The English Editor

of The Circle, Switzerland,

meets ONE

A six-week sojourn in the United States, mainly undertaken for the purpose of bringing about a personal meeting between our own Swiss monthly and the organizations in the States brought me finally to ONE.

When I arrived late at night and was met and driven into Los Angeles by friends, past palm trees and oil derricks, I realized once more how close the bond of brotherhood is that keeps homophile people all over the world together. This feeling was greatly strengthened the next day when I had the deep satisfaction of attending a special staff-meeting of ONE, arranged for the sake of enabling me to meet a number of the friends that I had been corresponding with for years, and to give us all a chance for the practical discussion of the work of our two publications. This meeting on a Sunday afternoon, in a house overlooking the lovely scenery of Southern California will remain in my memory as one which made me fully realize once again that at least there is one advantage to homosexuality-between us no barriers exist. We may talk different languages, live in different parts of the world, be of different races and religions, yet there is always an unfathomable feeling between us that makes us all one. I have never felt this more sharply than on the afternoon I spent with my friends of ONE.

Later, on two evenings of my short stay at Los Angeles, I had the further pleasure of both attending and speaking to the classes of ONE Institute. It was a most welcome chance for me to see the Institute at work, and so well attended too. I also had an opportunity to read the first proofs of the new ONE Quarterly-another highly valuable contribution ONE is making to our cause.

It is impossible for me to mention by name all the friends that I met at Los Angeles, but I feel that each one will know how much I appreciated the hospitality shown me in all possible ways. The days spent at Los Angeles and with ONE will remain high points in my memory; all the more so since they made me realize the importance of making personal contacts with friends.

So I would like to conclude by expressing the hope that many of my friends in the United States will some day return the visit I have been so happy to be able to undertake. They can all be sure of a very cordial welcome in Zurich.

In the meantime I extend my most sincere wishes for the continued success of ONE.

one

Rudolf Burkhardt Mudref

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