^LITERARY FREEDOM HAS WON A RESOUNDING VICTORY IN A SMALL PROVINCIAL T0WN9 Not Obscene printed without adverse comment in reputable large circulation literary Anarchist Weekly # magazines and periodicals. Anselm Hollo found that Arthur had created DECEMBER U 1965 Vol. 26 No. 38 a successful mosaic of texts which Indecent! pattern achieves, in the minimum space, the dichotomy of prevalent cultural and moralistic attitudes to SOMEBODY ON G&ANADA TV that people who write on lavatory wards all expressions of the sexual said that the three-day trial of walls presumably feel a compulsive urge, to produce a book of ‘definite The GoldenConvolvulus was the urge to express themselves. This literary and sociological merit’. Where is Free Speech nearest Blackburn has ever got to ‘gives us an insight into the minds Anselm defined the basic require having a university and if you’d seen and attitudes of people who are not ments of good writing as being of Arthur Moyse and John Rety dis normally articulate enough for their total honesty in writing and integrity tributing copies ofj F reedom to expressions to find their way into of purpose, and style a sub-division happy old ladies in Yates’ Wine books on sociology’. These chil of integrity. George Melly was his in Manchester ? Lodge you’d have agreed. This dren’s, army and prison songs, I usual perky articulate and entertain after an indisputable victory for pleaded, were ‘basic folk culture of ing self, and during a brilliant freedom of literary expression and much interest to sociologists and testimony, under strong cross- HE FOLLOWING is a combination the speaker, a visitor from London, was a verdict favourable to the continued normal intelligent people’. In examination, he even had some of of reports received from four dif arrested. The demonstrators felt that it T expansion of the avant - garde answer to questions by both counsels the jury sporting cheesecake grins. ferent comrades in Manchester, of the was their duty to try to prevent the literary underground. I said that if this book hadn’t used George said that each item was in November 27 demonstration organised arrest as the police were breaking the frank language it would be porno cluded for a reason; to present a by the British Council for Peaco in principle of FREE SPEECH, so some This was a trial in which expert Vietnam. linked arms and shouted ‘Free Speech’. opinion on obscenity was ruled in graphic, and that in medical and definite point of view and that The police started to bully and try and admissible by the Assistant Recorder sociological books one could find ‘poems don’t usually answer ques The demonstration was intended to be frank descriptions of most known tions they ask them’. He thought a two-pronged march finishing with a drag people away, kicking and punching Mr. H. Day, after a lengthy legal public meeting. The site chosen for the as they went. Demonstrators chanted wrangle between the two counsels ‘abnormal’ and ‘perverted’ practices, it true and admirable to stress that meeting was Albert Square which was that it was a non-violent demonstration, but ‘because these books were read sexual love was a good and beautiful but it had no effect. (this let out Dr. Warren, for the large enough to make ‘obstruction’ a prosecution and Drs. Cooper and by serious people, and were re thing, that suppression, fear and ridiculous objection and where similar Only two people were actually Freeman for the defence). Mr. Day garded as serious books, they were disgust of it is conducive to guilt meetings had previously been held. The arrested in the. square, but when a group “accepted”. The Golden Convoland neurotic unhappiness in the police objected and, supported by three also ruled that ‘Publication for Gain’ of demonstrators went to Bootle Street meant, in fact, monetary gain. This vulus was such a serious book’. I private field, and is exploitable in MPs who sponsored the march, per Police Station to lodge a formal com argued that buggery between hus the political and religious sense. suaded the CND executive to accept plaint that the fundamental right of free was a trial that saw Lord Dynevor, Andrew Lloyd and Cavan McCarthy band and wife can be regarded as When defence counsel asked Dom as a central meeting place an obscure speech had been denied, six of them Sylvester Hou6dard if ‘on reading car park in Watson Street, where they were arrested. One of our correspon dismissed on the grounds that they normal pre-sex play in that there is had the undivided attention of nearby dents was charged with obstructing the were not expert witnesses as to no bulk of reputable expert scientific the book’ did he find ‘that frequent warehouses, railway rolling stock and footpath, but another