KENNAN
Career diplomat, historian and educator, George Kennan has helped
shape American policy toward the Soviet Union since 1933. His
contributions to the policy of containment and his prize-winning
studies of U.S. foreign policy, from American Diplomacy 1900-1950
to Russia Leaves the War, revealed his deep insight into East-
West relations, the challenges of communist expansion and nuclear
weapons policy. For his many contributions to our national
security and to the study of international affairs, George
Kennan's fellow Americans proudly salute him.
C. DOUGLAS DILLON
Ambassador to France, Secretary of the Treasury, Chairman,
Metropolitan Museum of Art -- C. Douglas Dillon dedicated himself
to making America and the world better. Under President
Eisenhower, he helped build European economic and military unity.
For President Kennedy, he was chief architect of economic policy.
Through his leadership, the Metropolitan Museum became the
second-largest art museum in the world. For his lifetime of
extraordinary public service, a grateful nation honors him.
Services of Maid Data Central
PAGE 4
LEVEL 1 - - 2 OF 2 STORIES
Copyright @ 1983 The New York Times Company;
The New York Times
October 18, 1983, Tuesday, Late City Final Edition
SECTION: Section C; Page 11, Column 2; Cultural Desk
LENGTH: 554 words
HEADLINE: DILLON STEPS DOWN AT MET MUSEUM
BYLINE: By MICHAEL BRENSON
BODY:
Douglas Dillon, who guided the Metropolitan Museum of Art through a
period of its largest growth and public success, stepped down yesterday after 14
years as chairman of the board.
During his tenure, Mr. Dillon, who is 76 years old, helped conceive and
implement the museum's master plan, which is now only two steps short of
completion, as well as the idea of the ''blockbuster'' exhibition. He has been
succeeded by J. Richardson Dilworth, a former chairman of Rockefeller Center and
the vice chairman of the museum board since 1968.
'During all the years that Mr. Dillon has been both a trustee and
chairman,' said Philippe de Montebello, director of the museum, 'he has made
numerous contributions to the Metropolitan in terms of leadership and vision, as
well as gifts and works of art and substantial funds. Mr. Dillon is a builder.
''Mr. Dilworth is respected by the staff and he knows the museum inside
out,' Mr. de Montebello added. ''He has been chairman of the museum finance
committee, which brought him close to the inner workings of the place. He has
been involved on many other committees, including acquisitions.'
'Less Competent, Less Prominent'
''I regard myself as far less competent and far less prominent than Douglas
Dillon, who has been Secretary of the Treasury, Under Secretary of State and
Ambassador to France,' said the 67-year old Mr. Dilworth, a retired investment
banker with Kuhn, Loeb & Company, a senior fellow of the Yale Corporation and
chairman of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton University. 'There
are periods of great accomplishment and periods of consolidation. I think this
will be a period of finishing as well as WE can what has been started.'
With Thomas P. F. THoving, Mr. Dillon conceived the master plan, which was
intended to put more of the works in the collection on view, make works in
storage accessible to visitors and scholars and put the work on display and
their curatorial departments in the same place.
Mr. Dillon helped raise $118 million for such additions as the American Wing
and the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing for primitive art. The Metropolitan is now
the world's second largest art museum after the Louvre. It has also become New
York City's No. 1 tourist attraction.
Services of Mead Data Central
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@ 1983 The New York Times, October 18, 1983
In 1977 Mr. Dillon initiated the museum's split administration, in which Mr.
de Montebello as director would be responsible for curatorial decisions and the
president, William B. Macomber, would be in charge of administrative and
financial matters.
Second Fund-Raising Drive
Last October Mr. Dillon announced the start of a second fund-raising
campaign, primarily for endowment, with a goal of $150 million. Up to this
point, $94.5 million has been raised.
''This is the first year in a while we have not run at a deficit, and that is
because of the Vatican show,' Mr. Dilworth said. 'We are under-endowed. The
first thing we have to do is to see that the endowment is adequate.
Mr. Dillon has also given the museum some of his own works of art, primarily
in the area of Chinese painting, and what is believed to be more than $10
million. He financed the Metropolitan's Douglas Dillon Galleries of Chinese
Art. Mr. Dillon will remain on the executive committee of the board and will
continue as chairman of the acquisitions committee.
SUBJECT: SUSPENSIONS, DISMISSALS AND RESIGNATIONS; APPOINTMENTS AND EXECUTIVE
CHANGES
ORGANIZATION: METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART (NYC)
NAME: BRENSON, MICHAEL; DILLON, DOUGLAS; DILWORTH, J RICHARDSON
POLITICAL PROFILES: THE KENNEDY YEARS (1976)
DILLON, C(LARENCE) DOUGLAS
b. Aug. 21, 1909; Geneva, Switzerland.
Secretary of the Treasury, January
1961-March 1965.
C. Douglas Dillon was the most influen-
tial member of President Kennedy's
economic policy-making team. His success
in persuading the President that the na-
tion's most pressing economic problem was
the balance of payments deficit steered
Administration policy along a moderate
course and ruled out more adventurous lib-
eral solutions to domestic problems.
Dillon came from a wealthy social
background similar to that of Kennedy.
His father made a fortune on Wall
Street, building the firm of Dillon, Read &
Company into one of the country's largest
investment banks. Dillon attended Groton
and Harvard before his father bought him a
seat on the New York Stock Exchange for
$185,000 in 1931. After serving an appren-
lon with the balance of payments question
ticeship with some smaller investment
exerted a strong conservative pull on the
houses, he joined Dillon, Read as a vice
Administration's overall economic policy.
president in 1938. He followed the compa-
Swelling annual payments deficits since the
ny's president, James Forrestal, into the
late 1950s had left large deposits of dollars
Navy Department in 1940 and saw action in
in the hands of foreigners, whose recurrent
the Pacific toward the end of the war.
loss of "confidence" in the dollar's value led
As chairman of the board of Dillon, Read
them to trade in dollars for American gold,
after the war, Dillon supervised the firm's
the value of which was then fixed in rela-
far-flung domestic and foreign holdings and
tion to the dollar. The resulting "gold
doubled its investment portfolio in six
drain" alarmed the financial community and
years. He was an active Republican, work-
both the Kennedy and Johnson Administra-
ing with John Foster Dulles in the 1948
tions.
presidential campaign of Gov. Thomas E.
Anxious to solidify the standing of the
Dewey and initiating a "draft Eisenhower"
dollar and stem the gold outflow, the Ken-
movement in New Jersey in 1951. In 1953
nedy Administration tended to rule out
Eisenhower appointed Dillon ambassador to
economic initiatives that might increase in-
France, where he served until 1957, when
flation and thus undermine foreigners' con-
Dulles recalled him to Washington to be-
fidence in the dollar. In the first two years
come undersecretary of state for economic
of the Kennedy Administration, Dillon's
affairs. He contributed heavily to the Re-
success in maintaining the priority status of
publican presidential candidate, Vice Presi-
the payments deficit blocked the path of
dent Richard M. Nixon [ q.v. ], in 1960
more aggressive fiscal and monetary stimu-
and was considered a natural appointment
lation of the economy or heavier spending
to a Nixon cabinet. [See EISENHOWER Vol-
on social programs.
ume]
The chief advocate of the latter approach
President Kennedy's selection of Dillon
within the Kennedy Administration was
as Secretary of the Treasury in January
Walter W. Heller [ q.v.], chairman of the
1961 was an expression of his own deep
President's Council of Economic Advisers
concern with the balance of payments de-
(CEA). Heller and Dillon represented the
ficit and the resulting "gold drain." By plac-
two major opposing poles of economic
ing a "sound money" man with Dillon's
thought in the Administration's policy-
Wall Street, solidly Republican credentials
making councils. Heller advocated the ac-
in the top financial post of his Administra-
tive promotion of economic growth by the
tion, Kennedy intended to reassure the fi-
federal government employing the Keyne-
nancial community, which was apprehen-
sian techniques of fiscal stimulation via
sive about the "easy money" proclivities of
spending and tax cuts. Dillon voiced the
the incoming Democratic Administration.
Treasury's traditional opposition to deficit
"The need for world confidence in the dol-
spending and generally resisted unorthodox
lar, and the danger of a 'run on the bank'
proposals emanating from the CEA.
by dollar holders," said Theodore Sorensen
For the most part President Kennedy
[ q.v.] in Kennedy, "were the decisive in-
chose Dillon's cautious strategy over Hel-
fluence in his [the President's] choice of a
ler's activist approach. Kennedy's decision
Secretary of the Treasury."
in May 1961 not to recommend the sub-
Kennedy, moreover, shared Dillon's
stantial public works program urged by
moderately conservative outlook on
Heller and Secretary of Labor Arthur
economic matters at the time of his ap-
Goldberg [ q.v.] was an important early vic-
pointment. Throughout the Kennedy Ad-
tory for Dillon. In the jockeying over the
ministration Dillon enjoyed easy access to
size of the fiscal 1963 budget, Dillon's ar-
the President and was one of Kennedy's
gument that another large deficit on top of
few political associates who socialized with
the $7-billion deficit for fiscal 1962 might
him as well.
spark another crisis of confidence in the
The preoccupation of Kennedy and Dil-
dollar won from Kennedy a pledge to keep
the 1963 budget "strictly in balance." This
Treasury to facilitate currency "swaps" dur-
resolve signified defeat for the CEA's ex-
ing times of speculative pressure on the
pansionary fiscal strategy and left no room
dollar. Controlling inflation and encourag-
for increasing social welfare expenditures,
ing exports were broader elements in the
since the Administration sought larger ap-
balance of payments strategy. Dillon backed
propriations only in the areas of defense
the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which
and space exploration. (As it turned out,
was designed to invigorate U.S. foreign trade
the 1963 budget contained a $6.2 billion de-
by giving the President discretionary tariff-
ficit.) For almost two years Dillon also suc-
cutting authority.
ceeded in blocking Heller's proposal for a
Despite confident predictions by Dillon
sizable tax cut. Later he joined President
and Roosa in the fall of 1962 that the U.S.
Kennedy in favoring the $10 billion fiscal
payments deficit would be eliminated by
stimulus.
the end of 1963, the annual deficits con-
A proponent of tax reform, Dillon over-
tinued unabated. In the summer of 1963
saw the Treasury's formulation of a reform
they advocated further steps: a rise in the
package in 1961 and 1962 and defended the
Federal Reserve Board's discount rate and
program before Congress in 1962. He ar-
an "interest equalization tax." The increase
gued for Treasury proposals to withhold
in the discount rate from 3% to 3½% occur-
taxes on interest and dividend income, a
red in July 1963. Dillon, Roosa, and Wil-
device to curb widespread tax evasion, and
liam McChesney Martin ['q.v.], chairman
advocated closing loopholes for foreign "tax
of the Federal Reserve Board, hoped that
haven" corporations and for businessmen
the increase would forestall a flight of capi-
deducting entertainment expenses. Much of
tal from the U.S. towards higher interest
the Administration's reform program was
rates abroad. The "interest equalization tax"
rejected or eliminated by Congress in the
was a levy on foreign securities sold in the
summer of 1962, but Dillon and the Ad-
U.S., making it more expensive for foreign-
ministration endorsed the final package be-
ers to borrow in the U.S.
cause it contained the feature they consid-
The Dillon-Roosa balance of payments
ered most important, the 7% investment
strategy encountered opposition within the
tax credit.
Administration. Their agile monetary ma-
Dillon said the tax credit was essential in
neuvers within a framework of traditional
order to enable American industry to mod-
economics were substitutes for the sweep-
ernize its plant and equipment and to bring
ing reform of the international monetary
it "abreast of its foreign competitors." Dil-
system advocated by Heller and James
lon also sponsored the Treasury's liberaliza-
Tobin on the CEA and also by individuals
tion of depreciation guidelines, designed to
within the State Department. The mone-
permit businesses to claim greater tax de-
tary reformers advocated establishing a new
ductions for depreciation of equipment and
international mechanism with the resources
machinery. These guidelines, long sought
to expand international liquidity. Dillon and
by business, were promulgated by the
Roosa spearheaded the Treasury's opposi-
Treasury in the summer of 1962. The in-
tion to such a scheme, denying that there
vestment credit and the changes in the de-
was a serious liquidity shortage and arguing
preciation timetables restored roughly $2.2
against any arrangement that involved a loss
billion to corporate treasuries.
of sovereignty by the U.S. Dillon's adept-
Together with the resourceful Under-
ness at setting up roadblocks to ideas op-
secretary of the Treasury for Monetary Af-
posed by the Treasury became known as
fairs Robert V. Roosa [ q.v.], Dillon de-
"dillontory" tactics around Washington.
vised a complex series of measures to coun-
Sorensen recalled that Kennedy once re-
teract the balance of payments deficit and
marked to Dillon, "The Treasury is very
the outflow of gold. Among the monetary
skillful at shooting down every balloon
solutions they tried were the prepayment of
floated elsewhere in the Administration."
debts owed by European nations and the
The Dillon-Roosa-Martin group likewise
accumulation of foreign currencies by the
overcame efforts by Heller and Tobin to
win Kennedy's support for lower short-term
personal itemized deductions, a revision
interest rates. The CEA believed that lower
designed to recoup $2.3 billion for the
interest rates would stimulate the economy
Treasury. He also defended the Kennedy
by making capital more available. In its
tax program before business audiences, and
view a strong economy would do more to
along with Treasury Undersecretary Henry
arrest the balance of payments deficit than
Fowler [ q.v.], prodded influential busi-
anti-inflationary measures.
nessmen to form the Business Committee
Kennedy also used Dillon for foreign pol-
for Tax Reduction in 1963.
icy assignments. He made Dillon head of
The Administration sacrificed the re-
the American delegation sent to Punta del
forms, including the 5% floor, in the
Este, Uruguay, to inaugurate the Alliance
summer of 1963 in order to win passage in
for Progress in August 1961. There Dillon
the House of a tax cut totaling $11.2 billion.
pledged $20 billion in low-interest loans
The bill did not pass the Senate until after
over the next 10 years to improve Latin
President Kennedy's death. In February
America's living standards. "We welcome
1964 President Johnson signed an $11.5
the revolution of rising expectations," Dil-
billion tax reduction, which cut personal
lon said, "and we intend to transform it
income tax rates from the existing range of
into a revolution of rising satisfactions.' Dil-
20%-91% to 14%-70% and cut the corporate
lon also sat on the National Security Coun-
income tax from 52% to 48%.
cil and took part in the tense deliberations
Dillon retired as Treasury Secretary in
during the Cuban missile crisis of October
March 1965. [See JOHNSON Volume]
1963.
