mistaking him for one of the class for which they were looking, they administered to him a beating, the consequences of which led to his death.

These admissions by the defendants were re-iterated throughout the trial by various officers who had questioned them. With each account of such evidence or of the arguments touching it, the papers were careful to add "there was no evidence that Hall was, in fact, a homosexual."

What is the significance of that statement? Does it not contain the plain inference that if, in fact, he had been a homosexual, he might be beaten or even murdered with impunity?

This is no unwarranted surmise. In San Francisco, some years ago, a religious leader of one of the leading denominations was beaten to death in a hotel room. His assailant, when arrested, admitted the slaying but justified it upon the ground that the victim, a homosexual, had made indecent overtures to him. Thereupon, the members of the decedent's congregation, to avoid scandal," induced the District Attomey not to prosecute, and the slayer walked out without any charges having ever been filed against him.

Some years before, a North Beach father shot and killed his son's friend for the sole reason that the latter was a homosexual. Although the son was an adult and probably himself homosexual, the father was quickly acquitted by a jury.

The three incidents considered above illustrate the primitive outlook which a supposedly sophisticated community displays toward the "problem" of homosex uality. A sufficient number of years have passed since the Kinsey Reports turned a clear light onto this obscure area of human conduct. These and subsequent researches have demonstrated the wide extent of homosexuality, that there is nothing pathologic about it and that it is the normal sexual expression of a substantial minority of people all over the world.

The celebrated trial of Oscar Wilde in England pointed up the fact that, in none of the countries of Continental Europe, were the acts of which he stood accused, criminal. Unfortunately, the Victorian morality of Great Britain has been transmitted to the United States. Indeed, in this respect, the latter has fallen behind

With regard to the first of these, the committee returned a recommendation that no illegality should be attached to any sexual conduct of consenting adults in private. While this recommendation has not yet been adopted, the issue is still alive and will, it is hoped, ultimately lead to a correction of the legal situation in that country,

Meanwhile, the persistence of ignorance and superstition regarding this con. dition continue to bedevil the homosexual in the United States. He can, with impunity, be insulted, blackmailed, shaken down by Police officials and, It would appear, assaulted and even murdered.

With regard to the four defendants in the present case, is it not apparent that they are as much the victims of the same Ignorance, bigotry and superstition as was their unhappy victim?

They are Instructed by the presence of outmoded criminal laws upon our statute books, by the hatred and contempt constantly expressed against homosexual persons, by the vulgar obscenity with which they are discussed in some quarters and the nasty-nice silence imposed upon the subject in others, that the extirpation of homosexuals is a laudable cause, that it is clean, upright, masculine Americanism to beat them up wherever they may be found and that fellow human beings so conditioned are outside the law.

In other words, are not these four defendants and the poor slain man equally victims of the same evil influences which I have cited above?

Furthermore, is it not to be taken into consideration that the act which led these four boys to their present predicament is something into which we have educated them? There can be no question but that they acted in accordance with a moral and ethical position which we have, ourselves, promulgated and which can scarce. ly be better expressed than by the phrase with which the prosecution in this case rebutted their excuse, namely: "There was no evidence that the victim was, in fact, homosexual."

Respectfully submitted, Vincent Hallinan (Attomey at Law)

its model. Recently, the British parlio MATTACHINE PANELISTS ment appointed a committee, called, from? its Chairman, the Wolfenden Committee, to investigate and report to it on the subjects of homosexuality and prostitution.

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REVIEW EDITOR: May I again thank you for appearing on our panel discussion last Friday evening? That discussion

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was one of the finest progroms our church (First Unitarian, San Jose, Calif.) has had the privilege to sponsor. The react Ion we have had from persons in the audience has been most satisfying and the attitudinal changes that took place indicate that we more than achieved any goals we may have had in mind. Your contribution was exactly what I had wanted and many of your comments made lasting Impression on us. Especially the state ment, "Homosexuals can be hurt." I real ly think that simple remark was the key to the entire evening.-Mrs. P. B., Calif. REVIEW EDITOR: May I commend you and Messrs. Fisher and Lucas for your participation in the TV documentary "'The Rejected." Not only will your forthrightness be a positive help to a better community understanding on the homosexual but you three have also shown the individual homosexual what he must be wil ling to do if the opportunity presents it self. I heard John Reavis at a recent discussion forum and was pleased to leam of this fine effort on all your parts.-Rev. Robert W. Wood, N.Y. (author of Christ and the Homosexual)

REVIEW EDITOR: I would like to comment on the remarkable program, "The Rejected," and the cooperation (Mattachine)made on its behalf. Second, I would like to call your attention to a chapter (The Psychological De-Sexing of the Child) of my book, The Greatest Role in the World. This chapter shows how parents' unconscious rejection of a child's Inherent sex causes the child to uncon⚫ sciously reject his, or her, true sex role. A parent's rejection of a child's sex may stem from any reasons, l.e., rivalry, etc. The book also shows that many of our 'normal' citizens suffer from terrific instability in their respective sex roles. -(Mrs.) Prudence H. Hamilton, Calif.

SEX OFFENDER TOME IN '62

REVIEW EDITOR: After we have finished the current book on sex offenders (which should be done in early '62) we will begin more extensive field work on our next two volumes on homosexuality and transvestism. At that time we hope to elicit the Mattachine cooperation in our field work. Wardell B. Pomeroy, Director of Field Research, Indiana University, Institute for Sex Research, Inc., Blooming fon.

POLICE PASTIMES

REVIEW EDITOR: At the present time there is a "purge" In the Pomona-Claremont area of Southern Califomio. Friends of mine who live in the area have assured me that not only is there general harrassment but there are certain measures being used by the police department which to my way of thinking constitute a violation of civil liberties. Of course, I have no way of verifying this. The "purge" is being conducted with no publicity for fear by the police that any publicity would defeat their ends. I feel that actions in this area warrant, if at all possible, some investigation. Mr. R. S., Califomia. REVIEW EDITOR: Your November issue and its "Calling Shots" feature beginning on page 2 and incorporating the newspaper article by Ernest Lenn is one of the most outstanding editorial items ever to appear in the REVIEW. Someone must dare to "call shots" on the ever expanding police power over individual lives, and moreover someone must stand up against the general political and police policy that homosexuals are fair game, and thus easy and continuous victims of harrassment, discrimination and blackmail-sometimes from police themselves. Mr. C. F., Missouri.

REVIEW EDITOR: I was In San Francisco, looked you up in the telephone book, but didn't remember how to spell the name, so I got another person instead. We had a nice chat. I told him of the article in The Independent ("Puritan Terror") concoming the two men travelers In Massa. chusetts. It is since then I have been in. tending to write and ask for coples of your periodicals. Near me, more men are arrested at Carmel Beach, and the real sharple, the man who arrested them, has been given a job in the Welfare Department...-Miss G. H., Califomia.

FROM THE PHILIPPINES

REVIEW EDITOR: This letter might sur distant prise you for it comes from a very place the Philippines. Although the name Philippines may not be strange for we were once under the tutelage of your coun try.

I have come to know your society The Mattachine, for I have read the book of Mr. Jess Steam, The Sixth Man. I found it very interesting and thankful that an 25