The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-08-29
,eAGaRaONcE
 i''5D OVER
MessaRes Fron the Martians

IN HAIRS is trying to communicate with the lIWI earth. Strange code messages are be- ing picked up by powerful radio sta tions and every attempt is being made to de. cipher them. It is very important that this be done. Mars may be trying to place a large business order with us. On the other hand she merely may be asking What time is it? or Gotta match"
 Washington is making no serious effort to ge the Martian message. It fears the Mar. tians may be asking for loan. And Wash ; ington has had enough experience to know better than to go out of its way to open up fresh correspondence with any country or planet not making itself clearly understood at the outset.
 Amos 0. Pipp, noted amateur scientist, de- clares he received distinctly several messages from Mars last evening on his five-bulb radio set. The first came shortly after nine o'clock and read:
 "Bentryn tget yufer evenourser victurbull.' v r After studying this desperately it became obvious that what Mars was trying to say was:
 Been trying to get you for even an hour. The service is terrible!'
 At 9:3o Mir. Pipp sent this message to Mars: 'Is there anything you would like to know about the United States? Are you par ticularly curious about any phase of life here. Please answer at once" The reply came al- most immediately as follows:
 Yes. Whats all the shooting for?'
 This was taken as indicating the Martians have been observing life in New York, Chi cago, Philadelphia and toher larger American cities.
 After a brief interval Mars began asking additional questions in a peculiar code or in the Martianese language, the questions and interpretations being as follows:
 "Elxzbgh whkk lwrqt stop rty stop :"- Observations of United States by prominent Martians lead us to conclude country is com posed almost entirely of bathing girls, beauty contest promoters, gunmen, dental cream ad writers and baseball fans. Answer yes or no
 "Whingrr afghjk cretwqs stop dgjj kluff stop sincerely Joe :"-Could you use 10000 cases of Martian Boquet 100 proof rye or scotch?
 "Ninghy roycroft stop Skineateles stop amghd etain shrdl-shrdl :''-Whatever became of Peggy Joyce, anyway?s2
 Mir Pipp then received in distinct English the message, Mars disturbed by strange noises from U. S. past few weeks What can be cause?' Mir. Pipp replied at once, General Dawes on campaign tour" This seemed to satisfy the Martians.
 By midnight the Martians and MT. Pipp had become quite chummy and were chatting like guests on a summer hotel porch, the Martians asking not only information on ma jor matters, but expressing curiosity on such points as who was ahead in the American League race, what would take raspberry stains out of a white waistcoat and whether anybody could enter the Bright Sayings of Children tournaments.
 At midnight Mir. Pipp, believing he had Mars in his confidence, dictated this mes sage:.
 "Dear Mars: Have enjoyed evening with you immensely Any time you wish to ask any questions | will be glad to hear from you What are you doing tomorrow night? If al liberty communicate with me, but not until after 8 80, as the wife keeps me busy wipinG dishes and one thing and another until that time. I hope all your folks are well.
 AMOS Q. PIPP.