Peretz Is a Paradox—A Canny, Contradictory Blend of Bus- Ctiffe Quad, and Are Said to Have a "Fond Following" There

The New Owner of The New Republic Marry Pererz Begins

By Richard Lee

Marty Peretz is a paradox—a canny, contradictory blend of bus- ctiffe quad, and are said to have a "fond following" there. der and do-gooder, conniver and charmer, pragmatist and ideal- "I spend a lot of time with the students," he says. "My greatest ist, mover and mensch. satisfaction comes from discovering diamonds-in-the-rough- For the past decade or so, Marry Peretz has been a leading people who are very smart, and rough around the edges, but fund-raiser for and contributor to leftist causes and liberal cam- enormously talented, and they come to Harvard from some place paigns (everything from Ramparts magazine to the SOS to Gene like South Dakota, and it can be absolutely rerrifying for them, McCarthy's presidential bid), while teaching government and so- very intimidating," he shakes his head in a show of sympathy cial studies at Harvard. This he has done fairly anonymously, tak- and concern. "I had one kid who came from Milwaukee, and his ing care to avoid the publicity pitfalls inherent in the activist- school wouldn't even send us his rranscripts. They thought we cum-philanthropist role he's created for himself—with the help were the Kremlin-on-the Charles! of his wife's vast fortune. But now he's come out from behind "It's enormously satisfying, releasing this talent," he confides. the scenes, so to speak, and bought The New Republic, Amer- "That's what it is, you know—you're almost a talent scout- And he adds with a grin. ica's archetypal liberal weekly, and the sudden transfer of own- I chink my eye is pretty good," ership of this esteemed and venerable (60 years old this year) Two of his latest discoveries were serving him as summer in- journal of politics and the arts has, inevitably, raised some intri- terns here. One of them, an athletically handsome man in his early guing questions about this odic-lib activist from Cambridge, 205. was at work in Peretz's outer office, compiling an anthology and what he's up to here: Is Marry Peretz looking to build a of New Republic arts and literature essays of the '20s—a vintage power base in Washington? To use a prestigious magazine for writing period for the magazine, Perm reminds, as he savors his own personal self -aggrandizement?To make what has been the illustrious names involved: Edmund Wilson, Walter described as "a moderate leap into national prominence"? Or Lippmann, John Dewey, Rebecca West, George Bernard Shaw, does he think it would be fun to inject some color and contro- George Samayarta, among others. versy into The New Republic's genteel gray image?

