"WITH THIS IN MIND, OUR LEGISLATORS, AT ALL LEVELS, SHOULD BE CHOSEN WITH RESPECT TO THEIR ATTITUDES ON THESE PARAMOUNT

MATTERS. I WOULD NOT VOTE FOR ANY MAN OR WOMAN WHO ADVOCATED WEAPONS BUILD-UP, WHO ESPOUSED WAR, OR CONTRIBUTED BY HIS STATEMENTS TO HATRED BETWEEN PEOPLES.

"IF I HAD BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND THIS GATHERING, THIS IS WHAT I WOULD HAVE EMPHASIZED. IT IS TIME THAT WOMEN SPOKE UP MORE STRONGLY FOR AMITY BETWEEN PEOPLES AND AN END OF WAR. WHAT GREATER CAUSE COULD ANY OF US HAVE?"

E.G., CALIFORNIA

"IT IS A PLEASURE TO AGAIN RENEW MY SUBSCRIPTION TO THE LADDER. AND I THOUGHT | MIGHT AS WELL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU FOR TWELVE SPLENDID ISSUES. FOR SOME TIME NOW, I HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARD WRITING A NOVEL IN WHICH THE CHIEF CHARACTERS ARE LESBIANS. WITHOUT THE GUIDANCE PROVIDED BY YOUR EXCELLENT MAGAZINE, I AM MUCH AFRAID I WOULD HAVE ERRED AS MUCH AS OTHER WRITERS HAVE IN CREATING REALISTIC CHARACTERS AND A PLAUSIBLE STORY,

AND, WELL, I STARTED GOING

"AS A WRITER, AS WELL AS EDITOR OF THREE NATIONAL MAGAZINES, I SHOULD LIKE TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON THE SHORT STORIES PUBLISHED DURING THE LAST YEAR. I PARTICULARLY LIKED END OF THE MIXED UP RAINBOW BY DIANA STERLING. THROUGH MY COLLECTION OF THE LADDER LOOKING FOR ANOTHER STORY | REMEMBERED PARTICULARLY WELL, BUT THEN SAW SO MANY OTHER STORIES EQUALLY GOOD THAT IT IS UNFAIR TO SINGLE OUT JUST ONE . OR TWO, ETC.

"THE LADDER IS THE ONLY MAGAZINE (OTHER THAN THOSE I EDIT) WHICH I CONSISTENTLY READ FROM COVER TO COVER EACH MONTH.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

-

RICHARD L. SARGENT

THANK YOU FOR THE ENCOURAGING COMMENTS TO OUR AUTHORS WHO DONATE THEIR TALENTS TO THE MAGAZINE. PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN YOUR NOVEL WILL BE FORTHCOMING. THE DOB BOOK SERVICE WOULD BE INTERESTED – AS WOULD MANY OF OUR READERS.