Message to the Lafayette Fellowship Foundation on the Occasion of the Presentation of Its Gold Medal Award to General Gruenther.

I HAVE BEEN INFORMED that tonight you are presenting the first Lafayette Gold Medal Award to my old and very close friend--and your guest of honor--General Gruenther. I share your high opinion of the great contributions he has made in furthering friendship between the people of France and the people of the United States during a critical period of world history.

At first hand I know of the tireless and effective service he has rendered in war and in peace to the causes to which both our countries have been dedicated. Particularly during the years in which he was the Supreme Commander of the forces of NATO, his brilliant work in producing harmony in the association of nations to which both France and the United States belong has excited the admiration of people throughout the Western World.

I deeply regret that I cannot be with you tonight personally to pay tribute to him, but I hope that you will assure him of my felicitations and congratulations upon the receipt of this significant award, and that you will extend my warm greetings to all his friends who are tonight gathered to honor him.