CONTENTS

For January, 1961

 

 

INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING   ......................................................................             2

UNDERSTANDING ESSAY PROJECT   .....................................................................             3

WHAT "UNDERSTANDING" MEANS TO ME   ..........................................................             4

A CRUSADE FOR LITERACY   .....................................................................................             6

AN IDEA HAS CAUGHT FIRE!   .....................................................................................             8

COUNTRY TO COUNTRY UNDERSTANDING   ........................................................             9

Poet’s corner   ..........................................................................................................             11

FLYING SAUCER CONVENTION IN GERMANY   .....................................................             11

INTERNATIONAL UFO CONVENTION IN GERMANY   ...........................................             13

World report   ...........................................................................................................             14

LETTER TO THE EDITOR   ............................................................................................             20

bulletin board   ........................................................................................................             21

 

——— ♦ ———

 

THE STAFF

 

EDITOR ........................................................................................... Dr. DANIEL W. FRY

asst. editor ...................................................................................   hope troxell

circulation manager ........................................................................  john root

art work by ....................................................................................  Gus tanasale

Published monthly by ‘Understanding,’ a non-profit organization dedicated to the propagation of a better understanding among all the peoples of the earth, and of those who are not of the earth.

 

SUBSCRIPTION RATES

SINGLE COPIES 25c - ONE YEAR (12 ISSUES) $2.50

 

ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO

UNDERSTANDING, P.O. BOX 22, STA. C, PASASDENA, CALIF.

 

 

UNDERSTANDING

VOLUME VI                                 JANUARY • 1961                                       NUMBER 1

Dedicated to the propagation of a better understanding among all the peoples of the earth, and of those who are not of earth.

——— ♦ ———

INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING

by DANIEL W. FRY

"THE GREATEST WEALTH which may be acquired by man, is a complete understanding." A-Ian

Many articles are written, and many orations delivered each week, which have as their subject the present day needs of this nation, and of the world. The needs listed are fully as numerous as those who list them, yet each writer, and each lecturer seems to feel that the needs which he points out are the critical needs, the needs upon which our civilization will stand or fall.

Concerning this country, many writers appear to believe that what we need most at the present time are more and better weapons, to protect ourselves against attack, and offensive weapons to retaliate if an attack should come. Unfortunately, under present conditions, there is a considerable amount of logic to be found in this argument, and there are several millions of persons in this country whose principal occupation is the filling of this need. However, this is not a basic need. It is what we might call a symptom of a greater need, which existed before it.

With regard to the world at large, many authorities believe that the greatest need is to raise the production of all industries and farms to the

2                                                    UNDERSTANDING

point that hunger and want will vanish from the earth. This is indeed a confirmation devoutly to be wished, but before there can be any possibility of its accomplishment, there is again a prior need which must be met.

I would like to point out that what the world needs most today, and what the world has always needed most, is simple understanding between man and man, between State and State, between nation and nation and between all men and God.

Our philosophers and spiritual leaders have often told us that we must love our fellow men, but we are not told how to go about it. Unfortunately, love is an emotion which is not subject to the will. No man can love any one or anything simply because he is advised or commanded to do so. Understanding is an absolute prerequisite to love, and it has the further quality that hate and fear cannot exist in its presence. It inevitably brings to man the realization that, "he best helps himself, who helps his neighbor."

It is because we feel that the lack of understanding is man's greatest poverty, that we have dedicated this new publication to the task of creating a greater degree of understanding between all the peoples of the earth, and of bringing to them some of the understanding of those who are not of earth.

-reprinted from the January, 1956 issue of Understanding

——— ♦ ———

UNDERSTANDING ESSAY PROJECT

Do you have or can you think of a practical and specific proposal to make this world a better place in which to live?

Understanding is planning an essay project in which we will ask readers to submit an essay giving some such proposal.

A prize of $100.00 will be offered to the author of the best essay. The project has been dedicated in memory of Florence Fairfield, one of the nine founding members of Understanding. Mrs. Fairfield was National Corresponding Secretary when she underwent a sudden transition last October.

Further details of the essay project will be announced in a future issue.

 ♦  ♦  ♦ 

I tell you there is nothing in the world only an ocean of tomorrow, a sky of tomorrow and the past is a bucket of ashes.

-Carl Sandburg

JANUARY • 1961                        3

WHAT "UNDERSTANDING" MEANS TO ME

AFTER ATTENDING THE CONVENTION of Understanding Units, held at Williams College, Berkeley, recently, where I heard Daniel W. Fry, founder and President of The International Organization of Understanding, tell how UNDERSTANDING came into being, I began to wonder if I knew what the word really means, a word that embodies a principle and a guide to action, a word that passages character unfoldment, a watchword for the New Age. I had used it often and I felt that I knew its meaning, nevertheless I turned to Webster's dictionary for confirmation of my knowledge and found that the specific definition of the word is: "The power to render experience intelligible by bringing perceived particulars under appropriate concepts."

That's a good definition, I thought, but it doesn't tell me how to acquire the "power" to use understanding intelligently and appropriately. I needed further enlightenment so I opened my Bible to learn what I could about it.

King Solomon said to God, "Give, therefore, thy servant an understanding heart" and God answered, "Behold, I have done according to thy words; lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart."

In the Book of Psalms, King David cried out to the Lord, "Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law . . . Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments . . . Give me understanding, and I shall live ... I am thy servant, give me understanding."

Job, in his great grief over what he felt to be God's injustice, said, "But where shall wisdom be found, and where is the place of understanding ?"

Jesus chided Peter for not knowing the meaning of His parables when He said, "Are ye also yet without understanding?'' and when He was having His last meal with His Disciples, He finished His discourse by saying, " 'These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you . . ." Then opened He their understanding."

