Attorney Richard Gerstein banned it from general circulation in Dade County, Miami, Florida. Gerstein said the pamphlet had "obscene and pornographic" photographs. He also criticized the Committee's offer to supply copies of the pamphlet, by mail, adding his unscientific opinion that "this pamphlet would immediately become an object of curiosity in our high schools and could well become a means of engendering homosexuality."

Speculation is that the purpose behind the report is to shock public officials and the public into supporting the Committee's proposed reforms, including proposals to hire special school personnel to spy on teachers, and to establish fingerprinting and record centers to keep up with every one suspected of homosexuality.

The Florida Civil Liberties Union suggested that the best reform would be the abolition of the Committee. The FCLU also opposed the ban by Gerstein of the pamphlet. Gerstein replied that he was merely enforcing the state law on obscenity. Wonder if he was bragging or complaining?

THE COMMITTEE

Head of the Committee is Rep. Richard O. Mitchell, of Tallahassee, Leon County, who took over in 1963 from Charley Johns of Starke, who had to resign because of rising objections to the Committee which might have meant a cut-off of its money. Other members of the infamous Committee are Senators C. W. Bill Young, St. Petersburg, Robert Williams, Graceville, and Representatives Leo Jones, Panama City, William Ed. Owens, Stuart, and George B. Stallings, Jr., Jacksonville.

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THE POLITICIANS HEDGE, HIDE, AND ACT, IN GENERAL, LIKE POLITICIANS

The newspaper and public reaction was fast and furious against the Report and actions of the Committee. So, therefore, soon after, were the reactions of the legislators themselves, although they were the ones who had voted several times their support of and the taxpayers' money for the Committee's work.

Typical reactions were:

(Rep. Fred Karl, Volusia County, candidate for governor) "I shudder to think of this falling into the hands of a school child." He had voted against the Committee so is not being hypocritical like most of the others quoted. (Mrs. Maxine Baker) "I've had house guests since it arrived and haven't hauled it out for study. I voted against continuation of the study, and from what I've heard about the Report my vote was well cast." Amen, Lady!

Not all were against the Report. Mallory Horne, Leon County, was delighted that the Committee had kept the legislators informed of its activities. Governor Bryant himself ducked any comment on the booklet. He refused the offer of two reporters to view their copies and make a comment. He was obviously peeved about the stir the news. stories in the papers had created. Others had found more important things to be disturbed about.

(Robert Mann, Hillsborough) "[the Committee] has no business doing police work." (Wilson Carraway, President of the Senate) "threw it in the wastebasket." (Lee Weissenborn, Miami) "shocked... thoroughly... in my opinion this book is obscene." (Murray Dubbin, Dade County) "Nauseating! I'm certainly glad this wasn't mailed

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