OBSCENITY NEEDS TO BE DEFINED

(Continued from page 2)

in the adjoining Province of Quebec. Included were most of the "'men's group"" of magazines, girlie photo books, practically all of the "scandal" group, some detective magazines and others. This list named six magazines which had been restored to circulation. Included was PAGEANT which had been banned!

JUSTICE WEEKLY also commented on the Supreme Court clearance gained by ONE. It said, in part:

It comes as no surprise to "Justice Weekly" that in a unanimous decision the Supreme Court of the United States bas reversed a Post Office ban across the line on the mailing of "One", the Homosexual Magazine.

"One" has been in existence for six years and has been "clipped freely" of interesting articles, stories, etc., appearing from time to time in "Justice Weekly", with due recognition being given, of course. "One Incorporated" Is a non-profit organization formed to publish a magazine dealing primarily with homosexuality from the scientific, historic and critical point of view. It is an interesting publication, well written, well edited and well-presented. While "Justice Weekly' does not agree with all its articles, nevertheless many of these have helped to foster a more tolerant feeling toward homosexuality and homosexuals. From time to time "One" has clipped articles from "Justice Weekly' and has included the source. Both publications, It is felt, have helped each other and it is anticipated that this will continue. The same applies to "The Mattachine Review".

LOOKING AHEAD

MATTACHINE REVIEW for March (it will appear on news stands about February 28th) will carry these three headline features:

TOWARD SEXUAL HONESTY, TOLERANCE AND HUMAN COMPASSION by Manfred Wise, in which the sex-equals-love equation is discussed; MUST THE INDIVIDUAL HOMOSEXUAL BE REJECTED IN OUR TIME, third paper in the series from the 4th annual convention symposium of the Mattachine Society, presented by Leo J.Zeff, therapist, and THE COLLECTED WORKS OF JEAN GENET, a review translated from DER KREIS, and which appeared with a subhead in quotes & Italics, "For Very Perverted People." 28 mattachine REVIEW

BLACKMAIL LAW IS ENFORCED

GERMAN POLICE SHIELD VICTIM OF EXTORTION

--a factual case Teport

(Translated by Fred Scherz from "DER WEG," German bomopbile magazine pub. lisbed in Hamburg 36, Germany, by R. Putziger, Colonnaden S.)

It was an utterly subdued and dejected person that faced the State Court at Hamburg on August 30, 1957. His name was August Wilhelm Peters. He had just been sentenced to two years at hard labor, proven guilty as charged to the double crime of robbery and felonious blackmail.

In the case in question the defendant has had a long-time record of conflicts with the law, landing him eleven times behind bars on various charges. This time he ran afoul by stealing a wallet from a homosexual in Hamburg, containing a small amount of money and identification cards, etc. This enabled Peters to initiate a blackmail procedure against the homosexual he had robbed. However, for once, to use the American vernacular, "he got the wrong guy. Our friend (the victim) was not the type of person to be easily intimidated. He courageously took the matter to Police Headquarters, where the immediate arrest of Peters was ordered.

The resulting trial brought the man a severe sentence. But the significant fact, it seems, was the fact that there have been no embarrassing moments for our friend, the victim. This is proof that bodies of law enforcement officials in Germany are adopting an objective approach when faced with a clear-cut attempt at blackmail This is a marked change from attitudes in the past. Paragraph 154 of the German Penal Code guarantees protection to victims of an actual or attempted blackmail. This is the basis for the police attitude shown above.

And this is as it should be if we are ever to arrive at an ethical justice, in the furtherance of which our movement has always been and will continue to be unceasingly active.