Many other references to the word did I find in the Scriptures, but none of them told me how to get understanding so, as I always do when I am in need of anything, no matter what the need may be, I turned to my Heavenly Father.

"Father," I asked, "What does it mean to have understanding, and how and where shall I find it?'' This is His answer:

4                                                    UNDERSTANDING

"The heart that feels is the heart that understands. Only through deep-felt compassion can you understand the needs of others. The heart is the open door to all knowledge for within the heart lies the answer to all things. Seek, always, for more compassionate understanding for the understanding heart is the pearl of great price. It is the place where I abide."

"The heart that feels is the heart that understands!" Now I was getting somewhere in my search. "The heart that feels . . . " said my Father, so I sought in my own heart for the things I had felt.

I had felt resentment, deep-rooted resentment that hardened my heart, like granite, and emptied it of the love I had had for the one who aroused the resentment. I had felt moments of hot anger, anger that flared out in biting, sarcastic words that must have left wounds which will never heal. I had felt pride, pride in spiritual knowledge, in conduct, in insight. I had felt scorn, scorn for those less courageous, less righteous, less virtuous. Were these the things my heart should feel in order to understand?

"Within the heart lies the answer to all things," said my Father. I probed more deeply.

I had felt pity for the homeless, the hungry, the unwanted. I had felt remorseful over having said and done things which wounded. I had felt indignation and great distress over the brutality of mankind to life, both human and animal. I had felt sorrow and sadness and sympathy and admiration and tenderness and adoration and love. Were these the things I should feel in my heart that I might understand? I turned, again, to the words of my Father.

"Seek, always, for a more compassionate understanding . . . " He had said.

Ah, there was the key! " . . . more compassionate understanding . . . " Mercy, clemency, charity, leniency, yearning forbearance! These are the meanings of compassion. These are the feelings I must have in my heart, and as I strive to acquire these feelings, strive to hold them in my heart through all experiences, no matter how difficult or distressing or discordant, then do I have understanding, then do I have the perceptive power to understand my neighbor. Having felt resentment, anger, pride, score in my own heart, then surely my neighbor must have felt them in his heart, too. Having felt pity, remorse, sympathy, tenderness, love in my own heart, then my neighbor must surely have felt them in his heart, too. Knowing that I erred in judgment, or conduct, or love, I know he must also have

JANUARY • 1961                        5

erred in like manner and I find it less difficult to forgive his mistakes for I see in his errors but a reflection of my own and can therefore bear no grudge against him; nor speak words of criticism or condemnation for he is my brother-in-error as well as my brother-in-Christ.

As I learn to understand, so do I learn to forgive. As 1 learn to forgive, I learn to love and as I learn to love, I become God-like. When my heart is filled with a compassionate understanding, filled with a yearning forbearance towards my neighbor, then do I know that I have found an understanding heart, that "pearl of great price.'' Then do I know that God abices in me, and when He created the heaven and the earth and said, "Let there be light!" I think, perhaps, that He may have meant, let there be the light of understanding!

-ELEVNORA WHERRIT

Berkeley, Calif.

——— ♦ ———

A CRUSADE FOR LITERACY

IS DID DE PLACE where we learns to write our own names?"

The speaker was a wiry little colored woman of middle age who opened the door of the room where a literacy class was in session. Se walked boldly down the aisle to the teacher's desk. "My name is Sadie," she announced, "and I wants to write may own name."

The class room was a hall belonging to the Teamster's Union of Yakima, Washington. The teacher was Mrs. Mary C. Wallace.

"You have come to the right place," said Mrs. Wallace. "My name is Mary, and you may sit at this table. We are very happy to have you in our class."

At first Sadie's name was written in large letters on the blackboard and she learned to follow the lines with the motion of her hand and arm. After that-when she could write her name in the air-she was given a pencil and taught how to hold it between her undisciplined fingers.

Sadie not only learned to write her name but after a year in the literacy class she could write to her son in the army and read his letters herself. She could buy her groceries at the supermarket by the names on the packages instead of depending on the pictures. She could read the directions on a bottle of medicine. She could read street signs and leave a note for the milkman and sign her name to a bank deposit slip. Sadie's horizons had expanded; she had found a new world to live in. She had become literate!

6                                                    UNDERSTANDING

With Hank it had been different. He had presented himself at the literacy class reluctantly. He had been given a little hint by the social worker for the Department of Public Assistance that it might be a good idea for him to learn to read and write since he had not been employed for months. He was sure that he couldn't "learn nuthin' ". So many doors had been closed in his face because he was illiterate and he had been told so many times that he was dumb that he believed it.

When Hank presented himself at the classroom, he was shy and suspicious. He clutched his wilted hat nervously as he stood near the door and waited to be noticed. He wore the clothes he had worn all week and he passed his hand nervously over his beard and mop of hair when he saw that the other men in the class were shaven and wore clean shirts.

Hank joined the class, and he soon found that he was not as dumb as he had been led to believe. He could learn, and he soon developed self-confidence and a little pride in his own accomplishment.

After a few months at school, Hank became a little cocky about his new status. He carried a notebook and a pencil in his shirt pocket to advertise to the world at large that he was literate! He could take a job requiring literacy at he local hiring hall, and it wasn't long before Hank was definitely off the rolls in the department of relief in his state.

The cases of Sadie and Hank are but two of the many examples of the work accomplished by Mary Wallace. Two years ago, 1958, Mary became more and more interested in illiteracy problems. The wheels of government agencies ground too slowly to suit her, so she decided to do something about the problem herself.