demonstrator who literary merit. Andrew and Cavan opinion ruling otherwise. Many of connections with four letter words, several empty cars! had merely gone to lodge a complaint were subsequently described by Mr. the poems were essentially religious God, Jesus and religious matters, The Committee of 100 and Manchester was charged with assaulting the police! Benet Hytner, for the prosecution, and mystical poems, attacking the in any way prejudice or hamper and Salford Anarchist Group considered A 16-year-old boy who had joined the as ‘young and impressionable’. It forces of anti-sexuality and embrac your ability to assess the literary the denial of use of Albert Square an march in the street and was arrested in ing the human condition. I said merits of the book’, he answered, Albert Square had been beaten up. was a trial in which Burrough’s infringement upon free speech and cut-up techniques were discussed that the book is a literary and socio ‘I would say in using these words, decided to go ahead as planned. When The trial on the Monday was a farce, and literary collage established as a logical collage of contemporary which are extremely common in cer D)g march reached Market Street the with the police giving conflicting evi sexual attitudes and opinion, that tain age groups and classes of dence,*Sa businessman on "the “bench i literary, frr-f in w \A r',v :m ml^^d more militant members went down Cross his exams, and /Charles Cameron 'people should exercise their personal sterety, they are trying to seek, Street to Albert Square without any making erroneous points of law and censorship on what they read and reality. The authors reduce words interference whatsoever. When the rest the ruling of the Lord Chief Justice in a had to be rushed off to the local of the march passed by they appealed to similar case being ignored. The fines isolation 'hospital; In which John that, although James Bond disgusts to the normal vernacular. They are them to join in the meeting in Albert ranged between £2-£ 10 and any donations Arden was unable to get across to me, I read Fleming to see just what trying to put a doctrine of love into Square, but they carried on to their towards these should be sent to: P. Baker, the mainland and B. S. Johnson attracts people to this type of litera a terminology used today. This is obscure car park. 46 Parksway, Higher Blackley, Man failed to receive a witness’s copy of ture. Under cross-examination I a useful thing in society’. He con A meeting was held in the Square, and chester, 9. the book. In which Ed. Sanders argued that ‘no literature of any kind sidered that what the poets were Fuck You mag was described as can do any considerable harm to attacking was a wrong but popu having an unusual title and Arthur any person, and that even James larised idea of what instituted Moyse as being ‘a very sincere man’. Bond and deplorable pieces of religion is, but that these works In which the Recorder illustrated popular journalism were redeemed were fundamentally sound. ‘indecency’ in being as when a naked within the context of such a collage. man walked through a room of Ignorance not knowledge is poten LITERARY FREEDOM Still No Place To Go ladies and ‘obscenity’ as this same tially corruptive’. On Friday, December 4, 1965, man drawing attention to his geni ‘PEACE NEWS’ DISMISSED prosecuting counsel said that ‘merely tals. In which Dr. Warren dis to reprint writings from lavatory P. PAWLOWSKI REPORTS: By this time the children were becom covered that the wife of one of his A Peace News review of the book walls is hardly of any literary merit ing cold so we decided it was best to patients submitted toPoetmeat and was dismissed as inadmissible evi because any male can see it without orty demonstrators anwaids a Free Society 2/6 DISCUSSION MEETINGS lan Vine, 3 Freeland Place, Hot wells, Maureen Richardson. LEWISHAM, LONDON, S.E. Have .oliN HEW El SON Bristol, OXFORD ANARCHIST GROUP. Con baby. Can’t travel. Seek sympathisers/ (11-Health, Poverty and the State CARDIFF ANARCHIST GROUP. Con tact H. G. Mellor, Merton College, comrades in area. Mike and Alison cloth 2/6 paper I/- 3rd Wednesday of each month at Jack Malet, 61 Granville Park7 S.E.13, Robinson and Mary Canipa’s, 21 Rum- tact Mike Crowley, 36 Whitaker Road, Oxford. VOLIN E Tremorfa, Cardiff. Nineteen-Seventeen (The Russian bold Rd., S.W.6 (off King’s Rd.)f 8 pan. READING ANARCHIST GROUP. GLASGOW ANARCHIST GROUP DUNDEE GROUP contacts: (1) Bob Meets first Tuesdayof month at Friends’ TWO. Anyone interested contact Joe Revolution Betrayed) cloth 12/6 Last Thursday in month: At George The Unknown Revolution and Una Turnbull, 64 Peddie Street, Meeting House, Church Street (off Embleton, 11 Baliol Street, Glasgow. Hayes’, 174 McLeod Road, S.E.2. (Kronstadt 1921. Ukraine 1918-21) Dundee. Meetings at 44 Peddie Street, London Street) 8 p.m. Correspondence: 2nd Friday at Brian Leslie’s. 242 Ames- doth 12/6 ______Dundee, every Saturday at 3 p.m. (2) Phillip Lund, 160 Castle Hill, Reading. bury Avenue, S.W.2 (Sticatham Hill, Sheila Whittaker, 64 Polcpark Road, E. A. GUTKIND Nr. Station). SURREY ANARCHISTS are invited to ABROAD The Expanding Environment Dundee. meetings on the first Thursday of every (illustrated) boards 8/6 3rd Friday of each month at 8 p.m. at GLASGOW ANARCHIST GROUP month at Chris Torrence’s (63 North NEW ZEALAND. Auckland Anarchist b oiG E BARRETT Donald A Irene Rooum’s, Mia Fellows ONE. Correspondence to Robert Lynn, Street, Carshalton, Surrey—please ring Group. Public Meetings every Sunday The First Person (Selections) 2/6 Road, Swiss Cottage, N.W.3. 2b Saracen Head Lane, Glasgow, C .l. three times). Meetings 7.30 p.m. in Myers Park at 2 p.m. WAR IS NOT A GAME OUT OF THIS WORLD
(3) Could comrades prominent in the on their part. After working for several As Anarchists have, proclaimed often movement (both talkers, letter writers,. years in various borough and county flho&a Daria 'enough one is^ free to give one’s labour and activists) please either leave a for branch libraries in Lancashire, 1 am still to whoever wishes to hire you which is warding address when they change appalled at the attitude of most library Policemen V an improvement on communism, but as accommodation, or notify the movement assistants to borrowers who wish to read a policeman one would help to perpetuate LETTERS through the contact column in F reedom ‘forbidden’ books. Several times I have Firstly it’s love thy capitalist (though the State’s interests. Since policemen or elsewhere. They need not give their heard general informal discussions on Jafsie is right when he says if we hate are supposed to represent the interests new address. But, comrades, I am getting the matter of censorship in libraries and too much, who will believe we can do of ‘decent’ people (an ambiguous term AND CONTROVERSY increasingly annoyed having letters to the assistants quite blatantly admit that otherwise) and then I read in the follow if ever there was one), one might expect comrades returned by the GPO as ‘gone the ‘look’ is a studied one, the purpose ing week’s Freedom that we must have them to show an unselfish attitude to away’, etc. ‘Secrecy’ may be ‘the value of which is to embarrass somebody who the utmost consideration even compas those same people, but as the following one doesn’t expect to see too well- system . . /, etc., but let us not make has asked for a ‘dirty’ book. And I sionate understanding of the individual story will show, that is wishful thinking. scrubbed hikers, But obviously a police the common enemy’s job easier. I do have known many cases where the policeman. In late June I went by myself for three man believes or disbelieves you by your not like people opening my mail, don’t assistants themselves have recommended I notice that Comrade Juntunen wrote weeks’ hitch-hiking around the South appearance alone.'; make their job easier. And that means that a certain book (always dealing from Denver, Colorado, and although I Devon coast. I am long since past my The above is just one small happening, YOU! directly' or indirectly with sex, never don’t know what his experiences of the teens, and I had told my mother of my but there must be many more to show (4) To Birmingham in particular. I violence, war, politics, carnage, etc.) English police are, by personal contact plans (I wrote on average once a week that when policemen show consideration have for some time been circulating a should be taken off> the open shelves or otherwise, but even allowing for the on holiday), and I’d also sent postcards they will have af right to expect it in Newsletter to keep comrades informed (their reasons being to ‘protect’ children length and breadth o f the Atlantic, to half-a-dozen friends. return. So you can see we don’t wish to of anarchist and associated activity in and to ‘prevent’ youths from ‘getting English anarchists have few illusions The Devon fuzz were interested in me, compromise to amhority in a society we the West Midlands and elsewhere. This ideas’). " about the American cop and further and as I’d got nothing to hide 1 told wish to change bwour own efforts. has proved financially very costly, and more don’t see him as a victim of circum In most libraries it is official policy to them the facts—namely that I preferred I see Comrade Juntunen ‘remains takes a long, time to produce. Moreover, stances. to. sleep rough to save money and my anarchistically inclined’; sounds to me keep sex books away from readers—and I am a