Saucers vol 6 no 2

Magazine Overview

'SAUCERS' is a quarterly magazine published by Flying Saucers International, a non-profit organization. This issue, Volume VI, No. 2, dated Spring 1958, is priced at 35¢ per copy and is the 21st whole issue. The editorial offices are located in Los Angeles, California, with Max B. Miller serving as the Editor. The magazine states that the opinions and statements within are those of the authors only.

Cover Story: "FLYING SAUCER PHOTOGRAPH?"

The cover features a photograph and a bold headline that immediately addresses the authenticity of UFO images. The accompanying text clarifies that the photograph is one in a series deliberately simulated by the Editor of 'SAUCERS' to demonstrate how easily UFO photos can be faked. This sets a critical and investigative tone for the issue, suggesting a focus on debunking or scrutinizing evidence.

Contents

The table of contents outlines the primary articles and sections:

• Questions About NICAP: Answered by Major Donald E. Keyhoe, Director of NICAP.
• That State Dept. Letter: An investigative piece by The Editor.
• Short Shots & News Notes: Brief updates and news items.
• Book Clearance Sale: A promotional section.

Questions About NICAP (Interview with Major Donald E. Keyhoe)

This extensive Q&A section delves into the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP), an organization formed in August 1956. Major Donald E. Keyhoe, its Director, addresses numerous queries:

NICAP's Formation and Objectives:

Keyhoe states that NICAP was established in Washington D.C. on August 29, 1956. Its primary goals are to collect, evaluate, and publish authentic information on UFOs and official investigations. The ultimate aim is to achieve open hearings on Capitol Hill and gain public and press acceptance of UFO reality.

Opposition and Official Stance:

Keyhoe reports no direct opposition to NICAP's formation. However, he notes indirect attacks from the Air Force and official correspondence suggesting NICAP is not taken seriously. He believes these attempts have not succeeded in destroying NICAP but have raised questions that have been answered. He attributes a slackening of interest in UFOs partly to suppression of information within the Air Force.

Achievements and Challenges:

NICAP's main achievement, according to Keyhoe, is elevating UFO investigation to a more serious level, with newspapers and broadcasters now treating the subject with less ridicule. He refutes claims that NICAP is secretly working with governmental agencies. Regarding resignations from the Board of Governors, he cites reasons like the burden of other work, with only a few cases possibly involving indirect pressure through ridicule, though no official pressure is proven.

A significant disappointment for NICAP is the failure of promised financial support to materialize, leaving them with a skeleton staff. This limits their ability to work at full speed, publish on schedule, conduct investigations, and build public relations. Keyhoe emphasizes that substantial outside support or a larger membership is needed.

NICAP's Policy and Operations:

NICAP's policy regarding 'contact claimants' is to support fair investigation of all UFO evidence, examining all theories and claims without accepting any claim without conclusive proof. They plan a series of printed discussions in digest form to present both sides of claims without stating definite conclusions. Keyhoe asserts he has maintained a neutral attitude towards contact claims since becoming Director.

He clarifies that no one on the Board of Governors has received financial return; some even paid their own expenses. Keyhoe himself has suffered financial losses, using his own savings to subsidize NICAP. Mrs. R. H. Campbell has also worked without pay.

Cooperation with Other Groups and Future Outlook:

Keyhoe suggested cooperation with other UFO groups, and many have cooperated, though views sometimes diverge. He denies attacking other clubs, even when erroneous statements were made about NICAP. He acknowledges that some groups might have a misplaced resentment due to misunderstandings or negative attitudes.

Regarding the future, Keyhoe is cautiously optimistic that the subject will eventually break into the open, likely through pressure on Capitol Hill. However, he notes a current dangerous lack of interest due to a slump in UFO reports and near-complete censorship on Armed Forces sightings. He believes breaking official censorship is the main problem, as conclusive research is impossible when evidence is withheld.

