Illastiington post

MAY 2 4.

...Martha ..111ikhell. ;Wants two-piece dress with white loop trim around the : By Myra MacPherson iPart/ybuttOns down the front, elephant - She walks tilted 'slightly forward because of earrings, a very blond fall halfway to her shoul- the shoes--high,.. pencil-thin spikes, "pearlized" der blades, a white bow, an elephant pits, a gold leather, open-toed, sling-backed. bracelet; pinkish-purple nail polish and lipstick They have been called her trademark and to match; Her clothes come from a New York derided by some for being a vintage style. But shop. called fittingly, "Martha's." Martha pays no mind. The:.-Wife of the Attorney General is- in: her "That's just too bad," she says. "Who sets the styles? rm not going to change my Wardrobe." Watergate East Apartment and she considers it .a-perfect setting for her.'"It'a me," she says. Mrs. Mitchell,---the. 51-year-old former small- town Arkansas girl turned wife of. a Cabinet Alm living room Sind entranceway are weig- officer — walks like someone who has been wood blue. There ist blue satin sofa, an organ. a complimented hi the past for her slim legs and. piano, elaborately-scrolled French chairs, tiny feet. Her legs are still slim, hot two recent marble coffee tables, armoires loaded with brie- have failed to conquer waistline bulges. a-brac--one with satin-skirted dolls; another with diets plates and extpps and figurines, She is dressed in a blue- and white-checked • •

SI 70 to Stay and Fight _ She sls down. nursing a coke in a glass with The dining room: oriental rugs and brocade the map of Texas outlined on it with jewel-like drapes; rose and blue.. The powder room: gold blobs for major cities., "There's only one place and green flocked wallpaper, a marble-topped you can get these glasses—and that's Neiman- sink, an ornate silver brush and mirror set. A Marcus." bas relief of cherubs is on the stairway wall Mrs. Mitchell lights cigarettes and mashes leading to the bedrooms. At the top of the land- them out often as she opens a two-hour interview - ing is a portrait of her husband. There are both after holding a tea for some Justice Department plastic and real plants. wives. Mrs. -Mitchell is especially proud of one mir- Although she left Arkansas years ago, her ror. It is large, with varl-colored flowers painted drawl is complete with Southern Belle phrases all around the border. She got it from the Fon- such as "Well, bless your heart" and "little ole me." Her smile is chipmunk bright. with the Isinblerin Hotel: "There's one room there, the creases meeting the dimples. The smile alter- mirror room. They brought them over from nates with a fathomless stare. Paris. A 'whole bunch. It had the old glass but Sas MARTHA, KID, Cot. 5 I couldn't stand it and had it taken out."

