Nexus - Whole No 09 - Vol 02 No 03 - 1955 03 00

Magazine Overview

Title: Nexus
Issue: Volume 2, Book 3
Date: March, 1955
Publisher: Fort Lee, New Jersey (Official publication of the Saucer and Unexplained Celestial Events Research Society - S.A.U.C.E.R.S.)
Editor: James W. Moseley
Art Editor: Dominic Lucchesi
Associate Editor: Richard Cohen

Editorial by James W. Moseley

James W. Moseley's editorial in the March 1955 issue of Nexus addresses the magazine's content and editorial policy. He recaps previous "scoops" such as George Adamski's "Flying Saucers Have Landed" and the story of U.S.-built flying saucers. He also teases an upcoming exclusive about geometrically perfect lines found in Peru.

This month, Moseley deviates from his usual practice to devote the issue to catching up on "back business," primarily reader feedback. The "Letters to the Editor" section has been expanded and divided into two parts: one concerning the Adamski story and the other regarding the U.S.-made saucers story. He notes that for the past three months, the magazine has fallen behind in reporting the hundreds of saucer reports received, but this issue brings them up to date.

Feature articles follow the magazine's "open forum" policy. "Scully Breaks a Long Silence" features the author of America's first flying saucer book responding to critics, including Moseley himself. "Leslie in the Limelight" presents the views of a British saucer researcher on Desmond Leslie, co-author of Adamski's book. Moseley clarifies that he does not necessarily agree with all statements made by the featured authors but publishes them to provide a fair hearing to all sides of saucer controversies, believing that truth will emerge from public discussion.

For newcomers to Nexus and saucer inquiry, Moseley acknowledges that this issue might be confusing due to its reliance on "outside reading," specifically mentioning Scully's book "Behind The Flying Saucers" and the expose in "True Magazine" for the Scully article, and "Flying Saucers Have Landed" for the John Pitt article.

Nexus is published monthly and costs 35 cents per single issue, $1.00 for four copies, and $3.00 per year. Correspondence should be addressed to NEXUS, P.O. Box 163, Fort Lee, New Jersey.

Letters to the Editor

This section is divided into two parts: comments on the Adamski Story and comments on the U.S.-Made Saucers Story.

Comments on the Adamski Story (January Nexus)

• Jerrold Baker from Phoenix, Arizona, apologizes for not acknowledging the Adamski article sooner and congratulates Nexus on its exemplary reporting.
• Meade Layne, Director of Borderland Sciences Research Associates in San Diego, California, congratulates Nexus on its handling of the Adamski story and wishes them luck.
• John D. Smith from Ridgecrest, California, enjoyed the expose on Adamski and believes the magazine is honest and sincere.
• Richard Thompson from Waukegan, Illinois, expresses interest in more information on Adamski, having read his book and heard him speak. He suspects Adamski's story is a hoax but wonders if he did encounter a space visitor and chose to embellish the story.
• Harry Machlied from Colfax, Washington, questions the logic of the Venusian's communication, wondering why they couldn't speak English and had a limited vocabulary ("Boom! Boom!"). He suggests the Venusians, like humans, might only use a fraction of their mental capacity.
• Unnamed reader thanks Nexus for a copy and laments that Adamski was criticized before all evidence was examined. This reader investigated the "Baker nonsense" and found that Baker's detailed letter about taking the photographs, his affidavit, and the original negatives all support the authenticity of the flying saucer picture.
• Desmond Leslie from London, England, offers a statement. He believes Mr. Baker's statements are based on testimonies that contradict his own affidavit. Leslie points out that Baker's affidavit mentions military aircraft on December 11th and 12th, but not flying saucers. However, in the very next paragraph, Baker swears that on "Saturday morning (DECEMBER 13, 1952)," Professor Adamski called him about a saucer, and Baker then saw and photographed a circular object. Leslie highlights that Baker's affidavit claims he photographed the saucer, not Adamski. He also notes that Baker's description of the saucer includes it making no sound, being guided by superior intelligence, having a slight odor, portholes, and three ball bearings. Leslie suggests that Arthur Clarke's accusations are easily disprovable and that Clarke's main theory against their book was that it made fun of him and that a landed saucer should have addressed the Chairman of the British Interplanetary Society.
• Dr. Benjamin D. Benincasa from Buffalo, New York, analyzes Mr. Baker's statements. He notes that Baker is retracting his original statement about the Brownie photograph and that Al Bailey's testimony supports Baker's current contentions. Benincasa believes Baker's present testimony is true, given the independent evidence presented in the January Nexus.