NICAP Membership:

NICAP members represent a broad cross-section of professions and trades, with ages ranging widely. Membership includes U.S. Senators, State Legislators, Admirals, Generals, educators, and religious leaders. Membership covers 48 states and 25 foreign countries. Annual membership is $7.50, which includes a subscription to 'The UFO Investigator' and special bulletins. They aim to publish the magazine monthly in the future.

Further UFO Research:

Keyhoe suggests that interested individuals can further UFO research by sharing factual reports with skeptical friends, contacting individuals in aviation and the Armed Forces who might possess information, seeking serious treatment in local media, and writing to representatives to urge public hearings.

NICAP has not expressed a conclusion on the reality or origin of UFOs but frequently believes important information is withheld by the Air Force. Some members have expressed personal conviction about UFO reality and origin.

That State Dept. Letter (Investigation by The Editor)

This article details an investigation into a letter purportedly from the U.S. Department of State to George Adamski, released in Winter 1958. The editor felt an urgency to verify its authenticity.

Initial Investigation:

An inquiry at the Los Angeles office of the Department of State yielded no knowledge of an 'R. E. Straith' or a 'Cultural Exchange Committee,' though a 'Cultural Exchange Program' exists. Further investigation indicated 'Mr. Straith' was transferred to the United Nations in New York.

Bureaucratic Maze:

A telephone call to 'Mr. Straith' at the UN revealed limited recognition. Subsequent calls to various State Department agencies and the USIA in New York proved fruitless, with the 'Cultural Exchange Committee' described as a nebulous title. The editor's operator was transferred multiple times.

Encountering Obstacles:

When asking for 'Mr. Straith,' the editor's operator was told he was in Security and his correspondence was with 'Mr. Summers.' Mr. Summers demanded to know who was calling and their relation to 'Mr. Straith.' The editor explained it was a personal matter and was transferred through several officials, including Otto Otepka and Maurice Wright, before reaching George Ives.

Denial and Classification:

George Ives eventually denied the existence of 'Straith' and the 'Cultural Exchange Committee.' A subsequent call to the local Office of Security of the State Dept. was met with a similar lack of information, and a Special Agent eventually returned the call, stating the matter was 'classified' and suggesting a written inquiry to E. Tomlin Bailey, Director of State Department Security.

Circumstantial Evidence:

The editor concludes that little circumstantial evidence supports the validity of the 'Straith' letter. The letter itself bears an official State Dept. stamp, watermark, and official stationery. The investigation did not involve mentioning Mr. Adamski or the editor's name.

Short Shots & News Notes

This section likely contains brief news items and updates related to UFO phenomena, though the specific content is not detailed in the provided pages.

Book Clearance Sale

This section is a promotional advertisement for books.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the critical examination of UFO evidence, particularly photographic evidence, and the investigation into government involvement and potential cover-ups. The magazine, through its interview with Major Keyhoe and its own investigative report, demonstrates a stance that is both skeptical of unsubstantiated claims (like faked photos) and deeply concerned about official secrecy and the suppression of information by government agencies, particularly the Air Force. The editorial focus is on serious investigation, seeking official transparency, and questioning the narrative presented by authorities. The magazine aims to present factual information and encourage public interest in UFO research while challenging perceived obstacles to open inquiry.

Title: SAUCERS
Issue: Summer 1958
Date: April 7, 1958 (Letter date)
Publisher: Flying Saucers International

This issue of SAUCERS magazine prominently features a "STATE DEPT. LETTER" as its cover headline, dated April 7, 1958. The letter, addressed to Mr. Max B. Miller, Director of Flying Saucers International, is from Maurice S. Rice, Acting Chief of the Public Services Division of the Department of State. The core of the issue revolves around the authenticity and implications of a letter purportedly from the Department of State, allegedly sent to Mr. Adamski.

