Saucer News - Whole Number 13 - Vol 02 No 07 - 1955 08-09

Magazine Overview

Title: SAUCER NEWS
Issue: VOLUME 2, NUMBER 7 (Whole Number 13)
Date: AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 1955
Publisher: THE SAUCER AND UNEXPLAINED CELESTIAL EVENTS RESEARCH SOCIETY
Country: USA
Language: English

This issue of SAUCER NEWS presents a variety of content related to flying saucers and unexplained phenomena. The cover story, "MONKEY FROM MARS?", details a hoax perpetrated by an Atlanta barber, Edward Watters, who faked a story about a "saucer occupant" to get his picture in the local papers. The issue also includes editorials, letters to the editor, book reviews, feature articles, and recent news.

Editorials

The editor apologizes for the late arrival of this issue, explaining that he was out of town on business and that mail addressed to him personally had to wait for his return. He reassures readers that the staff is dedicated to this "hardly profitable publishing enterprize" and that the editor is currently engaged in a business that may be of interest to readers in a future issue. The editorial staff emphasizes that editing the magazine is not a full-time job. They also announce the availability of extra copies of previous NEXUS issues and solicit contributions for future issues, preferring factual data and new approaches over poetry. Advertising rates are also provided, with a closing date of September 15th for the October-November issue.

A poll conducted by "The Saucer Sentinel" indicated that two out of three readers favored Moseley over Adamski in the "Adamski-Moseley Controversy." The editorial notes that "The Saucer Sentinel" has ceased publication and mentions that further discussion of the "Adamski Controversy" and Adamski's book "Inside The Spaceships" will follow, with a California writer planning to summarize evidence in Collier's Magazine.

Letters to the Editor

Several letters express different viewpoints on the flying saucer field. M. K. Jessup urges a focus on truth and an end to name-calling, questioning if anyone is free of "taints" and suggesting that cooperation would be more beneficial than petty disputes. Harold T. Wilkins agrees with the editor on exposing "rogues and liars" and suggests that someone named Scully may be adept at "smearing" others. John Pitt expresses disappointment with Desmond Leslie's response to his criticism of Adamski, accusing Leslie of "pique and pomp" and "martyrdom." Pitt acknowledges an error in his previous article regarding the cutting of pages from Adamski's book but maintains that the remainder of his criticism was unchallenged. He also quotes Shakespeare to describe Leslie's attitude. Paul Rear criticizes NEXUS for becoming less intelligent and suggests renaming it "Occult Digest" due to its "sheer nonsense" and "E.S.P. stuff."

Feature Articles

"UFO's, Atlantis, & The Antiquity of Civilised Man" by M. K. Jessup: Jessup discusses the Atlantis-Mu theme, suggesting that proponents should focus on proving the general thesis rather than specific details. He argues that a study of Ignatius Donelly and H. T. Wilkins would make it difficult to deny the possibility of a pre-deluvian, world-wide civilization. Jessup posits that UFOs may be a connecting link to Atlantian or Muvian antecedents and that their association with Earth and the Moon speaks of antiquity. He suggests that evidence from artifacts like the Grave Creek stone or Austrian metal pieces could prove a pre-deluvian civilization. He concludes that Atlantis and Mu were part of this culture complex and that establishing principles is more important than details.

"A Parable" by Desmond Leslie: This allegorical story describes a jungle inhabited by various tribes who are visited by "white men" arriving in airplanes, helicopters, and balloons. The white men attempt to introduce new ideas to the natives, but their efforts lead to dissension and argument among the tribes, who interpret the visitors' technology and arrival in conflicting ways. The parable highlights how differing perspectives and beliefs can lead to misunderstanding and conflict, even when the intention is to enlighten.