She organized the LARK FOUNDATION (Literacy for Adults and Related Knowledge) and secured the cooperation of business and professional men, city officials and educators in the vicinity of Yakima. They

acted as an advisory board. "Literacy for Washington by 1968" became the slogan of the Foundation. The aims and purposes of the Foundation is now spreading to other states. Mrs. Wallace has made several trips to Washington, D. C. to arouse educational officials to some action and support of the Crusade for Literacy, and to secure more appropriations of finances to further the work of fighting illiteracy. She has held workshops for teacher training and writer-training in a number of states.

Illiteracy is highest among our own Negroes in the southern states. It is highest among the foreign-born European and Puerto Rican population in New York and the north Atlantic states. It is highest in the Pacific

JANUARY • 1961                        7

states among the foreign-born Mexicans and Orientals.

As Mary's program progressed, she struck a snag with regard to reading matter for her second-year students. Her teaching program is based on the slogan:

Learn to read; then read to learn.

It wasn't difficult to teach her students to read, but when they reached the stage where they were to continue reading in order to learn, there was a strange lack of books on the library shelves with adult viewpoints, adult interests and reactions which had been written in the vocabulary limit of the student. The student's vocabulary, after one year in school, is 500 to 1,000 words, or the reading capacity of the fourth grade or grammar school. (Thorndyke-Lorge listing of 1,000 most-used words.) But what adult wants to read material that is geared to a fourth-grade mind? He wants to know what is going on in the world.

Mrs. Wallace had an idea. In San Jose, California, she had a friend, who is also a friend of mine, who had been a writer, teacher and editor with years of experience. Her name is Miss Frances Vejtasa and she has been teaching creative writing to a group of would-be writers in and near San Jose Mrs. Wallace made an appeal to Miss Vejtasa to arouse the interest of her future authors in the "new literature" and in the techniques of writing informative material, or "remedial" reading matter to be used by the LARK FOUNDATION. There is neither a promise of financial reward or crowns of glory in attempting to write the new literature. There is only the feeling of satisfaction of doing something creative and being helpful to someone else. It was through Miss Vejtasa that I became interested in the Foundation and in the work it is doing.

The result was that I promised to do a story of a truck driver and the trucking business against a background of the orchards, vineyards, canneries and packing houses in the San Joaquin Valley. How was I to get moral, emotional and spiritual overtones in a truck story? It was not hard at all. The truck driver in my story is a very real person and I am close enough to him to realize his emotions, his values in life and the very great sense of responsibility he has to his employers, the shippers and consignees of the cargo he hauls, and his responsibility toward other drivers who share the highways with him. MOTORS IN MOTION is the name of the book. The truck story preaches, not by threats or the ultimatums of a drill sergeant, but by those subtle techniques used in teaching little children in school.

8                                                    UNDERSTANDING

Mrs. Wallace and Miss Vejtasa conducted a LARK workshop in San Jose on October 24, 25 and 26 of this year. Mrs. Wallace drilled the class in methods of teaching non-speakers and non-readers in English in literacy classes. Miss Vejtasa instructed the group in the rules and techniques for writing the "new literature." I had the pleasure of delivering the manuscript of the truck story to these two women. It will be printed as soon as funds are available and will be sold to students and libraries at nearly cost price.

For data on illiteracy figures, see the tabulations of the Campus Bureau of 1950. The figures are staggering. We don't want Russia, (who boasts of 100% literacy below the age of thirty) to know how illiterate we really are.

It seems to me that there is an enormous potential for UNDERSTANDING in turning our attention to those who are being left out and left behind in our own evolution instead of spending so much time reaching into the great beyond and the great out-there into space.

-ALICE STICKLES

Secy., Unit 30

Turlock, Calif.

——— ♦ ———

AN IDEA HAS CAUGHT FIRE!

IT ONLY TAKES A TINY SPARK to set a gigantic forest fire. It took only a tiny spark to set an idea going that will light another torch for PEACE. A spark of an idea caught the imagination of a young Hollywood songwriting couple, Jill Jackson and Sy Miller who wrote the song, "Let There Be Peace on Earth." The second line says, "And let it begin with ME," which they did, by giving it as their gift for peace. They give, not sell, the permission to use this song to groups who wish to use it as a theme. As Jill herself says, "The idea was given to us" so that they could share it for they both believe that it is a universal idea.

The words were so dynamic to three other people that they stated a variation on a theme. It is a guess who started which part first but by the idea and action of three people, Gene E. Clark, Harry Tuckey of California and Glen Martin of Canada (both World Tape pals) the first two lines of the peace song were printed, typed or written on every letter that was written for this truly was letting it begin with them! They also told three

JANUARY • 1961                        9

other people about this idea and asked them to try it. Just think, by each person telling three other people, the entire world would hear about this in only 21 days, the United States in only 17 days.

The greatest part of this idea is that you and I can do it. We don't have to have great influence in Washington or Moscow or be a great leader-we can do it in our own quiet way. Each of us knows at least 3 people and those 3 know at least 3 more. This idea does not take many hours and yet it is a powerful idea that can reach millions of people by our tiny spark for we, our world, is now in the dry timber of peace in which our effort can light a gigantic torch, a symbol of peace for ALL the world. We can begin with this idea TODAY. We can use the tiny address labels or hand write the words.

But whatever way you choose a moment or two may produce a miracle.

-(Reprinted from The Chimes)

Peace Prayer

Let there be peace on earth,

Let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth,

The peace that was meant to be.

With God as our Father, brothers all are we.

Let me walk with my brother, in perfect harmony.

Let Peace begin with me, let this be the moment now.

With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow

To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally,

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.

COUNTRY TO COUNTRY UNDERSTANDING

(Following are excerpts from letters received by members of El Monte Unit No. 1 from pen pal correspondents in foreign countries. The correspondents are New Age individuals whose names and addresses were obtained through "Voice Universal," a quarterly New Age newspaper published in England.)

