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Robert Woods Bliss to Royall Tyler, December 22, 1949

2750 Que Street N.W.

Washington 7. D.C.

December 22, 1949

Royall Tyler, Esquire

c/o William R. Tyler, Esquire

24 rue de Condé24 rue de Condé, Paris, the former Hôtel des Gramont-Caderousse, built in the seventeenth century. Presumably, this is where William Royall Tyler was living in Paris.

Paris, VIe

Dear Royall,

Your letter of the 19th reached me this morning, and I dash off this line in reply to tell you of the result of a talk I have had with Arthur Gilbert,Arthur Gilbert has not been identified. in the State Department, who is in charge of matters relating to the new agency,See letter of December 19, 1949. though of course he does not have the final say.

For your confidential information, it is pretty well decided that the Director will not be an American, nor an Englishman, nor Turkish, nor a national of any contiguous country.The first director was Howard Kennedy, a Canadian who served between 1950 and 1951. The General Assembly may turn to a Colonial as Director. There will be undoubtedly, however, an American CommissionerThe first commissioner-general (the position that superseded that of director), was Laurence Michelmore, an American, who served between 1964 and 1971. and I have entered your name with the strongest kind of recommendation, suggesting that inquiry be made by the Secretary of StateDean Gooderham Acheson (1893–1971), an American statesman and lawyer who was U.S. Secretary of State from 1949 to 1953. of David BruceDavid Kirkpatrick Este Bruce (1898–1977), an American diplomat and politician. and Jack McCloyJohn Jay (“Jack”) McCloy, an American lawyer and banker who was the second president of the World Bank, between 1947 and 1949. as to your qualifications.

This matter will not be given attention, I think, by the Secretary for another fortnight—after the intense work he has in connection with the re-opening of Congress. I shall take occasion to see him and to speak to him about this matter.

McGheeGeorge Crews McGhee (1912–2005), an American diplomat in the U.S. foreign service. McGhee joined the State Department in 1946 and travelled on behalf of the State Department to offer four hundred million dollars in economic and military aid to Greece and Turkey, as well as other economic aid to countries in Africa and the Middle East. is not expected back until the 29th or 30th. I shall also see him.

This is just to put you au courant as quickly as possible. Inside this envelope there is much affection for you, Elisina and the children from us both. Mildred has gone to Boston, as Lawrence CoolidgeLawrence Coolidge (1905–1950), husband of Mildred Bliss’s godchild, Victoria Stuart Tytus Coolidge (1909–1996). has had another bad turn and things there are very serious.

[unsigned]

P.S.

What is 8 Rue Quentin Bauchart?8 rue Quentin-Bauchart, an elegant seven-story apartment building built in 1926–1927. Is that where your flat is situated?