ererz was born in Manhattan, he says, briefly re- counting his "relatively happy," middle class, urban eretz is a wiry, sharp-featured, charismatic 35-year- Jewish boyhood. His father, now retired and in poor old—"an oversized Jewish leprechaun," as one health, was "in real estate," and he has a younger brother,p Jerry. now a community organizer in New York, "My writer described him, and very aptly, too, it seems, as you watch him scamper up three flights of stairs mother is deceased," he says. Did his parents push him to to hisp small, sparsely furnished office at the magazine's grayish- succeed? "They always expected me ro do well," he replies. He green brick townhouse headquarters on 19th Street. He's a be. does not elaborate. He graduated from the Bronx High School of spectacled, fleet-footed bundle of nervous energy, with dark Science in 1955. "All these supposedly brainy people went brown mod-length hair and a luxuriant dark brown beard there," he recalls, "Stokely Carmichael went there, but I didn't which, despite his youthful demeanor, gives him an oddly pa- know him. 1 guess it was an impressive thing," he adds perfunc. triarchal look He's dressed in a well-cut navy jacket, gray slacks torily, "but I really don't have too many memories of it " pale blue shirt, and a fuchsia polka-dotted tie. He's addicted to Brandeis, where he majored in history, is something else again a very apathetic, loud ties, he admits. One sure-fire way to score points with —"a rather interesting place, very political, at your students is to wear loud ties, he says, flashing an ingratiat- apolitical time, on most college campuses," he points out "Th.... ing smile. issues of the '60s were being discussed and formulated there in He's been teaching social sciences courses at Harvard since the late '50s, and you had people like Herbert Marcuse and Max 1966, he tells me. "It's a small, interdisciplinary-department," he Lerner teaching there, and Irving Howe, and John Roche, and a explains, "an honors program, with a limited enrollment, which Philip Ashy, and C. Wright Mills—chcy were refugees from the was set up by McGeorge Bundy back in the '60s." Peretz and his student activism of the '30s, and they'd been hurt by the Red wife are also master and mistress of South House, on the Rad- scare of the early '50s. and with jobs hard to get, Brandeis was able to pick them up cheap." Richard Lee is s free lance writer and editor. Continued on page 29 12 112'4154111 ° Wiall1"9111t011/-831:4W!141.044 Tipp mligqi! -=-11;"41,1r5 1 4;111 1-diP 11/1 dtEl- iiiiir •1 1:1i:all tl 1 1 1 1 °.? EdgiNgi trte 1 1012114c ° 11P-1,1'2":)T2 V 4- 010-1131011 -Efiiigl a iii;i:P10,1,1 14i5.,11112 i21/1p tps:ii!! .0411 W 2_40.14 /11;1 liell ,,;:s W" Leli3: ,J'e,dglip] 1;11-1- 01101.1. rifipol ildfl.t-Eibficp.i9-111V ii1011MAilill]liaghtfiPttlitgdillillslifillitIL8?Ninfilhii111111 li kiillIPI ll q5111f 9llli PiMiliPiiiii":!-Wgi-ij'irviiill Nillimi, ij ,vo- io a litop lipoi :0 5i 17,YIP I !Will; a'g p 2 V, b 9 101- D„ii IVitil a WI ll-WY 11-11139 E 0' i N41 ..*IM Kqr_14 141 P i!j0;diii:11ll 1141i4 11!ilqii:11!/6'11iii§ 11- dIlli Ilig 31,1i 4111111 E tliir91 44 ;i111"141 ig,“113.2- PrWlillii- E&015, 4 1 IgN*.lil r 1 rl or. i412?-4" il;PPL V §i1A 2,091 ir'13h Mi.,1 Oh4:0,.ARP211 IlAW.RIti iliOltsaiRkiiri Marty read it and came in screaming—screaming and editorial! You yelling, 'You opposed, but it was a unani- editorial!' He was violently

rial ran, and the upshot was mous decision, and the edito-

can't

run that

out of the magazine. He suf- that Marry took all his money gance when it's an issue he fers from a fatal, fatal arro- has a personal, emotional stake in, and he was very, very strong on Israel. A super- Zionist."

an accumulation of spendthrift ways of editors Hinkle and Robert Scheer— ances not just the Israel issue, which prompted his depar- ture. But around the same

Peretz says now that it was

—

ncluding the

griev-

'ever

•

iever been available

ing numerous wine

years,

traveled to

wines,

time Peretz also withdrew his organize and pay for a New per. ical of Israel in the SNCC pa- there had financial support of SNCC-

Politics Convention in Chi-

our

In 1967, Peretz also helped

some of

panel

many

been an article

last week's

Answers to

Quote-Acrostic

Potomac

daylight in the mind and fills it clouds and glitters a moment. that breaks through a gloom of Cheerfulness keeps up a kind of Source: with a steady and perpetual

crit-

"Mirth is like a flash of lightning

games

Addison: The

ocher Peretz-sponsored pro- cago, a culmination of an-

one coherent antiwar move- rights and peace groups into ment for the '68 elections—an was an attempt to fuse civil

idealistic venture, but it, too, ject, Vietnam Summer, which

Spectator

seren- frustration and nihilism. And "The New Left for a while

became one of the critics." avoided the pathologies and Marry was growth," Walzer says. "Then, split, the effects of the war in "shattering blow" for Peretz, producing whole patterns of concentrated mostly on politi- sands" to Gene McCarthy in cal campaigns. He had