State Department Letter Analysis

The primary article delves into a letter attributed to "R. E. Straith" of the "Cultural Exchange Committee" within the Department of State. The Department, through Maurice S. Rice, clarifies that no such person or committee exists within its structure. They are investigating the potential misuse of official letterhead stationery. The Department explicitly states it possesses no special information on "unidentified aerial phenomena" or "flying saucers" and directs all such inquiries to the Department of the Air Force.

The article reproduces the "Straith" letter alongside a communication from the State Department, noting their dissimilarities. It outlines six points regarding official Department of State correspondence:

1. Official Department impressions are used only on passports (electronically stamped) and not on letterheads.
2. Typists' initials never appear on official stationery, only on carbon copies.
3. All Department letters must have indented paragraphs.
4. Letters must be dated by rubber stamp.
5. The Department uses its own postage canceling machine and does not use postage stamps.
6. Misuse of official stationery is not necessarily illegal, unless for personal gain.

The magazine questions why a private correspondence on official stationery would bear an official seal if it were not official. It also notes Mr. Adamski's insistence on the authenticity of the "Straith" letter, claiming he has documentation and that the official impression demands approval from Department officials.

The article discusses the controversy surrounding the "Straith" letter, particularly the claim that it was written on obsolete stationery. Maurice S. Rice, in a communication dated April 15, 1958, states that the letterhead described would appear to be one currently in use. Mr. Adamski counters the Department's claim of no "Mr. Straith" by suggesting he is a high-ranking "under-cover man" using aliases. However, the article raises anomalies: "Straith's" cordial invitation for an informal talk in Washington, despite no prior correspondence with Adamski, and the potential embarrassment for the Department if a high-ranking official were involved in such a matter.

It questions whether officials would risk using the official seal on a letter with unorthodox content and protocol. The article also ponders why "Straith," if so urgent about the topic and in a high-ranking position, has not come forward to end the controversy, especially since he allegedly went against official policy by sending the letter.

The conclusion is that the story is inconclusive, and until evidence supports the existence of "Mr. Straith," the publication of a potentially fraudulent document that could cloud research is not advisable.

Short Shots & News Notes

This section provides a collection of brief news items and updates:

• Weather Balloon Incident: A recent United Press dispatch from West Point, Mississippi, describes an incident where approximately 300 people, armed with pitchforks and shotguns, gathered to greet what they believed were invaders from a flying saucer. The "object" turned out to be a weather balloon released from Western University in El Paso, Texas.

• Krafft Ehricke on Alien Intelligence: CONVAIR-Astronautics scientist Krafft Ehricke spoke at the American Rocket Society meeting in Los Angeles. He predicted that space travel would lead to humanity's "greatest experience" – meeting intelligent beings from other solar systems. While skeptical about high forms of life within our solar system, he emphasized the profound impact such a discovery would have on human thinking, customs, and religions. Ehricke stated it is the responsibility of American industry to develop projects to explore this possibility.

• Vanguard Failures Forecast: The article notes that five out of six Vanguard satellite carriers had been unsuccessful, causing public concern. A comment from "Flying Saucers - Fact or Fiction?" (circa October 1956) is reproduced, suggesting that even those involved in the Vanguard Program foresaw potential failure due to limited knowledge of rocketry outside ballistic guided missiles.

• Pranksters and Flares: Following up on a previous report, Russ Leadabrand of the Pasadena Independent confirms that Southern California pranksters were dispatching flares attached to balloons at the conclusion of "saucer" lectures. These flares, ignited by timed fuses, created the illusion of UFOs. The pranksters used walkie-talkies to coordinate the release of balloons, which were anchored by rayon cords. They were nearly caught by police in Pomona when neighbors found an anchored balloon.

• New Books and Publications:
• "Look Up," a 66-page illustrated publication by Ray and Rex Stanford, detailing their reported encounters with flying saucers, is available for $2.00.
• Fred Keziah has released a new and revised "Flying Saucer Chart" for $1.00.
• Robert M. L. Baker, Jr., author of "Photogrammetric Analyses of the Utah and Montana Films," received his Ph.D. in Space Navigation from UCLA and will be instructing there.