From a Hungarian Telegraph Messenger

" . . . I am 23 years old and I work at the post office here in our town. I am a telegraph messenger and I work eight hours in every day and seven days in a week. I must work on Saturdays and Sundays too. I have 24 days leave in every year, which I use to spend at home always, because I have no money to travel holidays. Therefore, I spend my free time with reading, writing and learning of foreign languages. At present I know two foreign

10                                                  UNDERSTANDING

languages: the English and German. But later I want to learn the other important foreign languages too. Of course, I have a lot of hobbies too. They are stamp collecting, map collecting, records collecting, colored picture collecting, badge collecting and cravate collecting. . .

"I am sorry to say but my father is dead and I live at my mother's alone because my sister and brothers are all married. My mother is 64 years old and she works at home as a housewife. My sister is 45 years old and she works also at home as a housewife. Her husband is a peasant, who works at the cooperative here. They have two sons, one who is 20 years old and is in the Army at this moment, the other who is 13 years old and goes to the General School yet. My eldest brother is 39 years old and he works in a little factory here. He has a little son who will start the second grade in the General School at this September. My younger brother is 35 years old and he is a policeman here in our town. He is married also and he has two little daughters. They are very nice and pretty."

From a Farmer in India

"First of all I must introduce myself to you. Well-I am a farmer and grow wheat, cotton, sugarcane and paddy etc. I have one sister and four brothers and I am the youngest. Both my parents are dead for the last few years. I actually belong to Pakistan where my father and grandfather had built up large fortunes in the form of big farms and buildings and bungalows. In 1947 the British gave freedom to India and Pakistan came into existence as a result of partition of India. As Pakistan was created on the demand of Muslims of India, they wanted to have the country solely for themselves, so they started a large scale killing and butchering of Hindus and Sikhs and destroyed their properties and robbed them of all their belongings. This thing happened throughout the whole of Pakistan with the result that all Hindus and Sikhs left Pakistan. Of course there was a little retaliation his side too, but that was very meager and short lived with the result that forty million or more Muslims are living in India today whereas there is not a single Hindu left in Pakistan. Anyway I don't bear them any grudge, because these things do happen at times and people have to suffer for freedom. Though the Hindus who were already living this side did not suffer at all, we had to pass through many ordeals, I saw with my own eyes people being killed like flies, speared butchered and shot at. Young girls being taken away forcibly and small children being struck against the walls and then hanging them on spears. Young Hindu ladies

JANUARY • 1961                        11

being marched naked in the streets being taken in the form of processions by the Pakistani goonda (bad) element and even more than that-Well I would not like to go beyond that to tell you what happened further. You can well imagine the curse that befell a nation. In this millions of lives were destroyed. As we had lots of arms and ammunitions with us and had many Muslim friends too, we were lucky to reach this side of the border all alive and honorably. Of course we did exchange fire with them for full two days. But in spite of all that I would never say if Muslims are bad. After all bad element is there in every society. I am receiving letters from a number of Muslim friends from Pakistan."

——— ♦ ———

Poet’s corner

 

Understanding

Even as the mild-white curds emerged as a spiraling, whirling nebulosity to become a galaxy of a million scintillating stars, and principles shaped forms, and Man had his infantile beginning, Mind questioned meaning. Eons of time have passed, and yet no time; stars have traveled endless parsecs of space, and yet have gone nowhere. Where in the random drift of the galaxies is the meaning and the purpose, the cause and the motive, the beginning and the end?

-WILLIAM HAMILTON

El Monte, Unit No. 1

12                                                  UNDERSTANDING

FLYING SAUCER CONVENTION IN GERMANY

Report on The International UFO Convention in Germany, Wiesbaden; Rhein-Main Hall, on Oct. 22-24, 1960.

IT WAS THE GREATEST CONVENTION of its kind ever held, here or in the United States of America, and I personally have visited a good many of them. The Wiesbaden Convention was attended by peoples from 14 different nations. The auditorium was filled to capacity with 1000 people present during each of the 3 days. The audience received everything which had been presented with great enthusiasm.

Outside of Karl L. Veit, who is the founder and leader of the German UFO-Research Society Center in Wiesbaden, there were many other speakers: Prof. Dr. Herman Oberth, Prof. Dr. Lyra, Dr. W. Martin, Mrs. Clare Müller, Dr. Froese, Assistant Master K. Maier, Dr. André Fischer, Dr. A. Teichmann, Dr. Koeberle, Dipl.-Ing. O. Schwarz, Dipl.-Ps. H. J. Anderson, DiplAng. Rosendo Eder, who gave most interesting lectures.

However, the main attraction at this event were 2 contactees from the United States of America: Carl A. Anderson of Fullerton, Calif., who has had and still maintains close personal contact with KUMAR, a friend from the planet Mars, and Reinhold O. Schmidt from Bakersfield, Calif., who not only has had contact with space friends from the planet Saturn; but has been taken on several trips on crafts from outer space.

While here in Wiesbaden, R. Schmidt (as he is so affectionately known to the people who have taken him into their hearts) received a very important message from his friends from Saturn.

I also say that the vibrations were wonderful throughout the whole convention.

A German lady contactor, Mrs. Elisabeth Weindt of Goslar, gave an account of her experiences in detail that made a deep impression on the hearers. She has communicated with friends from the universe for two years and also visited a space craft and took two trips in this space craft.

Apart from a press conference with 22 reporters, many papers and illustrated magazines sent representatives to attend the convention. Radio transmissions also took place given by the Hessische Rundfunk, the Südwestfunk and Radio Paris Enter, Paris. All the visitors showed an uninterrupted interest in the exhibition connected with the convention the exhibition

JANUARY • 1961                        13

INTERNATIONAL UFO CONVENTION IN GERMANY

Principals at the Wiesbaden UFO convention included American contactees Carl Anderson, second from left, and Reinhold O. Schmidt, second from right. At far left is Karl L. Veit, founder and leader of the German UFO Research Society Center in Wiesbaden. The two women are Mrs. E. Elbert, center, and Frau Anny Veit.