Marty was involved in that five" contributors to the cam- things went sour—the racial since their Brandeis days, at Harvard and a close friend orated into hostile infighting

and a "watershed" in his polit-

pressure from a black caucus,

ate professor of government to Michael Walzer, an associ- the convention quickly deteri- 1968 (one of the "top four or and factionalism. It was a

ical development, according

was doomed to failure: Under

Since that time, Peretz has

healthy growth, and

never

that way. He

gave

"thou-

ler, McCarthy's closest aide,

paign, according to Jerry El-

appeared out of nowhere" in McCarthy when he "suddenly

of financial assistance), and he who first introduced Peretz to

again in '72. When he failed in that effort, he contributed

New Hampshire, eager to be tried to get McCarthy to run

"personally close" to both Ab-

Charles Goodell, Paul O'Dwyer, Bella Abzug, Fa- candidate I ever got close to," ported, among others, Govern campaign—more out emotional energy went into shaking his head and smiling

and Julian Bond. ther Drinan, Herman Badillo, personal affinity, he hastens igail and Gene McCarthy ever fondly. And he's remained of political responsibility than

to explain. He has also sup- about $150,000 to the Mc- that campaign," he admits, he

"McCarthy was the only

says. "A lot of my time and

"It was at

intellectually flabby, morally self-inflated . . . I he's a big nothing. Dull and

ing for McGovern," he adds.

witless."

since, he and political arts is the and not the people who fund

ent from someone like Stew- art Mon, who calls attention he says. "I think what is im- became a giver—a giver with portant in the philosophical cal influence on a campaign," to himself in every way possi- certain differences, like to point out: "I don't like it. My attitude is very differ- as a way of having an ideologi- to see the leverage of money

ble, who courts publicity . . .

and lives in a three-million-

"I had no comparable feel-

eretz was an intellec-

an activist before he tual, a teacher, and

says.

awful

campaign,

would

think

art,

development scorned by his overreached its moral begin-

disdainful movement, and it romanticized certain forces in

and decides on A Cause, ficial, self-serving, and reac- quence of his philosophic and Stewart Mon takes his money Marry Peretz's philanthropy, ist anymore," he counters. "It ideological development"—a romanticizing . . I nings. It had contempt for said if I had to choose be- the world that didn't merit way, the New Left doesn't ex- a popular movement. It was a America in the guise of being New Left detractors as super- tween Tom Hayden and moral qualms about nor tionary. Mayor Daley, I would have no it's said, "has been the conse-

dollar penthouse in New

York,"

ingly. -

Where General Motors heir

Peretz denies it. "But any-

adds, disapprov-

once

of the '60s. "I have

choosing Tom Hayden." But

says, smiling his ingratiating smile again.

cerned with ideas has moved

goes on. "The center of grav- lot of "Byzantine quarreling" can population that thinks about politics and is con- day," he declares. says, "But I'm for fundamen- lem of American society to- the fundamental ethical prob-

radical redistribution of politically? An independent tal changes in our society—a tics have remained stable," he ity in that sector of the Ameri- radical? liberal? A conservative unequal society than we have.

I believe and I think that it's wealth and privilege, a less I live by my own lights," he

with these appellations," he

he doesn't want to rake over a

"I think that my own poli-

Then what is he today

frowns. "I'm unsatisfied

own— much doser to the views that progress. The center of grav- 'I told you so.' I don't mean orthodoxy, but I'm nor saying cally active because of the war issue. There's a new national I held when I became politi- ological hostilities toward flanked on the left by a lot of that. It's just the march of got into philanthropy in the able talking about money, he ple who have tremendous ide- find myself very much out- ity has moved to the left, but I

and looks embarrassed when says, and he fidgets, frowns, me." militant radicals—a lot of peo- syrupy first place. but . you ask him to tell you why he

has an importance in my life. ways to do good," he says. "It

I . to redress the grievances of

"I know it sounds sort of Peretz is always uncomfort-

. think one should try

. I try in various

and

theological,

others . . .

but I am very Jewish. I live most shyly, "and sitions, in a way," he says, al- I was never an observing Jew, with a set of ethical presuppo- vanish," he smiles, "but they'- try to talk about them, they

bling, inarticulate sincerity. again as he pats his chest in a re here," he says, smiling rather deft display of fum- doesn't, but he's just too ian concerns, and there seems lieve he has deep humanitar- no reason to believe that he Peretz does want you to be- vated by altruism. What's in it much of a mover to pass mus-

for him? He must want ter as someone entirely moti-

tle game," says Tom Page, veteran campaign fund-raiser, thing . . .

