Homosexual Publications Ask for Mutual Goals

Do We Need a World Center?

by Jack Argo. ICSE editor

I have been working as a contributor for Der Kreis, Zurich, since 1951. I have also worked for several German homosexual periodicals such as Die Gefaehrten. Frankfurt, Die Insel (now Der Weg), Hamburg/Berlin, Humanitas and Hellas, Hamburg, Freund and the late Zwishen den both by Andern, published Charles Greiger, Hamburg. Now I am working primarily for the as periodicals of ICSE, such and ICSE-Kurier Newsletter, ICSE-Press. All this has brought me more and more to the conwe need mutual clusion that

goals and regulations for editing and writing in homosexual publications. We know that there are other national homosexual maguzines in France (Arcadie), in Denmark (Pan in the Netherlands (Vriendschap) and in the United States (One, Review and the Mattachine Ladder.) And we are all aware that homosexuality is in many respects the same problem all over the world, so far as its essential signs and qualities are concerned. Should we, and car. we, waste time, money and energy, paper, contributors, translators, etc., for one and the same

material in different countries of this civilized world?

I am not now dealing with the strictly national aspects and problems, maybe I will later in this article. I am thinking, rather, of the questions faced by all o us every day where I can now see several writers and editors working in different countries, each one separate and somewhat isolated.

We need exchange of ideas, articles, news, documentary material. We need it translated from and into several languages. We need books to refer to and reports of the several movements and organizations. In short, we need an international center for this work.

The attitude and structure of and however, firms and Vennen), groups, makes it difficult to bring them all to one table. Some are put out by organizations making no profit or putting that profit into their work; work; others profit for their own benefit like any regular publishers, such as Vennen Der Ring and Der Weg. But, this particular leaving aside problem. they all should be interested in our idea because they all lack sufficient material.

mattachine REVIEW

An international center (United Homosexual Publishers UHP) could help to overcome some of these problems. It ought to be set up by at least the majority

of them with a center in Europe and branches in the United States and other parts of the world. It should consist of an international library, of a translating team, of a book service, a news service and an article shop It could deal with general materials as well as with exclusively prepared ones. We could concentrate all the power that is now spread over the world into unique center to avoid duplication of effort.

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The money necessary for sustaining such an office could be collected within the framework of a special corporation founded by the participants. It does not need to be erected within the organizational set-up of ICSE, but should certainly keep in constant touch with ICSE. ICSE with its present contacts could work as an initiator of this idea and help to bring it into reality Translated articles of One and Mattachine Review have peared in various Europeon publications, and European articles in American publications, but

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we think that if all who are interested would concentrate on an international center, much more can be done with economy and

ease.

And we might also get a clearer view into each group's strictly national affairs and problems than we now do.

ICSE now puts most of its energy into the main goal of public enlightenment and scientific research. The money brought in for this purpose is sufficient, as we know, and we are constantly thinking of new ideas and new methods to break out of the vicious circle. The idea suggested cannot expect financial support from the underdeveloped international movement, at least not at the present time But we think the value of the idea is contained within itself and contains also the key for solving its own financial problem.

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I will bring this suggestion before annual meeting in Frankfurt and the results of it you can read later in our Newsletter. Meanwhile, do consider this idea in your publication and discuss it in your groups as well. Maybe someone will come up with a constructive solution.

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