Book Reviews

"INSIDE THE SPACESHIPS" by George Adamski (Reviewed by Dr. Benjamin D. Benincasa): The reviewer welcomes Adamski's book as further evidence of flying saucers and aerial cigars, asserting that it provides proof of their extraterrestrial origin and human operators. The review notes that critics may label Adamski a "charlatan," while "ultra-conservative elements" will "wait and see." Benincasa recounts a conversation with Adamski where he claimed numerous contacts with Venusians, Martians, and Saturnians. The book is described as simple to read, with direct quotes that maintain reader interest. Adamski identifies his hosts as Orthon (Venusian), Firkon (Martian), and Ramı (Saturnian), with female co-pilots Ilmith (Martian) and Kelna (Venusian), and a "Great Master" (elderly Venusian sage). Adamski believes spacemen visit Earth to help establish peace and that their civilization is far more advanced than ours, with no wars and a cooperative universal family structure. He describes Scout Vehicles as artificial "planets" propelled by natural electricity and compares them to Earth's natural movement through space. The review mentions that the book has a foreword by Desmond Leslie and includes sixteen illustrations, including a diagram of a Venusian Mother Ship.

"SPACE, GRAVITY AND THE FLYING SAUCER" by Leonard G. Cramp (Reviewed by Justin Case): This review summarizes Cramp's book, noting that it begins with Desmond Leslie narrating the story of the Coniston photo and praising Cramp's scientific study. Cramp reportedly discusses flying saucer reports indicating interplanetary origin and criticizes Prof. Menzel. The book explores the concept of a "force-field" for propulsion, similar to what science-fiction writers imagine, and assumes flying saucers generate a gravitational field. Cramp believes that motion through the atmosphere should be silent, which the reviewer disputes, arguing that increased air movement causes more friction and noise. The reviewer finds Cramp "extremely gullible" for accepting all news reports and estimates of flying saucers, and points out that Cramp accepts the Adamski story despite awareness that Adamski's saucer photos have been accused of being a converted lighting fixture. The review details three specific faults in Adamski's photos that suggest they are a hoax: reflections indicating indoor lighting, an inaccurate field of view claim, and the overall resemblance to an electric light fixture. The reviewer questions Desmond Leslie's knowledge of physics based on Cramp's work. The book is described as well-written and demonstrating elementary physics knowledge, likely to be welcomed by "Ardent Believers" but disappointing to serious students.

Recent Saucer News

FLYING SAUCER TYPE PLANE GETS PATENT: A convertible aircraft with a disk-shaped airfoil, designed by Adolphe C. Peterson, received a patent. The aircraft is said to achieve relatively high speeds as a fixed-wing plane and can take off vertically, with its disk shape providing strength and a maximum load capacity.

FRENCH SAUCER NEARS REALITY: French plane designer Rene Couzinet announced that his "flying saucer" prototype, called "aerodyne a ailes multiples," is scheduled for a test flight the following spring. The machine resembles two soup plates joined at the bottom and is powered by three 135-horsepower motors, capable of rising vertically and performing "miracle" feats.

FLYING SAUCER HOVERS OVER MOTOR BOAT: A boatman named George Washington reported a flying saucer hovering over his motorboat in the Catalina Channel. He estimated the object to be 50 feet in diameter, round, gray-white, and spinning rapidly with fumes spurting out, stating it was not a weather balloon.

BRITISH MINISTRY CONFIRMS EXISTENCE OF THE "ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN": The British Air Ministry, usually dismissive of flying saucer reports, has acknowledged the possible existence of an "abominable snowman" in the Himalayas, based on findings by British airmen-explorers who discovered tracks of a two-legged, five-toed creature.

METEORITE NARROWLY MISSES SIX CHILDREN: Six children in Illinois narrowly escaped injury when a fiery object, described as mushroom-shaped and weighing about thirty pounds, fell near them. The children cracked it open with a sledge hammer, and the father plans to use it as a doorstop until a scientist examines it.