[TO]
Dillon's most significant shift in office
was his conversion to Heller's view that
For further information:
sweeping tax cuts were needed to promote
E. Ray Canterbery, Economics on a New Fron-
economic growth. By late 1962 Dillon had
tier (Belmont, 1968).
Seymour Harris, Economics of the Kennedy
accepted the argument that high taxes were
Years (New York, 1964).
placing "shackles" on the economy. His
Hobart Rowen, The Free Enterprisers: Kennedy,
evolution on the subject roughly paralleled
Johnson and the Business Establishment (New
President Kennedy's own developing views
York, 1964).
in favor of tax reductions. Nevertheless, Dil-
lon still exerted a powerful restraining in-
fluence on the impact of the cut. Fearful
that the budget deficit might become un-
manageable if taxes were reduced by $10
billion at once, Dillon convinced Kennedy
to spread the tax cut over three years. "To
do it all at once and have a tremendous de-
ficit," Dillon told the Advertising Council
in March 1963, "would not inspire confi-
dence in the rest of the world and could be
very dangerous for our balance of pay-
ments."
Dillon further acted to brake the tax cut's
fiscal momentum by insisting on revenue-
raising reforms and a rigorous spending-
control policy to accompany the reductions.
He worked strenuously throughout 1963 to
win passage of the Kennedy tax cut, de-
fending the cut and the reforms before con-
gressional committees. In the reform pack-
age Dillon placed special emphasis on a
proposed 5% floor to be placed under all
POLITICAL PROFILES: THE EISENHOWER YEARS (1977)
DILLON, C(LARENCE) DOUGLAS
b. Aug. 21, 1909; Geneva, Switzerland.
Ambassador to France, January 1953-
Janaury 1957; Deputy Undersecretary
of State for Economic Affairs, January
1957-July 1958; Undersecretary of State
for Economic Affairs, July 1958-April
1959; Undersecretary of State, April
1959-January 1961.
C. Douglas Dillon grew up amid afflu-
ence in New York City suburbs. He at-
tended Groton and Harvard and in 1931
was given a seat on the New York Stock
Exchange by his father. Seven years later
he became vice president of Dillon. Read
and Co., the investment banking firm
founded by his father. Dillon followed the
firm's president, James V. Forrestal. into
the Navy Department in 1940. During
World War II he saw action in the Pacific
as a Navy air operations officer. After the
War Dillon became board chairman of Dil-
lon. Read. There he supervised the firm's
far-flung foreign and domestic holdings and
doubled its investment portfolio in six
years.
A prominent Republican. Dillon worked
with John Foster Dulles [q.v.] in Gov.
Thomas Dewey's 1948 presidential cam-
paign. In December 1951 he initiated the
"draft Eisenhower" movement in New Jer-
Agreements Act and more money for the
sey and became a large financial contributor
DLF, especially for African and Asian na-
to the 1952 Republican presidential cam-
tions. He also urged Congress to approve
paign.
U.S. membership in the Organization for
President Eisenhower named Dillon am-
Trade Cooperation, an agency designed to
bassador to France in January 1953. Dillon
administer the 38-nation General Agree-
frequently represented Secretary of State
ment on Tariffs and Trade. Finally, he rec-
Dulles at the 1954 Geneva Conference on
ommended more private investment and
Indochina and assisted Special Ambassador
greater use of the Export-Import Bank to
David Bruce [q.v.] in attempting to per-
help the underdeveloped nations.
suade the French to accept European
Dillon's ambitious designs met with con-
economic and military unity. The French,
siderable success. In September 1957 the
fearful of German rearmament and of sac-
Inter-American Economic Conference
rificing their sovereignty to a supranational
called for a reduction of trade restrictions
army, rejected the European Defense
among member nations, increased efforts to
Community in August 1954. However, at
stimulate investment capital and inter-
the end of the year, they agreed to a com-
governmental cooperation on the problems
promise solution: the admission of West
of raw material producers. Dillon encour-
Germany into the North Atlantic Treaty
aged the creation of regional common mar-
Organization under the aegis of the West-
kets in Latin America, although he pointed
ern European Union.
out that the U.S. could not join because of
In January 1957 Dillon became deputy
conflicting agreements with other parts of the
undersecretary of state for economic affairs.
world. In August 1958 Dillon announced
During the course of the year, he was given
U.S. support of the Inter-American De-
supervisory authority over the entire U.S.
velopment Institution, formed to provide
foreign aid program. In April he was named
development loans to Latin American coun-
alternate governor of the International
tries.
Monetary Fund (IMF), and in December,
In April 1959 Dillon became undersecre-
he was appointed to the Development Loan
tary of state, the second-ranking post in the
Fund (DLF). Dillon was promoted to
State Department. He retained his author-
undersecretary of state for economic affairs
ity over economic affairs and achieved two
in July 1958. His increased power reflected
of his most notable successes in the last
Secretary of State Dulles's belief that the
year of the Eisenhower Administration. In
State Department should play a more posi-
September 1960 Dillon submitted a $500
tive role in implementing foreign policy. It
million program to the Inter-American
was also an indication of the Eisenhower
Economic Conference meeting in Bogota,
Administration's desire to devise a more
Colombia. Despite Cuban denunciations of
ambitious and coherent foreign aid pro-
the Act of Bogota, all the other nations
gram. Vice President Richard M. Nixon
agreed to the proposal. The social de-
[q.c.] was instrumental in choosing Dillon
velopment plan, a forerunner of President
for the job of coordinating foreign aid, be-
Kennedy's Alliance for Progress, was to be
lieving that Dillon could ably argue the
financed by the Unites States but adminis-
case for increased expenditures before a
tered by the Inter-American Development
skeptical Congress.
Bank. With its aims of modernizing Latin
With his new authority Dillon sought to
American economies, improving stan-
revamp foreign aid policy, arguing that
dards of living and fostering land and tax re-
Communist technical advances demanded
form, Dillon hoped that the plan could help
more rapid development of the Western
democratize Latin America and thus make
world's economic strength. The U.S., he
the rest of the Hemisphere immune to
asserted, could no longer grant foreign aid
Communist revolution. In December 1960
on an emergency basis. Speaking in
Dillon's persistent efforts to convince the
November 1957 he advocated a five-year
Western Europeans to develop more ambi-
extension of the Reciprocal Trade
tious foreign aid programs led to the estab-
lishment of the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The OECD, consisting of the U.S., Canada
and 18 European nations, succeeded the
Organization for European Economic
Cooperation and marked the beginning of a
coordinated foreign aid policy by the de-
veloped nations.
Although Dillon was a large contributor
to the 1960 Nixon presidential campaign,
President-elect Kennedy asked him to join
his cabinet as Secretary of the Treasury. Dil-
lon accepted Kennedy's offer and became
the most important economic policymaker
during the Kennedy Administration. He
continued at his post under the Johnson
Administration. Unable to achieve a rapport
with Johnson, Dillon left the Treasury in
March 1965. In February 1967 he became
president of the U.S. and Foreign Se-
curities Corp. [See KENNEDY, JOHNSON Vol-
umes]
[JCH]
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY
1953
D
the
Dietrich is now acting in a radio drama Time
change, on which he acquired a seat, reported
on
for Love on the Columbia Broadcasting Sys-
the New York Times, for $185,000. During
soon
tem network, which, like the very popular Cafe
the five years of his membership on the ex-
ends
Istanbul program in 1952, is a series of inter-
change (1931-36), he was also an associate
re-
national adventure plots with Marlene playing
member of the New York Curb Exchange. Re-
von
what Time called "the same romantic Welt-
joining Dillon, Read & Company, Inc., in Jan-
schmerz role with whispered snatches of French
uary 1938, Dillon held the vice-presidency of
her
and German songs."
the firm and membership on the board of di-
46),
References
rectors from that year to 1941. In January
the
1946, after his return from World War II
Coronet 32:101-16 My '52 pors
service, he became chairman of the board. (Dil-
oom
Liberty 18:18 My 31 '41
ther
lon, Read & Company, a firm of investment
Life 25:59+ Ag 9 '48 por; 33:86+
imu,
bankers with world-wide interests, grew out of
Ag 18 '52 pors
the banking firm of William A. Read & Com-
can-
N Y Post Mag p9 Ap 3 '43 por
lited
pany. In 1916 Clarence Dillon became presi-
Pict R 32:4+ Ag '31 por; 34:16-17
hich
dent of the organization and kept that position
J1 '33 por
when the firm took its present name, in 1920,
nost
Time 28:40-1 N 30 '36 por
and launched what have been described as "some
American Women, 1939-40
of the most spectacular financial operations of
948,
Hughes, E. Famous Stars of Filmdom
the 20's.")
mer
(Women) (1931)
In January 1938 Dillon was also made a di-
ritic
International Motion Picture Almanac,
rector of two investment houses with which he
ad-
1950-51
had become associated a year earlier, the United
corn,
Who's Who in America, 1950-51
States and Foreign Securities Corporation and
rket
Winchester's Screen Encyclopedia (1948)
its subsidiary United States and International
World Biography (1948)
Securities Corporation. These corporations, of
tory,
which Dillon was elected president in Novem-
itch-
ber 1946, were organized by Dillon, Read &
pic-
DILLON, C(LARENCE) DOUGLAS Aug.
Company in 1924 as publicly owned investment
951)
21, 1909- United States Ambassador to
trust concerns with far-flung domestic and for-
rious
France; banker
eign holdings in chemicals, metals, natural gas,
ated
Address: b. c/o American Embassy, Place de
oil, and public utilities. In 1951 they showed a
does
la Concorde, Paris, France; 46 William St.,
net income of $4,712,414. Dillon accepted re-
sponsibilities in a third major business affilia-
New York 5; h. Far Hills, N.J.
tion when he became a director in May 1947
tizen
For the critical diplomatic post of United
of the Amerada Petroleum Corporation, which
ation
States Ambassador to France, President Dwight
was established in 1921 (its present name dates
cess-
D. Eisenhower in January 1953 named C. Doug-
from 1941) to develop and exploit petroleum in
war,
las Dillon, who resigned as chairman of the
the United States and the Province of Al-
high-
board of Dillon, Read & Company to accept
berta, Canada. Nearly eight million acres are
ny to
the appointment. With his twenty-two years
owned or controlled by the firm, which in 1951
1 en-
of experience in international investment com-
produced 23,271,654 barrels of crude oil.
1951
panies and knowledge of the financial problems
Commissioned an ensign in the United States
) the
involved in building a military defense program,
Navy on October 26, 1940, Dillon soon after-
rench
Dillon has the task, among other duties, of
ward gave up his business associations for the
vices
advancing the Republican Administration's new
period of his service in World War II. In the
has
economic and mutual aid policies in France.
Naval Reserve from May 1, 1941, to November
uding
Chairman of the executive committee of the
4. 1945, when he returned to inactive duty with
llads.
New Jersey Republican State Committee since
the rank of lieutenant commander, he mainly
Poly-
1949, Dillon actively supported Eisenhower's
fought with the air arm of the Seventh Fleet
Vorld
candidacy for President in 1952.
stationed in the Southwest Pacific and took
Clarence Douglas Dillon was born in Geneva,
part in a number of major operations. Dillon
1 and
Switzerland, on August 21, 1909, one of two
was awarded the Air Medal, the Legion of
children (a boy and a girl) of Clarence and
Merit Medal, and the Navy Commendation
Diet-
cook-
Anne McEldin (Douglass) Dillon, American
Ribbon.
citizens who at the time of their son's birth
rand-
Since his discharge from the Navy Dillon
ibrow
were traveling in Europe. The elder Dillon,
has been an active member of the Republican
an investment broker and later founder of the
party, working with John Foster Dulles on the
.lmost
banking firm Dillon, Read & Company, re-
foreign policy team in the 1948 Presidential
an
turned to the United States with his family in
campaign of Governor Thomas E. Dewey. The
Harry
1910. Graduated with high honors from Groton
next year the county of Somerset, where he
).
School in Massachusetts in 1927, young Dillon
resides. elected him to the New Jersey Repub-
: that
entered Harvard University, where his major
lican State Committee, on which he served as
1 and
subjects were American history and literature
chairman of the executive group. In December
than
and where he became manager of the varsity
1951 he initiated the "draft Eisenhower" move-
ith it.
football team and a member of the student
ment in his State and took part in the appeal
time-
council before receiving his B.A. degree magna
to New Jersey voters to participate in the
V also
cum laude in 1931.