Comments on the U.S.-Made Saucers Story (February Nexus)

• Billy Saaiman from Vancouver, B.C., Canada, believes flying saucers exist and are built in the U.S.A. as secret weapons.
• Mrs. William Yeakley from Xenia, Ohio, whose restaurant is near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, reports seeing saucers twice over their home and finds the subject very interesting.
• George Frederick from Mechanicsburg, Penn., questions why Canada, Great Britain, France, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark have flying saucer investigations, why the Air Force ridicules observers, why skilled scientists are evaluating reports, why "Project Saucer" was secret, the purpose of 200 grid cameras, and the whereabouts of the Utah pictures. He enjoys Nexus but hopes for fewer "hard feelings."

Editor's Note on George Frederick's Questions:

Moseley responds to Frederick's questions:
1. Government investigations are set up because personnel are "in the dark" or as a cover-up.
2. The same reasoning applies to ridiculing observers.
3. Moseley is unaware of America's highest skilled scientists evaluating all reports, though some have been consulted. He suggests scientists might be building saucers rather than studying reports.
4. "Project Sign" (Project Saucer) was likely classified as "Secret," not "Top Secret," due to military over-classification.
5. Grid cameras cost $200 or less, making the project inexpensive. He suggests the Air Force either finds saucers unimportant or knows the answer and doesn't need investigation. If saucers are foreign or from Space, the Air Force wouldn't consider them unimportant.
6. The Utah film is likely with the Air Force, but a friend saw it and reported it showed only pin-points of light, proving saucers exist but not their origin.

• Thomas M. Comella, Director of Flying Saucer News-Service, Cleveland, Ohio, questions the idea that U.S. saucers are improvements on German rocket work and powered by jet propulsion, noting that U.F.O.s are typically silent, unlike jets. He also mentions that "Ike" (presumably President Eisenhower) was told by an Air Force official that saucers do not come from outer space, but the credibility of this statement depends on the official's position and the timing.

Editor's Note on Thomas M. Comella's Letter:

Moseley agrees that silent U.F.O.s are unlikely to be jet-powered. He suggests a new, silent propulsion method has been evolved, possibly involving atomic energy, cosmic rays, or "magnetism." He believes extreme secrecy surrounding the U.S. saucer project is due to the discovery and use of this new propulsion.

Recent News

World Fails to End

This section discusses predictions made by Dr. Charles Laughead of Michigan State College regarding earthquakes, tidal waves, and volcanic eruptions on December 22nd, 1954. Laughead was dismissed from his post before the predicted date. Mrs. Dorthy Martin of Oak Park, Illinois, claimed "Space People" intervened to save the world. Later, Laughead and Martin predicted a spiritual "uplifting" by Space People on Christmas Eve, which did not occur physically. Laughead was later declared sane after a sanity hearing.

Meteorite Strikes Woman in Alabama

In late November 1954, a meteorite crashed through the roof of an Alabama home, injuring Mrs. Hewlett Hodges, who became the first known person to be struck by a meteorite. The fragment was sent to Wright-Patterson Field for Air Force investigation. Offers of $5000 or more were made for the meteorite, but the Hodges had not accepted any.

Canadian Saucer Project Scrapped

A year-old story resurfaced about the Avro Corporation dropping its jet-propelled saucer project after spending nearly $100,000,000. The project was beyond the drawing board stage but never flew. Canada sought U.S. interest but was declined.

Loch Ness Monster Has Eight Legs, Echo Finds

In December 1954, the crew of the trawler Rival claimed to have found evidence of the Loch Ness monster using echo sounding equipment. They reported a 50-foot-long monster with eight legs and a scorpion-like silhouette at a depth of 540 feet.

The Belgians Stand Ready to Wine & Dine Visitors from Space

Belgium has organized a "Welcome Committee for the first Martian landing in Belgium," preparing to receive potential space visitors with French champagne.

Strange Noises from Space Studied by Scientists

Weird musical notes from outer space are being studied by scientists at the National Bureau of Standards in Boulder, Colorado, and on a Navy ice-breaker in the Antarctic. The noises are not believed to be connected with extraterrestrial inhabitants.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of Nexus are the ongoing debates and controversies surrounding flying saucer sightings and reports, particularly the George Adamski case and the possibility of U.S.-manufactured saucers. The editorial stance, as articulated by James W. Moseley, is one of promoting an "open forum" to allow all viewpoints to be presented, with the belief that truth will emerge from such open discussion. Moseley emphasizes the importance of presenting facts and giving a fair hearing to all sides, even if he doesn't personally agree with every statement. There is a clear skepticism towards unsubstantiated claims and a focus on evidence, though the magazine also covers speculative theories and reader opinions. The issue also highlights the perceived secrecy and potential cover-ups by government agencies, particularly the U.S. Air Force, regarding UFO phenomena.