——— ♦ ———

connected with the convention that displayed UFO photos from all over the world, maps of the earth and heavens as well as statistics and tables with books citing titles and UFO periodicals from every continent.

The UFO-Convention in Wiesbaden with the motto: "International Understanding"-"International-Interplanetarian Friendship", as well as the general theme "The Advert o f the Planetarians," and "The Beginning o f a New Era," called forth a mighty wave of stimulating energy and pronouncement of facts, which proves the cosmic principle "Love without Limits."

14                                                  UNDERSTANDING

The course of the convention will be published in a brochure and in a book. A decision made by the convention resulting from the work was published by the managing committee, the honorary, members and the members of the German UFO-Research Society, center in WiesbadenSchierstein, Box 17 185, and signed by them.

-KARL L. VEIT

-ELLA ELBERT

Los Angeles

Interpretor

——— ♦ ———

World report

Flying Saucers Make Their Reappearance

(From "Le Matin" -Aug. 8, 1960. Translated from French)

LILLE, France - Flying saucers made their reappearance in the northern sky. Several inhabitants in the area near the Belgian border have been witness to mysterious phenomena.

The first received testimony is that of a Belgian person, living at Mont-sur-Marchienne, near Charleroi (Belgium), who, on Tuesday at 23.20 hrs (GMT)-(11:20 p.m.,), discovered five red lights, followed by a sixth, which all moved with an amazing speed, coming from France and going to Namurs (Belgium). The witness observed the objects for a while, when one of them suddenly quit the group and swung away in a right angle.

But a more amazing declaration was made by a farmer in the neighborhood of Saint-Omer and by his wife, who still was very excited by the adventure.

This is the story of Mr. Daniel Hiot, (26 years of age) and of his wife, Anne Marie Bisslart, living at Disques (a small community in the county of Moringham P.de C.)

Tuesday night, the couple stayed at the home of the young lady's parents at Moulle. Later in the evening, as Mr. and Mrs. Hiot went in their car to go home, Mr. Risslart (Mr. Hiot's father-in-law), showed them on

JANUARY • 1961                        15

a large dot, of a dark red color, which he held to be the moon or the reflection of the glimmer of some other object.

Mr. and Mrs. had forgotten the phenomena, when shortly afterwards, at the outskirts of the village, an illuminated engine, red like the setting sun, placed itself suddenly in front of Mr. Hiot's car, and blocked the road to that point, that the driver, afraid of a collision, stepped on his brakes. The engine, said Mr. Hiot, did not make any sound and did not give off any smoke. It had the form of a sphere, of which the underside was very brightly illuminated, and the upper part was in darkness, and very vague.

It measured about 5 meter (± 16 ft.) around, and I had the impression of somebody being aboard.

This impression was confirmed by Mrs. Hiot, who declared having a vague impression of a human form and a very distinctive one of an arm. The adventure of Mr. and Mrs. Hiot did not stop with this.

After having avoided the collision, the farmer saw, with such anxiety as one can imagine, the mysterious engine take to the left side of the road, and follow the car, which pursued its way, for about one kilometer (.6 miles) and about 20 meter (60 ft.) behind it, and about 3 meters (10 ft.) off the ground.

The adventure caused a great emotion in the community of Moringham where people know Mr. Hiot as a very sincere and reliable person. These statements were then sent to the police dept. for consideration, which, on instruction of other interested Departments started an investigation.

Scientist Urges Quest for Life in Outer Space

(Los Angeles Times, Nov. 7, 1960)

Did Life originate and is it evolving on other planets in the same manner that it did on earth, or are there schemes other than the one the biologists know about on earth?

"Personally, I think that the scheme we know about is not a unique way of producing life. But I can't prove it-yet," Dr. Joshua Lederberg told scientists and students at a Caltech conference last week.

Dr. Lederberg, a Nobel Prize-winning scientist from Stanford University, has a reason for asking the question: he wants to send an unmanned rocket equipped with life-detecting instruments to some distant solar object.

16                                                  UNDERSTANDING

Scientists no longer doubt that life exists elsewhere in the universe. They have now reached the point where the nature of such life should be studied. Such information would be vastly useful in learning more about life processes here on earth, Dr. Lederberg said.

'Sandmen' May Be on Planets

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 1960 (AP) -There may be true "sandmen" on some yet undiscovered planets, a team of University of Pennsylvania scientists said today.

The sandmen were envisioned as living creatures having silicon-an essential constituent of sand and rocks-as their basic component, instead of carbon. The latter is the key element in the chemistry of all life on earth.

The researchers told about it in a report prepared for the opening of the autumn meeting of the National Academy of Sciences.

The scientists said: "At the present time, our knowledge of these simple silicon compounds is at the stage where carbon chemistry was 150 years ago.

"Since all living substances contain both simple and complex carbon compounds, it is somewhat fascinating to wonder whether silicon compounds will, within the next 150 years, be introduced into living substances in place of analogous carbon compounds."

They added: "It is possible that living 'things', with their chemistry based on silicon instead of carbon, may exist in some of the billions of yet undiscovered planets having an atmosphere of different composition from that on earth."

Flashing Light Reported in Sky

(From Los Angeles Times, Nov. 8, 1960)

Another one of those mysterious flashing lights reportedly raced briefly across the sky above the Santa Monica Bay area Monday night, touching off a flurry of telephone calls to newspapers and police agencies.