Republican primary elections regardless of their
lligent
About a month after joining his father's
previous political affiliations, and in this effort
pinion
firm in September 1931, Dillon left to become
clashed with supporters of Senator Robert A.
a floor trader on the New York Stock Ex-
Taft. Dillon was an alternate delegate-at-large
161
D
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY 1953
Treaty. The new Ambassador presented his
fat
credentials in Paris on March 13, 1953.
wh
Charitable and public organizations Dillon
mo
has served are the United Hospital Fund and
vio
two New York hospitals, the State Charities
gra
Aid Association, the Metropolitan Museum of
brc
Art, and the United States Council of the Inter-
infl
national Chamber of Commerce. He is an over-
gra
seer of Harvard and permanent treasurer of the
spir
Harvard class of 1931. His clubs are the
A
Racquet and Tennis, the Links, Knickerbocker
Tat
River, and Recess in New York; and the Met-
Ma
ropolitan in Washington, D.C. Married on
con
March 10, 1931, to Phyllis Chess Ellsworth,
deg
Dillon is the father of two daughters, Phyllis
in
Ellsworth and Joan Douglas. His religious
I
affiliation is Episcopal. Dillon, who has been
the
described as "handsome," has brown hair, blue
191-
eyes, stands an inch over six feet, and weighs
Dro
180 pounds. His taste in reading reflects his
She
interest in history and current events. His
in
other forms of recreation are golf, tennis,
Wo
small-boat sailing, enjoyment of art, and man-
divo
agement of his family's 300-acre farm in the
R
foothills of Somerset County, New Jersey. The
assi
Karsh, Ottawa
Ambassador, who speaks French, has traveled
tori
C. DOUGLAS DILLON
in France on business and vacation trips.
whi
thes
References
proi
to the National Republican Convention in Chi-
Newsweek 41:35 Ja 26 '53
poe:
cago in the summer of 1952, which nominated
N Y Herald Tribune p3 Ja 26 '53; II
writ
Dwight D. Eisenhower for the Presidency. The
p1 F 22 '53 por
as
New York Herald Tribune reported that Dil-
N Y Times p60 Ja 18 '53
atte
lon had expected a place in the new Adminis-
U S News 34:62 Ja 30 '53
area
tration, but was "surprised" when President
Who's Who in America, 1952-53
sour
Eisenhower designated him United States Am-
Who's Who in Commerce and Industry,
alte:
bassador to France in January 1953. Dillon's
1952-53
L
only previous Government experience was in
free
1940 when he made a special study of the Navy
her
Department for the then Under Secretary of
DOUGLAS, MARJORY STONEMAN
Pos
the Navy, James Forrestal, who was his close
April 7, 1890- Author
Edit
friend. After accepting his diplomatic appoint-
beer
ment, Dillon resigned as head of Dillon, Read
Address: h. 3744 Stewart Avenue, Coconut
capi
& Company.
Grove, Florida
advi
As outlined-by United States News, Dillon's
When Marjory Stoneman Douglas' book
voti:
Ambassadorship carries with it the responsi-
The Everglades: River of Grass (Rinehart)
stor:
bility of advancing "President Eisenhower's
was published in 1947 and became a best seller,
the
plan for a closely integrated, well-armed Eu-
she achieved national recognition in a career de-
follo
rope, prepared, with United States help, to rise
voted primarily to fictional and factual writings
ure
to its own defense against any Russian attack."
on Florida.
O. I
Dillon's task is to "combat the trend [in
Prior to this achievement, Mrs. Douglas
Post
France] ragainst European unity, away from
was already recognized as a writer of short
short
cooperation, and toward French nationalism."
His knowledge of international finance is ex-
stories approximately forty of which appeared
Post
in the Saturday Evening Post over a period of
Hon
pected to be useful in the proposed possible
"examination" of United States foreign aid
fifteen years. Collier's, Woman's Home Com-
T1
policies, as they affect France. Before leaving
panion, Reader's Digest, and other national
Dou:
acro:
for his post in Paris, Dillon told a group which
magazines have carried her writings. She
held a luncheon in his honor that France and
received the second prize in the O. Henry
Cocc
Memorial Collection of 1928.
sleep
its ministers had been leaders in creating the
thatc
idea of European economic and military unity,
Road to the Sun (Rinehart, 1951) was
work
and stated that antagonism to the United
Marjory Stoneman Douglas's first novel. In the
befo:
States in France was fostered by Communists.
making ten years, it is a "tense Florida drama."
tropi
His mission, he said, would be to try to make
Her accurate knowledge of Florida history in
venie
the French people see "what we are really try-
this and The Everglades made her the logical
choice for a representative story in the new
W
ing to do." One aspect of Dillon's role as Am-
"The State of the Union" series. This historical
occas
bassador, as viewed by Drew Middleton of the
New York Times, is to mediate, if necessary,
story, with teen-age characters, is laid in 1845,
own
between France and West Germany in any dif-
the year Florida joined the Union. This is her
choic
ference that might arise to threaten ratification
first book for young people.
work
Libra
of the Bonn peace contract with the Western
Marjory Stoneman Douglas was born in
direc
Allies and the European Defense Community
Minneapolis, Minnesota, on April 7, 1890. Her
162
POLITICAL PROFILES: THE JOHNSON YEARS
(1976)
Kennedy's economic policymaking team
throughout the Administration. His success
in persuading the President to give priority
status to the balance-of-payments deficit
was crucial in shaping Kennedy's moderate
fiscal course, which ruled out more activist
solutions to the economy's problems. As
Treasury Secretary, Dillon devoted himself
to alleviating the intractable payments def-
DILLON, C(LARENCE) DOUGLAS
icit, to devising and promoting the Ken-
b. Aug. 21, 1909; Geneva, Switzerland.
nedy tax program and to spearheading the
Treasury's opposition to proposals for inter-
Secretary of the Treasury, January
national monetary reform and lower interest
1961-March 1965.
rates emanating from the Council of
Economic Advisers. [See KENNEDY Vol-
C. Douglas Dillon was the son of a Wall
ume]
Street banker who made a fortune building
After two years of opposition Dillon be-
Dillon, Read & Company into one of the
came persuaded in late 1962 of the need for
country's largest investment firms. Dillon
a massive tax cut to stimulate the economy.
attended Groton and Harvard. In 1931 his
The House passed an $11 billion tax reduc-
father bought him a seat on the New York
tion bill in September 1963, but the Senate
Stock Exchange for $185,000. After serving
had not acted on the measure by the time
an apprenticeship with some smaller in-
of Kennedy's assassination in November.
vestment houses, he joined Dillon, Read as
Dillon was instrumental in convincing Pres-
a vice president in 1938. He followed the
ident Johnson to push the tax cut in the
company's president, James Forrestal, into
Senate and to accompany it with significant
the Navy Department in 1940 and saw ac-
spending cuts in order to forestall inflation
tion in the Pacific toward the end of the
and conciliate Senate conservatives. As in
war.
the Kennedy Administration he exerted a
As chairman of the board of Dillon, Read
conservative pull on economic policy. The
after the war, Dillon supervised the firm's
Senate passed the tax bill in February 1964.
far-flung domestic and foreign holdings and
In August 1965 Dillon declared that fur-
doubled its investment portfolio in six
ther tax reductions were desirable, stating
years. He was an active Republican, work-
that "high priority should be given to a
ing with John-Foster Dulles in the 1948
thorough overhaul of the hodgepodge of ex-
presidential campaign of Gov. Thomas E.
cise taxes remaining from World War II
Dewey and initiating a "draft Eisenhower"
days." "Many of these taxes," Dillon said,
movement in New Jersey in 1951. In 1953
"no longer serve their purpose. Instead,
Eisenhower appointed Dillon ambassador to
they increase business costs, weigh un-
France. He remained there until 1957, when
evenly on consumers and are often an un-
Dulles recalled him to Washington to serve
necessary nuisance to taxpayers and gov-
as undersecretary of state for economic af-
ernment alike."
fairs. Dillon contributed heavily to the Re-
In March 1964 Dillon testified against a
publican presidential candidate, Vice Presi-
plan of Rep. Wright Patman (D, Tex.)
dent Richard M. Nixon [ q.v.], in 1960 and
[ q.v.], chairman of the House Banking and
was considered a natural appointment to a
Currency Committee, to reform the Fed-
Nixon cabinet. [See EISENHOWER Volume]
eral Reserve System. He particularly op-
President Kennedy's selection of Dillon
posed a provision placing the Secretary of
as Secretary of the Treasury was a surprise
the Treasury at the head of a new Federal
to many and an indication of Kennedy's
Reserve Board. "Experience over many
strong desire to have a "sound-money" man
years and in many countries," Dillon said.
in the nation's top economic post. Dillon
"has taught us the wisdom of shielding
remained the most influential member of
those who make decisions on monetary pol-
icy from day-to-day pressures.' He also
spoke against a proposal permiting interest
to be paid on checking accounts.
Because of his social background Dillon
never achieved the rapport with President
Johnson that he had with President Ken-
nedy. In comparing the work of Dillon and
his successor Henry Fowler [ q.v.] on the
tax cut in 1963 and 1964, Johnson re-
marked, "He [Fowler] was there night after
night, while Doug Dillon was going to tea
parties or putting on his white tie and
tails."
Dillon resigned in March 1965 to return
to private finance. He became president of
the U.S. & Foreign Securities Corporation
in February 1967. Dillon was a member of
the Senior Advisory Group on Vietnam, a
group of prestigious Establishment figures
that advised Johnson in March 1968 to de-
escalate the Vietnam war. In the same
month, as head of the Advisory Committee
to the U.S. Treasury on International
Monetary Affairs, he urged a tax increase,
warning that failure to do so would "en-
danger worldwide confidence in the dollar"
and "risk a serious upheaval in the interna-
tional monetary system." Arguing against
federal spending cuts as a substitute for a
tax increase, he declared, "There is no feas-
ible substitute for tax action to curtail the
inflationary excesses in domestic demand
that are now spilling over into imports."
[To]
WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA, 1988-1989
DILLON, CLARENCE DOUGLAS, retired investment company executive;
b. Geneva, Switzerland, Aug. 21, 1909; S. Clarence and Anne McE.
(Douglass) D.; m. Phyllis C. Ellsworth, Mar. 10, 1931 (dec.); children:
Phyllis Ellsworth (Mrs. Phyllis Collins), Joan Douglas (Duchesse de
Mouchy); m. Susan S. Sage, Jan. 1, 1983. Grad., Groton Sch., 1927; A.B.,
Harvard U., 1931, LL.D., 1959; LL.D., NYU, 1956, Lafayette Coll., 1957,
U. Hartford, 1958, Columbia U., 1959, Williams Coll., 1960, Rutgers U.,
1961, Princeton U., 1961, U. Pa., 1962, Middlebury Coll., 1963, Tufts U.,
1982. Mem. N.Y. Stock Exchange, 1931-36; dir. U.S. & Foreign Securities
Corp. and U.S. & Internat. Securities Corp., 1937-53; pres. U.S. & Fgn.
Securities Corp. and U.S. & Internat. Securities Corp., 1947-53, pres., dir.,
1967-71, chmn. bd., 1971-84; dir. Dillon, Read & Co., Inc., 1938-53, chmn.
bd., 1946-53, chmn. exec. com., dir., 1971-81; ambassador to France, 1953-
57; under sec. of state for econ. affairs Dept. State, 1958-59, under sec. of
state, 1959-61, sec. of treasury, 1961-65. Pres. Met. Mus. Art, N.Y.C., 1970-
78, chmn., 1978-83; hon. gov. N.Y. Hosp.; chmn. Rockefeller Found., 1972-
75, Brookings Instn., 1970-76, former pres. bd. overseers, Harvard Coll.
Served from ensign to lt. comdr. USNR, 1941-45. Decorated Air medal,
Legion of Merit. Mem. Soc. Colonial Wars N.Y., Soc. of Cincinnati. Clubs:
Racquet and Tennis, Knickerbocker, Links, River, Century, Pilgrims
(N.Y.C.); Metropolitan (Washington). Office: 1270 Ave of Americas Room
2300 New York NY 10020
TIME
Aug. 18, 1961
THE ECONOMY
Man with the Purse
cratic Administration (not all Republicans
(See Cover)
can forgive him that He can coldly and
A mild midwinter sun glinted on the
calmly approve a $6 billion deficit for the
nation: he can also fret over the health of
sumptuous Uruguayan resort town of Pun-
the honey locust trees near his home.
ta del Este. 65 miles east of Montevideo.
Steeled in Wall Street's rough and tum-
It was an odd setting for talk about pov-
ble. Dillon preserves a diffident professor-
crty. but there last week. in the blue and
ial manner. and revels in tastes that few
white assembly hall of Punta del Este's
of his countrymen share: vintage wines,
Cantegril Country Club. the economic
Savile Row suits (from Henry Poole &
ministers of 21 hemisphere nations gath-
Co.). fine paintings and finer porcelain.
ered to launch a historically dramatic new
Ghettos & Genius. For all his aura of
program of massive aid for Latin Ameri-
ca's underdeveloped nations-the Alliance
patrician well-being. Douglas Dillon is
for Progress (see THE HEMISPHERE).
only two generations removed from the
ghettos of Poland. where Samuel Lapow-
The U.S. spokesman was Treasury Sec-
ski. his paternal grandfather. was born.'
retary Douglas Dillon. While Cuba's
Migrating to Texas after the Civil War.
spinach-bearded economic commissar. Che
Lapowski set up shop as a clothier. first
Guevara. glowered in his chair. Dillon
in San Antonio and later in Abilene. took
opened the conference with the most gen-
his mother's maiden name of Dillon. pros-
erous offer of help in U.S. history. In a flat.
toneless voice that failed to hide the tre-
mendous promise of his words. Dillon
vowed that the U.S. would take the lead in
pered enough to send his only son Clar-
securing $20 billion in low-interest loans
ence to Harvard. Shrewd. smart and
over the next ten years to raise Latin
blessed with a good poker player's sense
America's living standards. "We welcome
of timing. Clarence ("Baron") Dillon was
the revolution of rising expectations." he
the only hoy in his class ('05) to own a
said. "and we intend to transform it into a
car-and the one who perhaps drove ahead
revolution of rising satisfactions.
the farthest. The Baron was an authentic
Wall Street genius: he built Dillon. Read
& Co. into one of the nation's largest in-
Plans & Policies. Over the years. the
vestment firms. retired with a personal
U.S. has been an indifferently good neigh-
fortune of more than $100 million.
bor to Latin America. misunderstanding
Clarence Dillon's only son was born
and misunderstood. pledging much but
Aug. 21. 1909 in Geneva. while the Baron
producing little in the way of desperately
and his bride were on a two-year post-
needed capital investment. But there was
honeymoon "health tour" of Europe. "My
a new tone to the U.S. commitments made
father was injured in a bizarre accident
at Punta del Este-and this tone reflected
just before his marriage." Doug Dillon
the convictions and attitudes of both
explains. "He was at a railroad station in
Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republi-
a small resort outside Milwaukee when an
can Douglas Dillon. As custodian of the
express went by the station at full speed.
world's richest treasury. Dillon presides
A Saint Bernard had wandered onto the
over the fiscal plans and policies of a
tracks: the train hit him and threw him
nation with a record gross national prod-
into the crowd. The dog's body knocked
uct of $515 billion: as the fiscal house-
my father against a pillar, breaking his
keeper for the U.S. Government. Dillon
skull. He was unconscious for a week."
works within the roomy contines of the
Doug Dillon spent a secluded. affluent
largest peacetime budget in history-
$87.7 billion. But unlike most of his
Treasury Department predecessors. Dil-
lon does not consider himself simply a
watchdog of the taxpayer's dollar. "He
childhood in a series of suburban homes
believes in good housekeeping." says a
around New York City. The grandest 0.
