diately evident that the man who was for fifty years the man of fashion, the avant-garde of all fashion, is in his work beyond time, beyond fashion. While waiting for time's judgment to confirm this classicism, he is more man than writer, more warm life than rhetoric, in the hearts of those who met him. To meet him was to know him, and to know him was to discover with wonder--how can this word be avoided when speaking of him?--what friendship means. He enriched everyone. Only a few of those who relied on him need be mentioned. Without considering those creative people with whom he was as an equal from adolescence: Proust, Anne de Noailles, Appolinaire, Satle, Poulenc, it is enough to recall Raymond Radiguet, the comedian Jean Marais or the painter Edouard Dermit, beautiful faces, true personalities, in order to know what the friendship of such a man can bring. If these friendships were homosexual--something Jean : Cocteau never tried to hide since in his private life he was indifferent to prejudice, neither innocent nor hypocritical, but hating only the provocative--it is to the glory of homosexuality and a singularly rare model.

It is enough in the end to realize that this example is the most noble, the most pure and the farthest removed from scandal given to us for a long time. Francois Mauriac, "the great Catholic writer", looks like a black angel next to this luminous archangel. Since the transversed mirror is clear again, the passing of Jean has destroyed nothing, and more than ever, his works illumined by the hereafter resound and reflect uniquely what he was.

(From DER KREIS, Nov. 1963)

NO PROBLEM?

Columnist Merla Zellerbach of San Francisco Chronicle was taken on a tour around the chapel of San Quentin prison recently by Warden Dickson as she interviewed him for a story. She asked him about homosexuality in prison. “Kinsey found that only about 7% of men had NOT had homosexual relations before entering prison," he said. "Homosexuality is not as great a problem as the public thinks."

mattachine REVIEW

READERS write

Letters from readers are solicited for publication in this regular monthly department. They should be short and all must be signed by the writer, Only initials of the writes and the state or country of residence will be published. Opinion expressed in pub lished letters need not necessarily reflect that of the REVIEW or the Mattachine Society. No names of individuals will be exchanged for correspondence purposes

Review Editor:

Enclosed is my

monthly pledge of ten dollars. The pledge statement enclosed is a splendid idea.

Please allow me to criticize the story of "Good Old George" by Marsh Haris. Honestly, it is disgusting, cheap, vulgar trash, non' sense, never happened, coulent happen, and far below the standards of the Mattachine Society and the Mattachine Review.

I personally do not approve of most of these short stories anyways They begin (with) a sandy background, twisted mental and emotional dialog. They end with sex or a let down with no reason or meaning. So what is the point of it all in the first place? Please do not get me wrong, I still support you and the staff and will continue to help whenever and wherever I can.

C.R.G. New York City

Editor's Reply: We always welcome criticism as it is our only way of knowing what our readers desire. It is impossible to please everyone but we continue striving to do so. Thank you for your comments.

Review Editor: I am in no way trying to exploit or be facetious about your Society. I have been studying about your organization and am in complete sympathy with you. In fact

I have become so interested that have decided to do research and make your society the theme for m term paper. This brings me to the meat of my letter. Am hoping you will sympathize with me now. seems information about your so ciety is very limited. I was wonder ing if you would be so kind as to send me any available information Please try to understand my posi tion as I am trying to understand yours. And let me add again I am in complete sympathy with you. Our society is very unfair with their facetious and ridiculing remarks.

(Miss) D.W., Oregon

Editor's Reply: Thank you for your sympathy and interest in our cause It is very gratifying to know that so many people volunteer their support. We trust you received the ma terial forwarded.

Review Editor: A few months ago I received your mailings but when seeing the envelope I got the im pression the letter might have been opened by someone from the Postal Authorities (I suppose here in Winnipeg.) As you can see by the enclosed envelope it has been sealed by Scotch tape. This gives me the impression someone maybe even someone not even authorized for censorship aid interfere with this