JFK'S CIGARS CUBAN; DID FATHER PUT UP $1 MILLION FOR RANSOM?

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00429A000300010025-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 15, 2005
• Sequence Number: 25
• Publication Date: January 7, 1963
• Content Type: NSPR

IL T
JA 7 1963
Approved For Release 2005/06/01 : CIA-RDP79T00429A000300010025-9
Allen-Scott Report
JFK's Cigars Cuban; Did gather
Put Up ' for Ransom?
By ROBERT S. ALLEN and PAUL SCO I'
President Kennedy is smoking Cuban cigars
despite his ban on their importation.
Secretary Dean Rusk is the source of this
intriguing bit of information.
It was disclosed at a social gathering in the
State Department during the
recent holidays, Much to the
surprise of ncwstmen, Rusk
came early and stayed late.
Usually he drops in briefly
and hurries off. This time
he was most affable a n d
chatty.
Taking advantage of this
exceptional opportunity, one
reporter on the chance of
getting a Cuban clue, asked,
"Mr. Secretary, without re-
vealing any policy secrets can you tell us when
we rnight. get our Cuban cigars back?"
With a smile Rusk replied, "If you're really
interested, I'll tell you how you can obtain
them." When the correspondent nodded eagerly,
Rusk continued, "Go to one of your' diplomatic
i rrends whose country has a mission in Havana
and ask him to get you a sujdy of t ki e s e
cigars."
Xr THIS AN'OTIIER reporter chimed in.
"But Mr. Secretary, that wouldn't be patriotic."
"Come, conic now," chuckled Rusk. "Surely
you have been around Washington long enough
to have lost your virginity?"
"How (lid you find out about this contra-
band?" asked the first newsman,.
"Well," explained Rusk, "that's how the
President gets his cigars."
The State Department chief threw no light
on whether foreign embassies present Cuban
cigars to the President, or just: how they do
reach hint. But Rusk left no doubt that t ?b e
President is enjoying banned Cuban cigars.
During this amiable chatting with the re-
porters, Rusk urged them, to check their foreign
policy stories with his department.
"You will find," he said earnestly, "that
we aren't hard to get along with."
WIIO DID IT? - Congressional sources are
buzzing over one startling answer to Washing-
ton's current big mystery-who was Attorney
General Robert Kennedy's great good friend.
who put up $1 million of the $2.9 mttlion in cash
that Fidel Castro demanded in the ransom
agreement on the liberation of the Bay of Pigs,
prisoners.
According to this congressional information,
it was former Ambassador Joseph Kennedy, ail-
ing father of the President and the Attorney
General.
There is no confirmation of any kind of this'
backstage word.' Bobby has been on a skiing
vacation in Colorado, and Justice Department
officials close to him shrug their shoulders and
claim they don't know.
But the report persists, and is given con-
siderable credence in congressional quarters.
One White House authdoity asked about the
matter replied, "I would say that in due time
full disclosue will be made of the entire ran-
som transaction; who gave what and how much.
This deal is still incomplete, and until it is.
closed, it would he inadvisable 'to publicly air
details. But I anm quite sure that in the end
everything will be made public."
One thing is certain: Regardless of what
'the administration does, there will be vehement
congressional insistence for a full accounting
of the ransom affair.
Approved For Release 2005/06/01 : CIA-RDP79T00429A000300010025-9