South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-08-01
MarCOni and His
Wireless WAGES
From Red Planet
BY ARTHUR REID.


Scientific speculations are not the
vain labors which they often appear
TO simpler minds 10 be As Dr.
Charles p. Steinmctz, The distin-
guished authority on electric waves
and power. remarked recently:
Many of the spcculations of half
a century ago have now become
tangible realities lie was discuss
ing the rcawakened interest in the
possibility of our cOmmun- eating
with the planet Mars.
Tho wireless inventor. Marconi,
has been receiving some my Steriuus
wireless messages which that Ia
nous inventor and discoverer thinks
may come from the Red Planet. The
probability that they did, Dr. Stein
metz thinks, must, to the practical
mind Of the day, be regarded as Il
wild dream"
Notwithstanding which dismissal
he proceeded 10 deliver in highly
practical fashion mis- theory OF the
possibility OF our communicating
with Mars.
If the United States, for in
stance, should SO into the effort
TO send messages TO Mars with
the Same degree of intensity and
thOrOughneSS with which we went
into the war, II is not at all I'M
probable that we should succeed.
To do so would mean the consOli-
datiOn of all tie electric power
in the country into one great
planet or sending station. Lofty
towers would have TO be erected,
1000 feet high or more. and the
cost OF the attempt might be Il
billion dollars"
But having established that the
Martians had sent us message,
what would we actually have gain
ed2 Who could tel whether we had
been sent the Mnrtians' love or been
told 10 go? But even that might be
worked out in time. for il is GER
| tain that once the human magma
| ton takes hold of 4 problem there
| can he no abandonment of specula-
! ton until dcmonstrablc conclusions
/ have been brought forth.
Could we actually get into COM
n>unicatiOn with Mars, would we not
| in all likelihood be less happy than
We are now. if there is any consid
| cradle ambition 10 have such com
nuniCation2 How could We make
/ ourselves understood 10 the Mar
tians and they communicate intel
/ ligCnce to Us? D<sappOintmcntS, on
even worse distreSseS, might ba
, found at the ends OF other rain
! bows which some are diligently fol-
| lowing, or striving 20 follow, into
/ the unknOwable. Sir Oliver Lodge
I expresses the belief that In time hu-
mans will be able net only freely 10
! communicate with the inhabitants
| OF the spirit domain, but that we
may also be sensible OF the life we
| led In q previous incarnation.
To the scientist that may be 4
contamination 10 be desired. But
what a dreadful thing for those
| privileged or compelled 10 compare
/ their conditions and deeds in two
| distinct conditions on earth, IL
might make for happiness here. but
We doubt IL. or all the blessings
which a wise and benehcent God
! has bestowed on mCrtals, can any
other be compared in the making
! Of peace Of mind, the ultimate peace
OF humans, with the faculty TO for
get? Had we the power 10 review
| past incarnations would We not all
| be victims OF sOul-killing regrets II
| not worse?
Leave the dead past buried by all
! means. II progress in occultism
means digging II up. we shall hope
| that IL never gets beyond the stage
! or speculation. What the world
/ needs today, what IL will need mos;
in all time, we may confidently be-
/ lieve. Is an expanding outlook on
the future, an increase Of knowledge
1 OF material things. without loss OF
respect for the spiritual but with
| out too much certain knowledge OF
/ the latter