WHICH APPEARED IN THE NEW YORK POST:

"IN THE BEGINNING OF THE MCCARTHY ERA, IT WAS REVEALED THAT SOME EIGHTY-ODD STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS HAD BEEN FIRED BECAUSE OF HOMOSEXUAL TENDENCIES. THE RIGHT-WING REPUBLICANS, LED BY THE LATE KENNETH WHERRY, KNOWN AS THE 'WERRY UNDERTAKER,' SEIZED WITH DELIGHT ON THE ISSUE.'

"FOR A TIME, THE 'HOMOSEXUAL ISSUE BID FAIR TO RIVAL THE 'COMMUNIST ISSUE.' BUT THENOR SO THE STORY GOESSOME BRIGHT YOUNG MAN IN REPUBLICAN HEADQUARTERS DIPPED INTO A BEST SELLER OF THOSE DAYS, THE KINSEY REPORT ON THE SEXUAL HABITS OF THE AMERICAN MALE. A QUICK CALCULATION BASED ON KINSEY'S FIGURES SHOWED THAT THERE MUST BE SEVERAL MILLION HOMOSEXUALS OF VOTING AGE.

"THE BRIGHT YOUNG MAN REALIZED THAT IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS POLITICALLY FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TO BE CONSIDERED THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUAL PARTY ALMOST AS DANGEROUS AS TO BE CONSIDERED THE ANTI-NEGRO OR ANTI-POLISH OR ANTI-JEWISH PARTY. HE SO REPORTED TO THE REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP. THE 'HOMOSEXUAL ISSUE' WAS IMMEDIATELY DROPPED."

SO IT WOULD APPEAR THAT OTHERS HAVE TAKEN THE HOMOSEXUAL VOTE INTO CONSIDERATION. HERE HERE IS AN UNKNOWN FACTOR THEY ARE BEGINNING TO REALIZE WHICH COULD INFLUENCE THE OUTCOME OF AN ELECTION.

LET US DO OUR UTMOST TO MAKE THIS, NOT AN UNKNOWN FACTOR, BUT A POWERFUL FACTOR. WE DO HAVE A VOICE IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE COMMUNITY AND OF THE NATION. LET US MAKE IT A STRONG VOICE.

PARTY AFFILIATION IS NOT THE IMPORTANT ISSUE. A VERY WISE NEGRO LAWYER ONCE TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD BE DISASTROUS IF THE NEGROES IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES WITH ONE PARTY OR THE OTHER. THEIR STRENGTH LAY IN THE FACT THAT BOTH PARTIES MUST CATER TO THEM TO WIN THEIR SUPPORT.

THE IMPORTANT ISSUE HERE FOR HOMOSEXUALS IS TO REGISTER AND VOTE.

DEL MARTIN