firmly in favor of legal reform. It has the support of the two Archbishops, the Church Assembly, the Church of Eng. land Moral Welfare Council, a Roman Catholic Committee, and many leading spokesmen of the free churches. It has been approved by most of the informed papers and journals, including The Times: The Manchester Guardian: The Daily Telegraph; The Observer; The Sunday Times; Reynold's News: The Economist; The Lancet: The News Chronicle: The Daily Mirror.

It has been urged in a letter to The Times which appeared on March 7 above 33 distinguished signatures (see March issue of Mattachine Review) and was later supported by a group of eminent married women. It is supported also by the many public figures who appear on our own Honorary Committee, and (we believe) by the humane good sense of most informed people.

6. The present law lends itself to blackmail; and also to police methods which most citizens regard, when they hear of them, as disgraceful. The Wolfenden Report itself had striking evidence to present on this matter; and let ters which have appeared subsequently in the press amply confirm the impres sion which the Report gave.

7. The maladjusted homosexual who is most in need of skilled medical advice is exactly the type least likely to seek it while fear of the civil law remains. A great many men might be less neurotic and socially dangerous if they felt free to discuss their condition fully with those likely to help.

Similarly, medical research into the causes and treatment of homosexuality is bound to be hampered whilst much of the evidence is still withheld for fear of prosecution.

At the same time, medical men agree that adequate treatment for homosexuals cannot be provided in prison; and that the atmosphere of prison life is anything but conducive to a "cure."

8. In view of these considerations, as well as the more technical ones available to modern medical research, we believe that the law as it stands should be reformed. The further exercise of a law which so many responsible people believe to be unjust would surely be nothing but the indefensible continuation of an old prejudice.

But all was not unified clear sailing for any immediate passage of the Wolfenden recommendations. On the scene

were these events which served to give the new law reform Society a real reason for existence:

On May 22, Mr. Donnelly asked the Secretary of State for the Home Depart ment in Commons if the time was not right for the Secretary to make further statements on the Government's policy toward the Report. The reply was that public expression regarding the recom mendations had not been fully heard, although the support was widespread for "these proposals which have stirred the public opinion so deeply." Mr. R. A. Butler, the Secretary, also stated that it was not necessarily a responsibility of the Government to set time for a de bate on the Report at this time.

From Edinburgh come another round in the battle against the Wolfenden recommendations as the Church of Scot land's General Assembly met to discuss divorce and homosexuality. Both topics took a beating from this strict church group (it was a Scotsman on the Wolfendon Committee who cast the dissenting vote for its adoption). Here is a partial report of that meeting late in May as carried in the London Daily Telegraph and Morning Post:

LAW CHANGES OPPOSED

The Assembly declared itself against the Wolfenden Report recommendation that homosexual behaviour between consenting adult males should cease to be a crime Several speakers vigorously supported the report's proposals.

The Assembly, by a majority, upheld the opinion of its Church and Nation Committee. This was that such legel changes as suggested by the Wolfenden Committee would be inopportune. Ilable to misunder standing and misinterpretation and calculated to increase rather than diminish this grave evil.”

•

Dr. NEVILLE DAVIDSON, Glasgow Cathedral, sald there was in many quarters a dangerous tendency to Blur distinction between right and wrong behaviour He is convenor of the Church and Nation Committee.

The committee was convinced that the removal of homosexual practices between consenting adults from the list of criminal offences could only have the effect of appearing stal further to accelerate what the Wolfenden report described as "a general loosening of former moral_standards." This would certainly be the Impression given to the great majority of people on hearing of the proposed changes.

mattachine REVIEW

" DIFFERENCE OF VIEW " He disclosed there had been a clear difference of view" within the Church and Nation Committee on the suggested changes in the law By a fairly large majority" the committee had found itself unable to support the Wolfenden proposals.

Dr. Davidson said: "We should like to emphasise strongly the need for a much more compassionate and understanding attitude towards the homosexual. Such a person is aflicted with a constitutional abnormality which is tragic

Mr JAMES ADAIR, a Glasgow elder and the dissenting member of the Wolfenden Committee. told the Assembly of homosexual clubs in Britain amilated to an International organisation with a membership of 14.000. He said "We are being asked to consider as being no longer unlawful something which is practised for its own sake.

"Sinning. It may be said. for the sake of sinning." This was legislation for the whole country and not

just for themselves. This was something which was organised, as was well known in the South. There were a number of clubs composed of this class and were propagating this practice

Within Ave weeks of the publication of the Wolfenden Report he said, one of the smaller clubs received 40 applications for membership. The international organisation had a publication which gave out a directory telling members of places in principal cities where they might meet those of their own kind. It Included hotels and restaurants

But the advocates of Wolfenden Committee recommentations saw the above only as delays in a campaign they were determined to win. And with a growing list of influential leaders in the United Kingdom already committed to support the new Homosexual Law Reform Soc. lety, it seemed only a matter of time before their hopes would become reality.

LOOKING AHEAD

August REVIEW, due on newsstands near the end of July, will feature advance information about the Society's forthcoming 5th Annual Convention in New York City, plus interesting articles on homosexual problems. Among these will be the second part of the article on homosexuality in the Moslem world, a commentary on ''suppression of Homosexual Literature," a plague facing the publishing industry today: "Massachusetts Legal Scene,'

a report on sex laws in the Bay State, and a different and encouraging little essay from an older homosexual who tells one of the "how to do it" aspects in "What's MY Type?"

Regular departments of book reviews, letters from readers and news bits which describe the foibles of our changing sexual attitudes will also be included.

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