among the inquisitors must have brought forth fresh twinges of revulsion. from many present day Americans.)

The situation now must seem to the world to be this: three accused men gambled for their futures and the pride of their families, friends and class by trying to bluff their way past the tenets of an outmoded and unfair law. The price of their loss was the additional weight of possible perjury to their original guilt upon conviction. Now the question is, was it worth it? If these three men were guilty from the beginning, what would have been their punishment had they admitted their true behavior at the time of their arrest? How would the trial have been conducted if each had revealed honestly his guilt to the court? Who would have benefitted the most, homosexuality's friends or its enemies, progressive or reactionary society? It is asking much of men in their positions to admit to sexual irregularities before the world, but isn't it also asking too much for any man to brand himself a liar in order to save an already questionable respect and position in present day society?

Only last year Sir John Gielgud was brought before a British magistrate for soliciting the attentions of other men. His defense was simple, admitting guilt, pleading fatigue and intoxication. His sentence was a fine, a reprimand and an order to see a doctor.

The cases have their similarities and I, for one, believe Gielgud chose the wiser course. This terrible decision may face you or me before the day you read this article ends. Naturally, any of us should seek legal advice first, but then what do we do? To confess is to put ourselves at the mercy of our enemies. To fight may give us temporary freedom. But to deliberately lie may bring forth not only an additional wrath and contempt from our peers, but the disgust of our own consciences. There, I should think, is the gravest danger. For myself, when that time comes, and I believe it will, I think I will make a clean breast of the whole thing and take a chance on the understanding of my fellow citizens, for it is my belief that honesty will do more to win mass respect for our plight than anything else. One day recognition and equality shall be ours if the world does not revert to the moral follies of the hide-bound, churchridden past. Will adding ethical insult to moral injury hasten, or delay, the process?

Peter Wildeblood's message to his mother in the recent Montague trial, before sentence was passed:

"The jury are out now. But whatever they decide I do not want you to be ashamed of anything I have done. Be glad, rather, that at last a little light has been cast on this dark territory in which, through no fault of their own, many thousands of other men are condemned to live in loneliness and fear"!

Reprinted from DER KREIS/LE CERCLE May 1954