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Show iBiLII CONTINUED Chairman Robert Hampton, a man whose record has not endeared him to women's rights advocates. Catherine May Bedell's position as Tariff Commission Chairman is described by Republicans as "powerful," but if former Chairman Stanley D. Metzger is to be believed, it could better be termed "boring." "There's not enough to do," Metzger once told a reporter. "And it's not It's basically dull." And the "more than 200" women Nixon claims to have named to advisory boards and commissions have even less to say about what goes on in the nation. Sixty-tw- o of them, for example, are on the Advisory Committee on the Arts of the JFK Center for the Performing Arts. Nixon's accomplishments aside, what he hasn't done is perhaps more revealing. Although he claims to support equality for women, he has yet to give a strong endorsement to the proposed equal rights amendment to the Constitution which has resurfaced after decades of dormancy in Congress. Indeed, under the guise of supporting the measure, Assistant Attorney General William Rehnquist went before a House subcommittee and gave an excellent summary of the arguments against it. mind-stretchin- g. Failures noted Nixon has also failed to implement Executive Order 11246 (with amend- ments) which bars discrimination by contractors doing business with the Federal government. He has failed to mention women's rights in any major message, and has given no support to pending legislation favoring women. However long the list ot critical women have noted, Nixon has positively deluged them with promises. He would not slight women after he was elected, Nixon pledged in 1968. After a month in office, he promised "very promptly" to correct the "imbalance" of males and females in his Administration. In July, 1969, he again took note of the paucity of women in executive jobs and instructed his Cabinet to shape up. Then came the midterm offensive and the order for affirmative action plans which have yet to be seen by the outside world. Then, last June, Republican National Anne Armstrong answered Democratic critics and, with a lamentable slip of the tongue, assured the public that the President was working on "the broad pic- ture." Catherine May Bedell talks with President Nixon after he announced intention of nominating her as a member and chairman of the U.S. Tariff Commission. Praises 'helpmates' But nothing is more revealing than Nixon's private attitude expressed in unguarded moments. In a statement that distressed feminists, who deplore the "helpmate role" for women, Nixon once told a group of dinner guests that he was "proud of the women in our Administration who don't hold office but hold the hands of the men who do." In an extemporaneous speech before a group of Girls Nation representatives, he admitted he was well aware of the political value of helping women. "Any candidates for office had better get along with women," he said. He then implored the girls to grow up big and strong and become leaders if they wished to, but never forget "the influence that woman can have in her home . . . over her children land her husband." Last April, Nixon leaped headlong Barbara Franklin has key job of finding for government. women qualified Miss Rose Mary Woods, Nixon's private into the sensitive abortion issue by directing the policy on abortions at military hospitals to conform with state laws. Throughout his entire statement, Nixon gave only his personal views. He completely ignored women and expressed no concern for thjir feelings. While conferring with foreign affairs advisor Henry Kissinger and State Secretary William Roger.. last summer at San Clemente, Nixon got into a discussion about a meeting of female political leaders which had been held ir Washington a few days earlier. "Gloria Steinem was there," Rogers n remarked, referring to the and magazine writer. political columnist "Who's that?" Nixon asked, even though Miss Steinem had covered his 1968 campaign. ' Henry's old girlfriend," replied Rogers. The Secretary of State then mentioned a picture he had seen of the women. "What did it look like?" Nixon asked "Like a burlesque," Rogers "What's wrong with that?" Nixon replied, prompting Rep. Bella Abzug well-know- National Women's Political Caucus leaders are vocal in criticism: writer Gloria Steinem, Congresswomen Bella Abzug and Snidev Chisholm; Betty Friedan. secretary, was his first appointment. (D., NY) to remark that Nixon and company must be "accustomed to viewing women only in terms of flesh shows." Awareness missing Apparently taking their cue from the officials have boss. Administration sometimes expressed the same lack of sensitivity and awareness. Assistant HEW Secretary Pat Hitt on one occasion told reporters she couldn't "give you the name of a single woman who would have the background, training and ability" to fill a Cabinet post. Federal Reserve Board Chairman Arthur Burns chimed in with his opinion that there was no "discrimination against the better half of mankind." And Vice President Spiro Agnew, with his penchant for the pithy phrase, remarked that "Three things have been difficult to tame the ocean, fools and women. We may soon be able to tame the ocean; fools and women will take a little longer." 7 |