People: Dec. 1, 1961

Unmuzzling himself in a London speech, Britain's General Sir Hugh Stockwell, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, brusquely denounced the idea of building NATO into the world's fourth nuclear power—a project dear to the heart of his U.S. chief, Air Force General Lauris Norstad. Snapped Sir Hugh: "I don't believe we should extend this nuclear weapon. Don't let every Tom, Dick and Harry go mucking about with the bloody thing." Then, in a sort of bow to the boss, he came to an abrupt halt: "I am speaking here as Hugh Stockwell. I may be Mr. Hugh Stockwell after this . . ."

A fabulist of magnolia and metropolis transplanted from New Orleans to New York and now nurturing his rarefied sensitivities "way high up on a splendid Alp in Switzerland," Truman (Breakfast at Tiffany's) Capote, 37, came down from the mountain with a personal Baedeker for a British newsman. "Venice," he began, "is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go. Too, too rich. London is delicious, soggy steak and kidney pie. If I stay here too long, I become physically ill." But even the merest aroma of Paris turned Capote's delicate tummy. "I hate it. Last year I drove 150 miles to avoid even the outskirts. The Parisians didn't like me, and I didn't like the Parisians. Then I discovered the Parisians hate everybody, including each other. All the nice people you meet in Paris want to kill themselves, and the rest ought to."

Last September, 13 days after she became the sixth wife of Singer Sewing Machine Scion Alfred Corning Clark, Alicja Kopczynska Purdom, 32, became his widow. Last week came news that the Polish-born playgirl painter, whose previous marriage to Cinemactor Edmund Purdom was highlighted by clamorous clashes on two continents, had her future sewed up. Ten weeks before he died in his sleep at the family barony of Cooperstown, N.Y., Clark redrew his will to leave to Alicja the bulk of his $10 million estate.

Marking his 93rd birthday, Texas' John Nance Garner bit off the end of the first cigar he had smoked since his 90th, and reported himself right pleased that his 47 years of private life finally outnumbered the 46 he had spent serving the public in jobs ranging from Uvalde County judge to Speaker of the House to Vice President. ("I am the only man," he once noted, "who ever walked from the most important office to one that doesn't amount to a hill of beans.") But this year the still spiny "Cactus Jack" gaveled down the traditional birthday shivaree that in years past has drawn such guests as Lyndon Johnson, Harry Truman and the late Sam Rayburn. Said Garner: "I don't want any fuss or anybody raising a ruckus. I feel good some of the time, but I don't feel so good at other times."