ports indicated that the war on juvenile gangs had turned into a drive against homosexuals. Magistrate Ohringer denied any civil rights violations-said, we can't "turn over part of our city for immoral purposes," added that most youths arrested were charged with "possible solicitation of men for immoral purposes." A special force of detectives arrested 357 juveniles in 5 days. Balladeers, sightseers and picknickers were driven out of Washington Square at night (dog-walkers and couples strolling arm-in-arm were not bothered, police said) on the excuse of antagonism between Beatniks and Italians living south of the park.

After a few days, a 39-year-old cop was arrested for shaking down a "reputable citizen" on threat of a fake morals arrest. Patrolman Chester H. Bell was accused of taking $125 and demanding $500 from a man he picked up while off duty, in the BMT washroom on 14th St.

Letters

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO THE EDITORS FORWARD LETTERS FROM READERS TO OTHER PERSONS NOR DO THEY ANSWER CORRESPONDENCE MAKING SUCH REQUESTS. Dear ONE:

Enclosed are newspaper articles on the situation in Massachusetts, indicating that the situation in this state for homophiles and the law is very unfair, unjust and certainly does not solve the problem any.

Your "Toward Understanding" column is excellent. I enjoy the Magazine and inform others of it constantly.

Mr. H. Springfield, Mass.

(transit cops "have been investigating scores of similar complaints in recent months'). Bell had quite a record on the force: 23 departmental complaints, including reprimands for "accidentally" shooting both his first wife and his second in the head (the second recovered). Such a man still carrying a gun?

In mid-Oct., Thomas Rohan of State Liquor Authority announced stepped-up drive to close "plush East Side ginmills overrun by homosexuals and prostitutes and controlled by gangsters." He said, "Our hands have been tied by a court ruling which said that the mere congregation of homosexuals, prostitutes and underworld types in any one place was not sufficient grounds. for action," but added Rule 36 is. being rewritten to get around this. With new rigged rules, 12 bars were closed by end of October, for infraction of new nuisance regulations, such as requiring that all bars must have their bookkeeping done. on premises.

Dear Friends:

While finding considerable interest in recent issues I have come to feel that most of the material presented has been of a rather unimportant nature in comparison to the outstanding articles of T. M. Merritt, R. H. Crowther, Luther Allen and some others, and the fiction of Geoffrey Wright, which so distinguished many of the issues from '55-'57.

Only the wonderful art work of Eve Elloree, Tangents and Dr. Baker's column maintain consistently today the stature which so few years ago characterized so much of our Magazine's content.

Cannot these writers who have demonstrated their remarkable grasp of elemental problems be persuaded to make new contributions? Better a page of wisdom than a dozen of prattle.

Dear ONE:

Mr. S. Cambridge, Mass.

I first saw your issues of May and June, 1954, then again in 1959. I want to say that the improvement in TONE and attitude is tremendous. In 1954 you seemed to say, "We have these unhappy misfits in our midst-we must do what we can to rehabilitate them." Now, you seem to say, "Here we are-all in