As Elliott Saw It

PERIPATETICS As Elliott Saw It

Elliott Roosevelt has not been in much trouble lately, either with plane-riding dogs or with money-lending grocery magnates. In fact he has become an author who, though not taken seriously, has serious pretensions. Last week Elliott was back in form--in hot water, that is.

At a reception in Moscow, Elliott apparently made some colorful (very pink) remarks. Through a "reliable individual" the magazine Newsweek got wind of these and published them. According to Newsweek:

"Elliott started off by explaining that foreign correspondents have no more freedom in the United States than they have in Russia. Take . . . Ilya Ehrenburg. Throughout his recent stay in America the noted Soviet writer was followed by a State Department agent. . . . The U.S., Elliott continued, has no business meddling in the Danube area. . . . The same goes for the Dardanelles, he said.

"Elliott also thought that the Soviet Union had never broken its word. While the United States and Britain repeatedly violated their pledges at Teheran, Yalta and Potsdam, the Soviets faithfully observed theirs. . . . 'Can anyone here,' he demanded, 'name one instance in which the United States acted to further the cause of peace?' "

When this story reached Elliott, he got on a high horse, rode off in all directions. To the U.P., he said that Newsweek had erred because it "does not carry the story in full." He accused U.S. Embassy officials of a "put-up job." To the A.P. he exculpated the Embassy. Meanwhile Ambassador Bedell Smith had reported Elliott's remarks to Washington.

The Russians, and their admirers in the U.S., were completely delighted.

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