tachine legitimacy seems likely. Meanwhile, however, little respect can be had from observant people for careless references to supposedly remarkable ECHO accomplishments. We do well to remember that there is no clear evidence that the recent ECHO New York meeting was any better attended or had any better program than certain of the Mattachine Conventions in San Francisco or Denver or the ONE Midwinter Institutes held in Los Angeles. Further, they both began doing these things and doing them well ten years ago.

FACING SOME FACTS

Still more awkward truths face us in reporting the publishing story, for again, unquestionably the oldest American homophile publication is ONE Magazine, published continuously in Los Angeles since 1953. Next oldest is the Mattachine Review issued in San Francisco since 1955. With the addition of The Ladder, also from San Francisco and ONE Institute Quarterly from Los Angeles we complete the roster of homophile publications, old enough to have proven their mettle, which could by any courtesy be termed magazines. Many of these are copyrighted and available in the Library of Congress for the whole world to examine and evaluate. Many of them have for years been found in university and public libraries across the U.S.

Would anyone seriously contend that Drum, the several weak little newsletters, the various leaflets, the bar-counter scandal sheets, the semiliterate Citizen News, stand for a press by which the Homophile Movement would care to be judged?

The embarrassments deepen as one visits Homophile Movement "headquarters" around the country. What of the dingy little "Mattachine offices" on Broadway in New York, not regularly staffed, often not open even at the announced evening hours? What of the

residential basement boasted in San Francisco by SIR, currently clamoring for center stage in that city? Have you ever tried to visit a Daughters of Bilitis "headquarters," anywhere at just about any hour?

Where, then, may we look for the Homophile Movement and actually find it? In San Francisco, for instance, the Mattachine Society has maintained for more than a decade attractive downtown offices there, open to the public during regular business hours like any other reputable outfit, and staffed by fulltime personnel. Or in Los Angeles, where ONE occupies the entire second floor in a building close to the downtown area. With more than three thousand square feet of space they have ample offices, a library, reception room and generous assembly hall for their meetings. Since 1954 their fulltime, trained staff has varied from two to four persons, they report.

Can we successfully argue in the face of the publishing evidence, the regular staffs and the public offices-to say nothing of the many other things they do that there are more than two homophile organizations in this country which take their work seriously enough to at least strive to place themselves in the main stream of American life and to act the part?

In all honesty how many other organizations than the above two can hope to claim that they attempt to

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think and act on a nation-wide basis? ECHO (how unfortunate a choice of name!) appears to take pride in its East insularity and limited scope Coast Homophile Organizations, they call themselves. Is this the route to an American Homophile Movement?

EVENTS DURING 1965

To bring our observations up-to-date some 1965 developments need brief coverage. Despite gossip to the contrary the Mattachine Society offices in

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