Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-09-11
LONG He'll. THEORY
ABOUT INHABITANTS
Of MARS IS UPSET
BY LEE OYERMAN
Copyright, 1924 by the Consolidated Press
AssociatiOn-Special Leased Wire
to The Atlanta .ournal.l

ASsociatOn-Spe Leased Wire
to The Atlanta Journal.(
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 9.-Scien-
tific men and the rest of the world
must wait another 200 years or
more before the momentous ques-
ton Of whether Mars is inhabited
can be brought anywhere nearer a
solution than it is at the present
time.
Two weeks spent in watching the
fiery red planet through the larg. !
est telescopes in the world, as ii
journeyed 100000 miles nearer the
earth than usual, has failed to bring
forth any more definite proofs that
there is a race of Marian people
than existed before the recent ''op
position commenced. In fact, the. !
tenor of the observations made by
astronomic savants on the, Pacific
coast during the last few weeks
would tend completely to upset the
long-held theory that Mars boasts |
either human or animal life.
On the other hand, atmospheric
and other conditions on the planet,
scientists now believe, are such that
either animals or humans could ex-
list there There are rivers, noun
tains, seas, plains and vegetation.
Also apparently they have sunsh1ny
~ muggy days there. There is a
:. Rorth and south pole, just like our
own. Moreover, the discovery made |
several years ago that Mars has two
moons has been further substan-
tiated.
Theories Exploded
What has hitherto been regardeQ |
as almost absolute proof that there
was a, Marian people, including SUI
I. per engineers, however, has been
knocked into a cooked hat by the |
newest observations, made under I
the most favorable auspices ever to
obtain
The Marian canals" which scien-
lists theorized had been built by !
Marian super engineers, turn out
to be not, canals at all, but rivers.
They are wide, too wide to nave
been constructed even by super-en-
gineers, and too devious and wind
ing in their kourses to be real ehgl- !
neering projects. Proof that they
really are rivers, however, seems to
be contained in the fact that every
(morning when the SUN first strikes
them they shed vapors or fogs just
like our own earthly streams.
Mars, it already has been decided |
by astronomic Savants, is about half
the size Of the earth. Her polar re-
gions, however, are thought to be
twice as large proportlonately as
ours. Jagged peninsulas of ice, or,
at least, what appears to be ice
through the big observatory tele-
scopes, protrude from the polar re-
gions almost half way to the Mar
titan equator. Under the circum-
stances, some scientists advance the
theory that the Marian tropics are
not nearly so hot as ours.
During the two weeks of ohserva-
tons from Pacific coast observa-
tories. astronomers were able to de-
tect family greenish strips of green,
they now believe, are prima facie
evidence that the planet supports
vegetation. Also through giant tele-
scopes the astronomers noted what
appeared to be mountains capped
with snow, which would show that
Mars, like mother earth, has per-
retual cold in her higher attitudes.
CoIors Are PuzZling
Several color schemes which mad
seen undistinguishable until the
p.anet< deserted it's usual orbit 49,
100000 miles away to take up the
nearer one -00,UUU,UUO JlllSS ulSIeIhN'
also have been detected. Just what
these color patches or streaks de-
note. except where green was OBJ
served, still Is largely a matter OF
mystery. But it may be solved /
when the hundred photographs talk
en- during-the so-called opposition
period" are developed and compared.
In fact, it is upon photographs |
more than anything seen with the
human eye that the scientific Wocld
bases it's hopes of actually proving
something tangible about the fiery
planet BY the use of color screens
> and specially built cameras they
have been able to record the chang
ing phases of these color spots and
ultimately--it will take several weeks
to compare them--the astronomers
hope to make some worthwhile an
nouncement about the war goo
, planet.
Meanwhile, following the lead OF
DIR. II. c.. Aitken, noted Astronomical
authority and director of Lick OBJ
servatory, Mount Hamilton, they are
content to admit that there are no |
artificial markings of any Kid on
Mars ~ Canals partcularly-and |
that the two weeks of observation |
recently ended have tended to multi |
fy. rather than support, former the
cries that human lie existed there |
A.