Treasury staffer. "not just to admire the
them all was Dunwalke. an estate in Far
house. but in order to utilize it." To Dil-
Hills. N.J.. that his father has owned
lon. the U.S. economy is a dynamic weap-
on in the cold war. an arsenal of dol-
since 1920. A wiry child who could read
lars that must be strategically employed
swiftly and understandingly at the age of
against world poverty to halt the spread
four. Dillon was sent to be educated in
of Communism. Under Doug Dillon. the
private schools. The most challenging 11.7%
staid U.S. Treasury is no longer just the
the Pine Lodge School in Lakehurst. N.J..
Government's check-cashing and revenue-
whose headmaster insisted that his every
gathering arm: it is an active. shaping
pupil learn the art of reading fast-and
force in U.S. foreign policy.
Dillon today riffles through even techni-
Treasury's present boss may well be the
cal papers at 4CO words a minute. While
most paradoxical picket on President Ken-
at Pine Lodge. Dillon met and became
friends with three heirs to another no.
nedy's New Frontier. For the past 81
table fortune: Nelson. Laurance and John
years. shy. spare (6 ft. 2 in., 185 lbs.
Clarence Douglas Dillon. 51. has ably
Rockefeller III.
To Harvard, Inevitably. Dillon went
served the public in posts of enormous
on to Groton. where he graduated second
influence and responsibility. but he is vir-
in his class. and then. inevitably. to Har.
tually unknown. and even less understood.
by the public he serves. Dillon is a prag-
matic. liberal Republican who holds down
one of the most sensitive jobs in a Demo-
10
10.00
vard. Around the Yard. recalls a former
Philippines. "We were shot at a little." he
professor. he was known as "a terribly
recalls modestly. "I know what tracers
able fellow.' Too weedy to play football.
look like." By the time he was mustered
he managed the freshman and varsity
teams. played squash and tennis (when
out. Dillon had risen from ensign to lieu-
tenant commander.
he was 15. he had qualified for the Na-
tional Junior tennis championships Dil-
Dillon went back to Investment bank-
lon's academic interest was American his-
ing as Dillon. Read's board chairman.
tory and literature. He had no care then
soon took on the added job of handling
for fiscal theory. and even now likes to
the huge U.S. & Foreign Securities Corp.
boast that "I never took a course in
Dillon managed both jobs with apparent
economics in my life."
ease-and actually doubled Dillon, Read's
Dillon was a bridegroom before he was
investment portfolios in six years. "Any-
a bachelor (of arts). Three months be-
body else who treated Dillon, Read as a
fore he graduated magna cum lande. he
part-time job would have been a drag on
married pretty. buoyant Phyllis Chess
us." recalls a partner in the firm. "But
Ellsworth of Boston. Doug took his bride
Douglas would sit down with all the doc-
on a European honeymoon. stopping off
uments of a transaction. and in 20 min-
at Monte Carlo to try out his system
utes he'd have a real grasp of the problem.
for winning at roulette. The young couple
It was incredible."
cashed in enough chips to buy a set of
Victory's Spoil. Another growing inter-
Napoleon-era china. which they still use
est of Dillon's was politics. "I imagine he
-but the future custodian of untold U.S.
was bored as hell with banking.' says
billions decided that the system was "too
a friend. A lifelong Republican. Dillon
boring." and has not used it since.
Before World War II. Dillon made
worked with John Foster Dulles on the
1948 presidential campaign of New York's
many trips to France: a favorite stopping
Tom Dewey: a year later he won an elec-
point was Château Haut-Brion. a 104-
tion as a G.O.P. state committeeman. In
acre estate in Graves that produces one
1952 he helped secure New Jersey's Re-
of the most subtle and exhilarating wines
publican delegation for Presidential Can-
of Bordeaux. Once owned by Talleyrand.
didate Dwight Eisenhower. contributed
the château had been bought by Dillon's
heavily to Ike's campaign chest. After the
father in 1933. Over the years. Doug Dil-
election. on Dulles' recommendation. Dil-
lon has taken deep personal interest in
lon got an impressive spoil of victory:
the property. and still reserves a large
the ambassadorship to Paris.
share of Haut-Brion's output for his own
To many. he did not seem an auspicious
use. He takes a connoisseur's quiet pride
choice. Despite his love of France and his
in his knowledge of wines. "I can tell the
connection with Château Haut-Brion. Dil-
year of a given Bordeaux or the district
lon spoke schoolbook French. He also
it came from." he says. "but I can't
seemed too young (43) and inexperienced
spot both the year and the vineyard."
to handle a post made all the more touchy
Parental Shadow. In 1931 Dillon
by the growing troubles of France's
bought himself a seat on the "big board"
Fourth Republic.
with a fatherly gift of $185,000. served
Dillon made a doubtful start as a dip-
an apprenticeship with smaller investment
lomat. "Whenever a difficult problem
houses before joining Dillon. Read as a
came up.' recalls one former embassy
junior partner. The parental shadow
staffer. "he got a cold in the head." But
loomed large over the firm-the Baron
as France's problems-notably in Indo-
was board chairman-but Doug Dillon
China and with the European Defense
proved that he could hold his own as a
Community-grew worse. Dillon stepped
Wall Street expert. When Britain. at the
up to the challenge of his assignment. He
start of Lend-Lease. was trying to dis-
and Phyllis spent an hour daily with a
pose of some U.S. corporate assets. he
French tutor: within weeks Dillon was
took 'on the delicate $40 million deal that
visiting the Quai d'Orsay without an in-
set the American Viscose Corp. (until
terpreter. In a social swim where lavish
then a subsidiary of Courtaulds. Ltd.) on
entertainment was a matter of courses. the
its own feet. Dillon. who was then 31,
handled the complex transaction without
a flaw.
In 1940 the president of Dillon, Read,
Dillon dinners were worth a star. perhaps
James V. Forrestal (later the nation's
two. in the Guide Michelin. Dillon was
first Defense Secretary) went to Wash-
what bureaucrats call a "quick briefer."
ington as Under Secretary of the Navy."
He read every cable that left the embassy.
Doug Dillon went along with him. helped
demanded hyperaccurate reporting from
form the Office of Strategic Services
subordinates. He had a habit (as he still
predecessor of the CIA). spent three
does) of catching up aides on small-but
frustrating years behind a desk before he
often significant-errors. Eventually, even
wangled an escape into action in the
the Foreign Service pros gave him their
southwest Pacific. Serving as an air-
respect.
operations officer of the Seventh Fleet.
Dillon flew on "black cat" (night recon-
naissance) missions. took part in bombing
runs against Japanese installations in the
Unifying a Tangle. In 1957 Dillon was
called home to take over the post of
Deputy Under Secretary of State for
"He Needs You." Dillon, with his
Economic Affairs (later upgraded to Un-
banking and diplomatic experience. was
der Secretary), and put to unifying the
obviously an excellent choice for Ken-
U.S.'s well-meaning but tangled foreign
nedy's purpose. They had first met in
aid problems. Secretary of State Dulles
1956 at Harvard, when Dillon was grand
relied heavily on Dillon's fiscal experi-
marshal at the 25th reunion of his class
ence: so did Dulles' successor, Christian
and Senator Kennedy the winner of an
Herter.
honorary degree. After the ceremony.
During those latter Eisenhower-era
they dropped by the select Spee Club
years. Douglas Dillon laid down U.S.
(both men were members) to chat. later
policy for negotiations under the 38-
became friends and occasional golfing
nation General Agreement on Tariffs and
companions. But when President-elect
Trade (GATT). He teamed up with the
Kennedy asked to come to Dillon's house
Export-Import Bank and the Interna-
(Dillon thought it should be the other
tional Monetary Fund to work out loan
way around) and came through several
deals that eased temporary balance-of-
days later with an offer. Dillon. as a good
payments problems for Brazil, Colombia,
Republican. had plenty of doubts. He
Britain. the Philippines. Chile and India.
got only lukewarm encouragement from
He took an immense interest in Latin
Nixon. Ike also was cool, but told him:
American affairs. represented Ike at last
"You can hardly refuse if the President
September's Bogotá conference. which
of the United States says he needs you
programed the spending of $500 million
and you can serve conscientiously." Aft
in U.S. development grants. Dillon's mon-
er a week of soul searching, Dillon took
ument was the Organization for Economic
the post.
Cooperation and Development-a Mar-
Before the inauguration, questions
shall Plan successor that now molds the
about Treasury's new chief were plentiful.
foreign aid programs of the free world.
Republicans-and conservatives generally
Dillon helped draw up plans for the pro-
-wondered how Dillon could live with
gram. and last December. weeks before
the free-spending Democratic platform
he moved into Treasury, proudly signed
commitments. Easy-money liberals asked
the OECD charter.
whether Republican Dillon would stand
Trooper in Skirmishes. Thanks largely
in the way of the new Administration's
to his passion for unadorned fact. to his
efforts to get the country out of a reces-
careful homework (he likes to field ques-
sion. But at his senatorial confirmation
tions without having to whisper to aides
hearing, Dillon managed to seem both
for an answer). and to his polite and un-
fiscally sound and fiscally imaginative.
ruffled demeanor, Dillon proved to be one
came out in favor of the balanced budg-
of Ike's most valuable troopers in skir-
ets that conservatives wanted and the
mishes with Capitol Hill. He is not a man
recession deficits that liberals felt neces-
to make memorable quotes. but accom-
sary. He was approved without dissent.
plishes more by not drawing attention
A Free Hand. Moving into his spacious
to himself. One time he did not entirely
office in the grey, temple-façaded Treas-
escape the limelight was during the U-2
ury building next door to the White
House, Dillon called for every document
since 1789 that provided a job descrip-
tion of the Secretary's portfolio, then set
spy case last spring. Christian Herter
was at a NATO foreign ministers' meeting
in Istanbul, and Dillon was Acting Secre-
tary of State when word reached Wash-
out to make the department his own.
ington that the Russians had shot down
Unlike Secretary of State Rusk. Dillon
a U-2. Dillon. who had been fully briefed
did not have his top echelon of aides
on the plane's real reconnaissance mission,
picked in advance by Kennedy. He took
nonetheless allowed State Department
advantage of his free hand to build a
spokesmen to release a trumped-up cover
Treasury staff that moneymen rate as
story that the U-2 was merely on a
possibly the best since the days of Alex-
weather-scouting flight. He did not tell
ander Hamilton. Dillon's right-hand men:
his press officers the real truth until after
HENRY FOWLER. 52. Under Secretary.
Nikita Khrushchev announced that Pilot
Witty. white-haired "Joe" Fowler is ex-
Francis Powers had been taken alive.
actly the kind of tested. Washington-wise
Caught mouthing a useless lie, State was
administrator that Dillon needs to run
roundly scored for the gaff.
the daily routine of the department. A
During last fall's presidential campaign.
onetime lawyer for
TVA, Fowler has
Republican Dillon loyally contributed
$11,000 to G.O.P. campaign funds. Actu-
ally. he was a safe bet to stay on in a
top Government job no matter which
candidate won. Dick Nixon thought of
him for a top Cabinet post. So also-after
New York Bankers Robert Lovett and
John McCloy turned down the job of
Treasury Secretary-did John Kennedy.
who desperately wanted to forestall criti-
cism of the New Frontier by placing a
sound-money man in the sensitive Treas-
ury job.
reau. and "the Professor." Walter Heller.
served as counsel for a Senate subcom-
chairman of the Council of Economic
mittee. the Federal Power Commission
and the War Production Board. He
Advisers. Last week, just before he left
headed the Office of Defense Mobiliza-
for Uruguay. Dillon walked out of a
presidential conference with his arm
tion during the Korean war. Thorough.
cautious and sound. Fowler worked on
around Heller's shoulders. jocularly asked
the task force that John Kennedy set
him to "keep the shop while I'm gone."
Says Heller: "We're on the same wave
up before his inauguration to consider
anti-recession plans.
length. We may not see eye to eye on
all the problems. but we see the broad
ROBERT V. ROOSA. 43. Under Secretary
for Monetary Affairs. The selection of
objectives clearly."
