SOCIETY. BOTH ORGANIZATIONS HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH CIVIC OFFICIALS; BOTH HAVE BEEN REJECTED.

RATHER THE OFFICIALS SAY THEY WILL DEVISE STRICTER MEASURES TO DEAL WITH "GAY BARS" EVEN THOUGH STATE LAW PERMITS HOMOSEXUALS TO GATHER IN PUBLIC PLACES. WE ASK THEN DO THEY WISH TO ENFORCE THE LAW OR BREAK IT? WE SOMETIMES FIND IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DIFFERENTIATE.

TO TRY TO PIN DOWN THESE OFFICIALS AS TO JUST WHAT IT IS ABOUT THESE BARS THEY OBJECT TO IS QUITE A FEAT THE REASON OBVIOUSLY

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BEING JUST BECAUSE OF THE GROUP THEY CATER TO. AND IF THE LAW THWARTS THEM IN THEIR EFFORTS TO WIPE THEM OUT, THEY'LL FIND SOME LOOPHOLE OR "DEVISE" NEW INTERPRETATIONS OF THE CODE.

THE CRUX OF THE MATTER HAS BEST BEEN EXPRESSED IN A LETTER TO THE EDITOR IN THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE:

"GENERALLY SPEAKING, ALL OF THESE BARS ARE RUN QUIETLY AND WITH OUT TROUBLE OR BRAWLING, IF THEY WERE TO BE CLOSED SOLELY BECAUSE THEY ARE MEETING PLACES FOR HOMOSEXUALS, THE POLICE WOULD FIND HOMOSEXUALS CRUISING THE STREETS, THE PARKS AND VARIOUS OTHER PUBLIC PLACES. FOR CLOSING THE BARS OF THIS TYPE WILL MOST ASSUREDLY NOT END THE PROBLEM BUT WORSEN IT IN MY ESTIMATION.

"HOMOSEXUALITY IS HERE TO STAY, WHETHER THE POLICE LIKE IT CR NOT, AND IT WOULD SEEM THAT IF SUCH BARS WERE TOLERATED, WHERE A MODICUM CF INSPECTION COULD BE MAINTAINED BY THE POLICE, IT WOULD BE FAR PREFERABLE TO HAVING THESE PEOPLE MAKING MORE PUBLIC CONTACTS.

"IN MY ESTIMATION IT IS TIME PEOPLE WOKE UP TO THE FACTS OF LIFE AND ADMITTED THAT HOMOSEXUAL I TY, AS KINSEY HAS PROVEN, IS A REALITY WITH A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHETHER THE INDIVIDUAL WISHES IT SO OR NOT." DEL MART IN

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MAYOR CHRISTOPHER MADE THE HEADLINES AGAIN RECENTLY WHEN HE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM J. C. RUSSELL, CITIZEN, WHO PROPOSED A CITY TAX LEVIED AGAINST THOSE WEARING SHORTS AND SLACKS. RUSSELL FIGURED A PROPER CHARGE FOR LADIES WOULD BE $5 UP TO 125 LBS.; $10 BETWEEN 125 AND 150 LBS.; AND $50 FROM 150 LBS. UP. MEN IN BERMUDAS WOULD PAY MORE A FLAT $100. THE MAYOR'S COMMENT: "YOU CAN'T TAX THEM, BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS PASS AN ORDINANCE."

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