campaign. "1 think he really range during the McCarthy who observed Peretz at dose

"I was never very religious, "I

think he plays a very sub-

every time I

some-

of piety. I think that's his seeks domination in the guise Owen Donnelly, another cam- events, but outwardly it oozes so much f doesn't seem so, because it fluence the tide of American nitely—you're in there to in- thrust It's a power trip, defi-

Carthy campaign, "that's the paign finance man in the Mc- goodness."

important thing with Marry— access to the candidate. He his investment that he's inter- the phone and get through to to. That's the only return on ested in. . . .He sort of buys the man, and to wants to be able to pick up

his way into the campaign strategy meetings, and then he gets pissed off. But he's when they don't do it his way, not what you would call a typ-

means. His interests are dif- ical fat-cat financier by any ferent. He doesn't have

"He wants access," says

listened

cro-

bassadorship, and he doesn't nies, and he's not after an am- end up talking to the money people about ideological mat- people couldn't care less want to ters, and most money-type tration. Marty would always estimate the Judaism part of about that, but Marty does this all the time." it," says Abigail McCarthy. "I

don't think it's just ego satis- good here. Marty comes from ethical Judaism. His great un- knowing that they're doing faction. It's a moral decision.

cle (I. L Peretz), you know, I think it's part of their tradi- a family that founded secular, tion—their reward is in making the world better. It's have a tremendous character." was a famous short - story writer and poet. These people really a strong part of Marty's

"I don't think you can over-

"He's a very

part of an adminis-

responsible fi-

sense

good, so I'm not going to give mer radical activist has beer nancial contributor," one for but he's politically up-irmnt. cult to get along with, he's quoted as saying. "He's diffi- people, but it was more fun to you money. . . :with Marty it's hard-headed and egotistical, Anne than from anyone. And raise money from Marty and I've raised money from a lot of always very straightforward. He'll say, 'Look, I don't think personal fortune has been it really is from the two of chine Company, and whose former Anne Farnsworth, to a very wealthy woman, the ways says, 'Marty Peretz gave them, although everyone al- conservatively estimated at married these past eight years this or that' " with the Singer Sewing Ma- turns out Peretz has been what you're doing is very whose family is associated

