JUST CAUSE

Magazine Overview

This issue of 'Just Cause' from December 1990, edited by Barry Greenwood and published by Lawrence Fawcett, addresses significant concerns regarding government actions and UFO phenomena. The magazine's address is P.O. Box 218, Coventry, CT 06238, with subscription rates of $15 US and $20 Foreign.

Important Notice: Federal Law and First Amendment Rights

The lead article, 'IMPORTANT NOTICE,' details the impending impact of a new federal law taking effect on January 1, 1991. This law prohibits federal employees from speaking or writing about non-fiction topics for a fee, with violations carrying a $10,000 fine. The editor, being a federal employee with the Postal Service, announces his resignation from the newsletter temporarily until new legislation overturns this aspect of the Ethics in Government Act. He views this law as an 'insidious attack on First Amendment rights' and a means for elected officials to grant themselves pay raises while criminalizing citizens for using their right to the printed or spoken word. The editor expresses shame that this is happening in the United States and warns that he will be considered a lawbreaker for continuing to write the newsletter or other books.

Rate Change

Due to increased printing and postal costs, subscription rates will be raised to $15 per year for domestic subscribers and $20 for foreign subscribers, starting with the next issue.

A Warning to All: Roswell UFO Records

A section titled 'A WARNING TO ALL' discusses a check for old records regarding the Roswell UFO crash. Researcher Robert Todd had been investigating rumors of a White Sands Missile Range alert during the Roswell period. The public affairs officer, Nancy Dumas, and a division head at the range stated there was no evidence of such an alert. However, a former missile range officer, referred to as 'the General,' claimed that a story about 'Little Green Men' in his newsletter was a 'tongue-in-cheek story' concocted to poke fun at UFO experts. He felt this satire might have evolved into the 'genuine' crashed UFO story. The General also confirmed that a 'retired Marine Major' who collected stories at White Sands for a book was Major Donald E. Keyhoe, a prominent UFO researcher.

The article 'Little Green Men from Outer Space - or WSPG' elaborates on this 'General's' story. It describes a V-2 rocket launch in the late 1940s with an ejectable canister named 'Blossom,' containing a Rhesus Monkey and experiments. Due to a strong jet stream, the canister drifted south of the border into Mexico. Months later, a rancher found what appeared to be an extraterrestrial creature, leading to rumors of 'little green men' from flying saucers. The article questions if this incident is connected to Major Keyhoe's writings.

Page four continues this discussion, with the 'General' suggesting that Army personnel might have fed Keyhoe untrue stories for amusement. The editor notes that while Keyhoe believed in intelligently piloted UFOs, he was not always enthusiastic about humanoid reports. The article also mentions that stories of crashes in Old Mexico appeared in the 1950s, including in the MJ-12 briefing paper and as headline news in March 1950. It questions whether Keyhoe's early reports were influenced by such fabricated stories.

A scanned newspaper clipping titled 'Flying Saucer,' Midget Pilot Reported Landing in Mexico' from March 9, 1950, is presented. Ray L. Dimmick, sales manager of Apache Powder Co., claimed to have seen wreckage of a streamlined flying saucer and a 23-inch-tall pilot who died in the crash. Top U.S. military officials reportedly viewed it, but the Air Force denied any knowledge. Col. Joseph Anderson, assistant U.S. military attache, stated he had heard nothing of such an event.

Stealth Saucers?

An article titled 'Stealth Saucers?' discusses the Navy's A-12 stealth warplane potentially being canceled due to cost overruns. It speculates whether the Navy will use 'proven fact' about the A-12's origins in MJ-12 or a secret UFO panel to justify its continuation, suggesting that the Defense Secretary's lack of knowledge might be disinformation.

The UFO Encyclopedia: Volume One

This section reviews Jerome Clark's new UFO reference work covering 1980s UFO research. The reviewer notes that Clark chronicles events, both credible and outlandish, including topics like Lear, MJ-12, EBEs, and implants. The review highlights the book's detailed coverage of the MJ-12 controversy. However, it criticizes the book's high retail price of $65 for 234 pages, noting the absence of any pictures or illustrations. The reviewer also feels the skeptical side of UFOlogy was underplayed, with figures like Philip Klass being given less prominence than writers of 'pulpy paranormal books.' Despite these criticisms, the book is recommended for those seeking a detailed examination of 1980s UFOlogy.

Roswell Documents

The magazine states it will devote significant space to Roswell in the coming year. It notes that very little genuine government documentation exists on the incident. Two items are presented: a three-page desk log of General Hoyt Vandenberg (to be included in the next issue) and a teletype from FBI Dallas dated July 8, 1947. The teletype, marked URGENT, reports that the Eighth Air Force advised that an object purporting to be a flying disc was recovered near Roswell, New Mexico. The object is described as hexagonal and suspended from a balloon by cable, approximately twenty feet in diameter. It further resembles a high altitude weather balloon with a radar reflector. The object and balloon were being transported to Wright Field for examination. The teletype indicates national interest in the case due to media attempts to break the story.

Another document, 'COMBINED HISTORY 509TH BOMB GROUP AND ROSWELL ARMY AIRFIELD 1 JULY 1947 THROUGH 31 JULY 1947,' states that the Office of Public Information was busy answering inquiries about the 'flying disc,' which was reported to be in possession of the 609th Bomb Group. The object turned out to be a radar tracking balloon.

The magazine concludes its discussion on Roswell by stating that 'something crashed; something was hauled away.' While not convinced it was alien, they will examine the upcoming book by Don Schmidt and Kevin Randle. They emphasize that if the Roswell case isn't airtight, UFOlogy is in big trouble.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of 'Just Cause' strongly advocates for First Amendment rights and expresses concern over government overreach and secrecy. The editorial stance is critical of laws that restrict free speech and highlights the potential for disinformation in UFO-related matters. The magazine appears to favor a critical examination of UFO phenomena, presenting evidence and documents while acknowledging the ongoing debates and skepticism surrounding cases like Roswell. There is a clear emphasis on historical documentation and a cautious approach to accepting extraordinary claims without rigorous proof.