In only a few weeks (January 1953), the first issue of ONE was published. This first issue bears little resemblance to the magazine we know today. In the first place, it is of an odd size (as all issues of that year were to be), almost square, rather ungainly looking, and awkward to handle. It consists of twenty-four pages and a cover. The cover is plain gray, with a simple, formal design, and some few words in purple ink. There was an index page, a page of announcements, a "Letter to You" in which the editors stated that ONE was "dedicated to the service of humanity" and appealed to readers for support. The "lead article" was a translation from a German homophile publication, Die Insel. There was a poem by Helen Ito, showing that women's interests were to be included, an article on law, a page of book notices, a couple of pages of "news," one advertisement, and a page expressing the best wishes of the Mattachine Foundation. Except as one may see in "News:" the forerunner of today's tangents and in "Books:" today's more formal and more extensive book section, there was no department, no feature, to suggest the magazine of today. Only "As For Me," an occasional feature, remains unchanged. There was no art work-only a space-filling standard printer's cut or

two.

But the first issue was out and number two was on its way. In the second issue, as a few readers expressed their reactions to issue No. 1, there appeared a page entitled: "LETTERS:" and the first regular feature of ONE, as known today, came into being. In the March issue, the "Book" section assumed a more formal aspect; there were two advertisements.

Everything that first year was, of course, a first of some kind, and almost every line represented some kind of accomplishment: there were the first editorial, the first articles-written by members of the staff and then the first outside manuscripts, the first letters, the first controversy, and the first hint of trouble with authority. In May there appeared an article entitled "The Homosexual Culture," the beginning of a long continuing controversy as to whether there actually is a "homosexual culture." In July there appeared a provocative article entitled: "Your Little Magazine Won't Last," in which the author detailed six thoughtful reasons why, in his opinion, ONE could not hope to survive. This article was to touch off a whole series of articles and letters in which readers expressed their views as to the possibility and desirability of ONE's staying in existence for any length of time. It was an interesting argument then-and still is though some of the more compelling arguments in 1953 seem a little silly in 1962.

In August came the first hint of trouble with the post office. For no reason which would ever be apparent today from a perusal of the Magazine, the Los Angeles Post Office stopped the postal distribution of all copies of ONE. Then, after holding them for about two weeks, released them at the insistence of ONE's attorney. That was all there was to this incident, but it boded ill for the future.

In November, 1953, ONE moved into its own offices at 232 S. Hill, two dismal rooms in a shabby office building downtown L.A., and made a plea for donations of furniture and general office equipment. Today ONE still occupies those same quarters although the two rooms have become six. Office equipment now includes modern reproduction and duplicating machines, steel files, and sturdy shelves for ONE's library-equipment the first editors would never have dared hope for, all gifts of the "Friends of ONE."

No review of that first momentous year would be complete without at least a brief mention of ONE's first editors. The January masthead stated that the editorial board was composed of Martin Block, Dale Jennings, and Don Slater; William Lambert was business manager. Martin Block was to serve as editor-in-chief until July of that first year when he turned over his position to Dale Jennings and,

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