Pat Nixon Bristles--7"-‘'7 yo At Watergate Questions

WASHINGTON 4AP) — It when she said to the more than, was to he for Pat Nixon a 1,000 women who gave her two pleasant occasion, "A Day in standing ovations, "You're my, the Country," as the congres- best friends. Your words, like' sional and Cabinet wives called in 'I love you,' we support t their annual Congressional Club you,' they cheer me up. These, luncheon for the first lady. are the things that give you the But as so often happens these chance to fight for what's right . days in Washington, the subject And that's what we're doing.- of Watergate came up. And "It's a difficult time for her," Mrs. Nixon bristled. said Helen Smith, Mrs. Nixon's "Yes," she said tersely when press secretary. "She says she asked if she has read the edited doesn't want to talk about these transcripts of her husband's things because she wants to Watergate conversations. ''I focus on the positive." Mrs. l. did. It takes 9 to 12 hours. You Smith said she does not think can't just read excerpts." the first lady has listened to the Then she turned to the -re- actual tapes from which the porter questioning her during transcripts were made. the luncheon at the Shoreham It hurt Mrs. Nixon to see her Americana Hotel and asked if daughter Julie and her husband she had read the entire volume. David Eisenhower hold a press "Only about 300 pages," conference May 11 to defend came the reply. her father's innocence in the "When you've read it all Watergate scandal, Mrs. Smith come back," Mrs. Nixon said, said. turning away. To another reporter who asked the first lady for a reac- tion to the edited transcripts, Mrs. Nixon snapped, "Now look, this isn't a press confer- ence. This is a party. If you want, ask the people here who have worked so hard on all of this so it will get in the news- papers." Then she turned to the chair- man of the luncheon, Mrs. Ruth Thone, who was trying to shield Mrs. Nixon from reporters' questions, and said, "I don't think it's fair to take the lime- light away from all those who have worked so hard." Later, Mrs. Nixon made a veiled reference to her hus- band's Watergate troubles