SEQUEL TO LAST YEAR'S WINDSHIELD POX SCARE: This summer has seen an epidemic of disappearing garden hoses, a phenomenon as strange as last year's windshield pitting. Experts are unable to explain how objects can be pulled into the earth, despite suggestions of small animal activity.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the investigation of flying saucers and related phenomena, including their potential connection to ancient civilizations like Atlantis. There is a clear editorial stance in favor of open inquiry and the presentation of evidence, as seen in the solicitation of reader contributions and the critical reviews of books. The magazine actively engages with controversies, such as the Adamski-Moseley debate, and reports on both alleged sightings and technological developments that mimic flying saucer designs. The editorial team appears to be critical of sensationalism and hoaxes, as demonstrated by the cover story, while also being receptive to new theories and evidence, even if they challenge conventional scientific understanding. The publication champions the work of researchers like Moseley and Jessup, while also critically evaluating the claims of others like Adamski and Cramp.

This issue of SAUCER NEWS, identified as issue number 11, delves into various aspects of flying saucer phenomena, their potential origins, and their intersection with religion and scientific inquiry. The publication is from the Saucer And Unexplained Celestial Events Research Society (S.A.U.C.E.R.S.) and is based in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

SAUCER RUMORS FROM ENGLAND

The lead article reports on a supposed full report by the British Air Ministry concerning flying saucers. According to a British newspaper, the R.A.F.'s five-year probe concluded that flying saucers do not exist, with the answer understood to be "No." However, the Air Ministry allegedly ordered the report to be kept secret, fearing that its findings, which might reveal top-secret facts, could cause nationwide controversy without full explanation. Columnist Dorothy Kilgallen presented a version of this report to the American public, stating that British scientists and airmen, after examining the wreckage of a mysterious flying ship, were convinced these aerial objects were not illusions or Soviet inventions but actual flying saucers from another planet. Her source, a British official of Cabinet rank, claimed the saucers were staffed by small beings, likely under four feet tall, and that such a ship could not have been constructed on Earth. This report was met with immediate denials from official sources on both sides of the Atlantic, including the British Defense Ministry and the United States Air Force. A spokesman for the Air Force, in an interview with SAUCER NEWS, also denied the possibility of Kilgallen's conclusions being true.

MEN FROM MARS BEHIND THE BIG FOUR PARLEY?

This section presents the World Interplanetary Association's explanation for why major world powers decided to hold a conference. According to the Association, led by its president Prof. Alfred Nahon, the heads of major powers met to discuss how to deal with beings from other planets who had delivered a "final warning" to the world by destroying atomic plants in Britain and Russia. The memorandum from the Association stated that the utilization of atomic energy was about to cause the disintegration of the Universe, and that extraterrestrial inhabitants realized this danger. They urged the Big Four to reveal the truth about aircraft from outer space, observed globally since 1945, to prevent a "stupid panic" when the facts become known.

SAUCERS EXPLAINED BY SATELLITE EXPERIMENTS?

According to The New York News, top-secret preliminary experiments on space satellites, ongoing for nearly a decade, might hold the secret behind persistent flying saucer reports over the past several years.

SAUCERY AND RELIGION by John Pitt

John Pitt's article explores the evolution of the discussion around flying saucers, noting that initially, they were discussed as physical, solid aerial phenomena. He argues that UFO research has been discouraged and that a "saucer cult" has emerged, closely following the pattern of popular religions. Pitt draws a parallel between the rise of "Saucery" and the blossoming of the Christian faith, suggesting both began with a nucleus of physical truth and appealed to intellectuals seeking an acceptable worship-totem, eventually cloaking themselves in borrowed mythology. Charles Fort is identified as the father of "Saucery." Pitt criticizes the "sad state of decline" in which devotees have allowed these ideas to fall, suggesting neither Fort nor Jesus would be happy with how their ideas are interpreted. He posits that Saucery worships an idea—that Mankind will be guided by "Elder Brothers" from outer space—and that humanity, despite its advancements, still requires a spiritual totem. The article notes that people seek excuses to kneel before new idols, drawing a parallel to how Christians formulated a religion based on Jesus' teachings centuries after his death. Pitt criticizes the "intellectual dishonesty" of Saucerers who use mythology to justify their beliefs, similar to how early Christianity incorporated myths to lend divinity to Jesus. He mentions the myth of the immaculate conception and the Osirias trinity concept as examples of borrowed mythology. Pitt questions whether the "end has really justified the means" and discusses the alarming idea that Jesus Christ might be connected to interplanetary travel and will return from outer space. He concludes with a quote attributed to Jesus: "Let not the blind lead the blind."