This issue of NEXUS magazine, dated September 1954, delves into the phenomena of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and mysterious aerial events, presenting a mix of reported sightings, alleged incidents, and critical analysis of the research and authors in the field.

Radio Waves and Mysterious Falls

The issue begins by discussing how lightning discharges can create radio waves that travel vast distances, sounding like audible whistles when received. It then transitions to "More Mysterious Objects Falling From The Sky," referencing the work of Charles Fort and detailing two recent incidents: one in Wisconsin where a red object struck a car's antenna, and another in Pennsylvania where a 'fireball' crashed through a window, causing burns and a fire. The nature of these objects, whether meteorite or incendiary bomb, remained undetermined, with tested fragments showing unusual characteristics.

Saucers in South America

The magazine reports on an increase in saucer sightings in South America. In Lima, Peru, on January 1st, at least fifty residents observed a squadron of five brilliant, silver-colored saucers. Venezuela also reported sightings, most notably an alleged landing on November 28th. Two men encountered a ten-foot sphere blocking a road and a "dwarfish creature" that physically repelled one of them. Two other creatures emerged, and the men fled to the police station. The creature that attacked then jumped high into the air and was confronted by a human with a knife, before another creature emerged from the sphere and incapacitated the human with a bright flash of light.

Pilot Chase and Hoax from Finland

From Melbourne, Australia, a report details a Royal Australian Navy pilot being chased by two saucers while flying back to base, with the event corroborated by radar. Conversely, a report from Alavieska, Finland, about a mysterious light moving in a peculiar fashion was later revealed to be a hoax perpetrated by local boys who tied a flashlight to a bird's back.

Critiques of Saucer Literature and Researchers

A significant portion of the magazine is dedicated to a critical examination of various authors and their works on flying saucers. The article "LESLIE IN THE LIMELIGHT" by John Pitt discusses Desmond "Flying Saucers Have Landed" Leslie, his background, and his involvement with George Adamski's claims. It suggests Leslie's work was influenced by occult interests and a collection of newspaper clippings. The article questions the validity of Leslie's "historical" hypothesis and an experiment involving a "medium."

Another section, "SCULLY BREAKS A LONG SILENCE" by Frank Scully, directly addresses accusations that his book "Behind The Flying Saucers" was a hoax. Scully vehemently denies these claims, stating he presented facts as they were given to him and that no one has proven his story to be false. He criticizes Harold T. Wilkins' book "Flying Saucers on the Attack" for misinformation and lack of proper sourcing. Scully also addresses James W. Moseley, who he claims is a "thorough investigator" with a "predisposition to disbelieve stories of captured saucers and little men."

Further critique is leveled against the magazine "True" and an individual named Cahn for attempting to discredit Scully's work. The article highlights that "True" focused on a business transaction rather than disproving the saucer claims. Scully asserts that he has never admitted his book was a hoax and challenges those who claim otherwise to provide proof.

Further Investigations and Skepticism

The magazine also touches upon other aspects of saucer research, including the "Aura Biometer," a device claimed to prove the identity of different saucers, which is met with skepticism from scientific and dowsing experts. It discusses the involvement of individuals like Benjamin Herrington and their promotion of Spiritualist ideas in relation to UFOs.

The article "LESLIE IN THE LIMELIGHT" continues by detailing Leslie's interactions with Jerrold Baker, who expressed dissatisfaction with Adamski's account and denied taking a key photograph. Leslie's subsequent defense of Adamski and his visit to California are described. The piece also mentions Fry and Betherum, whose narratives are presented as less credible than Adamski's.

Adamski's Communications and Theosophy

George Adamski's continued communication with "space friends" is mentioned, with Leslie reportedly not privy to these communications. The article notes Adamski's past leadership of an organization called "The Royal Order of Tibet." An academic inquiry into Leslie's use of Theosophical literature reveals that most Theosophists were unimpressed, with only one elderly member showing interest.

Conclusion and Editorial Stance

The author concludes by stating that while he has no personal grudge against Leslie or Adamski, he deplores attempts by "enthusiastic amateur Occultists, semi-literate Historians, and bug-eyed Saucer-cultists" to impose their beliefs. The issue ends with a quote from Voltaire, emphasizing a rational approach to belief, and advertisements for related publications and booksellers.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the reporting of UFO and saucer sightings, the investigation into alleged physical encounters with unknown objects and beings, and a strong undercurrent of skepticism and critical analysis of the researchers and authors in the field. The magazine appears to be presenting a balanced view by reporting on sightings while also scrutinizing the evidence and the credibility of those involved, particularly highlighting the distinction between factual reporting and speculative or occult interpretations. The editorial stance leans towards a critical examination of claims, seeking verifiable evidence over unsubstantiated assertions, and distinguishing between genuine research and what it terms "saucer-cultism."