On the morning of Saturday, October 10, Robert King, E.C.H.O. Coordinator, opened the second annual conference of the East Coast Homophile Organizations at the Sheraton-Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. with a strong keynote address. Mr. King presented himself to the group as a "liar and a criminal" and suggested that the homosexual's greatest burden is that of having to constantly deceive his friends and fellow citizens. He also introduced the thesis that the homosexual community has considerable power to elect politicians favorable to its cause.

In keeping with the announced theme of the conference, "Homosexuality: Civil Liberties and Social Rights," the remainder of the day was spent discussing the legal and political aspects of the homophile position. Mr. J. C. Hodges, President of the New York Mattachine Society delivered a talk entitled "Politics is Everybody's Business" in which he cited the example of two San Francisco elections in which the League for Civil Education attempted to demonstrate the voting strength of the homosexual community by supporting particular candidates. In both cases, according to Mr Hodges, the result of the L.C.E.'s support was negligible. Mr. Hodges' contention was that homosexuals must exert their influence as individual citizens through their local political organizations rather than through homophile organizations if they are to succeed in electing favorable candidates.

Following Mr. Hodges, Professor Monroe H. Freedman, Associate Professor of Law at the George Washington University and Member of the Executive Board of the National Capital Area Civil Liberties Union, discussed the Charitable Solicitations Act, a D.C. law under which persons and organizations desiring to raise funds must register with the D.C.

government, and HR-5990, a bill introduced by Representative John Dowdy (D. Tex.) designed to restrict the Act. According to Mr. Freedman, Dowdy has a rather peculiar and intense interest in homosexuality and pornography relating to this subject and was 'out to get" the Mattachine Society of Washington through HR5990. In an entertaining talk he described some of the exchange between Dr. F. E. Kameny, President of the M.S.W., and Dowdy at Congressional hearings on the Bill. The text of these hearings is available upon request from: HR-5990 Hearings, Room 445, U.S. House of Representatives Old House Office Building, Washington, D.C. The Bill was passed in the House but was defeated in the Senate.

A telegram was read at the Saturday luncheon in which Donald Webster Cory sent his blessings to the conference and expressed hope for greater unity and cooperation among homophile organizations. Mr. Hal Witt, Member of the Bar, D.C. and Executive Board Member of the National Capital Area Civil Liberties Union, delivered a fine luncheon address in which he considered the relation of the law to sexual acts in general. His thesis was that any acts which take place between consenting adults in private and do not interfere with the rights of others are simply not within the purview of the law. This is not a new idea but one seldom hears it presented so clearly and so forcefully as it was by Mr. Witt.

In the afternoon session S. S. Sachs, J. W. Karr and G. R. Graves, Members of the Bar, D.C., each gave short talks. Mr. Graves suggested that homophile groups ought to place particular emphasis on first obtaining procedural equity for employment cases involving homosexuality before attempting to change the employment or sodomy laws themselves. His talk dealt largely

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