Civlilian Saucer Intellligence of New York - No 24

Magazine Overview

This document is a publication from the Civilian Saucer Intelligence of New York, issue number 24, dated May 23, 1958. The cover headline is "SPACE VISITORS," and it was sold for 30 cents. The publication features a public meeting with four speakers who presented diverse viewpoints on the topic of alleged space visitors.

Lester del Rey: A Skeptic's View

Lester del Rey, introduced as the author of over 200 science fiction stories and books on subjects like "Rockets Through Space," presented himself as a complete skeptic of flying saucers. He characterized UFOlogy as "a mess," UFOlogists as "goofball artists," and contactees' claims as "the same old crud" found in cults and cheap science fiction magazines. He described contact claimants as "the biggest small group of credulous nincompoops, idiots, uneducated, illiterate damn fools that the world has ever seen." Del Rey argued that "narrow-mindedness" is essential for scientists, citing the need to question accepted theories. He asserted that if alleged spacemen come from distant space, their trips would require immense energy, implying advanced technology. However, he noted that in ten years of contact cases, no alien technology has been observed, leading him to conclude they possess no such technology. He also critiqued the "tremendous sociology" bragged about by aliens, suggesting that if they want to spread their sociology, they should understand basic social dynamics. He concluded that aliens must be either stupider or less advanced than humans to behave as they do after arriving, stating, "So until we have some aliens who have something non-human about their behavior, I'll go along with the majority, while contact UFOlogy has its little minority and yips around."

Jules St. Germain: Evaluating Contact Cases

Jules St. Germain, a Long Island lawyer who investigated contact cases, defined a "contact case" as an "allegedly consummated communication between an alleged extraterrestrial and an inhabitant of earth." He outlined five key questions for evaluating such cases: 1) the claimant's reputation and character, 2) their motives for misrepresentation, 3) the basic logic of their story, 4) the reputation of any witnesses, and 5) the existence of concrete, tangible evidence. St. Germain stated his personal experience with five contactees—Howard Menger, George Van Tassel, Daniel Fry, John Otto, and Reinhold Schmidt—and found his final impression of each to be unfavorable. He noted that while they often appear "very honest and sincere" and are likable, this demeanor can be a tool for a "high-grade con man." He detailed Howard Menger's claims, including witnesses who allegedly saw "spacemen" but were coached and restricted. St. Germain pointed out flaws in Menger's photographic "proof" and questioned why spacemen would allow themselves to be photographed poorly. He recounted Menger's other tales, such as talking to deceased persons on spaceships and building a spaceship in his kitchen. George Van Tassel of Giant Rock, California, was described as receiving telepathic messages and running an "Annual Spacecraft Convention" and "College of Universal Wisdom." St. Germain found Van Tassel's "Proceedings" to contain "choice nonsense," citing his interpretation of "angels" as "angles." Daniel Fry's story of being flown to New York and back in 32 minutes was deemed clever due to Fry's technical background, which helped him avoid scientific nonsense, though he associated with other contactees. John Otto was criticized for claiming to be a UFO investigator and contactee, with St. Germain alleging Otto manipulated tapes to create the illusion of receiving messages from space. St. Germain also mentioned Reinhold Schmidt, whose story led to him being placed in a mental institution, and who later claimed another encounter and was asked to provide answers to questions about American reactions to saucer landings and H-bombs.

Lex Mebane: Non-Human Visitors

Lex Mebane of the CSI Research Section discussed a second type of "space visitor": those who do not communicate and appear "non-human." CSI's files contained about 100 reports of such creatures. He traced the "little men from saucers" narrative to Frank Scully's book "Behind the Flying Saucers," which he noted was later exposed as a hoax involving Silas Newton. Mebane recounted early reports, including one from Death Valley in 1949 where two prospectors claimed to see a saucer crash and two little men emerge. He also mentioned a 1952 report of a small man appearing after an object bumped a chimney. The 1952 wave included many landing reports, such as the Florida Scoutmaster Sonny DesVergers, whose story of fighting little men was questioned due to his reputation for "telling yarns." Mebane noted the absence of photographic proof of "little men" but mentioned sketches made from witness descriptions. He described the "Flatwoods Monster" case of 1952, involving a red-luminous object and a floating creature with luminous eyes and a red-surrounded head. He also mentioned a sketch of a "little man" from Venezuela and a creature reported from Venezuela in 1954, described as small, heavy, and tile-drainpipe-like. Robert Honicutt's 1955 report near Cincinnati of three "lop-sided creatures" was also discussed. Margaret Symmonds' 1955 sighting of four "hogs" that turned out to be non-human figures with long noses and claws was also presented. Mebane highlighted the "best-authenticated case" from Kelly, Kentucky, in 1955, involving eight adults and three children who reported encountering creatures with metallic-looking skin, luminous eyes, and triangular ears. He noted similarities among "little men" cases (small size, large head, luminous eyes, claws) and differences (hairiness, metallic skin, gray rubbery appearance). He contrasted these with contact cases, emphasizing that "little men" did not speak intelligibly and witnesses did not professionalize their experiences, suggesting these reports should be considered a separate group.

