Roundhouse - Vol 02 No 05

Magazine Overview

Title: The Roundhouse
Issue: No. 5
Volume: Vol. 11
Date: January 1954
Publisher: The Cup & Saucer Club
Location: Maquoketa, Iowa, USA

This issue of The Roundhouse, a publication by The Cup & Saucer Club, presents a mix of social commentary, reports on unexplained phenomena, and personal accounts related to flying saucers and potential extraterrestrial contact.

A Social Manifesto

The issue opens with a "Social Manifesto" featuring a quote attributed to Pierre Van Paassen from "The Good Shepherd." The quote reflects on the difficulty of loving individual humans compared to humanity as a whole, expressing a hope for future peace and justice and advising against hatred. This is followed by a New Year's wish from the publication to its friends for a "cosmic fulfillment of peace profound."

B.S.R.A. Statement on Aerofoms

Mr. Meade Layne, Director of the B.S.R.A. (Brothers of the Sacred Ring of Aethelred, though not explicitly stated here), is quoted stating that the near future is likely to bring "extraordinary events in connection with the aerofoms." He anticipates that these events, being misunderstood, will cause fear, and explanations offered to the public will be incomplete and erroneous, leading to wild rumors and "scientifiction nightmares." He suggests that seismic disturbances might worsen the situation, and that if such events occur, they must be accepted as unavoidable. The B.S.R.A. has been trying to provide information to help understand the developing situation. Readers interested in this information are directed to write to Mr. Meade Layne at his San Diego, California address.

Reports from Around the World

Moon Structures

A report from London, dated December 22, details a British astronomer's claim of a remarkable "bridge" on the Moon, approximately 20 miles long and a mile or two wide, visible at the 5,000-foot level. H. Percy Wilkins described the structure as "undoubtedly natural," though it resembles an "engineering job." He speculated it might have been caused by a meteor bursting through a wall of semi-solid lava, noting its regularity and the shadow it casts under a low sun.

Chicago Invasion Scare

A "fantastic story" told by a hotel employee, William McMican, to US agents caused an invasion scare on the North Shore near Highland Park, Illinois. McMican claimed to have seen four men in green uniforms with red stars on their caps land on the hotel beach from a life raft. He described them as speaking a strange language, assumed to be Russian, and asking for directions to the nearest airport. Coast Guard vessels and planes from O'Hare Field were deployed to search the lake. The story gained some credence when a fisherman reported seeing five red flares shoot up over the lake the previous evening. McMican was discharged from his job, and was reportedly being investigated by FBI and Army officials.

Bermuda Martian Interest

Reports from Tucker's Town, Bermuda, suggest that "Martians" might be interested in the activities of President Eisenhower, Prime Minister Churchill, and Premier Joseph Laniel, who were scheduled to be in Bermuda that weekend for a meeting. A foreman for a commercial aircraft service company reported seeing a "silvery yellow object" that was a flying saucer circling the island. US Air Force officers were reportedly not alarmed, and the advance party from Washington took no extra precautions.

Winnipeg Cathedral Organ Mystery

In Winnipeg, Manitoba, the organ at St. John's Anglican Cathedral reportedly played by itself without an organist. The event occurred after the Cathedral Curate, Rev. H.J. Skynner, began reading from the New Testament. Witnesses described the music as having a flute-like quality, with multiple notes forming an unknown melody. The organ manual was visible, but no organist was present. Cathedral organ experts stated the organ was "shut off dead" with all valves closed.

Los Angeles Electrician Kidnapping

Mrs. Wilbur J. Wilkinson expressed fears that her husband, Wilbur J. Wilkinson, and another electrician, Karl Hunrath, may have been "kidnapped by interplanetary invaders in a flying saucer." The two men took off in a rented airplane from Gardena Airport with a three-hour fuel supply and have not been seen since. Mrs. Wilkinson stated that Hunrath was an "avid believer in flying saucers" and that both men believed the end of the earth was nearing and that "strange little men from the planet 'Haser' were ready to invade." Hunrath had also claimed to know the whereabouts of a recently landed flying saucer. Deputy Sheriffs viewed the "saucer kidnapping" theory with skepticism, warning that the missing men might face prison terms if it was shown they stole the plane. As of December 28, the men were still missing, and sheriffs deputies believed they had gone "over the border."