Griffith Park Observatory officials said they failed to spot the light, but hazarded a guess that it might have been a low-flying meteor.

Many See Object in Skies; No One Knows What It Is

(Milwaukee Journal, Nov. 23, 1960)

Early risers in Milwaukee, Sheboygan and Fon du Lac, as well as many other places in the Midwest, reported seeing a bright object sailing through the dawn sky Wednesday.

JANUARY • 1961                        1

The control tower at Gen. Mitchell field, as well as amateur observer here, saw two luminous bodies, trailed by vapor, or a tail similar to that o a comet.

Thousands of calls were reported to newspaper offices, police stations weather bureaus and control towers throughout the Midwest.

There was some conjecture that the sightings might have been views of a rocket stage of Tiros 11, a satellite which went into orbit Wednesday morning. Rockets drop off in stages when satellites are launched, then burn up as they fall through the atmosphere.

However, some authorities said this theory was impossible. Milwaukee's weather bureau said it believed that the sightings were reflections from chaff (aluminum foil) dropped from a B-47 in an air force radar jamming exercise.

Midway airport in Chicago said this was a possible explanation but added: "We've never seen anything like it before and don't know what it was."

Keith Muir, assistant chief of Detroit's metropolitan air control center said he had advance notice of a foil drop.

However, Edward A. Halback, director of the Milwaukee Astronomical society observatory, computed that to be seen in the reflection of the sun at Detroit, the tinfoil would have to have been dropped from a plane 130 miles high. Even the U-2 flies only 20 miles high.

Reflection of Sun?

Michigan state police headquarters at East Lansing, Michigan, speculated that the light might have been a reflection of the sun on a scientific balloon launched early Wednesday from Sioux Falls, S. D., in connection with the Tiros satellite launching at Cape Canaveral, Fla.

But the weather bureau said it was unlikely that the balloon could have traveled the 500 miles from Sioux Falls to Chicago in less than an hour and a half.

The unidentified object was sighted in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.

The federal aviation agency control center for Chicago said it saw some mysterious bright lights high in the sky "that didn't look like a meteor."

The control center at Chicago's O'Hare International airport was equally mystified. "Everybody has been getting reports on it, but we don't know what it was," the tower said.

18                                                  UNDERSTANDING

"It was some sort of object with a contrail behind it, traveling from west to east and visible for about 10 minutes."

San Diego Sighting

One very warm Sunday evening in August, I suggested to my family that we go to drive-in theatre. After calling several theatres to find out what was showing we decided to go to the Aero Drive-In Theatre in Bastoria, Calif. At the time, the pictures playing were "Huckleberry Finn" and "Five Branded Women".

During the showing of "Huckleberry Finn," my wife; Lorraine, my daughter Cheryle and I simultaneously observed a pale green round object coming down toward us, approximately in a 75 degree angle. We all thought it was a falling star, then suddenly it made a 90 degree turn to our left for a few moments, then made another 90 degree turn and. headed away from us and then suddenly disappeared. From this observation we all came to the conclusion that this must be one of the Flying Saucers we have heard so much about. This took place about 10:30 p.m.

-JOHN V. ANZALONE

San Diego, Calif.

Massachusetts Sighting

I saw a UFO tonight! At about 6:45 as I was walking back from the library, a large circular steady white light was moving rapidly (very rapidly) from southwest to northeast. There was no red or, green flashing lights as are characteristic of airplanes at night. Also, no sound of any sort could I hear coming from it. It disappeared over (I say over not under-it was very high) the horizon in about five minutes. Could have been a satellite but I've heard of no new ones. It could, also, have been a flying saucer.

-DENNIS KLOEPFER

Student at Phillips Academy

Andover, Mass.

Talking to Other Worlds

(From Pasadena, Calif. Star News)

(Those stars in the sky may be more than just winking and blinking at us. Possibly the blinks are light rays from inhabited planets flashing signals earthward. Scientists are cocking sensitive radio ears to space to see if they can get the message.- the Editor)

SCIENTISTS in this country and elsewhere are cautiously hatching ideas for getting in touch with other worlds.

JANUARY • 1961                        19

They are motivated by the belief that in the universe there are 100 million planets something like our own and that many of them are populated by beings much smaller than earthlings.

In our little speck of the universe, the galaxy called the Milky Way, they think there are thousands of such worlds. Some of these are believed to be older than the earth and technologically far ahead of us.

It is quite likely, the scientists say, that some of these worlds are reaching out toward each other with their facilities for communication. The earth may be one of the communication targets. Radio signals from highly developed civilizations may be flashing past us right now.

IT IS CONSIDERED probably that some of these other worlds have aimed satellites toward their likely-looking neighbors, possibly including us.

This could mean that a cosmic communication satellite is circling our sun, waiting for us to give it the go-ahead with a message.

Instead of radio signals or satellites some of these other worlds could be broadcasting heat waves. Still other might have a kind of super-lighted ray, brighter than the sun, which they could switch off and on. This could produce a visual message for some other world clever enough to read it.

The possibility of a cosmic satellite in our own front yard has been raised by Prof. Ronald N. Bracewell, radio astronomy expert at Stanford University.

Prof. Bracewell offered his idea in the British Scientific magazine Nature. He did this while other scientists in this country were making their first systematic effort to detect radio messages from other worlds.

FOR SIX HOURS daily over a month period scientists at the National Radio Astronomy Laboratory at Green Bank, W. Va., turned a big radio ear toward two solar systems something like our own.

This was a test run for the Green Bank instrument and the scientists expected nothing. They got nothing. But the attempt set off a flurry of suggestions from other scientists.

Prof. Bracewell reasoned that some other worlds already have communicated with each other, possibly by some means unknown to us.