Mostly it's from Anne, it $30 million. tute for Policy Studies. "Marty them now as my own child- confirms Jerry Eller, "a tiny sigh. "She has her own people Where did he meet her?"A t a was managing Anne's money, ren," he tells me. They both little woman, very strong, to do that," he says. They party in New York,"he tells but they weren't married yet, encourage their children's in- very bright, very gregarious, have set up a joint fund, "a me, guardedly. (It was a fund- and we were all waiting terest in American history, he but she does her own thing. small vehicle," as Peretz puts raising party during the Stuart breathlessly for the wedding says. "I think it's very impor- She has almost a kind of peas- it, by which they support Hughes campaign, I learn day. Would the movement get tant for them to know about ant instinct for the simple life, Worthy causes. "But it's not later.) They were both mar- all that money? How were their roots—where they came which is kind of funny, be- heavily endowed," he says, ried to "other people" at the Marry and Anne getting from—but I tell them to because of her enormous adding that they have only time, he goes on to say, after a along? It was like a soap op- lieve only half of what they wealth She's not pretentious one staff assistant to help sift bit of prodding, but both era, and pretty cold-blooded read about me," he adds with ar all, and she gets very upset through requests and keep marriages were having "overt and calculating as I think a roguish grin. when somebody refers to her track of where the money difficulties," it seems, "but I about it now," Waskow His wife is a therapist— in print as an heiress. The goes, and how it's used. He don't want to talk about it," added with a shamefaced "psychotherapist," he says, very word is an embarrass- declines to discuss it any more he says, getting slightly irri- laugh "We should have been "and she also paints. She's ment to her. There was a specifically, except to say they'- tated. "That's my really pri- thinking more about Marry very good at it. She's given a story in one of the news maga- ve cut back "significantly" in vate life." and Anne and their future couple of exhibitions—one- zines a while back, which their giving lately. According to Arthur Was- happiness together." woman shows. My wife has listed her as the sixth richest The Peretz lifestyle, friends kow, the antiwar movement On the bookshelf nearest an independent life, and she woman in America. It took note with bemusement, is al- intellectual and political or- Perm's desk are several makes her own decisions. Marry a week to calm her most a case study in reverse ganizer who knew them both framed photographs—out- Which isn't to say we're not down." snobbery. "We live very sim- back in the '60s, Peretz's "liai- doorsy shots of Anne (a strik- close. We're very close." Peretz adamantly denies a ply," Peretz says. "We have a son" with Aisne Farnsworth ingly pretty brunette in her But when, during a subse- report that he was "managing house in Cambridge, which was looked upon with greedy mid-30s) and their four quent interview, you ask her 'bulging investment we rent to students during the anticipation by New Left children: David, 14, Lisa, 12, about the possibility of inter- portfolio' " before they were summer, and a small summer types eager for a fund of great Jessie, 6, and Bobo, 41/2. Per- viewing her, Peretz shakes his married. Nor did he "de- house out on the Cape. We wealth to further their causes. etz recites their names affec- head. "She will not talk to any velop" his wife into a philan- don't even have a color TV. "It was like a New Left 'Perils tionately. The two oldest are reporter," he says firmly, "She thropist, he adds testily. Nor We live a very settled life. of " said Anne's by her former mar- distrusts you as a breed." is he managing her money All our friends are middle- Waskow, now with the Insti- riage, "but I always think of "She's very publicity-shy," now, he insists, with a weary class professionals. Joe Alsop