Dan Paul's Reward Offer

Dan Paul, editor of the magazine "Frauds," ran an advertisement in a Glendale newspaper offering a $5,000 reward for proof of interplanetary flying machines piloted by beings from another planet. This was apparently in response to lectures by Robert Coe Gardner on the subject of "saucers."

Gardner's Lecture and Film

Robert Coe Gardner, lecturing in Los Angeles, produced a magazine photograph purportedly showing men in Germany with "earthlings" and claimed it was genuine. He also advertised his lecture as being illustrated by a "documented film," which turned out to be largely movies of witnesses describing what they had seen, along with "authorities" discussing the phenomena and film clips of "blobs in the sky."

Air Force Camera Trap

News photographers were shown a flying saucer camera installed in a tower at March Air Force Base, designed to trap discs on film. The camera, a 35-mm, 3-D type with an f3.5 lens and a shutter speed of 1/200th of a second, was comparable to cameras costing about $50. An experienced lensman commented that he would want a longer lens for photographing flying saucers. The Air Force announced that these cameras, set up nationwide on a 24-hour watch, would use special "defraction grating equipment" to break down light. Dr. Dinsmore Alter, head of the Griffith Park Observatory, expressed skepticism, stating, "I'm not convinced."

Kansas City Tinfoil Mystery

Streamers of flying tinfoil descended on the Greater Kansas City Area, causing a series of suburban power failures. Air Force officials denied knowledge of the strips, which ranged from one foot to 200 feet in length and about half an inch wide.

Ghost Image on TV

A "ghost image," identified by some as singer Francey Lane, appeared on a TV set in a home in Blue Point, New York, and remained even when the set was turned off and unplugged.

Possible Connections and Further Research

The publication wonders about a possible connection between Chapter 12 of Keyhoe's second book and Chapters 1 and 2 of Scully's, specifically regarding the dates of "red sprays" and "forged landings of the saucers." It suggests that a deeper investigation might reveal a different reason for the red sprays than previously conjectured and poses questions about whether these phenomena are "friends or foes" and "friends of whom?"

Religious Interpretation of Space Visitations

A letter from a minister of a large church in the Midwest discusses the challenge of presenting "flying disc phenomena and other related subjects - metaphysical, para-psychological and occult" to an orthodox religious public. The minister questions whether to disseminate such information widely or to rely on personal contact, weighing the potential for revolt against the subject versus the risk of selfishness or cowardice in withholding it. The minister notes that "certain brotherhoods and mystical societies" insist on personal contact, while questioning if the time has come for "mass dissemination of the truth." The minister concludes that "some of us are sure that there is tremendous spiritual significance in the present space visitations" and that individuals asking if this is true can only answer from "an inner conviction."

The purpose of the article is stated as discovering if readers know from personal contact or their own thinking the best method of approach to this phase of the subject.

Town Meeting Debate

On December 29, Major Donald Keyhoe and Jonathon Leonard, Science Editor of Time, held a debate on flying saucers for 45 minutes on the American Town Meeting. A transcript was available for 25 cents from Town Meeting Bulletin in New York.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of The Roundhouse are the reporting of unexplained aerial phenomena (UFOs/aerofoms), the potential for extraterrestrial contact, and the societal implications of such events, including fear and the need for understanding. There is also a strong undercurrent of social commentary, advocating for peace and humanity. The publication appears to be a proponent of investigating and disseminating information about flying saucers and related phenomena, encouraging reader engagement and further research. The editorial stance is one of open inquiry into these subjects, while acknowledging the skepticism and potential for misunderstanding they generate.