Out of Recession. The first New Fron-
bow-tied. scholarly Banker Roosa (pro-
nounced Roza) to be Treasury's No.
tier objective Dillon faced was guiding
the economy out of the recession. He
3 man was audibly cheered by the U.S.
happily went along with such Administra-
financial community. A former teacher
tion pump-priming gestures as fast pay-
at both Harvard and M.I.T.. Roosa was
ment of G.I. insurance dividends and a
for four years research director for the
defense spending speedup. But he argued
Federal Reserve Bank in New York,
strongly against the $1 billion public
earned a reputation in his trade as "the
works program that both Heller and La-
best central banker in the world." He has
bor Secretary Arthur Goldberg favored.
a good teacher's ability to talk lucidly on
Dillon won: Kennedy refused to embark
complex subjects. makes a brilliant con-
on make-work spending.
gressional witness. Roosa has been the
A major aftermath of the recession was
man behind Dillon's efforts to lower long-
a budget deficit. Counting heavily on tax
term interest rates. improve the manage-
measures that Congress was unlikely to
ment of the national debt.
pass, Dwight Eisenhower had optimisti-
JOHN LEDDY, 47, Assistant Secretary
cally submitted a balanced budget for
for International Affairs. Bookish. boyish
fiscal 1961. After his initial review of the
John Leddy has been making or carrying
estimates last February. Dillon announced
out foreign policy all his working life.
that the nation in reality faced a deficit
He spent four apprentice years as a press-
of $1 billion. later raised the figure to
agent for the old Pan-American Union,
$3 billion. Dillon is quite willing to let
then went to the State Department as a
the deficit ride as high as $6 billion. Last
division assistant for trade agreements.
month. during the planning for President
Serving on a variety of State's eco-
Kennedy's televised speech on Berlin
nomic desks, Leddy helped plan for
(TIME. Aug. 4), he argued against the tax
GATT. the Marshall Plan. did spadework
hike that other voices called for on the
for Dillon in shaping the Act of Bogotá,
ground that the economy would recover
the Colombo Plan, the OECD.
faster from the recession without a new
With such men at his side, Douglas
Dillon has established himself as one of
limitation on spending. But Dillon hopes
to bring in a balanced budget next year,
President Kennedy's most efficient Cabi-
when the economy should be both boom-
net operators and as a trusted voice in
ward bound and ripe for a sweeping tax
White House conferénces on everything
from Berlin to school aid. Unlike some
reform that he hopes to nudge past Con-
other Cabinet officers. says one Wash-
gress. "Under an extremely conservative
ington onlooker. "there is no one between
system." he says, "budgets are balanced
Dillon and Kennedy." He created a
every year. In others, a permanent balance
smooth working relationship with careful,
is not the number-one goal. Our aim is to
conservative William McChesney Martin,
bring' it into balance regularly, depending
boss of the Federal Reserve Board. To
on the state of the economy."
the surprise of Washington trouble watch-
Crusade for Trade. Dillon is also at-
ers. Dillon did even better with Liberals
tempting to stem the outward flow of
David Bell, director of the Budget Bu-
U.S. gold, but admits that current efforts
to prevent any further drain on Fort
Knox are "not satisfactory." This year.
thanks, among other things, to a one-shot
$587 million prepayment of postwar loans
by West Germany. the payments deficit
(which last year ran to $1.5 billion) may
be brought close to a balance. But to keep
a permanent balance. the U.S. will have
to undertake a crusade for trade. "We
have got to keep our export total high."
Dillon says. "We can do this by keeping
our prices as competitive as possible, and
this will mean a restraint on wages and
prices. We have also got to watch our
the Treasury job. On Capitol Hill. a few
overseas expenditures as carefully as we
G.O.P. Congressmen joke bitterly about
can. Some of these expenditures are neces-
a "Dilloncrat"-meaning "a Republican
sary for security, but there are ways in
big spender." The cautious Fed suspects
which the military can cut down."
that Dillon does not worry enough about
At Treasury, Dillon pays lip service to
the inflationary danger that trails after
the work-all-night attitude of the Ken-
big deficits. "The Treasury line now is
nedys, but gets his job done without too
not 50 clearly defined as in the past."
great a sacrifice of his own long-held
complains one member of Ike's Treasury
habits. He reads three newspapers before
team. "When we were over there. maybe
reaching his desk by 8:45. Dillon is noto-
we were a bunch of fuddy-duddies. But
riously demanding of subordinates. often
by God. there was no question where the
interrupts oral reports with a sharp
line was. Certain things were sin."
"That's not what I've asked for."
"Multiple Objectives." Dillon's de-
Down in the 80s. Doug Dillon tries
fenders-and the Washington woods are
to get home by 7:30: his Washington
full of them-answer that such criticisms
residence since 1957 has been an embassy-
are beside the point. In the new Adminis-
sized villa in Washington's Kalorama sec-
tration's view. Treasury no longer has the
negative function of just guarding the
tion, lavishly decorated with 18th century
dollar. "Treasury policy." explains one
French furniture. his wife's collection of
White House adviser. "is moving toward
porcelain, paintings by Renoir and Mo-
multiple objectives. It seeks a sound dol-
net.* Sundays, Episcopalian Dillon wor-
ships at Washington's National Cathedral,
lar. a reasonable balance of payments. the
makes fitful efforts to keep his golf game
checking of inflation. full employment. a
reasonable rate of growth. What Dillon
down in the 8os. He also does his heavy
reading on weekends; aides have come to
stands for is the best possible perform-
ance in all directions."
dread Monday mornings, when the Secre-
tary invariably shows up with a dozen or
So far. Doug Dillon has managed to
more memos with demands for immediate
keep track of those directions without
action.
losing sight of the ultimate objective of
Despite his quiet success, Banker-Dip-
his economic policy: convincing the un-
lomat Dillon has not yet stilled all the
committed nations that U.S.-style free
doubts and criticisms about his fitness for
enterprise is both healthy and helpful.
and better than Soviet-style Communism.
* Dillon is the only Cabinet member who can
"This is the challenge." Dillon once said,
match homes with Millionaire Jack Kennedy.
with his customary earnestness. "Are we
Besides his Washington residence, he has an
going to persevere in our efforts to help
apartment on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue. a win-
the one billion people in the free world's
ter retreat at Hobe Sound, Fla.. called La Lan-
less developed areas place themselves
terne, a summer place in Darkharbor. Me., an
firmly on the road to progress? If we
estate in Far Hills, N.J., a "cottage" at Ver-
sailles, France.
do not measure up to the challenge-if
through unwise or inadequate actions on
our part we allow the newly emerging
nations to be dragged one by one into
the Communist orbit-then. as surely as
night follows day. our own freedom can-
not long endure."
NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE
Aug. 31, 1958
Captain of Our Economic Campaign
In banker-politician Douglas Dillon, the State Department has its first over-all chie
for the intricate program of foreign trade and aid to underdeveloped nations.
By EDWIN L. DALE Jr.
WASHINGTON.
OREIGN economic policy, a catch-
F
all term that covers a wide va-
riety of activities, is something
that the United States has been prac-
ticing and talking about throughout the
Iraqi revolt, the Indonesian civil war
period of the cold war. But for the
or the Algerian rebellion,
THE
past year something new has been add-
But there is no doubt of his belief-
most striking aspects of Doug-
ed: the Government for the first time
a belief that now has the status of
las Dillon's captaincy of/foreign eco-
has a "captain" to run the whole show.
gospel within the Government-that
nomic policy are imaginativeness and
He is a former New York investment
the future safety of the United States
flexibility. No idea is too daring to be
banker and ambassador named C. (for
will be heavily dependent on the course
considered, and fear of Congressional
Clarence) Douglas Dillon, and he has
taken by the underdeveloped, usually
reaction is never enough, per be, to kill
been running the show with a zest not
politically uncommitted, one-third of
a plan before its birth. The results of
seen here since the days of the Marshall
the world that has become the focus
this kind of approach, in the brief period
Plan. It is an intricate and subtle busi-
of the current phase of the cold war.
of a year, are impossible to exaggerate.
ness-far more complicated than simply
A key element of this gospel, though
These are some of the things that have
been done:
combating the much-discussed "Soviet
the point is occasionally disputed from
economic offensive"-and the record to
the outside, is that economic factors
(1) After half a decade of talk, the
date indicates rather strongly that the
will be decisive in the political out-
United States has suddenly let the
President and Secretary of State Dulles
come.
world know that it favors larger con-
tributions, including dollar contribu-
have found the right man for the job.
The new element in the situation, as
tions, to the World Bank and Fund.
Mr. Dillon's formal title La Under
Secretary of State for Economic Af-
These two institutions, particularly the
fairs-a title, incidentally, upgraded
fund, have played an extremely impor-
tant role over the past few years in
'from deputy under secretary this year
on the initiative of a Congress that was
compared with the earlier. post-war pe-
keeping the world economy on an even
keel. Now they need more money and
so impressed by Mr. Dillon that it
riod, is, of course, the growing use by
Mr. Dillon wants to give it to them.
wanted to give him higher rank. The
the Soviet Union of economic weapons.
(2) After an even longer period of
job title does not tell the whole story,
The United States has been using them
talk, the United States has announced
however. Sometimes with a formal di-
all along. mainly to create or maintain
its willingness to consider contributing
rective and sometimes without, Mr. Dil-
situations of economic strength or at
funds to an inter-American develop-
lon has gradually taken either full
least stability, In those parts of the
ment bank. This may be of more sym-
control or a leading role in the many-
world where basic political interests
bolic than practical importance, but
sided foreign aid program, the field of
already coincided with our own-first
that is exactly the point. The bankers
tariffs and trade, the operations of the
Europe, then such Asian nations as
were quite rightly against it, on the
vastly expanded Export-Import Bank,
Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines.
grounds that other lending institutions
the relations of the United States with
These operations are continuing. and
already existed. But Mr. Dillon per-
the World Bank and International
mostly succeeding. But under the So-
celved the political intensity with which
Monetary Fund; the farm surplus dis-
viet challenge a new dimension has
the Latin-American countries regarded
posal program-and negotiations with
been added to foreign economic policy
the question.
Congress on most of these.
in the past few years—the goal of
(3) The staid old Export-Import Bank
For reasons closely connected with
fostering economic development as
has quietly been converted into a major
the personalities of both men, Mr. Dulles
instrument for spot-and, in banking
has, in effect, turned this whole field
terms, rather "unsound"-help for crisis
over to Mr. Dillon. This was not the
situations in key countries. In the past
case with Mr. Dillon's predecessors in
such, whether the nations in question
year the bank has "bailed out" or
the "E" (for Economics) area of the
are allies of the United States or not.
helped bail out (Continued on Page 38)
State Department, a relatively obscure
Mr. Dillon puts It this way:
group that included Samuel Waugh,
"During the past year I have become
Herbert Prochnow and, on an acting
deeply Impressed by the overshadowing
basis, Thorsten Kalijarvi.
importance to the United States of
meeting the Communist challenge in
U
the less developed countries.
In
NDOUBTEDLY the main reason
my judgment the most important eco-
for the Dulles decision is that Mr. Dil-
nomic question facing the United
lon instinctively places his political foot
States is: What economic system will
at least as far forward as his economic.
these 1,000,000,000 people of the less
His predecessors, with no discredit to
developed countries ultimately choose
them, were fundamentally "bankers"-
in their struggle against poverty
fellows who shuddered at the thought
Whether the verdict will go to
of lending money to countries like
the Communist system or.to the West-
France and Turkey and Brazil that
ern system of freedom will, I believe,
were clearly living beyond their means.
be heavily influenced by the effort
But Douglas Dillon sees France and
which the industrialized countries of
Turkey and Brazil as crucially impor-
the West are prepared to put forth In
tant allies of the United States whose
helping the less developed areas to
internal stability cannot be allowed to
achieve an adequate rate of economic
be destroyed by severe economic strain.
growth"
Because of his innate political orien-
The real problem, however, is more
tation, Mr. Dillon does not overrate the
complicated than just "promoting de-
role of economics in the current power
velopment." It is a problem of wielding
struggle. He would be the last to claim
a variety of weapons In different ways
the leading role for economic factors in
for different situations, some of them
such tribulations as, for example, the
as much political as economic. Douglas
Dillon's aim La to win the weapons
from Congress and to use them for the
EDWIN L. DALE Jr., of The Times Washing-
hardheaded purpose of protecting the
ton bureau, often writes on personalities who
security of the United States. This
hold economic or financial jobs in government.
suits Mr. Dulles, who has never been
8
exactly enchanted by economics, just
fine.
The assumption of office by
Douglas Dillon coincided very
(Continued from Page 8)
closely in time with the ap-
pointment of Robert B. Ander-
Brazil, Colombia Britain, the
son as Secretary of the Treas-
Philippines, Chile and India
ury. The two men hit it off at
That is, It has sometimes made
once. While Mr. Anderson is
"balance of payments" loans—
anything but a spendthrift. he
loans direct to the treasury of
has been persuaded of the need
tions that are determined to
a country that was desperate
to do the sorts of things that
develop at all costs.
for foreign exchange-as dis-
Mr. Dillon deems essential,
Adequate or not, the arsenal
Linct from carefully worked
even though most of them cost
of weapons is still an Impres-
out "project" loans for de-
money. Otherwise to cite a
sive one. What manner of man
velopment. In some of these
key example the proposal to
is it who wields this rather
cases, the prospects for repay-
expand the resources of the
unprecedented power in the
ment are not all that a banker
World Bank and Fund, an area
foreign economic field?
would like, though the bank
that has always been the ex-
The most striking thing
will undoubtedly be repaid in
clusive province of the Treas-
about Douglas Dillon on first
the end. Also, an unpublicized
ury, would never have got off
impression is that he talks and
new device has been discovered
the ground.
looks so very much like what
for helping to deal with these
This catalogue of innova-
he was in private life-a grad-
highly important balance-of-
payments crises, namely, post-
tions in foreign economic pol-
uate of Groton and Harvard
icy under Douglas Dillon's di-
who went into Wall Street. His
ponement of repayments due
rection does not mean that his
inflection, in particular, is un-
the United States on past
main task in life is to spend
mistakably Groton-Harvard. If
loans. This has been used in
more and more of the taxpay-
it were ever true that this sort
the cases of Britain, France
ers' money with less and less
of man, or the "striped pants"
and Turkey.
control over it. There is still
type of diplomat, could never
(4) The United States for
plenty of the investment bank-
get anywhere with the "small-
the first time has announced
er in him, and he has no inten-
folks" Congress, Douglas Dil-
its willingness to talk over the
non of rewarding foreign prof-
lon has disproved it.
perennial request of the un-
ligacy. As evidence, he has
Finance and foreign policy
lerdeveloped raw-material pro-
welcomed and promoted a sig-
with a smattering of pure do-
ducing countries for "commod-
nificant new device for gaining
mestic politics-have made up
ty agreements" aimed at sta-
a quid pro quo for the help
Mr. Dillon's life. He joined his
ilizing prices and markets and
given to countries that are in
father's Wall Street firm, Dil-
hus stabilizing these nations'
trouble largely because of their
lon, Read & Co., after gradu-
earnings of foreign exchange,
own extravagance.
ating from Harvard In 1931.
possibly by some form of guar-
This is the device of the
Except for a few years as a
inteed minimum purchases by
"package" aid program, in
Stock Exchange floor trader
the U. S. The first item being
which the quid for the quo is
and a four year interlude In
discussed is coffee. Though in
extracted not by an unfeeling
the Navy in World War II, he
the end no agreement may be
and imperialist Uncle Sam but
remained there until the Eisen-
reached, the very participation
hower Administration called
of the U. S. in the discussions
his home state-for General
him to public service in 1953.
