170

‘margin of victory equalled that of the estimated
number of homosexuals residing in the city.

This is the homosexual underground—a mode of
communication that can spread clear across the
country in a matter of hours.

To begin at the local level. A man owns a bar
which is doing poorly. Even if it is in an out-of-the-
way location, a homosexual “fixer” can draw busi-
ness within a matter of days. For a guaranteed fee
plus a percentage of the take he can turn a place
from a dud into a bar grossing $1500 on a weekend
night.

The technique is simple—telephoning a few key
people, knowing they will spread the word.

The grapevine is fantastically efficient. A New
York homosexual who was moving to the West
Coast showed me a list that friends of his had drawn
up for him.

The list named all the principal gay bars in Los
Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, then
went on to give the addresses of turkish baths, pri-
vate clubs and other fun-spots.

There was a list of socially promment homosex-
uals who gave lavish parties and of prospective
employers who were either homosexual or sympa-