Willy Ley: The Nature of Space Visitors

Willy Ley, an author with specialties in biology and zoology, discussed his views on "space visitors." He stated that he had read many books on flying saucers but may have skipped "obvious nonsense." His attitude was that people are not necessarily liars for seeing unexplained things, but he believed that if UFOs exist, they are natural phenomena within Earth's atmosphere. He cited the lack of discovered natural or artificial satellites in space searches preceding satellite launches. Ley then discussed the origin of his ideas for an article titled "What Will Invaders from Space Look Like?" He recounted a conversation with science fiction author Sprague de Camp about the earliest stories of extraterrestrial visitors, tracing back to an 1893 German novel. They debated what intelligent extraterrestrial life would look like from a scientific perspective. They concluded that intelligent life would build things, grow more intelligent, and use metals, thus ruling out underwater civilizations at advanced cultural levels. They hypothesized that intelligent beings must have eyes to see, organs for manipulation like hands, and legs for movement. Ley also noted that of Earth's creatures with internal skeletons, none have more than four limbs, suggesting a possible natural law. They concluded that intelligent beings could not be much smaller than humans due to brain cell requirements and could not be much larger due to the square-cube law, leading to a description of a creature that might resemble a human but need glasses and be difficult to distinguish in the dusk. Ley dismissed the idea of extraterrestrials looking radically different from humans, citing biological reasons and the need to fulfill basic functions. He also discussed the possibility of life based on silicon instead of carbon, concluding that such life would likely be unintelligent and immobile, like an oyster. Ley made an exception for life at very low temperatures, acknowledging that chemistry at such extremes is not fully understood. He summarized his belief that life exists elsewhere and intelligent life is statistically possible, but he thinks UFOs are natural phenomena. He predicted that any future space visitors would be built along the lines of Earth's chemistry and obey mechanical laws.

Discussion and Questions

Following the speakers, written questions were addressed to the panel. Lester del Rey responded to a question about God, stating he was agnostic but questioned the use of contact stories to explain the Bible. He also commented on dimensions, stating they are mathematical terms with no relation to perceived reality. Regarding life at high temperatures, Willy Ley noted that chemists have struggled to conceptualize it. Ley also addressed the idea of small, flat Jupiterians, suggesting that while life on a high-gravity planet might be small, it wouldn't necessarily be flat. Lex Mebane was asked about non-human creatures, mentioning only one report from Garson, Ontario, of 13-foot insect-like beings making telepathic demands, which he noted involved a known mental case. Ley responded to a question comparing "little men" reports to contact stories by saying "No," finding the latter no more acceptable. Del Rey reiterated his belief that unexplained phenomena are natural, characteristic of Earth, and that both types of stories (contactee and non-human) are products of fear, hysteria, or fraud. Ley offered an opinion on the Farmington, New Mexico, case, suggesting it might have been "flying spider webs," and considered it a natural phenomenon. He noted that objects in this case flew in many directions, had a plate-like form, and "flipped" as they flew, with one being larger, lower, and red.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The publication strongly leans towards skepticism regarding UFO phenomena, particularly "contactee" stories. The speakers, while diverse in their backgrounds, largely converge on the idea that UFO sightings and alleged alien communications lack credible evidence and can be explained by psychological factors, natural phenomena, or hoaxes. The editorial stance appears to favor scientific inquiry and critical analysis over unverified claims, while acknowledging the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe. The distinction between "contactees" and "non-human" visitors is explored, with the latter also being largely dismissed as natural phenomena or misidentifications. The publication seems to aim at debunking sensational claims and promoting a rational, evidence-based approach to the study of unexplained aerial phenomena.

