The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1919-12-11
HEAVENS IN UNREST
TOO
Disturbances of Tremendous I'm
pOrtance to Earth Due
December II.

m our solar system toward the sun is
now on, and six of them soon will be
grouped together on one side of it.
Will this rare formation of our in
interstellar neighbors bring fearful
cataclysms upon this globe or will it
merely present strange and beauti-
full spectacle with no untoward re-
suits?
Scientists differ greatly in their
conclusions as to the effect of this
march of the worlds. Prof. Allen F..
Porta, an European meteorologist,
takes the dark view that the unusual
event will be fraught with dire con-
sequences for the earth. The United
States, he says, will be swept by "the
most fearful weather cataclysms ex-
perienced since human history began"
A gigantic explosion of flaming gases
will occur on the sun, he predicts, and
these will leap hundreds of thousands
of miles out into space. Electro-mag-
netic energy will be projected into the
atmosphere of our planet to such an
extent, according to Professor Porta,
that the earth will be subjected to
severe disturbances.
Professor Portals pessimistic con-
illusions have been widely published,
greatly frightening many persons. In
Mexico City, according to Associated
Press dispatches, no less than dozen
persons have committed suicide as a
result of reading the Porta forecast
They believed the end of the world
was near. Persons in this country,
-, have written to the newspapers
agitatedly inquiring if such catas-
trophe is likely to occur.
Contradicting Portals gloomy fore
cast ara the statements of three of
the worlds greatest students of the
heavens Prof. O. H. Truman of the
Lowell Observatory at Flagstaff,
Ariz., declares no calamity will befall
the earth.
at is fact" says Professor Tru-
man, "that for some days before and
after December II six of the planets
Neptune, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus
and Mercury-will be roughly in the
same direction from the sun, Uranus
in directly opposite direction and
the earth somewhere at right angles.
This is doubtless an unusual grouping
l should think, however, that it or
some grouping much like it has oc-
Cured several times before in the
ages of recorded history. However,
no bads results are to be feared from
it. Even should this conjunction of q,
the planets cause sun-spots, and there I
is no certainty that it will, the sun
spots will have no effect upon the /
weather of the earth. a
81 think it too bad that such unfor- 7
tunate predictions gain wide circula-
ton. People believe them--they have
no reason to do anything else-and {
when nothing harmful happens science
as whole is discredited. \
Father Rigge, Jesuit astronomer at "
Creighton College, rated as one of the Z
foremost scientists of the world, too, :
scouts the theory that there will be
any cataclysmic effects upon the earth q
Nothing particularly dreadful is L
likely to happen in December and if
lnything of the sort does this planet y
Try phenomenon will be in no way re- s
ponsible," declares Father Rigge.
Saturn, Mars, Venus and the great b
un Regulus were all in line twice be- .,
ore this year and nothing exciting oc-
urred There is no reason at all to R
e frightened" E
Professor Portals conclusions are
hat the planets are linked to the sun e.
v great chains of electromagnetic
nergy whose compelling forces Ncoun- nj
eract each other and hold each planet %
!, its regular path. Whenever two NJ
lanets wheel into such position that 81
lev pull together on the sun their
nited pull causes the suns gases to IT
leap out into space in
hiring volcano known to astrono-
ers as q sun-spot. On December IL.
Tvs Porta, no less than seven of the a,
reatest planets will be pulling joint az
upon the sun, six of them massed Po
gether in a narrow limit Of but ira
venty-six degrees on the same side ere
the sun. stc
The earth, according to Professor po
,rta, will be in position to receive an,
e full shock of this enormous dis KIN
arge of electromagnetic energy. Ar
II make this startling prophesy with hol
desire to be merely sensational or enc
arming," Professor Porta declares. |
t is merely because my study of the car
anets has revealed certain things sell
tn mathematical certainty that ! for
W say: Be warned in advance. Ire did
,ndous things are going to happen VIZ,
I'm December II to December 20 and the
rewards. san