Eight psychiatrists are calling for a new referendum by the American Psychiatric Association on homosexuality to invalidate an earlier vote they contend was improperly influenced by a letter signed by top association leaders but conceived and paid for by the National Task Force.

The letter urged upholding a decision of the board of trustees to stop listing “homosexuality per se” as a mental illness. The eventual vote last month was 5,854 in favor to 3,810, out of 17,910 eligible voters. The trustees’ action and the vote upholding it have been hailed by homosexual groups as significant recognition of an Individual's right to select his sexual life‐style.

‘Knowledge Sacrificed’

The leader of the group of eight psychiatrists, Dr. Charles W. Socarides, clinical associate professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, contended in an interview last week that deleting homosexuality from mental illness listings “sacrificed our scientific knowledge.” He said it was like the Soviet distortion of genetics for political purposes during the Stalin era.

The Gay Task Force, formed last October to “work for liberation of gay people and change in public attitudes,” acknowledges that it raised $3,000 to print and mail the letter signed by the three candidates for president of the association and two incumbent vice presidents.

Ronald Gold, public relations director for the Gay Task Force, also confirmed that the task force had suggested contributions be sent through St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Harlem, a task force sponsor, as a way to get tax deductibility.

He declared that similar letters for various causes went out daily “from famous people” without the actual drafters being identified.

Dr. Socarides argued that the leaders’ letter “should have said it was sponsored by the Gay Task Force—otherwise it was a totally deceptive and misleading document.” He held it probably had influenced some members in “a dishonest vote which does not fairly re fleet the true opinions of majority of psychiatrists.”

In Los Angeles, Dr. Judd Marmor, who has since won the election and is president elect, said he and the four other signers had agreed on the letter as upholding the trustees and also representing their views.

Dr. Marmor, who is chairman of the department of psychiatry at the University of Southern California, said “we think it would have been more correct” for the Gay Task Force to identify itself as the mailer. The task force, he said “paid for it—we were in no position to do so.”

In an exchange of letters on the controversy to be published in a June issue of the association's newsletter, Dr. Marmor said, “We agree, however, that some guidelines ought to be established to prevent such misunderstanding in the future.” He disclosed that a special group had been set up to report on referendum guidelines.

The dissidents originally asked the association on March 21 for an investigation of the Gay Task Force role, and on May 13 formally petitioned to have the entire voting membership notified about “this impropriety” and be given new referendum “as soon as possible.”

The latest letter was signed by Dr. Socarides, Dr. Lothar Gidro‐Frank of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Robert J. McDevitt of the University of Cincinnati, Dr. Burton L. Nackenson of the Mount Sinai Medical School, Dr. Armand M. Nicholi of McLean Hospital in Boston, Dr. Nathaniel Ross of the New York Psychoanalytic Institute, Dr. Vamik D. Volkan of the University of Virginia and Dr. Harold M. Voth of the Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kan.

The disputed Feb. 28 letter had been signed by the three candidates for president, Dr. Marmor, Dr. Herbert Modlin of the Menninger Clinic and Dr. Louis Jolyon West of the University of California at Los Angeles, and the two vice presidents, Dr. Harold M. Visotsky of Northwestern University and Dr. Mildred Mitchell‐Bateman of the West Virginia Department of Mental Health.

Dr. Robert W. Gibson, secretary of the association, said he expected that the Socarides group's bid for a new vote would be taken up at the next meeting of the executive committee on June 22.