full-time student, and take my the only way one can obtain them is to Comrade Juntunen must dislike the duration at any town or village would as if he’s a wararer who is not quite finals in June. 1 have for some time Warfare State and capitalism or else he ask. According to one librarian ‘It depend on whether I liked it. Anyway sure about anaremsm and may join the been trying to find someone willing to wouldn't bother to read the paper, and it the fuzz seemed satisfied and apart from Goldwaterites. All the same despite his would not be considered proper for undertake this onerous task, without either I or my committee to usurp the is precisely why we haven't much good a routine check they let me stay put. odd ideas, we djjp’t want to lose him success. I have therefore decided to function of the parents in deciding to say about the police; those people Imagine then my mother’s consternation because the less sheep there are in take drastic measures. There are, not who care enough to protest about the when a cop called at my home on a whether or not their children should have America, the worse it could be for the including myself, seventy-two names on colour bar, manufacture o f war weapons, access to books on subjects normally Thursday morning two weeks later at State warmongers. my list, of which only two people have etc., are opposed by the entire state considered “taboo” *—and this includes the agreeable time of 5.30 a.m. Stumbling I remain 1Q0% anarchist, asked me to discontinue sending details machinery from the ordinary copper to sleepily to the door and seeing who was sex-instruction books written for young Ealing, W5, London Ron Pearl . of meetings. As far as I can assess there the judge or magistrate who are there people! there, some awful possibilities crossed are only some eighteen activists, some to justify mass murder and neo-fascism, her mind: had I been robbed, drowned, or Some libraries refuse outright to pur fourteen semi-activists (my own categori so that every time a demonstrator is in even murdered! To call at this time in chase such books as Burrough’s ‘Naked
court the proceedings are a farce. Also Wake up, There I sation), with seven we have never actually the morning, he must have come to grief 1 met. In future, I shall, where time Lunch’ or Genet’s ‘Our Lady of the it would help Comrade Juntunen if he Flowers’, but I think most libraries, if ‘N o, everything is all right/ this selfish Dear Comrades, allows, only notify activists of any studied his anarchist theory more particu they received requests, would buy them blighter assured her. ‘I just called before I have several points of a technical meeting, etc., coming up, and only those larly in relation to crime and the Law (he knocking off duty, and I wanted to and then lock them up in a large cup nature to make, to the anarchist move who both support financially, and are could do noticing better than read board where nobody but the librarian verify your son’s statement.’ Jogging ment as a whole, and to Birmingham really active. The others can go jump Marshall Colman’t brilliant analysis in and his assistants (who, presumably, are around the Torquay area, anybody could Anarchist Group ip particular. in the lake. I just huven’t the time to Anarchy 57). not corruptible) can get their lecherous tell i wasn’t a deliberate ‘beatnik’, but (J) I have written either personally or bother with you, however nice people little twigs on them. sent general circulars around muny of you may be. the groups listed in Freedom . Direct (5) To those in the movement who In one library I was given a load of MAKE SURE OF YOUR ANARCHIST JOURNALS BY SUBSCRIBING I Action, and other papers. Many have call the above bureaucratic and authori bull about the only books on restricted not replied. Many individuals have tarian I &uy, I am trying to get our issue being those about which there had later written to sty that such and such little movement to do something outside been actual complaints from readers: w e e k l y Freedom Anarchy m o n t h l y a person was no longer correspondence its own backyard and anyone who wishes but in this same library Mailer’s ‘An Price 4d. Every Saturday except tbe first Price 2s. (2s. 3d. or 30c. by poet) secretary, or has moved his address. to have my job please notify me, I’m American Dream’ was ‘restricted’ before in each month. (40 issues per year.) Appears first Saturday of each month. Could comrades therefore ensure that getting tired. it had even been processed and cata BY POST: (he luune and address listed jn Freedom 1.12.65 Pf.tkr N eville , logued; and in one case where a small BY POST: or elsewhere is ucl urate and up-to-date. religious sect had registered a complaint 1 year (40 issues) 22s. 6