• concept of the Presi: dent. 3f ART lilt. From R1 He'll kill me when I could move her chair for say it, hut it's almost a fath- pictures. - She once said she didn't erly lore. That's how I think - ..-. "On ahead.- This whole like Washington. but this of him.' : ••• place is public propegty any- afternoon Mrs. Mitchell The interview turns to her way. I had to get the rug most recent controversy. says, ."It's gotten to he fun. prompted by her phone call cleaned after. those people We've got a gond fight go- dragged all that TV equip-- to the Arkansas Gazette as 2 ment in for that CBS show.", ing. We'll stay and tight a a.m. asking the paper to The. _door bell rings andia- while_" "crucify" Sen. J. William Fulright for voting against answered by her secretary. It is unclear who She is the Supreme Court nomina-- Kay Woestendiek. who is flitting and why. She stares Tiotil of Judge G. Harrold quietly in the apartment htit when asked to explain Carswell. not sitting in in the inter- Mrs. Mitchell yells She stiffens and says. "Do view.. "Why, people who keep on from her chair: "Who's my husband. Harp on us all you see any reason why if T pay my bills I've got no that"' She's told it's the ca- the time, and fight us." right to pick up my private terers, come to remove the She is asked what she telephone and call:anyone I tea party remains, She Calls 'ern to take that thinks of the U.S. move into want? And 'crucify' is lust : again, "Tell an idiomatic saying—like - table out of the halt before Cambodia, "It's 11)0 per cent the neighbors complain." someone saying, 'Oh, I could . - As wonderfol." kill you.'" the photographer Mrs. Mitchell is a light- clicks away. Mrs. Mitchell However there.- is some says. "Please take some _ ning rod for the polariza- rhetoric that she feels is out : good pictures of me. Ali the tion in this country. To -Elf line. Late in the inter- time people gay. 'Oh. Mrs many she is a brazen. view. Mrs. Mitchell says, Mitchell you're not half as "Now let me ask you some,. bombast is woman whose old- as they make you look in thine. What does the liberal the paper.' " .. . 'outspokeness is offensive. press want' What're they She then attempts to clear They consider her opinions' trying to do?" up her views on C'ommu- extreme, simplistic, into!, She throws a match hook nists, revolutionaries and erant. _cover on the coffee table, like dangers to the nation. f -.they'd just shut up. we - But for many. many "I do have very strong feel- might get something done. ings about - Communists. ethers—and not only those They're the ones stirring up Anytime we discuss any- 1 with ears hearing 'God the people. thing en* Communists. all Bless- Spiro" bumper stick- "Write what they want on of a...gudden it takes on the :Ts—Alf i7, F. hevittne -.." attacks a liberal internal problems,. but when - Oid theory—that McCarthy justifiably it comes to war and .business: But it's been said permissiveness they believe - our boys being killed . if they time and time again what has brought chaos to the would just try to make every- - these rabble rousers get up- land. . _ one realize we can stick to- and talk about--they tell Her friends view her as a gether for a commou'ilUr- you they want to overthrote good, honest, forthright pose. On any other concept, the country, That's what. I . American who is saying let. 'em Wow.' mean • when 1, said • liberal . things they have felt (or She sass anyone who is Communists and I stilt years. Her enemies_view her against.: the Cambodia - -in- mean it.' There's a differ-- as a narrow-minded woman. volvement, doesn't know the enee in Communists—one is_ who doesn't seem to compre- Marx and one is Lenin and 1 bend the implications of - -don't know which is Which, her rhetoric. fiat- one is to overthrow by violence! _the ether is!LT . Vice President Spiro fscts. can wee you. the Agnew. 'who has been military moves the Presi- peaceful means. charged with festering di- dent has made are not print- -But it's the revolutionar- •: visiveness and unrest with able- and it disturbs me ies that're worrying me. As . intemperate remarks, is a that ..rt something as serious a matter of -fact, a lot of l kindred soul, according to as this Asian thing, people your children are !vim, Mrs. Mitchell. "He's a doll come out with opinions taken in by them. I don't and an angel. He helps. like when they don't know the think the war in 'Vietnam me, to keep a little laughter facts." has anything to do with it. If there were not a war in going." Ls asked if she has a She Vietnam it'd he on another And of the President's re- certain pride that her bus- subject. They've got to find _ marks about "bums" on col. - hand is regarded as the lee campuses: '`Everybody closest man in the Presi- something to yell about. "They come over here and , look his wording nut of con- dent. "He's not and I happen . text. the'way they did mine. to know the truth. any march on me. They go Just because the President others are as close. In the march against pollution " mentioned the word *hum' first place, be's the Presi- She punched out her eiga. everybody grabbed it and dent's lawyer, he has to see - reties and =aid she had a so- everybody became a laurn." him." She repeats what her lution for revolutionaries. husband has said, "Be didn't "Ship 'em in Russia, ne Her eyes glisten with - Cuba, -Preferably to- Russia. pride as she says the Presi- have anything to say about .... ..:. ' dent told her. "Give 'em Cambodia." hell. -Martha," as she went A photographer ask through a White House re- 1 ceiving lini.. "I have a won-

Cu close, Haw be sure you inzios„.: tireewIrentsiiiiianar- The (attn.- ed to be misery liberal ti '-nianto me." -= 'Were thelitie Her . 0414mi-its turned Shed. says, ..4r.:" Nixert. childitiotteWiIerSouth7 :Agnew Mid her Misthand are . can'tIctOrereaa$ loO" being" : vilified. "leaf" pitifig„ ;The apnoea:ion :tiong to - husband out of laabhigton."'

