}

responsibilities, in friendship. Forms of friendship in nontraditional situations (i.e., outside of a marriage) were considered. Other aspects dealt with inescapable conflicts which arise in non-codified relationships; what part the erotic element plays in the duration of a friendship, and how far a friendship relation can be taken as an identification with a normal marriage and seen as a "solution" of any general interhuman relationship and lastly what should be the responsibility of partners toward each other.

In considering the topics, C.O.C.delegates divided into 10 study groups at the sessions in The Hague.

CONCERN EXPRESSED TOWARD AUSTRIAN LEGAL ATTITUDE

. Homophiles in Austria today find themselves in a position which is the concern of other European organizations in the.. Scandanavian and Western countries, because legal and civil rights of such people appear to be subject to easy violation without recourse in courts.

Heavy penalties are imposed upon all individuals charged with intercourse with members of their own sex, but beyond.an illegal act, the law acts to permit unjustified lawsuits with homosexuals as defendants without defense. Suicides are not. rare in that nation. Unfavorable attitudes attitudes among Austrian' people are further fanned by a hostile press. Certain cases are habitually over-emphasized in print.

Seizure and search limitations appear to have no bearing when the suspect is homosexual or believed to be one.

Hope for better conditions, however, is imminent. An organization, the Austrian Society for Sexual Investigation,, been formed for the purpose of producing a "more or less reliable picture of sexuality in its full meaning for modern man and to find its influence upon society, the state, legislation, jurisprudence morals and religion."

SEX AND TEEN-AGE CRIME

"The most anti-sexual of social groups, the peoples inhabiting North America are also the ones among whom crime has reached its highest development," notes the famous French sociologist, René Guyon. By anti-sexual he means, of course, repressive and restrictive against sexual expression.

The average age of the criminal in the United States is. 21. According to the F.B.I., more 17-year-olds are arrested each year than any other age group. Youngsters under 21 contribute 15 per cent of all murders, 51 per cent of all burglaries, 30 per cent of all rape cases. Today, three times as, many girls under 18 are being arrested as before the war. Teen-agers between 16 and 20 account for one-fourth of all sex offenses brought to court.

(Quoted from "Sexual Conduct of the Teen Ager," by S. U. ‘Lawton, M.D.,.and Jules Archer; Greenberg, N.Y., 1951)

mattachine REVIEW

By Mackinneth Fingal

Uncle Sam Keeps Hacking Away the Rights and Benefits of

THE HOMOSEXUAL VETERAN

AS OF October 28, 1954, the homo-

sexual veterah, whom the in-

competent psychiatrist didn't detect,

or who was too shy and fearful to tell his true story to the psychiatrist, or who rendered faithful, competent service to his country but nevertheless "got caught" and so suffered an "undesirable" or "dishonorable" discharge, will find himself definitely denied the benefits flowing to heterosexual veterans from two of our Federal: laws..

Public Law No. 2, 73rd Congress, approved by the president on March 20, 1933, provides a pension (now • called "compensation").for:

Any person who served in the active military or -naval service and who is disabled as a result of disease or injury incurred in line of duty in such service.1

Another important section of the Law provides:

Sec. 6. In addition to the pensions provided,... the Ad-

In the third issue of the Review. james Barr Fugate told of his experience in obtaining a discharge from the navy "Under Honorable Conditions" when he was suspected of being a homosexual. Here, Mr. Fingal takes up, so to speak, where. Barr left off. This article is a critique of recent trends of the federal gov; ernment with respect to the rights of the former service man who is homosexual.

•

ministrator of Veteran's Affairs

is hereby authorized under such limitations as may be prescribed by the President..... to. furnish to veterans of any war. domiciliary care where they are suffering with permanent disabilities, tuberculosis or neuropsychotic ailments and medical and hospital treatment for diseases and injuries.

The other statute which discriminiates against the homosexual veteran is Public Law 346, the "Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944," which was an act "To Provide Federal Government aid for the readjustment in civilian life of returning World War II veterans, "2 It is said that this law was conceived by the Congress as a "necessary and constructive aid to returning veterans in their readjustment to civilian life." The statute is rather lengthy, consisting`. of 15 chapters, the most important of which are as follows:

Chapter I

Chapter II

Chapter IV

Chapter V

Chapter VI

▾

"Hospitalization, Claims, and Procedures

"Aid by Veterans' Organizations" "Education of Veteran's"

"General Provisions for Loans"

(i.e,, for homes, farms, and business property"). " "Employment of Veterans"