For the present, one way of getting into the act, he says, is to start interrogating the region of the sun with radio impulses. If a cosmic radio satellite is anywhere around, and if we hit its wave length, then it may send something back to us on that frequency.

Also, our chances would improve if we could launch a thousand radio

20                                                  UNDERSTANDING

satellites capable of reaching a thousand stars with planetary systems. These satellites should be equipped with radio facilities able to pick up any interrogating signal from other worlds and answering it.

AS A BACKWARD technological society in this picture, Prof. Bracewell says, the least we could do would be to listen for radio signals that might come directly from other worlds.

This is something radio amateurs could do if a monitoring system could be arranged. They would stand vigils involving hours of listening to the "white noise" of static, awaiting faint peeps that eventually might make cosmic history.

The signal might be only a series of blots or dashes, or a mixture of both. Or it might be something rhythmic like the ruffle of a drum. Once received, it would be repeated back in space in the hope that the original sender would receive and recognize it as a living response to his efforts.

This would be the hard, slow way because the nearest likely solar systems are 10 to 100 light years away. A light year is the distance light travels in one year-about six trillion miles.

SO ANYTHING received from outer space now would be something that was started on its way 10 to 100 years -ago or more. Because radio waves travel at the same speed as light. And it would take an equal time for our reply to get back to the original sender.

The best bet, says Prof. Bracewell, is to use many satellites of our own, and wait for decades, possibly generations, for results.

Either that or cling to the hope that other worlds reached the space age centuries ago and sent out satellites which now loiter in our own solar system, ready to send us a message whenever we ask for it.

One of the proposals involves a spooky theory that there could be a system of world which surrounds its own sun. It would resemble somewhat a balloon with a swarm of little balloons completely enveloping it.

THIS KIND OF WORLD might now be sending messages via heat waves instead of radio impulses, says Dr. Freeman J. Dyson, theoretical physicist at the Institute for Advanced Studies at Princeton University.

Dr. Dyson speculates also that intelligent beings somewhere might overflow their natural world and in their desperate bid for living room attempt to build such an invisible world around their sun.

In our own solar system, Dr. Dyson says, the planet Jupiter could supply enough material to surround the sun with a shell of little planets. To disintegrate the big planet and rebuild it into little ones would

JANUARY • 1961                        21

require the energy output of the sun for 800 years, he adds. To keep the project going through a series of life-spans, the builders would have to work out some system for the continuity of their lives.

SPOOKY OR NOT, the exploitation of matter and energy on such a scale is not an absurdity, Dr. Dyson asserts. He foresees the earth impossibly overcrowded in a few hundred years. This would justify man's attempt to build an. artificial world, he says.

One of the things Prof. Bracewell talked about informally but did not propose in his Nature article is the possible use of a new kind of light producing instrument as a cosmic communication device.

This instrument concentrates light rays into needle-like beams that spreads out very little, even over long distances. It was developed by scientists working for the Hughes Aircraft Co., and its product is called coherent light.

The effect of the instrument is a long-distance spotlight. Its beam directed at the moon would illuminate an area only 10 miles in diameter. The new light is rated somewhat brighter than the sun's interior. Someday, Prof. Bracewell says, a highly developed coherent light may make it possible for other worlds to detect life on earth by seeing a winking signal which we make so bright that even the sun cannot outshine it. Coherent light, developed on other worlds other than our own, might open an additional way for cosmic communication.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editors:

After reading Octavius R. Cohen's article on "Things I Can't Explain" in the October American, am prompted to tell you of some of my experiences in my life-time.

I, too, believe there are things we can't explain. We must be given a sixth sense, that has never been developed but at times works. I am seventy-four years old. Brought up on the wind-swept plains of Kansas with many happy memories of my childhood. Later married and moved to Michigan where I have lived for the past forty-five years.

For many years I lived on a farm a mile from my parents' farm. In 1935 an uncle of mine who lived in Portland, Oregon, decided to come East to visit my father, his brother. He was always a great favorite with us all, and we looked forward eagerly to his coming.

He was about eighty-one years old at the time but very spry. He wrote

22                                                  UNDERSTANDING

when he was leaving, but he did not mention that he might stop off on the way.

Several days passed and then a week. We were much worried and then on the ninth day in the morning as I was washing the dishes, there came to me this message, "Don't worry, I will be with you before noon."

I left the dish-pan, called my mother, telling her what had happened. She was provoked with me although she knew I had gone through some other such experiences.

To wit, at eleven o'clock, there was Uncle standing at the door-way saying, "Well, Katy-Did, here I am. How are you?"

Some might say coincidence; if it hadn't happened, you would never have given it another thought.

But not so, for I have never received a message that it didn't materialize.

How did I know? Whence did it come? Can you help me?

-KATE BARKER

Lapeer, Mich.

Dear Editor:

Much as I do not claim to be a poet, I am at times moved to represent some verses on the paper ... kindly give me a corner should you consider the articles presentable ...

LIFE, A CAVE JOURNEY!

Life is all but a cave

Where tunnels though many be,

One! for joy, the way pave.

To the end he who gets,

After all adds small and great,

Nothing but Heaven gets.

-S. I. EJEBE

Nigeria, Africa

——— ♦ ———

A number of New Age publications have recently given very favorable mention of Understanding organization and this magazine. The editors would like to express deep appreciation in particular to "Voice Universal," a quarterly newspaper published at 8, Watling Road, Southwick, Brighton, Sussex, England, and to "The New Age Expositor," a magazine also published quarterly, at PO Box 151, Foothill Station, Salt Lake City 8, Utah, for their efforts on our behalf.

JANUARY • 1961                        23

bulletin board

 

New Units

Understanding Magazine takes great pleasure in welcoming a number of new units this month.