S something new under the
Eisenhower over Robert A.
by the impeccably impartial
By that time he had been for
Taft in 1952.
sun.
Monetary Fund. In the case of
several years chairman of the
(5) Largely under Mr. Dil-
Brazil, Turkey and France in
board of the firm.
He was thus a fairly typical
on's prodding, the Adminis-
the past year-with India prob-
Mr. Dillon's Interest in for-
-and more than typically in-
ration swallowed its princi-
eign policy began as long ago
fluential-example of an East-
ably to come-the fund con-
ples and recommended a sub-
as his college days, when his-
ern "modern Republican" with
tributed some of the aid and
;idy and stockpiling scheme
won from the countries' gov-
tory was his major subject,
a particular interest in foreign
or the domestic mining in-
ernments pledges to live more
and grew as à result of the
affairs. Mr. Dulles chose him
lustry rather than raise tariffs
as Ambassador to France, the
modestly in the future. It is
widespread foreign operations
on lead, zinc and possibly cop-
of the Dillon, Read firm. By
nation's No. 2 ambassadorial
still far from the case that
er. The reason: the economic
any friend of the United States
1948, already an acquaintance
job, and he served for four
mpact of higher tariffs of
of Mr. Dulles, then a private
years in Paris with what Is
or key neutral need only get
such key friends as Chile,
itself in trouble to find Uncle
lawyer, he was working on
generally regarded as great
Peru and Mexico.
Sam's coffers open.
foreign policy speeches for
distinction. Then in March,
Thomas E. Dewey in the Presi-
1957, Mr. Dulles called him to
dential campaign. His entrée
his present post.
N addition, and of at least
into the Eisenhower entourage
To his subordinates in the
equal importance with these
was made all the easier by his
"E" area of the State Depart-
accomplishments, the Dillon
B
ESIDES coping with crises
leading role in helping win the
ment Mr. Dillon is unlike any-
egime has succeeded in mak-
one they have seen before.
and developing new instru-
key primary in New Jersey-
ng a fairly aggressive foreign
"Two things have struck me,"
ments for waging foreign eco-
economic policy respectable in
says one veteran. "The first is
nomic policy, Mr. Dillon's job
the two places that count most
requires him to deal with
his knowledge of detail. He
-Congress and the Treasury.
such touchy matters as ald to
reads every line of every paper
Congress has just passed
Poland and Yugoslavia, foster-
and every figure in the appen-
dix. I honestly don't know how
the longest extension of the
ing the exciting new move-
ment toward European eco-
he gets time to do it, but he
reciprocal trade program in
does.
history, with no seriously dam-
nomic unity while protecting
aging protectionist amend-
basic United States export in-
ments, in the face of a nearly
terests, gradually filling the
"T
HE other is his ability to
universal impression that pro-
partial economic vacuum left
persuade people. Obviously,
tectionist sentiment has never
by France in Tunisia and Mo-
we're bound to like it in our
been so strong. It also passed
rocco and by Britain in Jordan
shop when our top man carries
a foreign-aid bill of $3.3 bil-
and Libya, and the perennial
the weight this fellow does.
lion, cutting the Administra-
questions involved in East-
Look at Treasury. Or Con-
tion request less than in most
West trade.
gress. I've often wondered how
recent years. Finally, it added
While he has a fair variety
he does it, and I think maybe
another $4.2 billion to Mr.
of weapons to employ, the pre-
the main reason is that he
Dillon's arsenal by expanding
vailing opinion among those
doesn't give people any ma-
the authority of the Export-
most concerned with the eco-
larkey. People can have confi-
Import Bank and the farm-
nomic side of the current
dence in him.
surplus disposal program.
struggle is that he needs still
"Quite frankly, we like him
As for the Treasury, that
more. The greatest deficiency,
very much, and I think you'll
in the eyes of Mr. Dillon and
have a hard time finding any-
others, is in the portion of the
one around here with a differ-
arsenal that can be directed
ent view."
department has been, during
specifically at the newly devel-
As for Mr. Dillon himself,
arts of the post-war period,
oping, recently independent na-
there is no doubt that he rel-
he bane of those men, concen-
tions that have become the
ishes his present role. He does
rated in the State Depart-
targets of the Soviet economic
not put it in terms of power,
nent, who have felt that imagi-
offensive. The chief weapon is
but that is what it comes
ative use of economic policy,'
the new Development Loan
nd in particular economic aid
down to. The things that can
Fund, a portion of the foreign-
f various kinds, was essential
be done, he says, "are much
aid bill. Congress last year
o a successful foreign policy.
more important than what any
voted only $300 million and
Under George M. Humphrey
one private person can do."
this year only $400 million,
he Eisenhower Treasury often
compared to the $1 billion an-
eemed like a sort of inverted
nually that Mr. Dillon feels
ficawber-always looking for
is the minimum needed to
omething to turn down.
meet legitimate requests of na-
BIOGRAPHICAL DIRECTORY OF THE UNITED STATES EXECUTIVE BRANCH 1774-1977
DILLON, Clarence Douglas. Born in Geneva, Switzerland, April
21, 1909; son of Clarence Dillon, investment banker, and Ann
McEldin (Douglas) Dillon; Episcopalian; married Phyllis Chess
Ellsworth on March 10, 1931; father of Phyllis Ellsworth and
Joan Douglas; attended Groton School; received B.A. from Harvard
in 1931; worked for Dillon, Read and Company of New York
City, and was member of New York Stock Exchange, 1931-1936;
elected vice-president and director of Dillon, Read and Company,
1938; called to Washington to aid in statistical control center for
U.S. Naval Department in 1940; commissioned ensign in U.S. Naval
Reserve in October 1940, was called to active duty in 1941, rose
from ensign to lieutenant commander, and discharged in 1945; chair-
man of board of directors of Dillon, Read and Company, 1946-1953;
president of United States and Foreign Securities Corporation, 1937-
1946, and director from 1946-1953; president of United States Inter-
national Securities Corporation; director of Amerada Petroleum Corpo-
ration from 1947 to 1953; member of board of overseers of Harvard,
1952-1958; U.S. ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to
France, 1953-1957; made deputy undersecretary of state, 1957-1958;
became undersecretary of state for economic affairs, 1958-1959; chosen
undersecretary of state, 1959-1960; appointed SECRETARY OF THE
TREASURY in the cabinet of President Kennedy and continued under
President Lyndon B. Johnson, serving from January 21, 1961 to
March 31, 1965; most important contributions were formulation of
new tax policy and aid in founding Alliance for Progress; member of
boards of governors of Metropolitan Museum of Art and New York
Hospital; trustee of Groton School; member of Society of the Cin-
cinnati, Society of Colonial Wars, Century Association, and Knicker-
bocker Club; collects art; raises Guernsey cattle on farm in Somerset
County, N.J. Jim F. Heath, J.F.K. and the Business Community (1969)
Hobart Rowan; Free Enterprises: Kennedy, johnson and the Business
Establishment (1964).
D
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY 1953
Treaty. The new Ambassador presented his
credentials in Paris on March 13, 1953.
Charitable and public organizations Dillon
has served are the United Hospital Fund and
two New York hospitals, the State Charities
Aid Association, the Metropolitan Museum of
Art, and the United States Council of the Inter-
national Chamber of Commerce. He is an over-
seer of Harvard and permanent treasurer of the
Harvard class of 1931. His clubs are the
Racquet and Tennis, the Links, Knickerbocker
River, and Recess in New York; and the Met-
ropolitan in Washington, D.C. Married on
March 10, 1931, to Phyllis Chess Ellsworth,
Dillon is the father of two daughters, Phyllis
Ellsworth and Joan Douglas. His religious
affiliation is Episcopal. Dillon, who has been
described as "handsome," has brown hair, blue
eyes, stands an inch over six feet, and weighs
180 pounds. His taste in reading reflects his
interest in history and current events. His
other forms of recreation are golf, tennis,
small-boat sailing, enjoyment of art, and man-
agement of his family's 300-acre farm in the
foothills of Somerset County, New Jersey. The
Karsh, Ottawa
Ambassador, who speaks French, has traveled
C. DOUGLAS DILLON
in France on business and vacation trips.
References
to the National Republican Convention in Chi-
Newsweek 41:35 Ja 26 '53
cago in the summer of 1952, which nominated
N Y Herald Tribune p3 Ja 26 '53; II
Dwight D. Eisenhower for the Presidency. The
p1 F 22 '53 por
New York Herald Tribune reported that Dil-
NY Times p60 Ja 18 '53
lon had expected a place in the new Adminis-
U S News 34:62 Ja 30 '53
tration, but was "surprised" when President
Who's Who in America, 1952-53
Eisenhower designated him United States Am-
Who's Who in Commerce and Industry,
bassador to France in January 1953. Dillon's
1952-53
only previous Government experience was in
1940 when he made a special study of the Navy
Department for the then Under Secretary of
DOUGLAS, MARJORY STONEMAN
the Navy, James Forrestal, who was his close
April 7, 1890- Author
friend. After accepting his diplomatic appoint-
ment, Dillon resigned as head of Dillon, Read
Address: h. 3744 Stewart Avenue, Coconut
& Company.
Grove, Florida
As outlined by United States News, Dillon's
Ambassadorship carries with it the responsi-
When Marjory Stoneman Douglas' book
bility of advancing "President Eisenhower's
The Everglades: River of Grass (Rinehart)
plan for a closely integrated, well-armed Eu-
was published in 1947 and became a best seller,
rope, prepared, with United States help, to rise
she achieved national recognition in a career de-
to its own defense against any Russian attack."
voted primarily to fictional and factual writings
on Florida.
Dillon's task is to "combat the trend [in
France] against European unity, away from
Prior to this achievement, Mrs. Douglas
cooperation, and toward French nationalism."
was already recognized as a writer of short
His knowledge of international finance is ex-
stories approximately forty of which appeared
pected to be useful in the proposed possible
in the Saturday Evening Post over a period of
"examination" of United States foreign aid
fifteen years. Collier's, Woman's Home Com-
policies, as they affect France. Before leaving
panion, Reader's Digest, and other national
for his post in Paris, Dillon told a group which
magazines have carried her writings. She
held. a luncheon in his honor that France and
received the second prize in the O. Henry
Memorial Collection of 1928.
its ministers had been leaders in creating the
idea of European economic and military unity,
Road to the Sun (Rinehart, 1951) was
and stated that antagonism to the United
Marjory Stoneman Douglas's first novel. In the
States in France was fostered by Communists.
making ten years, it is a "tense Florida drama."
His mission, he said, would be to try to make
Her accurate knowledge of Florida history in
the French people see "what we are really try-
this and The Everglades made her the logical
ing to do." One aspect of Dillon's role as Am-
choice for a representative story in the new
bassador, as viewed by Drew Middleton of the
"The State of the Union" series. This historical
New York Times, is to mediate, if necessary,
story, with teen-age characters, is laid in 1845,
between France and West Germany in any dif-
the year Florida joined the Union. This is her
ference that might arise to threaten ratification
first book for young people.
of the Bonn peace contract with the Western
Marjory Stoneman Douglas was born in
Allies and the European Defense Community
Minneapolis, Minnesota, on April 7, 1890. Her
162
CURRENT BIOGRAPHY 1953
D
Dietrich is now acting in a radio drama Time
change, on which he acquired a seat, reported
for Love on the Columbia Broadcasting Sys-
the New York Times, for $185,000. During
tem network, which, like the very popular Cafe
the five years of his membership on the ex-
Istanbul program in 1952, is a series of inter-
change (1931-36), he was also an associate
national adventure plots with Marlene playing
member of the New York Curb Exchange. Re-
what Time called "the same romantic Welt-
joining Dillon, Read & Company, Inc., in Jan-
schmerz role with whispered snatches of French
uary 1938, Dillon held the vice-presidency of
and German songs."
the firm and membership on the board of di-
rectors from that year to 1941. In January
References
1946, after his return from World War II
Coronet 32:101-16 My '52 pors
service, he became chairman of the board. (Dil-
Liberty 18:18 My 31 '41
lon, Read & Company, a firm of investment
Life 25:59+ Ag 9 '48 por; 33:86+
bankers with world-wide interests, grew out of
Ag 18 '52 pors
the banking firm of William A. Read & Com-
NY Post Mag p9 Ap 3 '43 por
pany. In 1916 Clarence Dillon became presi-
Pict R 32:4+ Ag '31 por; 34:16-17
dent of the organization and kept that position
J1 '33 por
when the firm took its present name, in 1920,
Time 28:40-1 N 30 '36 por
and launched what have been described as "some
American Women, 1939-40
of the most spectacular financial operations of
Hughes, E. Famous Stars of Filmdom
the 20's.")
