Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-12-17
AND THE old
WORLD WENT
|R0TAT|NGO
Never Moved a Hair From
Its Path by Pull Of
the Planets.

New York, Dec. 17.-Astonish-
ment was expressed by the super
stitious when the earth did not
come to an end today.
The ominous position OF the
planets had been well press-agent-
ed and some astrologers and per-
sons yersed in witchcraft had
maintained that at the precise mo-
ment when the major leaguers of
the solar system found themselves
in straight line. with Neptune,
Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus and
Mercury on one side Of the sun,
and Uranus on the other, the earth,
which had moved four or FIVE solar
PAGES to the front Of the line,
would behave like the onc-horse
shay Of old.
Scientists had scoffed the idea
but the superstitious ones recalled
having lighted three cigarets with
one match or having walked under
q ladder, or having done. in recent
historic times one Of the thousand
and one things known as omens Of
evil days.
Scientists maintained that the
effect upon the earth of the plan
etary alignment would be nil.
Astrologers have predicted the
end of the world on somewhat SIM
liar occasions for centuries. As
early Is 1886 the world escaped
one Of their threatened cataclysms.
Disappointment at the escape did
not prevent Stoffler from predict
ing Z universal deluge for the year
1924 year, as 1t turned out,
which was distinguished for drouth.
Many Prepared.
Chicago, Dec. 1.-THE "end Of
the world" hoax collapsed today.
But many Of the superstitious, who.
according to ministers, had quietly
prepared for eternity by increased
church attendance, awaited the
vast gales and other phenomena
the tale of the scientific prediction
fOrecasted.
Refutations Of the worlds ami
hilation idea as expounded by sci
entists> were read with d degree of
skepticism by the more gullible
ones.
They're in good IL it sdoesn't
happen" they held. ''and no one
will be left to indict them II it
does"
THE conjunction Of the planets
J may possibly have some slight ef-
/ feet upon the weather, but no ser
iOus disturbances can possibly re-
suit" said Professor Moulton.
Weather Serene.
Washington, Dec. 17.-Experts
who keep the weather under off,
cial surveillance for the govern
ment scanned the heavens and
weather reports in vain today for
any sign that an alleged solar con-
spiracy between the planets Nep-
tune, Jupiter, ct al, was about to
produce storms which would bring
the world to a sudden end. The
best the weather men could make
! out Of the signs as they read them
was that low pressure areas off the
| north Atlantic coast and in the far
northwest had combined to bring
low temperatures, except along the
southwestern border. The outlook
for tonight and tomorrow, the OIL
cial forecaster said. was for local
snow storms in the Great Lakes
region and fair weather elsewhere
east OF the Mississippi river.
Ann Arbor, Mich. Dec. 17.-Pro-
fessor Albert ,Porta. who is gener-
ally credited with having predicted
! the end of the earth today, made
no such fiat statement, according
to information received in univer-
sity circles here.
Porta is said to have predicted
early in July that, beginning about
the middle Of December and con.
tinuing until the middle Of Janu.
ary, there would be a series Of ter.
rife storms. earthquakes and vol.
canic eruptions. The opinion is
expressed in university circles tina,
these forecasts have been strong
ly. enlarged upon in the telling un.
til finally the end 'of the world was
attributed to Porta.
Greatly Exaggerated.
| San Francisco, CAL. Dec. IL
Professor Albert Porta, San Fran.
cisco meteorologist, from whose
deductions on q configuration the
prophecy Of the world coming tt
an end today was said to have
sprung. reported today the predic.
tions Of the worlds end were great.
ly exaggerated,
Il YALE STUDENTS I