Regan, Given Fake Diamond, Denies Insult

Surprised by an Ohio congresswoman’s gift of a rhinestone brooch, White House Chief of Staff Donald T. Regan said today that he “did not mean to put down American women” when he questioned whether they would be willing to give up their jewelry if Washington imposes sanctions on South Africa.

Rep. Mary Rose Oakar (D-Ohio) was to follow Regan to the platform after his speech to the International Platform Assn., a public-speaking group, but she surprised him as he left the main ballroom and told him: “I want to give you a fake diamond because most American women use fake diamonds only.”

As they stood in the hallway outside the meeting room, Regan contended that his widely publicized July 16 remark was “a misquote out of context.”

“You’re trying to take political advantage of it,” he testily told Oakar.

‘Political Stunt’

Oakar’s move was prompted by a remark Regan made to reporters at a background briefing two weeks ago.

“Are the women of America prepared to give up all their jewelry?” he asked at the time. “Are the Israelis, the Belgians, the Netherlands people prepared not to engage in any more diamond trade? Are we telling ourselves that industrial diamonds--things that we need for etching, cutting, shaping of tools and so forth--that we now have to go, if anywhere, to the Soviet Union?”

The two jousted for several minutes, but Regan later said he was not angry with Oakar, who he said had engaged in a “political stunt in order to get publicity for herself.”

He added: “I couldn’t obviously play along with her little trickery. I decided that I would at least set the record straight.”