(Women) (1931)
In January 1938 Dillon was also made a di-
International Motion Picture Almanac,
rector of two investment houses with which he
1950-51
had become associated a year earlier, the United
Who's Who in America, 1950-51
States and Foreign Securities Corporation and
Winchester's Screen Encyclopedia (1948)
its subsidiary United States and International
World Biography (1948)
Securities Corporation. These corporations, of
which Dillon was elected president in Novem-
ber 1946, were organized by Dillon, Read &
DILLON, C(LARENCE) DOUGLAS Aug.
Company in 1924 as publicly owned investment
21, 1909- United States Ambassador to
trust concerns with far-flung domestic and for-
France; banker
eign holdings in chemicals, metals, natural gas,
oil, and public utilities. In 1951 they showed a
Address: b. c/o American Embassy, Place de
net income of $4,712,414. Dillon accepted re-
la Concorde, Paris, France; 46 William St.,
sponsibilities in a third major business affilia-
New York 5; h. Far Hills, N.J.
tion when he became a director in May 1947
For the critical diplomatic post of United
of the Amerada Petroleum Corporation, which
States Ambassador to France, President Dwight
was established in 1921 (its present name dates
D. Eisenhower in January 1953 named C. Doug-
from 1941) to develop and exploit petroleum in
the United States and the Province of Al-
las Dillon, who resigned as chairman of the
board of Dillon, Read & Company to accept
berta, Canada. Nearly eight million acres are
owned or controlled by the firm, which in 1951
the appointment. With his twenty-two years
of experience in international investment com-
produced 23,271,654 barrels of crude oil.
panies and knowledge of the financial problems
Commissioned an ensign in the United States
involved in building a military defense program,
Navy on October 26, 1940, Dillon soon after-
Dillon has the task, among other duties, of
ward gave up his business associations for the
advancing the Republican Administration's new
period of his service in World War II. In the
economic and mutual aid policies in France.
Naval Reserve from May 1, 1941, to November
Chairman of the executive committee of the
4, 1945, when he returned to inactive duty with
New Jersey Republican State Committee since
the rank of lieutenant commander, he mainly
1949, Dillon actively supported Eisenhower's
fought with the air arm of the Seventh Fleet
candidacy for President in 1952.
stationed in the Southwest Pacific and took
Clarence Douglas Dillon was born in Geneva,
part in a number of major operations. Dillon
Switzerland, on August 21, 1909, one of two
was awarded the Air Medal, the Legion of
children (a boy and a girl) of Clarence and
Merit Medal, and the Navy Commendation
Anne McEldin (Douglass) Dillon, American
Ribbon.
citizens who at the time of their son's birth
Since his discharge from the Navy Dillon
were traveling in Europe. The elder Dillon,
has been an active member of the Republican
an investment broker and later founder of the
party, working with John Foster Dulles on the
banking firm Dillon, Read & Company, re-
foreign policy team in the 1948 Presidential
turned to the United States with his family in
campaign of Governor Thomas E. Dewey. The
1910. Graduated with high honors from Groton
next year the county of Somerset, where he
School in Massachusetts in 1927, young Dillon
resides, elected him to the New Jersey Repub-
entered Harvard University, where his major
lican State Committee, on which he served as
subjects were American history and literature
chairman of the executive group. In December
and where he became manager of the varsity
1951 he initiated the "draft Eisenhower" move-
football team and a member of the student
ment in his State and took part in the appeal
council before receiving his B.A. degree magna
to New Jersey voters to participate in the
cum laude in 1931.
Republican primary elections regardless of their
About a month after joining his father's
previous political affiliations, and in this effort
firm in September 1931, Dillon left to become
clashed with supporters of Senator Robert A.
a floor trader on the New York Stock Ex-
Taft. Dillon was an alternate delegate-at-large
Dillon father founded 161 Dillon Read
Services of Mead Data Central
PAGE 1
LEVEL 1 - - 1 OF 2 STORIES
Copyright Q 1984 The New York Times Company;
The New York Times
October 16, 1984, Tuesday, Late City Final Edition
SECTION: Section C; Page 15, Column 1; Cultural Desk
LENGTH: 941 words
Dillon
HEADLINE: DILLON AND ARTS FEDERATION HONORED
BYLINE: By DOUGLAS C. McGILL
BODY:
With speeches, music and dancing, the New York art world yesterday celebrated
the 75th anniversaries of two of its most formidable institutions: the American
Federation of Arts and Douglas Dillon.
The idea for the celebration which started with a cocktail reception at
the Metropolitan Museum of Art and moved to the Pierre Hotel for dinner and
dancing - began with the federation, a nonprofit group that organizes major art
and film exhibitions that travel here and abroad. The organization decided to
celebrate its 75th anniversary with a fund-raiser honoring Mr. Dillon, the
recently retired chairman and longtime benefactor of the Metropolitan Museum,
who became 75 years old in August.
Douglas Dillon has had a lifelong and distinguished career in the arts,
finance, government and diplomacy,'' said Wilder Green, the director of the
federation. ''In the arts, he's been a patron, a collector, a donor, and an
advocate. He's a kind of Renaissance man.''
Among the guests of the evening - a gala affair that at both the reception
and dinner was dense with shiny black tuxedos, gleaming with champagne glasses
and loud with excited talk were many of America's most well-known arts
figures: the artists Robert Motherwell, Helen Frankenthaler, Louise Nevelson,
Red Grooms and Christo; Frank Hodsoll, chairman of the National Endowment for
the Arts; Kitty Carlisle Hart, chairman of the New York State Council on the
Arts; Philippe de Montebello, director of the Metropolitan Museum; J. Carter
Brown, director of the National Gallery of Art in Washington; the photographer
Richard Avedon; the theatrical director and art collector Mike Nichols; the art
historian and lecturer Rosamond Bernier, and the writer Brendan Gill.
'We Have Our Giants'
'We sometimes talk as though there had been giants in the old days and none
today,' said Rawleigh Warner Jr., the chairman of Mobil Corporation, in printed
remarks honoring Mr. Dillon, published in a program for the evening. 'But the
crowded history and brilliant achievements of Douglas Dillon make it
manifest that we, too, have our giants.'
A biography of Mr. Dillon, contained in the program, spelled out that crowded
history: he began his career in 1931 as an investment banker and member of the
New York Stock Exchange while still in his 20's. After four years in the Navy,
he went on to serve as United States Ambassador to France from 1953 to 1957, as
Secretary of the Treasury from 1961 to 1965, as president and later also as
Services of Mead Data Central
PAGE
2
& 1984 The New York Times, October 16, 1984
chairman of the Metropolitan Museum from 1970 to 1983
During his years at the Metropolitan, Mr. Dillon led the museum through 13
years of growth, despite the difficult times caused by New York City's financial
crisis. According to Mr. de Montebello, Mr. Dillon spearheaded an aggressive
acquisitions program - especially in the field of Chinese paintings - and also
raised the great majority of the $100 million needed for the museum's renovation
and expansion of the 1970's. He was also one of the museum's greatest individual
benefactors, donating nearly $20 million during those years.
In an interview before last night's gala, Mr. Dillon said that his lifelong
interest in the arts was intensified during his time as Ambassador to France.
"Art gives an understanding of other people and other countries, Mr. Dillon
said. ''It's noticeable that if you like the art of a country, you realize that
the people who produced it must be fairly decent people that you ought to be
able to get along with.''
It was this belief, Mr. Dillon said, that motivated much of his work in the
arts - which in fact extended far beyond his chairmanship of the Metropolitan.
In 1967, for example, Mr. Dillon also became the first chairman of the Business
Committee for the Arts, the arts-financing group of chief executives from
leading American businesses. Later, he was instrumental in founding the
Institute of Museum Services, the Government agency that was formed in 1977 to
help museums insure art treasures borrowed from foreign countries for such
'blockbuster'' exhibitions as ''The Treasures of Tutankhamen.
'Douglas 15 a marvelous person, said Mr. Warner. ''He's the last person in
the world to tell you the things he's accomplished. And because of his wealth,
he's able to put up his share of the money.'
Tribute to Federation
Among last evening's guests were also many who personally paid tribute to the
American Federation of Arts. Founded in 1909 by Elihu Root, who was then
Secretary of State under Theodore Roosevelt, the federation's first mission was
to send fine- art exhibitions into America's hinterlands to redress the cultural
imbalance that favored the Eastern states.
Since those early days, the federation has organized dozens of traveling
exhibitions that are still aimed at sending art to places that it rarely
reaches. Today, the federation sends about six such shows each year - as well as
programs of avant-garde films and documentaries on art - traveling throughout
the United States and sometimes abroad. In recent years, the federation has
organized such diverse exhibitions as works on paper by Mark Rothko and the
current show of Maori sculpture at the Metropolitan.
''I've lectured and traveled all across the country, and seen all kinds of
institutions, said Robert Motherwell, for whom the federation organized the
first major retrospective of his prints. 'There are very few that are intimate,
low-key, know exactly what they are doing, and who do it with great generosity
and pleasantness. I've encountered only three or four of those in my life, and
the A.F.A. is one.''
GRAPHIC: photo of artists
R
C. Douglas Dillon's U.S. & Foreign Securi-
clude sizable chunks of Superior Oil,
IBM, Corning Glass, Gerber Products
ties was once the toast of Wall Street. Now,
and Dart & Kraft.
however, the closed-end fund is about to be
The investment strategy, until the
last year or two, was cautious.
liquidated because it is literally worth
Through much of the 1970s, USFS'
portfolio turnover rarely got much
more dead than alive.
higher than 15%, and in several years
it ran 10% or less. The caution has
brought stockholders an average an-
nual return of 10.1% over the last ten
0 death, where
years-about par for old-line closed-
end investment funds.
Along with most of the other old-
line survivors, USFS suffered from a
is thy sting?
common ailment. With rare excep-
tions, the market value of its stock
traded on the Big Board at a deep dis-
count below net asset value. There
were long periods when its prime as-
sets could have been bought for as
By Richard Phalon
France, Under Secretary of State for
little as 75 cents or 80 cents on the
economic affairs, Treasury Secretary
dollar.
U
nited States & Foreign Securi-
and a recently ended 14-year stint as
Why so much indifference to such
ties Corp. went public back in
head of the board of directors of New
gilt-edged values? "Lack of sponsor-
1924, a heady time for closed-
York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.
ship," for one thing, says Allan Com-
end investment companies. USFS
The $185 million fund, meantime,
rie. Except for such newer (and much
had, for starters, the golden touch of
was being run on a day-to-day basis by
more volatile) funds as Heizer Corp.
the fund's underwriters, Dillon, Read
solid, conservative professionals like
and the Nautilus Fund, which offer
& Co. (the Dillon family still controls
Allan Comrie, who took over as presi-
the flash and glitter of high-tech port-
about one-third of USFS). And then
there was the fund's structure. It was
one of the first of the big, leveraged
closed-ends designed to extract maxi-
mum benefits from the Great Bull
Market then exploding. The portfolio
was a bellringer, too, chockablock
with such up-and-comers as General
Electric, Brooklyn Edison Co., the
Continental & Commercial National
Bank of Chicago and the First Nation-
al Bank of New York City.
Not surprisingly, USFS burned up
d
the track. Its common stock-a give-
away attached to the $100 preferred
that provided the fund's leverage-at
one point reached a giddy $99 a share.
It was a typical brainchild of Clarence
om
Dillon, the canny financier, who
numbered among his achievements a
victory over the House of Morgan for
ves
control of Dodge Brothers-on which
Dillon promptly turned a handsome
of
profit by merging the auto company
with Chrysler.
That same shrewdness saved USFS
from going down the tube in the 1929
crash—a fate that claimed many other
swinging closed-ends, which learned
too late that leverage has downside
Financier and public servant C. Douglas Dillon
risks as well as upside rewards.
A liquidation that could be a shrewd call of the market.
U.S. & Foreign, chaired since 1969
by C. Douglas Dillon-Clarence's
dent in 1969. USFS doesn't have quite
folios, most closed-ends are adrift in
son-has long since slipped into rela-
the glamour of one of the Dillon fam-
the backwaters of a grossly inefficient
tive obscurity. Douglas Dillon,
ily's other major holdings, the re-
market. There is so little Wall Street
though an investment banker to the
nowned Bordeaux vineyards of Châ-
interest in the closed-ends, in fact,
core, had far broader interests than his
teau Haut-Brion-but there was the
father. Now 74, his résumé includes
that only one firm of any size special-
same insistence on blue chip quality.
izes in them-Thomas J. Herzfeld &
such public service as Ambassador to
The fund's five biggest holdings in-
Co. of South Miami, Fla.
FORBES, DECEMBER 5, 1983
199
The recent bull market has treated
USFS and its shareholders quite well.
The fund, as it happened, picked a
Margaret Thatcher loves
the free market.
good time to become more aggressive.
Portfolio turnover jumped to 18% in
François Mitterrand hates rich men's toys.
1981, and to 27% last year. At the
same time, there has been a sizable
Are the Concorde's days numbered?
increase in the fund's capital distribu-
tions, the discount has narrowed sig-
nificantly and assets have reached an
alltime high.
But, alas, there is a flaw in the
closed-end concept that plagues
USFS. To get better treatment in the
stock market, a closed-end needs gen-
Mach zero
erous capital gains payouts. As Allan
Comrie points out, such big capital
distributions are a "form of self-liqui-
dation. You can't grow," he says, "if
you're passing on the assets that you
need to grow on."
