To Stay and Fight She Sls Down

Illastiington post MAY 2 4. ...Martha ..111ikhell. ;Wants : By Myra MacPherson two-piece dress with white loop trim around the 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" leather, open-toed, sling-backed. der blades, a white bow, an elephant pits, a gold They have been called her trademark and bracelet; pinkish-purple nail polish and lipstick derided by some for being a vintage style. But to match; Her clothes come from a New York Martha pays no mind. shop. called fittingly, "Martha's." "That's just too bad," she says. "Who sets the The:.-Wife of the Attorney General is- in: her styles? rm not going to change my Wardrobe." Watergate East Apartment and she considers it Mrs. Mitchell,---the. 51-year-old former small- .a-perfect setting for her.'"It'a me," she says. 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- diets have failed to conquer waistline bulges. a-brac--one with satin-skirted dolls; another with She is dressed in a blue- and white-checked plates and extpps and figurines, • • 70 SI to Stay and Fight The dining room: oriental rugs and brocade She sls down. nursing a coke in a glass with _ drapes; rose and blue.. The powder room: gold the map of Texas outlined on it with jewel-like and green flocked wallpaper, a marble-topped blobs for major cities., "There's only one place sink, an ornate silver brush and mirror set. A you can get these glasses—and that's Neiman- bas relief of cherubs is on the stairway wall Marcus." leading to the bedrooms. At the top of the land- Mrs. Mitchell lights cigarettes and mashes - ing is a portrait of her husband. There are both them out often as she opens a two-hour interview plastic and real plants. after holding a tea for some Justice Department 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 Isinblerin Hotel: "There's one room there, the me." Her smile is chipmunk bright. with the mirror room. They brought them over from creases meeting the dimples. The smile alter- Paris. A 'whole bunch. It had the old glass but nates with a fathomless stare. I couldn't stand it and had it taken out." Sas MARTHA, KID, Cot. 5 • 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 . being" : vilified. "leaf" pitifig„ can'tIctOrereaa$ loO" ;The apnoea:ion :tiong to - husband out of laabhigton."' "lie "efastcts. ,for law end . 'arOor4114phir.attel' two tbeaato. - to thsttie ia94ra,Wags " comes protect` theiliaelves, Haven't ng,a-certakPhatiO.

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