We reported last month the entrance of Units from Oklahoma City, Okla. and Toledo, Ohio, but not their officers. Here now are the leaders of these two new units:

OKLAHOMA CITY, (Okla.), Unit No. 44, is headed by Charles O. Rhoades, 2856 N.W. 18th St., Oklahoma City 7, Okla. Other officers include Thom Stemen, vice-president, and Ray M. Rush, secretary-treasurer.

TOLEDO (Ohio), Unit No. 45, has as president Wilbert Eble, 1431 Milburn Ave., Toledo 6, Ohio. He is being assisted by his wife as vice-president and Russet Grubbs as secretary-treasurer.

Other New Units:

SACRAMENTO, Unit No. 46, has come in with Steele M. Goodman, 2426 "G" St., Sacramento, president; Maurice Simms, vice-president; Berea Wheelihan, secretary and Irene Kennedy, treasurer.

PALM SPRINGS, Unit No. 19, inactive for some time, has reorganized under the leadership of Phyllis Beaulac, 1387 San Jacinto Way, Palm Springs. Treasurer is Fred R. Brooks of Morongo Valley, a frequent contributor of articles to Understanding Magazine.

An additional Canadian unit has been added with the formation of an Understanding Unit by the well-known Vancouver Area Flying Saucer Club. Howard Nelson of 673 Jackman Rd., R.R. 1, Aldergrove, British Columbia, Canada, is president. Isobel Shearman is vice-president, Herbert D. Clark is secretary and Mary Barr is treasurer.

24        UNDERSTANDING

News of the Units

EL MONTE, Unit No. 1, recently entertained Gloria Lee, author of "Why We Are Here," who spoke on "The Space Program and the Latter Days," and Dana Howard, well-known author and lecturer, speaking on "Space Age Education."

SAN MATEO, Unit No. 2, heard Dr. Wallace Halsey and his talk on "Miracles of the Sky."

ORANGE, Unit No. 7, hosted Gen. Herbert C. Holdridge and his talk "Where Do We Go From Here?" The members also have entertained Roy Parsons for a lecture recently.

LONG BEACH, Unit No. 8: Jim Velasquez was one . of this unit's speakers during last November.

SANTA CRUZ, Unit No. 9, recently held a rummage sale which netted enough to meet social service needs at Christmas. Wayne S. AhD addressed the unit during November.

PASADENA, Unit No. 12, hosted a lecture by Riley Crabb on "The Reality of the Underground."

BROOKLYN, Unit No. 14, held a Saucer Forum during November at which Dan Martin, contactee, spoke.

INGLEWOOD, Unit No. 15: The second anniversary of this unit was celebrated during November, when Dan Fry, founder of Understanding, spoke on "The Curve of Development."

PALM SPRINGS, Unit No. 19, entertained Dana Howard in November with a lecture on "Is Space Education Necessary to Our Future?"

RIVERSIDE, Unit No. 22: Elections were held recently with Esther Stilgebouer, 3849 7th St., Riverside, elected president. ' Other officers include Gerald W. Lowery, vice-president; Ferne Soloman, secretary, and Mary Barron, treasurer. Membership meetings are being held the first and third Wednesdays. Gloria Lee is scheduled to address the unit during January.

SAN JOSE, Unit No. 25; Betty McCain spoke to this unit in November on "The Great Significance of Man's Awakening."

TURLOCK, Unit No. 30, hosted both Wayne Aho and George Hunt Williamson recently. A big delegation from Fresno attended the Williamson lecture.

RENO (Nev.), Unit No. 40, recently elected a new treasurer, Mrs. Katherine Yost.

——— ♦ ———

————————— ♦ —————————

 

BOOKS RECOMMENDED

AS AN APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING

 

ABOARD A FLYING SAUCER, by Truman Bethurum .................................  3.00

a call at dawn, by kelvin rowe (paper, $2.50)...................................... 3.50

the coming golden age, by dr. f. w. summer ......................................  3.50

cosmic attainment, by hope troxell....................................................... 1.00

council of seven lights, by george van tassel............................... 3.50

flying saucer pilgrimage, by h. and b. reeve ....................................  3.50

How to think to live forever, by Martha baker ..............................  1.00

many shall be called, by marke Norman............................................... 3.25

my contact with flying saucers, fino kraspedon .........................  3.75

My trip to mars moon and venus, by buck nelson ..........................  1.00

night has 1000 saucers, by calvin c. girvin (paper, $2.00).............. 3.00

road in the sky, by g.h. williamson ...........................................................  4.00

Race to the moon, Scientist from Venus .............................................  2.00

SECRET OF THE SAUCERS, by Orfeo Angelucci .................................... 3.00

Secret forces that changed the world, by frank bowman     3.50

Temple of god, annalee skarin .................................................................  3.50

To men of earth,

WHITE SANDS INCIDENT, one volume, by Daniel Fry ............................  2.00

To god the glory, by annlalee skarin ...................................................  2.95

Transvaal episode, by anchor ..................................................................  1.00

Unity in the spirit, by comptesse de pierrefeu .................................  2.50

Up rainbow hill, by dana howard............................................................... 4.50

Voice of venus, vol. 1 by dr. ernest l. Norman ................................  3.25

Voice of eros, vol. 2 by dr. ernest l. Norman ...................................  3.95

Voice of hermes, vol.3 by dr. ernest l. Norman ..............................  3.95

Wake up the god in you and live, by Martha baker ........................  2.00

we of the new dimension, by Will and evelyn miller .....................  2.00

wisdom of the universe, by hope troxell............................................ 3.25

Ye are gods, by annalee skarin ................................................................  3.50

——— ♦ ———

These books may be purchased from Understanding. We pay all postage.

Residents of California please add 4% Sales Tax.

————————— ♦ —————————