ma of criminality from their acts (when performed in private between consenting adults), and integration with the rest of society.

Especially worthy of careful reflection are Plummer's contentions on the matters of hostility and reform. There is no "instinctive disgust" for hosexuals or homosexual acts, he insists. Rather, hostility has to be taught; people have to be indoctrinated to hate and to fear; and prejudice has to be fostered by discriminatory laws couched in carefully chosen color words. Pointing out that the slaves did not free themselves, the author maintains that most reforms come from outside and not from the people, who suffer from injustice. When reform comes in England, he feels, it will be as a result of the efforts of heterosexuals such as those associated with the Homosexual Law Reform Society.

Conditions in Britain today, it would appear, are not good so far as the homosexual is concerned. Prosecution, witch hunts, and prison sentences are still commonplace. Perhaps it is an exaggeration, however, to write "Hundreds of us go to prison every week." The upper class is seen as tolerant, and the working class is said to be indifferent toward homosexuality. The opposition, Plummer believes, comes mainly from those middle class persons with little education who pride themselves on being "superior" and "respectable" citizens.

The value of this book is limited. As already suggested, it has little that is new to offer. Except for chapters eight and nine ("The Policeman at the Door" and "Change the Law!"), which should arouse the reader's sympathy and should appeal to his intelligence and sense of fairness, the book is not especially well written. Many statements are vague, undocumented, and somewhat dated in time, interpretation, and current 'pertinence. Views are often expressed with greater personal conviction than with the logic and clarity needed to impress the opposition and the uncommitted. Organization of the material and transitions from one subject to another could be improved throughout. Repetitious statements and thoughts could be reduced or re-expressed. Yet, as a personal statement, this volume finds a rightful place on the bookshelf of all persons seeking to understand and help the homosexual in our midst.

CORRECTION: Legal fees have not been paid to the attorney handling the Black Cat Case, states Morris Lowenthal of San Francisco, who prepared the monumental briefs for the 8-year-long appeal which was reported in November REVIEW. Mr. Lowenthal has asked that the correct impression be made, to the effect that his interest and work on the case was solely a matter of principle in law and justice.

mattachine REVIEW

The following article is reprinted from the Norwegian homophile magazine, VENNEN. It was presented in the November issue in the form of a letter to our late president, in both Norwegian and English. It is ironic indeed.

NORWEGIAN MAGAZINE ABHORS AMERICAN POSTOFFICE DEPARTMENT CENSORSHIP

The periodical, Vennen, which has carried on for fifteen years a legal, intensive, informative work to promote the comprehension of the problems and difficulties of homosexual persons in Scandinavia, and which has also achieved positive results from this work, feels called to express its regret concerning the postal regulations in the U.S.A., which permit censorship of any kind of mail from Vennen to persons in the U.S., irrespective of whether these be American citizens or only aliens staying in the US. temporarily.

As the U.S. has never missed an opportunity to attack states which, supported by a totalitarian government systém, transgress the U.N. Charter on Human Rights by establishing 'persecution of people of different opinion and feelings, and the U.S. often criticizes states with postal censorship and restrictions of the freedom of the press, the periodical Vennen is of the opinion that it is most peculiar that the U.S. Government will allow a revival of exactly the same anti-democratic tendencies within the bor ders of its own country. We beg to express the view that we consider this to be what is called "thorough hypocrisy."

Further, we are of the opinion that a parallel can be drawn between the criticism directed from American quarters against a number of east-block countries which do not permit import of various American newspapers and periodicals, and the criticism expressed by us through this letter against the anti-democratic postal conditions in the U.S. which are affecting our periodical.