American Notes WASHINGTON

As a locus for world diplomacy, George Washington University's Smith Athletic Center hardly rivals Versailles's Hall of Mirrors. But when White House aides scouted buildings in Washington large enough to house the 5,000 reporters, photographers, anchors and technicians covering next month's Reagan-Gorbachev summit, almost all were booked. That left the center and its gym, home to the Colonials basketball team.

However, when University President Lloyd Elliott was asked to displace his jump shooters for journalists, he refused: it would mean disrupting the season's first game and inconveniencing students using weight rooms and other facilities. Snapped a White House official: "Gimme a break!"