41:::111 ... pint Jebel( afte.Cret, 4rayd once reported he saw me driv- figure." Harrison mid. 1nook Colibri lighters are ing- • Rolle-Royce A Aoki- en s.hiaa y figure. Then- was Roym Inerreeigek! . . . I never any dist-union about available at trite • used Porsche—and i money. The pool:dein wasn't these fine stores. Will have nubile shifting there. The main questing in from second to fourth,' he my mind wit, would the per- iseetreme, Ma FlullabJe Sten., confesses, "Before that WO buying O be able and will. flereewaLe. tta drove a Fiat. Behar that I bed ing to we it through. in good Therodore Nye Jewelers a Poncho for nine yeses but times and bed. 1 had confi- Calm Ghee, lid. in tattoothew's me much dence that Marty could, sod Boone N %Una, Inc snow in the mincer the floor- would. He's an inventive fel- clashiel, Neagh* Yd menet 1.11mghta Jewelani low, he's got the optimism, METRIC IS COMillaG Ele p awn Mud bonds rotted around the go thatterills. Md with do pencil hater tor nawan pedal. and I finally had to gee and be Minas • feeds view- F aen Jeannine 1.1.i martune to roe ad tome. tic' of it point en the asegmene. Het Tgitec faunloson 4", Hon rely, 5.00 B. on es .0 He neither drinks nor full of Ideas and enthusiasm." semi Sen" eft OW Chingos She, C.Carlo avows 3/1301015. he ent."'Well. . .1 That he is And then wane era/Mend .larewaree drink whin wire." he "I think it'S • greatly talented senhkerea. Neraeilda. cone tell the dif- tall," he enthuse*. "wad it Akan Jeweler. MIMICS Carr Jeweler. Om Styr ference between what any of ham a fthiastically loyal wadi- Marl. Eme.1 chat other mill tam= An owe" Grculstkon hones Jeenla. Inc towimea I walk =mod at around I 00,000—down tome- Draw Vf. Curtis, Taaa,coraar, eorktail pasties carrying a what from • peak 167, MO in Clener-Jeclunan Jeweler, Inc glass with Coke in hi, and peo- the mid '60a, but will healthy ate Bremen ple look at ow sod think. enough by linrare journal A Carlin/mi. Inc Georgetown Jeweler. What is this, • reformed standards, Amonding to Hsi, A. Morrie & akoholic?" rison, the magazine is now The Hecht Co_ Inc operating at "a small profit." Kahn-OPPealrearall Lane Luggage And Peters, for his pen, does PaCCale Jewelry Co_ insists he not regard the magasine as 'a Micheelean Jewelers pampiIIame & _ bonen The New Re- charity." Ppublic with his own I've alines thought of The money. The wiling price wee New Republic or a kind of an- $310,000 -1 don't Few a cial reference point—politi- hope tontine," he ten, 'Ma cally anal inrellernedly." Per- do here a tenets amain.. of en ay, thoughdufly, 'a no- money which E have shrewdly hie ]hairy magazine &sit invested over • long ;stood of not predictable, but it didn't rime. But I don't smelt en talk embrace en epocalypeic einem about dam " of things. . .Tensperemen- The deal was mg/wined in I'm nor an apocelyptie March deer • scrim of discus. person. The rapthility of ad- lima bowmen Peon: and Gil- vanced societies to muddle bert A. Harrison (den editor- through should not be under- in-cheef and owner for tie lea eatimand. . .1 don't think 20 years), which began tuber there is any other forum as informally as Martha's Vine- talks with as moth methane), yard the portious /rammer. to all the polka:011y involved, They had met elm yews be. inerste people on the left_. fore, when Porte .enraged ■ Amongthe staffers, a cer- private. enrimgr-otirime tain minims opt:Minim menu meeting with Golda Men in en peeved about the Perm New York, at the Waldorf, takeover: and invited Hannon end -The line is, the mapaine other prominent intellectuals is nor going to damage," says to mend Poem led off- managing minor David San- handedly broached the ides of Mei 'At kW Chem arceet buying the megnioe at that suppoWaai to be wry changes time had no hatemion of right my, since Gil is nil] Haireete Mailed editor, tad retsina control of Ere, lair I deught ahem it, hiring and ruing and article really, for the fine date. masignmenee until 76. Then thought Mum a tot of things. they'll take somber lack r is Fine, i. shoe • role foe The Perm hen not bad a lot ci New Republic en Or, in the magesine eXparienee, 10 tonere, and d them et, wines he lemming the banner for ring to tee it through? I wee awhile. He's 25 wan younger 59 low we talked than Gil, end more of an ac- about roux MGM and 1 got tivist than no ineellemial in is- to know him • link boner, nam—hoel, of course, being end inevitably. when there's a me 4 thon. Three lean front change of ownerships, rumm Meer, he'll have one say-to, get started, end there were mote contra and maybe the *metal other offers to bey the inagatior will take off in some otaginine BM I derided char new direction for de nor 20 Marty Came ma tines no any- tarn-" body 1 know who bed what 1 think the magacine re- wee needed." And m foe the flects Girt tams now, sad it ladling price, "I proposed tie Continued ■ao page 10 Perth, from page 34 some nice things about Henry versity type, this Harvard will reflect Marry's tastes in Jackson, who might have reacher and activist, and the future—inevicably," says been a hawk on Vietnam, but that's a whole different thing, executive editor Walter Pin- his pro-Israel stance in the isn't it? Of course there's sen- cus, who had wanted to buy Senate more than makes up timent against me, and I don't the magazine himself, but for that unfortunate lapse, in want to characterize it beyond gave up on it when the money Perm's view: "A very compli- that, but I have learned the market got right and his back- cated man," he says, admir- ways of Washington, and I is, it's ers cooled to the