there was no binding proof books were actually imported.

MIDNIGHT, a Montreal smut sheet, says they "hear that a certain member of the limp-wrist set is making an attempt to organize a 'protection. association' for the 'boys.""

Lee Mortimer's crude AROUND THE WORLD CONFIDENTIAL (Putnam) found homosexuality & "other debauchery" in all quarters.

ARTS & SUCH

Who saw THE OPEN MIND on TV Sept. 22? "Homosexuality, The Psychological Approach," WRCA TV, New York, Aug. 8 VARIETY reviewed earlier program in same series, produced & moderated by Richard Heffner, Panel with Dr. Robt. Laidlaw, NY psychiatrist; Arthur Swift, New School dean of Politics; Florence Kelley of the Legal Aid Society. VARIETY praised show, but said was too cut & dried, skirted controversial points. . . Kraft TV's MURDER OF A SAND FLEA had tough Marine Sarg say, "Sure, you're a hill-billy, just like Owens over here is a queer. . . and I HATE queers." Columnist Ruth Millett says normal people, fed up with TV dramas about abnormals, criminals & freaks would like to see more plays about drama of everyday living.

Claude Buzick, Legionnaire from Mankato, Minn., miffed to find Los Angeles law kept him from marching

in drag" in Legion parade as he'd done for 8 years . . . After tiff with local censors, Miss Rae Bourbon, (Mr. before Mexican operation) opened at Hollywood's Ivar in revue called "She Lost It In Juarez" ? .. L.A. Animal Allies prexy suggested number of stray dogs might be cut by requiring $25 license fee before stray bitches could whelp. Animal Regulations Dept manager thinks rule unenforceable since "dogs have hard time reading fine print in city ordinances."

Chicago's Mayor Daley, "whose roots go back to Ireland" was given a bust of G. B. Shaw, ditched it after hearing playwright had been "anti-Irish."

Largely because of scene with 2 men embracing, England's stage censor, the Lord Chamberlain, banned Arthur Miller's View From The Bridge. Miller hoped for "private club" production this fall. (Ditto for CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF.)

Earl Wilson, some time ago, interviewing aging painter, Thomas Hart Benton, told how Benton, after few drinks once in NYC, had "lashed out at art museum directors whose masculinity he questioned." Benton was canned by art institute where he was teaching, but said museums in question quickly began buying his work.

Philip Wylie, writer much preoccupied by masculinity (and fascinated by lesbianism) recently said of Liberace: "When he came to Miami, I was going to round up every guy with any masculinity and we were going to stone that guy to death with marshmallows." In England recently,

the so-called pianist was met by hostile reporters. One asked, "Do you lead a normal sex life?" Smiling, Liberace said softly, "Yes. Do you?"