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But there are many ways to improve a magazine. At least half of them boil down to money. As we told subscribers last month, we've been juggling a dangerous debt-load, which now amounts to about $5,000. $1,500 has come in as a result of that appeal, and we are very grateful to those who gave, but without much more, in gifts, loans or purchases, large or small, we'll have to continue with this dangerous and nervewracking exercize in brinksmanship.
We think ONE serves a great need. A very small group has unstintingly given money, time and hard work for years. We hope our effort is worth more than 50c a shot to the rest of you, and we hope you'll prove it. It will take about $4,000 just to insure we keep going. It will take more than that to permit us to do the sort of job that needs to be done.
you...
Arnell Larson reappears in this issue with another of his stories set in a California mission. If this proves as popular as his last "mission" story, you'll be seeing more of the work of this enthusiastic young man. . .Another story this month "Journal of Waning Affection"-went over very big with the editors. Hope you like it, and we only wish we knew more about the author to tell you. Poet Tram Combs, a resident of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, is author of Pilgrim's Terrace (a collection highly praised by Wm. Carlos Williams and Kenneth Rexroth) and another forthcoming book of verse. . . D. B. Vest's feature article tackles again the matter of the swish-from a fresh angle. Mr. Vest, who has appeared before in ONE and HOMOPHILE STUDIES, is a world-famous author of works ranging from fiction to philosophy.
The Editors
Letters
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO THE EDITORS FORWARD LETTERS FROM READERS TO OTHER PERSONS NOR DO THEY ANSWER CORRESPONDENCE MAKING SUCH REQUESTS.
Dear Sirs:
As both a non-homosexual and a (don't get angry) psychiatrist, I was most interested to see ONE (July, 1958) on newsstands in Philadelphia. I might say I was somewhat disappointed in it, with its subtitle The Homosexual Viewpoint, for, outside of Editor Hunter's comments, the entire Magazine seemed to echo Bergler's thesis that homosexuals are all "injustice collectors." I could
one
only surmise that your authors, at least, were somewhat hypocritical in their insistence that theirs is "a way of life," for their blaming their unhappiness upon a cruel and unjust society seemed very much to be only skin deep.
I might say that the only homosexuals I have come in contact with were all very unhappy with "their way of life," looked upon it as an illness, and wished to be "cured." But they all did come to me of their own free will, so it is a "select" group. And only one out of six did achieve a "cure."
Gentlemen:
Mr. B., M.D.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
A short time ago I delivered a vitriolic and emotional condemnation of homosexuals to a group of friends. To my surprise (and initial distaste) one of this group-a respected friend of long standing-took a position quite contrary to mine. From this beginning came a series of quiet and calm conversations between us on the subject, the latest development being my receiving a copy of
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