The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1958-03-13

before. or the feature stories of
the latest events. When the first
satellite was launched, all over
the country teenage boys threw
away their model airplanes and
began work on a rocketship to
the moon. However, they soon
found their sources of informa-
ton in local libraries somewhat
limited.
Some of the boys began their
experiments without proper sup
ervision, resulting in the loss of
limbs and lives. Others have
sought the advice of local science
and chemistry teachers and in
many cases, science classes have
conducted supervised expert
ments. Some boys have shown
real enterprise in obtaining infor
nation from scientific founda-
tions although even these source
have been unable to provide the
kind of help which our deter
mined space age youth need. |,
too, have received requests for
a variety of information which I
frankly find beWildering. The
details of model rocket designs,
tracking and homing mechanisms,
and propellants are the language
of rocketry which turn up in
growing number of letters from
teen-agers. Good sources of safe
information are scarce, indeed, |
have found, although the Depart
ment of Defense, seeking to slim
ulated youthful interest in roc
kets, is assembling data which
will answer the eager questions
it is now receiving.
| have attempted to draw on
all available sources to answer
these inquiries. In doing this, |
have been impressed with the
words of caution | have been
given and wish to reiterate here
that any chemical which is suf-
ficiently powerful to propel a
rocket can be dangerous to the
| experimenter and to others. Also
| it is possible that testing rockets
| without proper supervision and
| precautions will be a contraven-
lion of local or State laws. AS for
| the danger aspect the Army
Ordnance laboratories have ex-
planned to me a Rule of Thumb
which goes something like this
one gram Of fuel, two burned
fingers; five grams of fuel, one
hand; ten grams, one person
hence, my word Of caution would
be to keep the experiment small,
There are many other phases
Of rocket science besides that OF
actually firing rocket. The
study of radio control of track
ing and the natural laws which
will affect devices entering and
| leaving the gravitational field
could keep budding scientists
busy while leaving the field OF
firing rockets to those who have
already learned the basic prin-
ciples of jet propulsion. There
are two excellent books on the
subject which should be avail.
able at most public libraries. One
is Rocket Propulsion Element
by George Sutton and the other
is Rockets and Guided Missiles
by John Humphries.
Leaping Before Looking
Keeping up with the Joneses'
has resulted in SO many tragic
domestic scenes that it has beer
the faVorite subject for cartoon.
lists, fiction writers and even fol
authors of murder mysteries. Oul
national trait Of keeping up with
the JOneses could also have it.
tragic side when the Joneses are
the Soviet Union. We are con
stantly reminded of the word!
Of Lenin that I'VE shall force the
United States to spend itself K
destruction" and we hope tha
his words are not prophetic. Ye
in the House of Representative
last week we had disclosures tina
we may have been victims of ;
huge Soviet joke.
We are usually inclined to leal
without looking at any interna
tional exposition. A country
reputation is graded very care
fully by the viewers at World
Fairs and is always a matte
of great national pride to hav
a good display. The Brussels Elk
, position this year is no excep
: ton, but somehow the word go
: out that the Russians were goin
, to spend many, many millions 0
dollars, in fact the figure Varie
from forty million to sixty mil
5 lion. Consequently those charge
l with the operation of the Amer
e lean participation made a reques
- to Congress for fifteen millio
dollars. Last year, Congress ap
T propriated $ll.8 million for thi
= purpose although more was re
quested from time to time. NOV
a it appears that the Soviet Unio
i has accepted low bid of So.
million to a Brussels contractC
d for construction of the Sovie
It pavilion not for the reporte
4 huge marble ediface to glorif
- communism, but a building whic
can be folded up and take hom
Some Congressman in the debat
q suggested we have been hooc
t Winked; others have used muc
d stronger language. Keeping u
Is with the JoneSes can be exper
sive business, and can becon
, tragically expensive when W
! have such vague information ;
:, to what the JoneSes are up to.