The Washington times., 1920-01-31

that should the planets be Inhabited
wireless operators on the earth will
be able to make communication pos
sible within a few months. or at least
In a year or two. In his laboratory
at .Hyattsville. Prince Georges coun-
ty. just across the District Line, DR..
Rogers today was enthusiastic over
the possibility of wireless communi-
cation with Mars or Venus, or other
planets.
"I am a firm believer in the theory
that other planets than our own are
inhabited. / intend to tune my re-
ceiving instrument to 100000 metres,
and hope, il while listening in
keep up communication and to
teach the 'senders' in the other in
habited planets our code"
When asked about the conflicting
statements of scientists as to the
possibility OF human existence on the
other planets, DIR. Rogers said:
seientists Knew But Little.
ITO be perfectly frank. the scieu-
tific world knows but little, and the
trouble with most scientific men Is
that they have but little faith and
refuse to believe anything their finite
minds do not comprehend. l am not
a Biblical scholar-but have been
taught that God created this world
and that His crowning act was the
creation OF man. Or, in other words.
He created this planet for man. l
do not believe II is reasonable to sup
pose that in creating the universe God
limited the persons made in His own
image and likeness to this earth
alone.
"All that is being said about radio
communication with the planets is, Of
course mere speculation. 1t is known
that electro magnetic waves travel
with the speed of light-1S6,000 miles
a second. The distance at which these
waves can be received depends not
only upon the power Of the trans
mitting machine, but very largely
upon the efficiency Of the receiving
device. Great developments have
been made of late years, especially in
the latter. The inhabitants of Mars
and Venus may have infinitely more
sensitive receivers than we have, and
consequently may be enabled to hear
us with ease; or they may be endow-
ed with another sense and may be
able to perceive these waves without
Instruments, as we perceive the light
by the eye.
100000 Metre Wave Length.
Mr.. Marconi states that the sup
posed signals from Mars were re-
ceived on instruments tuned to about
1OO, 900 metres. The longest waves
used by us are about 1900 metres.
IL the Martians are sending their sig
nails, they selected this long wave
length so that the waves would rot
be confused with any signals used
on this planet"
IL communication were establish
ed, how would you be able to under
stand each other? DR.. Rogers vas
asked.
Undoubtedly, Il would take a long
time. but with patience 1 think IL
could be accomplished.
"I should suggest that the num-
erals be taught first; for example, by
sending dots. .. -. Zip to 10
before they would understand these
as numerals. Then ] will proceed by
designating these numerals by the
contine ntal code.
II WIZ next send the alphabet In
continental daily until they are able
to repeat It correctly. This much at
tained. we will be in position to be-
gin to use the alphabet As an Illus
tration: when I decide to stop | viii
send In dots and dashes stop ont
hour" and will resume work at
end of that time. The Martians Will
not know what is meant at first, but
n they find by experience that when
these identical signals are received
they have to walt a given time, they
soon will understand the meaning
OF the phrase. believe the Martians
will be most apt pupils-thst Is OF