Publisher's Notes

• Voters in California will have a chance this year to vote on the repeal of anti-marijuana laws if enough signatures are received on the "Marijuana Initiative" petitions currently being circulated. To obtain copies of the petition, write directly to:
California Marijuana Initiative
2221 Filbert Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
or
2214 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
[phone]

Petitions must be completed and returned by 1 May 1972.

• Senator Gordon Allott of Colorado has joined the ranks of the Congressmen introducing bills to return to individuals their right to own gold. Allott correctly contends that the government has no right to deny citizens the right to hold gold to protect themselves against "an inflation which governments start, and which governments cannot cure."

Meanwhile, on 9 February Jay Shields and Bruce Schlafly of the National Committee to Legalize Gold held a news conference in St. Louis. After presenting their case for legalized gold ownership, they challenged the Gold Reserve Act of 1934 by displaying a two-ounce gold bar and a one-ounce $50 gold coin—both privately owned and hence outlawed by the Act. Federal officials, who had been invited, failed to appear at the news conference, which received excellent coverage by radio, TV and the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH.