Stanton Rogers said cautiously, “It’s an interesting idea, but it’s a long way off.”
“You know the old Chinese saying, ‘A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.’ ”
“She’s an amateur, Paul.”
“Some of our finest ambassadors have been amateurs. Anne Armstrong, the former ambassador to Great Britain, was an educator with no political experience. Perle Mesta was appointed to Luxembourg, Clare Boothe Luce was ambassador to Italy. John Gavin, an actor, was the ambassador to Mexico. One third of our current ambassadors are what you call amateurs.”
“But you don’t know anything about this woman.”
“Except that she’s damned bright and that we’re on the same wavelength. I want you to find out everything you can about her.” He picked up a copy of Foreign Affairs. “Her name is Mary Ashley.”
Two days later, President Ellison and Stanton Rogers breakfasted together.
“I got the information you asked for.”
Stanton Rogers pulled a paper from his pocket. “Mary Elizabeth Ashley, Twenty-seven Old Milford Road, Junction City, Kansas. Age, almost thirty-five, married to Dr. Edward Ashley—two children, Beth twelve and Tim ten. Chairwoman of the Junction City Chapter of the League of Women Voters. Assistant Professor, East European political science, Kansas State University. Grandfather born in Romania.” He looked up thoughtfully. “I must admit she sounds interesting.”
“I think so too. I’d like to have a full security check run on her.”
“I’ll see that it’s done.”
4
“I disagree, Professor Ashley.” Barry Dylan, the brightest and youngest of the students in Mary Ashley’s political science seminar, looked around defiantly. “Alexandras Ionescu is worse than Ceau§escu ever was.”
“Can you give us some facts to back up that statement?” Mary Ashley asked.
There were twelve graduate students in the seminar being held in a classroom at Kansas State University’s Dykstra Hall. The students were seated in a semicircle facing Mary. The waiting lists to get into her classes were longer than any other professor’s at the university. She was a superb teacher, with an easy sense of humor and a warmth that made being around her a pleasure. She had an oval face that changed from interesting to beautiful, depending on her mood. She had the high cheekbones of a model and almond-shaped hazel eyes. Her hair was dark and thick. She had a figure that made her female students envious, and the males fantasize, yet she was unaware of how beautiful she was.
Barry was wondering if she was happy with her husband. He reluctantly brought his attention back to the problem at hand.
“Well, when Ionescu took over Romania, he cracked down on all the pro-Groza elements and reestablished a hard-line, pro-Soviet position. Even Ceau§escu wasn’t that bad.”
Another student spoke up. “Then why is President Ellison so anxious to establish diplomatic relations with him?”
“Because we want to woo him into the Western orbit.”
“Remember,” Mary said, “Nicolae Ceau§escu also had a foot in both camps. What year did that start?”
Barry again. “In 1963, when Romania took sides in the dispute between Russia and China to show its independence in international affairs.”
“What about Romania’s current relationship with the other Warsaw Pact countries, and Russia in particular?” Mary asked.
“I’d say it’s stronger now.”
Another voice. “I don’t agree. Romania criticized Russia’s invasion of Afghanistan, and they criticized the Russians’ arrangement with the EEC. Also, Professor Ashley—”
The bell sounded. The time was up.
Mary said, “Monday we’ll talk about the basic factors that affect the Soviet attitude toward Eastern Europe, and we’ll discuss the possible consequences of President Ellison’s plan to penetrate the Eastern bloc. Have a good weekend.”
Mary watched the students rise and head for the door.
“You too, Professor.”
Mary Ashley loved the give-and-take of the seminar. History and geography came alive in the heated discussions among the bright young graduate students. Foreign names and places became real, and historical events took on flesh and blood. This was her fifth year on the faculty of Kansas State University, and teaching still excited her. She taught five political science classes a year in addition to the graduate seminars, and each of them dealt with the Soviet Union and its satellite countries. At times she felt like a fraud. I’ve never been to any of the countries I teach about, she thought. I’ve never even been outside the United States.