BILLIONS OF GALAXIES by Charles M. Samwick

This article, written by a layman, discusses the vastness of the universe. Samwick highlights that our galaxy is just one of possibly billions of other galaxies, with each galaxy containing hundreds of billions of stars. He emphasizes the incomprehensibility of these numbers, using the sun's size and the number of Earth-like planets needed to equal its bulk as comparisons. The author accepts the calculations of trained astronomers and researchers, stating that no telescope or scientist has conceived of the end of space. He then considers the assertions made by astronomers like Dr. Harlow Shapley of Harvard University, who declared that millions of "earths" might exist. Shapley's hypothesis is based on the idea that basic conditions for life (sun's warmth, water, basic elements, carbon compounds, gravitation, cosmic radiations) are present on Earth and likely elsewhere. He also suggests an unidentified force controls life's direction and that there is a law of averages, meaning what has happened once could happen again given enough opportunities. Given the immense number of celestial bodies and galaxies, the probability of life existing on other planets is high, and there's no reason why such life wouldn't be intelligent and reasoning, potentially developing millions of years earlier than on Earth.

A REPORT ON THE UFO'S AND ON LEVITATION by John Philip Bessor

John Philip Bessor critiques the Air Force's handling of the flying saucer issue, suggesting that despite issuing a report in 1949 stating "Flying saucers are not a joke, but don't worry," the phenomenon has been downplayed. He contrasts this with Sidney Shalett's article in a national magazine, which attributed flying saucers to mass hysteria and poor observation. Bessor claims that while one faction of Air Force Intelligence wishes to reveal facts, another is "completely bullheaded" and wants the public to believe disks are "sheer poppycock." He recounts Air Secretary Talbot denying his plane was pursued by a disk and General Nathan Twining dismissing the idea as "Baloney!" Bessor expresses his belief that the Air Force will never publicly admit the fantastic nature and origin of flying saucers, comparing this to the Vatican's suppression of the reality of reincarnation. He notes that the widespread belief in "little men" as saucer crewmen only began after two desert prospectors reported seeing them in 1947, suggesting this might have been a publicity stunt. The article then shifts to discuss levitation, citing an account from the London Evening News about a boulder being levitated in Kashmir by a group of men repeating a word and holding their breath. Ripley's "Believe It Or Not" also features an item on levitating a huge boulder in India. Bessor suggests that India may be one of the last cultures to retain the art of levitating rocks, and Desmond Leslie's work indicates levitation was used to propel ancient Hindu aerial ships. He also recounts a recent incident in Minia, Upper Egypt, where a coffin reportedly flew two miles after a skeikh's death, and mentions reports of other "flying coffins." Bessor questions whether such ships once engaged in combat over Britain and asks if vast areas of Crete, found to be mysteriously burnt beneath the surface, were a result of these aerial ships.

Advertisement

An advertisement from the Library Research Group promotes Mr. M. K. Jessup's book, "THE CASE FOR THE UFO," available for $3.50 plus postage and packing. They thank SAUCER NEWS and its readers for their support.

Another advertisement promotes "The "Saucerian"," described as the world's largest flying saucer publication, published by Gray Barker, available for 35 cents per copy or 6 issues for $2.00, published quarterly.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

This issue of SAUCER NEWS consistently questions official explanations and alleged cover-ups regarding flying saucers. There is a strong undercurrent of skepticism towards government and military statements, suggesting a desire to keep the public in the dark. The magazine explores the possibility of extraterrestrial origins for UFOs, linking them to potential alien warnings and even drawing parallels between the UFO phenomenon and religious movements. The articles also touch upon the vastness of the universe and the probability of extraterrestrial life, as well as more esoteric topics like levitation. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry, encouraging readers to consider alternative explanations beyond conventional scientific or governmental narratives, while also acknowledging the potential for misinterpretation and the creation of cult-like followings around the subject.