idea. ingly. "A very complicated think what they mean "I don't chink Marry would not going to be 'their' maga- be content with a purely aca- Peretz is aware—intensely zine anymore ...." demic career,- adds Abigail aware—of the talk that's been McCarthy. "He's bright, rest- circulating here about him— less, and highly driven. but in that he's on some kind of an a good way, so this is ■ perfect ego trip, that he doesn't have solution for him—owning a the best interests of The New later, well-respected, opinion-form- Republic at heart, that he S everal weeks ing organ. might end up turning it into a responding to a spate of Peretz says he has no plans cranky, tram-ridden weekly of new rumors at present to move his family version of Commentary . . . "trouble" developing between to Washington, but he has "I've really had it up to here Peretz and the staff of his rented a house on Reservoir with these stories," he pro- newly-acquired magazine, I Road—"which I'm trying to tests. "There are no sinister phoned executive editor Wal- see what was up. furnish," he smelts—and will plots, no hidden agendas--- ter Pincus to spend more and more rime 1'm not going to compromise Pincus acknowledged there'd here. "I'll be half-time at the the magazine. The New Re- been some policy, and person- University this year—they're public is listened to, it's re- ality disagreements, but accustomed now to people go- spected, and it's a good thing nothing to cause any serious ing on half-time--and also my to be a part of This will al- morale problems. "I think, has done head will be less preoccupied ways be a very respected mag- overall, what Marty with class preparation. so I azine," he declares. here, is a plus," he said. "I can pay more attention to the "Does it give me additional think he deserves credit for the magazine. - clout, owning this magazine?" 60-year thing (the special sup- As chairman of the editorial he asks rhetorically. "I don't plements on politics, the board, Peretz will be "present go to any more parties than I economy, and the arts which whenever he wishes," says used to. Peres initiated and prepared Harrison. Peres says he will What about the State De- in observance of the maga- be -involved in editorial partment luncheon he set up zine's 60th anniversary in development . . I am with Henry Kissinger—to November), and for setting rather more inclined to hire meet the entire New Republic up the book subsidiary (to more freelancers, and I'm staff (interns, too)? produce each year a limited hoping to find a way to make "Henry and I have enjoyed number of collected essays the pages a little more open, a friendly conversation from and original works by NR and to attract more advertis- time to time," he informs me. writers). ing." He will also write for "His son and my step-daugh- On the negative side was a the magazine, he says, but as ter are dose friends. We talk Grizens Committee for Jrrita for taking over some day 113 about Lisa and David. . . ad which ran in the Times Oc- editor, "I'm not inclined to David's a remarkable boy— tober 31—an ad Peres had think I will ever be a working very, very intelligent," he signed as "Chairman of the weekly editor of a weekly says, shaking his head in a Editorial Board of The New show of admiration. "I Republic" without consulting But he's obviously not go- thought the luncheon would anyone SI the magazine. This, ing to be an absentee owner, be a good and useful thing to everyone agreed, was a mis- either. And he thinks The do, so I called him up, and he take, since The New Republic New Republic must "roughen called me right bacic,within a had taken no position on the its liberalism with more ag- half an hour. and . . . ." He's Javits-Ramsey Clark Senate gressive, sharply argued opin- eyeing me suspiciously. The race—a fact editor Gilbert ions on issues now being ex- Kissinger luncheon hadn't Harrison hastened to point ploited by conservatives—de- been publicized. Only a few out in a terse letter to the f ense and arms limitations pol- top journalists had known Tunes the following day. icies, for instance. There's ■ about it—initially, at least. "If "It's the kind of thing I conservative offensive in this you're going co write ash- - - don't think he thought country, and we don't know -y kind of piece about me, about," said Pincus. "He how to respond to it," he why the f - - - should I help didn't take care to keep The complains. "And if the Demo- you?" he flares. "Who have New Republic out of it. The crats don't start coming up you been talking to?" he de- magazine stands for some- with some viable programs to mands. "What have they been thing in its own right. It can't deal with these problems saying about me? Let me spec- he a personal thing. It's al- we're having now, they're go- ulate . . . because Walter Pin- ways been a team effort here, ing to be out on their ass again cus didn't get to buy the mag- reflecting a tradition that's in '76." azine, there's a lot of resent- been going on for years. Speaking of 76 . . ment toward me, right? Wal- "It's an educative process," learn- "I don't have • candidate ter and Ann are very estab- Pincus added_ "Marty is for President in 1976," he lished here, and very well- ing. My instincts are, he's go- says. Not yet, anyway. Too liked by the journalism estab- ing through a learning process early in the game for Marry lishment. They regard Walter with the magazine . . I Peretz He'll keep his options Si one of their own, and then don't think he's really decided ."• open. He does, however, say along comes this political union his role here, yet .