This issue of UFOlogist, dated November 1957, focuses on explanations for UFO phenomena and the validity of evidence presented in reports. It features discussions with speakers like Willy Ley and Mr. del Rey, addressing theories, witness accounts, and the challenges of journalistic reporting in the field.

Willy Ley's Ball Lightning Theory

Willy Ley proposes that ball lightning, a rare electrical phenomenon characterized by a luminous, usually bluish ball, might serve as an explanation for some UFO sightings, particularly those reported by pilots. He describes ball lightning as typically 6 to 8 inches in diameter, moving slowly, and capable of either exploding with minor damage or collapsing rapidly, creating an optical effect of receding speed. Ley theorizes that this phenomenon could be caused by the presence of an airplane in an atmosphere with a high degree of electric tension. He emphasizes that this is a tentative theory and applies specifically to UFOs described to him directly, not necessarily to all reported sightings.

'Angel Hair' Phenomenon

The magazine addresses the phenomenon of 'angel hair,' which has been reported as falling from UFOs on several occasions. Some of this material has been preserved. Mr. del Rey notes that while this could potentially serve as evidence, webs come in many forms, some of which remarkably resemble angel hair. He states he has never personally seen angel hair.

The Levelland 'Flap' and Newspaper Reliability

Mr. Ley is asked to explain some cases from the November 1957 'flap,' specifically mentioning the Levelland, Texas, incidents where cars stalled while UFOs were nearby. Mr. Bloecher adds that similar reports came from other states, with car stalling occurring in at least a dozen cases. However, Ley's information indicated that the man who reported the Levelland case had confessed to making it up. Bloecher clarifies that a dozen or more people were involved. Mr. del Rey suggests that such events could be instances of contagious hysteria, drawing an analogy to a case where a farmer, after his mother's death, believed he saw her ghost, leading to similar reports from others in the community.

Mr. del Rey expresses skepticism towards newspaper reports, stating, "Anything which the average reporter does not understand, or which carries an incomplete by-line, or which has an incomplete circumstantial back-up, or which has an incomplete follow-up - yes, I do reject it." He received six or seven independent telephone calls about the Levelland case before any newspaper reports were published, indicating rapid unofficial communication.

UFO Occupants and 'Little Men'

While the meeting's primary topic was not UFOs themselves but their occupants, there was no extensive discussion of Ley's ball lightning explanation. The issue highlights a perceived agreement between Willy Ley's theoretical specifications for intelligent extraterrestrials and witness descriptions. These beings are often described as non-human but with approximately human construction and size, varying in details like ears, hair, and skin color (often grey). The article notes the consistency in these descriptions, suggesting it's a thought-provoking circumstance that independent witnesses vary details in ways that are scientifically permissible, avoiding scientifically unacceptable fabrications.

Additional Comments and Corrections

This section provides corrections and additions to previous summaries. It details Howard Menger's divorce and remarriage, noting that his former wife no longer supports his stories and that some of his photographs are identified as copies of Adamski's pictures. It also corrects details about a CSI officer presenting a 'ferrite' magnet as an artifact and clarifies prospectors' names. The summary revisits the Desvergers' 'little-man' story, noting its controversial nature within the CSI Research Section. It corrects magazine titles, witness names, and locations related to various sighting reports, including those from Venezuela, Italy, and France. The section also addresses the Levelland case again, suggesting a possible connection to the Stokes sighting and noting that the Grapevine, Texas, incident was a prank by newspaper reporters.

Discussion on Ball Lightning

Despite the meeting not focusing on UFOs, the discussion touches upon ball lightning as an inexplicable phenomenon. The article references W. J. Humphreys' work, which, like the Air Force or Ley, demonstrated skepticism by examining 280 ball-lightning observations and finding explanations such as 'optical after-images' or 'St. Elmo's fire.' A technical article is cited that proposes all electrical theories of ball lightning are scientifically invalid, suggesting it might belong to a UFO-animal category and can move purposefully.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the scientific investigation of UFO phenomena, the search for natural explanations (like ball lightning), the critical evaluation of witness testimony and media reporting, and the detailed descriptions of alleged extraterrestrial beings. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, seeking to distinguish between genuine phenomena and hoaxes or misinterpretations, while remaining open to the possibility of intelligent extraterrestrial visitation, albeit with a skepticism towards the more sensational 'contactee' narratives. There's a clear emphasis on evidence and logical consistency in evaluating UFO reports.