"lie "efastcts. ,for law end . . thsttie ia94ra,Wags 'arOor4114phir.attel' two tbeaato. - to ng,a-certakPhatiO. of " comes protect` theiliaelves, Haven't lift. 1 was 14 ilk t in. with a-1003;00gs- When ow aurae. fifer Corifinnes.„'""viia. jot lived on face and I felt Urine Itinse• the eitremiste :that Welt as to hon't what?"•I'm not;iiinieshig•it she blitiera segreisijoc „.- very veil and discrimination - , She acv and. where? order; "Ho COmmimitY OW' The Pidare ratiirric kit'a „law, - Let's She in asked for a no rettaw and lirdEr, that as ••••• •PrinciPiel of what? "Of law aud.order .• .„$he fig as a6 .wagot.•r Who cOnstriti'her nd'a• Vet-skin- *Claw and rePrenaLSe.Atfoti**WitiWit' Could be; cri -.as re- Pr.esnoeT. in- veiih WO. LI say-F4.--IT:ii and eider ftr '"blitehal duel ' There 'are pauSen "Well, "people want kisSma 1.teuSethe word-repreSsyou,... is more tack of the • fen repreashart;-lie.- -Afteren..juit,...toO7.nro.ch. • no• ;Southern carried gunntlf they carrye strategy except Martha ham Slit; .permissiveness guns I see rip reason why hex Southern strategy- has Caused the:41rug: ..)dck,Ouake as eicer,I;;..-. 45ouiti... Wave e, .slern;•. -"Aitimun7 ,Ptin ihi,tiv and is on campnaes,* - - think' the South': :* what kept her tstinalwOrkg4 • posed : On too aehoaf teaches ' `Site ••"iiiiit•• • la . afiera brief, stab at it in lfo btu; =owns 'protested her -:Woukt she wave the Care bile Alk., 'same • 30 ".odd • husband speaking Iasi week fideintellag? • There • was UiiaEt before a NEui5fappi ..y.ears• ago' that black: protestorn termed Sees forin ethic: that ,. t:LO gave,:rriedomof,-. What's the . "racist. -'• bout Soli Has been . ward s-r...Perinissieeness,... Yes.: • ' Mrs; Mitchell, who went 'discriminated ..againau more perrniaSiVenesia The concetit: . with her husband for the than ycktind I kneivi of For `waste. let the chgaiajw1.,... sivere.,h‹ said 'there was no. a. lotioAltue a Miacte • riik teouble. Sheasina of the pro- Oar an indnat4 the Stmtia.-`-Teitt- go be _,and *Ok teiaad. . i:m-`of of individ- the thatiWaSouthethat ,nat freedom,: :noes for thelSufirerusZkiurt nt's done en, a vet Inn and these mat- . aPProver. • -.lied basis, number one. If it '.'oL:140107. did .interdere with i person's' '" Miteheit -freedoni L Wouldn't believe hoe000 he Cadet tionte -- from " the comment on the , " provi.sion in the ••••35 3dittlteira father crime taw a tottiati",,- b te latherla a: . offieetar-- in" eater . honies.:"..hi.- certain. instances • was growing up down:Smith See' fikkOffik, :Pi; Cot.