And so, after 59 years, through bull
market and bear, USFS is going to
By Marcia R. Berss
British government in 1979. And it
resolve the chronic dilemma of the
still pours $20 million a year into the
discount by liquidating the fund.
R
IDING IN THE CONCORDE is fun,
Concorde program. The French subsi-
Stockholders will be asked to vote
if cramped. But operating the
dize, too, though despite government
on the move at a meeting scheduled
supersonic airliner can be very
help Air France still posted a $15 mil-
for February. If they approve, the port-
unpleasant. British Airways and Air
lion Concorde deficit last year.
folio, which at the moment includes
France own seven of the $2 billion
This situation isn't likely to contin-
some $50 million in unrealized cap-
planes each, and half of those are
ue. Next March, Britain will with-
ital gains, should generate more than
mothballed or used as spares. Those
draw all taxpayer support for the Con-
enough cash to cover such closeout
flying now run only across the Atlan-
corde. In addition, Margaret Thatcher
costs as legal fees, severance pay and
tic and lose buckets of money, even
wants to sell off British Airways, and
the like. Comrie thinks these liquida-
though one-way tickets cost $2,000.
that may happen as early as next year.
tion costs will probably amount to
Sure, British Airways claimed its
Management may then be forced to
less than 3% of assets. Wall Street
first profitable year in 1981, and this
defend the Concorde before share-
seems to agree with that estimate. At
year may post profits of $18 million
holders and not merely the politicians
the moment, USFS is trading at a dis-
on revenues of $120 million. But that
who bankrolled its development.
count of about 4%-one of the lowest
involves some very generous cost al-
it has seen in many, many years.
The French, of course, have long
location. Forget depreciation; the
been the airliner's staunchest sup-
Death wasn't the only way out.
planes were a gift outright from the
porters.
USFS could have closed the discount
But that may be changing.
at any time by changing into an open-
end fund, merging or somehow work-
ing out an exchange deal on its portfo-
lio. Comrie says all those alterna-
tives, which might have spared share-
holders the capital gains levies they
will owe on any profits they show,
were explored and found unworkable.
"Liquidation," he says, "seemed the
best way out for all shareholders, in-
cluding the Dillon family."
The family's share of the fund
amounts to about $60 million, but as
always, the yeast of the human factor
is at work beneath the numbers. One
easy inference is that Douglas Dillon,
despite his still manifest energies,
may well be doing some estate plan-
ning. The proposed liquidation of the
fund follows by less than six months
the sale of the family's interest in
Dillon, Read to the Bechtel Group.
Like his canny father before him, it
may well be that Douglas Dillon is
making it possible for USFS to go out
Volkswagen's Concorde charter in Munich
the way it came in-close to a crucial
turn in the market.
Yours for $15,000 an hour with all the canapes you can handle.
200
FORBES, DECEMBER 5, 1983
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
January 17, 1989
The President will award the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the
highest civilian award of our Government, at a luncheon to be held at
the White House on January 19, 1989. The following individuals will be
given this prestigious award by the President.
Ambassador Michael Mansfield and Secretary George Shultz are being
honored for their many significant contributions in the fields of
national interests, public services and world peace to the United
States.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded to persons who have
made especially meritorious contributions to (1) the security or national
interests of the United States, or (2) world peace, or (3) cultural or
other significant public or private endeavors.
###
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
January 19, 1989
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
DURING MEDAL OF FREEDOM LUNCHEON
The State Dining Room
1:22 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you very much. When we
finish this luncheon I hope you'll stick around a little while:
We're having a tag sale upstairs and everything must go. (Laughter.)
But, really, thank you all for coming to be with us here today.
Truly, one of the privileges of this office which I've
found greatest joy in exercising has been the opportunity to present
our nation's highest civilian honor, the Medal of Freedom. To stand,
as I have had the honor of doing, with the recipients of this award
has been to stand with the flesh and blood and spirit that is the
greatness of America, men and women who have so greatly served our
nation and helped keep her free.
The contribution of each recipient has been unique and
noteworthy. And today is no exception as we honor two remarkable
Americans, Mike Mansfield and George Shultz.
Mike Mansfield has dedicated the entirety of a very long
and productive lifetime to public service. He served in both Houses
of Congress, spanning seven presidents, and held the post of Senate
Majority Leader longer than any other person. A former professor of
Far Eastern history, he played an important part in shaping America's
Asian policy, serving on both the House Foreign Affairs Committee and
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and then as our Ambassador to
Japan. For a sizeable portion of America's history as a nation, Mike
Mansfield has been in service to his country.
George Shultz -- my voice cracked just as I got to you.
-- (laughter) -- George Shultz has been a Marine, an academic, and a
businessman, and a public servant. He has held four Cabinet-level
posts, distinguishing himself as a Secretary of Labor, Director of
the Office of Management and Budget, Treasury Secretary, and finally
as one of America's great Secretaries of State. Over the last 6-1/2
years, in managing our foreign policy, he has served wisely and met
great challenges and great opportunities. George Shultz has helped
to make the world a freer and more peaceful place.
And there's nothing so precious and irreplaceable as
America's freedom. In a speech I gave 25 years ago, I told a story
that I think bears repeating. Two friends of mine were talking to a
refugee from Communist Cuba. He had escaped from Castro, and as he
told the story of his horrible experiences, one of my friends turned
to the other and said, "We don't know how lucky we are." And the
Cuban stopped and said, "How lucky you are? I had someplace to
escape to."
Well, no, America's freedom does not belong to just one
nation. We are custodians of freedom for the world. In
Philadelphia, two centuries ago, James Allen wrote in his diary that,
"If we fail, liberty no longer continues an inhabitant of this
globe." Well, we didn't fail. And, still, we must not fail. For
freedom is not the property of one generation; it's the obligation of
this and every generation. It's our duty to protect it, and expand
it, and pass it undiminished to those still unborn.
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- 2 -
Now, tomorrow is a special day for me. I'm going to
receive my gold watch. And since this is the last speech that I will
give as President, I think it's fitting to leave one final thought,
an observation about a country which I love.
It was stated best in a letter I received not long ago.
A man wrote me and said, "You can go to live in France, but you
cannot become a Frenchman. You can go to live in Germany or Turkey
or Japan, but you cannot become a German, a Turk, or a Japanese. But
anyone, from any corner of the Earth, can come to live in America and
become an American."
Yes, the torch of Lady Liberty symbolizes our freedom
and represents our heritage, the compact with our parents, our
grandparents, and our ancestors. It is that lady who gives us our
great and special place in the world.
For it's the great life force of each generation of new
Americans that guarantees that America's triumph shall continue
unsurpassed into the next century and beyond. Other countries may
seek to compete with us, but in one vital area -- as a beacon of
freedom and opportunity that draws the people of the world -- no
country on Earth comes close. This, I believe, is one of the most
important sources of America's greatness. We
lead the world because,
unique among nations, we draw our people, our
strength,
from
every
country and every corner of the world.
And by doing so we continuously renew and enrich our
nation. While other countries cling to the stale past, here in
America we breathe life into dreams, we create the future and the
world follows us into tomorrow. Thanks to each wave of new arrivals
to this land of opportunity, we're a nation forever young, forever
bursting with energy and new ideas, and always on the cutting edge,
always leading the world to the next frontier. This quality is vital
to our future as a nation. If we ever closed the door to new
Americans, our leadership in the world would soon be lost.
A number of years ago, an American student traveling in
Europe took an East German ship across the Baltic Sea. One of the
ship's crew members from East Germany, a man in his 60s, struck up a
conversation with the American student. After a while the student
asked the man how he had learned such good English. And the man
explained that he had once lived in America. He said that for over a
year he had worked as a farmer in Oklahoma nad California, that he
had planted tomatoes and picked ripe melons. It was, the man said,
the happiest time of his life. Well, the student, who had seen the
awful conditions behind the Iron Curtain, blurted out the question:
Well, why did you ever leave? "I had to," he said, "the war ended."
The man had been in America as a German prisoner of war.
Now, I don't tell this story to make the case for former
POWs. Instead, I tell this story just to remind you of the magical,
intoxicating power of America. May -- we may somemtimes forget it;
others do not. Even a man from a country at war with the United
States, while held here as a prisoner, could fall in love with us.
Those who become American citizens, love this country even more. And
that's why the Statue of Liberty lifts her lamp to welcome them to
the golden door.
It is bold men and women, yearning for freedom and
opportunity, who leave their homelands and come to a new country to
start their lives over. They believe in the American dream. And
over and over they make it come true for themselves, for their
children, and for others.
They give more than they receive; they labor and succeed.
And often they are entrepreneurs. But their greatest contribution is
more than economic. Because they understand in a special way how
glorious it is to be an American, they renew our pride and gratitude
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- 3 -
in the United States of America, the greatest, freest nation in the
world, the last best hope of man on Earth.
The Medal of Freedom represents the reverence the
American people have for liberty and it honors the men and women who
through their lives do greatest honor to that freedom. The lives of
the two men we honor here today tell a story about freedom and all
its possibilities and responsibilities, and well, both those that
inhere in each free man and woman, and those that fall upon a great
and free nation.
Our honorees have dedicated their lives to preserving and
protecting America's freedom. They have engaged themselves in the
larger cause, that of humanity and of the world, to help extend
freedom to people of other lands. There is no task more fitting for
Americans than that.
So I will now read the citations for our two very
distinguished award recipients and present to them their medals.
Perhaps I should mention that our first recipient today the one
who calls me "kid" -- (laughter) -- is the son of immigrants, from a
country called Ireland.
And now, if Michael Mansfield and George Shultz would
please come forward -- George, you're due here. During World War I,
Mike Mansfield, not yet 15, enlisted in the United States Navy,
crossing the Atlantic seven times before he was discharged. His
service to country would span seven decades, and would help shape
America's destiny as a Pacific power. Through 34 years in Congress
-- including 16 as Senate Majority Leader -- and with more than a
decade as U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Mike Mansfield has set his
indelible mark upon American foreign policy and distinguished himself
as a dedicated public servant and loyal American.
(The Medal is presented.) (Applause.)
AMBASSADOR MANSFIELD: Mr. President, First Lady, Mr.
Secretary of State and Mrs. Shultz, Ambassador Matsunaga and Mrs.
Matsunaga, my former colleagues from both the House and the Senate;
our distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.
I can't begin to express in words, Mr. President, my deep
appreciation for what you've said about me and the encouragement
which you've given me in my post as your Ambassador, your personal
representative, our country's Ambassador to Japan.
However, I think that much of the credit should go to
Maureen, my wife, who, down through the years, has been such a
wonderful helpmate; whose advice, counsel, and understanding I
appreciated; who worked harder at any job I've had and received
little credit in the process. So I want to say how much I owe to
her, how much I'm indebted to her, how much I appreciate what the
President has said -- who has laid out a sound policy for our future
in the Pacific and East Asia. I appreciate the advice and counsel
that George Shultz has given to me from time to time. And I
appreciate the fact that, for the first time in memory, that we have
both a President of the United States and a Secretary of State who
are actively interested in the Pacific, in Japan, and in East Asia.
continued. I anticipate that the policies these men have laid down will be
In conclusion, we may recall that Robert Sandburg, one of
our poets, said on a certain occasion, there are things to do, miles
to go, and promises to keep before we sleep. Well, Maureen and I
have traveled many miles. We have had and still have things to do
and we still have the promises we made over half a century ago when
we were joined together. So to her I want to give special thanks for
all that she has been able to do with me. And to the President and
Nancy, my thanks, my appreciation for their thoughtfulness and
consideration. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
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THE PRESIDENT: Unyieldingly dedicated to the protection
of the American national interest, the advancement of freedom and
human rights, the battle against tyranny, and reductions in nuclear
arms, George P. Shultz has presided over the Department of State
during one of the most critical periods in the history of this
nation's foreign policy. For years of public service and his vital
part in inaugurating a new era of hope in foreign policy, his
countrymen honor him.
(The Medal is presented.) (Applause.)
SECRETARY SHULTZ: Mr. President, you know, Obie has been
traveling a million miles around the world with me, so it's been a
great partnership. But, Mr. President, I feel very special about
receiving this award from you, and let me explain why. There's a
phrase that's catching on -- "The Reagan Years" -- there's a ring to
it. And, Mr. President, it is the ring of freedom.
You have advocated it, fought for it; you have known that
the price of freedom is eternal vigilance; you have known this is a
matter of principle on which you don't compromise; you have known
that there are times when it requires action, sometimes, at least
initially, not necessarily popular action, but you have to do it.
You have also known and I've heard you say many times that the
strength comes from "We the People;" that we get our legitimacy and
you get your legitimacy as President from the people. And you've
never been in any doubt, and none of us have, about who we came here
to serve -- the American people.
And I see you there with your arm around Nancy. I had
the privilege of going with Nancy a couple of months ago to the
United Nations where she spoke about drugs. And she had the courage
to say that one of the root causes of this worldwide problem is too
-- is use of drugs in the United States. And we have to say no. So
Nancy, too, has been a fighter for freedom -- freedom from drugs.
And we love you for it and revere you for it, Nancy.
So all of these things make me especially proud to have
served with you, to have been your Secretary of State, and to receive
a medal from you called the Medal of Freedom has a significance for
my life and Obie's life and my children that we will never forget.
Thank you, Mr. President. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Well, ladies and gentlemen, I
have been privileged to participate in this recognition of the
service of these two gentlemen to this great country of ours. I'm
glad that all of you could be here. And now, my clock tells me that,
like the letter I got the first week I was here from the little
11-year-old girl who told me all the things I had to do and then
said, "Now, get over to the Oval Office and go to work" -- I see I've
still got a few more hours of work ahead of me and we're a little
behind schedule. And so we'll bid you all farewell and thank you
again for all being here and participating. (Applause.)
END
1:42 P.M. EST