• International Mars Committee: Extensive interest has been shown in the findings of the International Mars Committee for the 1956 opposition of Mars. Leonard B. Abbey, Jr., Assistant Mars Recorder for the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers, noted that "heavy yellow veils clouds" prevented detailed observations in 1956, but the 1958 apparition is expected to offer excellent opportunities, with closest approach on November 8 and opposition on November 16.

• Government Secrecy:
• Deputy Defense Secretary Donald A. Quarles' policy is criticized by Representative John E. Moss as "complete Pentagon censorship." Press Director Murray Snyder is described as acting as maker of laws, judge, and court.
• Vincent M. Newton of the Tampa Tribune claims Washington has developed a "secret government" that threatens freedom of the press, likening it to censorship in Russia and describing a "stifling curtain of secrecy" over federal government functions.

• Soviet Claim and UFOs: The article references a United Press story by Frank Bartholomew regarding a Soviet claim that American planes on arctic flights could accidentally launch World War III. It highlights a verbatim sentence from Bartholomew's original story: "The counter-offensive striking force of the Strategic Air Command has been sent on its way many times by alerts created by the appearance of...foreign objects, flying in seeming formation, that simply never have been explained." Newsweek reported that about "thirteen flying objects" are sighted daily but remain unidentified despite fighter plane scrambles.

Book Clearance Sale

A list of books related to flying saucers and UFOs is offered at reduced prices:

• The Secret of the Saucers, Angelucci ($2.25)
• Aboard a Flying Saucer, Bethurum ($2.80)
• The Inexplicable Sky, Constance ($2.95)
• Space Gravity & Flying Saucer, Cramp ($2.50)
• The Books of Charles Fort ($6.00)
• The White Sands Incident, Fry ($1.35)
• Lost Continents, de Camp ($2.50)
• Flying Saucers and Common Sense, Girvan ($2.90)
• The Case For the UFO, Jessup ($3.50)
• Expanding Case For the UFO, Jessup ($3.70)
• Flying Saucers from Outer Space, Keyhoe ($2.50)
• The Flying Saucer Conspiracy, Keyhoe ($3.25)
• The Truth About Flying Saucers, Michel ($3.25)
• There Is Life on Mars, The Earl Nelson ($2.50)
• The Report on UFO's, Ruppelt ($2.95)

Back Issues and Merchandise

Back issues of SAUCERS magazine are available for purchase at 35¢ each, 3 for $1.00, or 7 for $2.00. Additionally, the magazine offers "FLYING SAUCER ASH-TRAYS" for $3.50 each and "MADE ON MARS BY LITTLE GREEN MEN" automobile rear window stickers (two for 25¢ or 10 for $1.00).

Space Age Film

An 8mm film, approximately 50 feet long, is available for $6.25 (readers' price) or $7.50 (standard price). It features rockets and guided missiles exhibited at the 1958 Western Space Age Conference, with a free script describing each display.

Valor Magazines

A virtually complete set of Valor Magazines containing George Hunt Williamson's "Saucer Symposium" columns (Jan. 1954 - Dec. 1954, 49 issues) is offered for the best offer over $10.00.

Mars As the Abode of Life

A collector's item, the book "Mars As the Abode of Life" by Prof. Percival Lowell (1909, 288 pp.), is available for $12.00.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the investigation of UFO phenomena, the scrutiny of official communications and potential government secrecy, and the dissemination of news and resources related to the field. The editorial stance appears to be one of critical inquiry, emphasizing the need for evidence and caution against publicizing potentially fraudulent documents. The magazine actively promotes related books, films, and merchandise, serving as a hub for UFO enthusiasts. There is a clear skepticism towards unsubstantiated claims, as seen in the analysis of the "Straith" letter, while simultaneously reporting on various sightings, scientific speculation, and governmental actions or inactions concerning UFOs.