MARTIIA, From KM the only thing for a South- ern lady to do was to teach. That's about the size of it. for her outspoken opinions, she says, 'Do you When I was growing up all the girls got married. It was a place where everybody know the students like it? So much of my mail is knew everybody. And we ditit't just sit in Pine Bluff. from them and they say they may not agree with We had parties all over— Shreveport, La.: Jackson, me but 'you speak your mind. Southern women weren't • active in politics she admits "They hardly voted, did their areas'' "Get rid of the right here watching 'em out her husband can't relax- they? I don't think they slums and bad neighbor- even went to the polls. I tin window. The truth never "It's tenfold what a doctor's hoods and change the don't think anyone thought came out what they were life is like. Re never goes of women being controver- schools." But critics say the — Two. four. six, off call so AO speak. If there iaL" problem is that money for eight! Burn down the Water- is anything going on in this gate!" She pouts slightly. country, our phone rings all World War II played such domestic changes is ."Don't you think its a little havoc with her social life, night loud He leaves the of- going into Vietnam. She re- silly to march on me? I fice around Seven and be- she says:. plies, -Nell, we're not going don't make any decisions." fore he can get home, the "War really tore _up my to get out otanything unless As for her outspoken opin- telephone lights up like •a home town. Instead of we stay strong together," ions. she says. "Do you know switchboard.' marrying hometown boys, Then she claps her hands the students like it? So we married all Dien 1 On the few nights they and eayso "Let's promote much of my mail is from are Mime, Mee. Mitchell eays wouldn't have married who the word 'love?' them and they say may' I did the first time (Clyde they std' goes to bed at 9 p.m. She talks about racial not agree with me but 'you She says site made a lot, but Jennings-, then a service• in private clubs: 'I'm speak your mind.'" man, now a travetine gales- is vague about 'Wes "I net speaking of black, yel- She says her husband haven't read novels recently. man) if it hadn't been for would never stop her from the war, Ail my boyfriends low or any particular color. I' don't like reading trash. I think as an AmeriCari citi- speaking out scattered ail over the — "not if 1. Its one sex novel after an- zen if 1 want to have a wanted to, In We first place. other world. I carve to Washington ?4L's dune some good. Other to work—it was the only friend ..to.: a bridge. club I - -I used to encourage- have a right to select my people are feeling freer. Marty to read mapsrines. place where there was any able to speak up." Asked if friends. If you have a club One day she was reading a actitityand he seemed the yon have a right to select. her husband ever got mad at only one eligible around at certain magazine which had your own friends. I don't be- tier, she says, "Yes. Be pot a great deal about sex and that- lime. Those war days lieve it has any bearing on mad when I said he had two seniethiee. the birth of a child and integration at 'ail." . eletilile el this." -- • ••• Marty, blees her heart, came and all that-. Yon couldn't go •• Recently ...her secretary's anywhere." Mrs.. Mitchell agrees that to me and said, 'This is the the .country is not in the husband was fired .froth an last of my reading maga- She seems reluctant to best shape- and says she un- educational TV •news show iince. This isn't suited for talk of Jay, her first son by derstands ...why youth get because, the station thought. toy- eyee." that marriage. She says ab- upset •abont,.• it. 'For " • his wife's. job was a conflict ruptly. -fie's at Camp g one When $nMe *intent!' mai 1 trtie0,ration. ". =shOtdd 'of' iattereste Later, when she came addressed to Maar. Hood." have taken place after the got a letter requesting core Mrs. 'Mitchell forwarded it She Says it was love at Civil War. It . should have tributions to educational tei- to the JuitiCe Du-hart:neut. first. sight when she met been a Slow, gradual pro n. *vision, she wrote back She sass the Department .Iohn - ifitcheU t Inoue!' mu- ess, whereas novi it would "Haven't you got the wrong "succeeded in eet tine indict- tual friends in New Yerk in not be such a thing..7 pecson?" ments against three eompa- the 1950"s, e•hen • Talking about tt Mrs. Mitcheil say:, that politic fi separated. -IA been sepie she feels that cmv way cam- tires- she says. "I think What about sex education rated a tope time f eas Mayor Lindsay ought pus diseent can Le reduced In bp. is the . seine • ee don't very much down on men." is for government officials come a Democrat. oh wait. tome: enough about it, but I But John's "glorious person- to engage - in dialogue with write that again." She really think they started too ality" changed that. adminiStration and campus smiles. then changes it teshi early fo teach it." Mrs. Mitchell says she ' think Mayor Lindsay ought leaders -who side with the to start his awn party." As for Wemen's Lib does not believe in integrat- kids." 'groups, "I. .just. can't com- Is it true that at a dinner ing schools through busing. "We need a common mon- ment on them. I jnet wonder "It could be done in other Party she told Illinois Re- how they have any respect ologue with the people run- publican Sea, ways, it seems to me." ning the schools." . Charles Perry for themselves. I know when that he was the "type of lib- I was growing up, come She- What ways? She says herhustand has eral who was . selling the I haven't thought about day, I mild,* wait to wear met with university leaders United States down the my to to-church clotheS. I did, I'd coma up with and says she doesn't know river to the Communists?" an answer—for me at least. Today when I wear some- Why campus 'administrators . Mrs. Mitchell says. "I thine fancy and pretty it This Whole concept of bus- Kide with dissenten. Asked have fun kidding Charlie. So eti LI gives see a lift _'• ing is absolutely ridictilowe about Yale's president. King- many people don't know Mrs. Mitchell does believe Why should a child—and I man Brewster. -I dont. even-. - when I'm kidding or not. He don't care what color he to want to talk about hint" however. that women have doesn't him;c1f. lie's real been discriminated against. --be dragged out of his She adds the kids are `hol- eute. Don't you think Char "I'm a perfect example of a neighborhood and tram, lering too loud." lie's cute?" ported a long way to w o m a n discriminated During the march on the The Mitchell, eocial.seiled- against. If were a man and' school?" Watergate to protest the But what is the answer if Ule is _packed. The nights say what I say. nobody in Chicago Seven trial verdict,- they eat at home alone to- the maid would pay one there are unfit schools in Mrs. Mitchell says. "1 was gether: are rare. She • says iota of attention to me."