The following open letter from the Mattachine Society was stimulated by the two sentences on the back cover of ONE's December issue promising criticism of that organization. While its language may not seem to indicate it, the writer's impulse was almost certainly to conciliate and unify. The editor, having only limited space available for matter of such local interest, has relinquished his "right" to reply (as described in the last paragraph) and makes only a few footnotes when necessary. The reader is reminded that this letter was written and mailed prior to the appearance of the January issue.

The Mattachine on Cooperation

Editor-in-Chief

ONE, Inc.

232 S. Hill St.

Los Angeles, Calif.

Dear Sir:

In its December issue, ONE stated that a series of articles criticizing the Mattachine Society will be published in the magazine beginning with the January issue. Naturally, like other members of the Society, I look forward to what the series will contain. I know I speak for others as well as myself when I state that we hope the series will be informative, constructive-and FAIR. It ill behooves any group or element fighting the singularly peculiar battle that has been undertaken to be critical of another because one group believes in a different method for accomplishing the goal desired.

It is further short sighted to stress a schism which may or may not exist between two vastly different entities. A publication, in which the authors use pennames, and which enjoys a certain constitutional protection, is not at all like an organization or society, which is made up of individual persons who must be certain its actions and utterances are legal and proper, and at the same time, be just as certain that the character of the group is such that individual welfare is not jeopardized.

ONE is the product of and at present the voice of a local fight." The situation in Los Angeles is the key to its militant editorial policy. It assumes the same tactics should apply all over the nation. This attitude will attract little WORTHWHILE attention, or aid of real and lasting value, to the cause of a better deal for a social minority that has long been criticized for behavior not recognized as proper nor accepted as in good taste."

The Society, while far from completely defined as to aims, principles, and, most of all, method of accomplishment, is attempting to establish itself as a serious organization tackling a delicate social problem in a manner that will win the respect and obtain the help from others which we must have if our program is to be achieved. We believe the principle of

COOPERATION will accomplish more for us than the technique of antagonism.

Already the Society has obtained encouragement, aid and semi-official endorsement from various public agencies, as well as from some recognized experts of science and the professions nationally. These agencies, institutions and individuals are stepping-stones to the accomplishment of our program. There are too few willing to assume the risk entailed in creating and maintaining the organization, raising the funds, and willing to withstand the searing spotlight of publicity that will surely come. These are reasons why the minority itself will never become an organization embracing even 2% of its potential membership. An additional great reason is this fact: the potential membership by and large doesn 1 give a damn.

From the limited quantity of material thus far written about the Society, some things could have been published in the past by ONE if it chose. Certain information, especially, "Aims and Principles of the Mattachine Society," if printed in the magazine, would undoubtedly rally a great deal of favorable attitude toward the Society. But it was not published because apparently ONE's editor (who has authored much of the magazine's material thus far) personally disagreed with it. Others. on the staff, including persons recently resigned from the Mattachine Society to devote time exclusively to ONE, also disagree in substance with an apparent overwhelming majority of the Society's dues-paying members who have endorsed the program and the plan for implementing it.

Facilities to circulate such a publication are being studied. It appears that no difficulty in placing the publication in the hands of about as many readers as ONE now enjoys would be encountered. More difficult would be the problem of collecting worthwhile material and producing the publication.

The Society has observed ONE closely enough for the past year to know the difficulties the magazine has faced and overcome. Therefore those members of the Society who have exten-

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