Ackerley's letter in your issue of November zoth raises a
matter about which there is far too much muddled thinking and "burying the head in the sand." Homo-sexuality has received considerable attention in scientific and sociological circles but unfortunately that is yet insuffi- cient progress to prevent public opinion concentrating upon the purely salacious aspects of the problem. At this stage I think it is preferable that the subject should remain unmentionable rather than be made the object of jokes and sensational reporting. The Sunday paper that Mr. Ackerley mentions is well known for the portrayal of the more unfortunate police-court cases—I suppose it caters for a demand.
Public opinion, I think, far from considering sentences savage, after it has had some doubtful amusement at the expense of people it does not even want to understand, would, if it could be measured, assert that the punishment is not severe enough. The day is still far off when the problem can be approached objectively, and many investigators will have to face misrepresentations before this, and deviation generally, are seen
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