The tunnel thru the air

by William D. Gann

General Pearson arose and said: "Supreme Commander Gordon, I offer you my heartfelt thanks and sincere gratitude. You have placed in my heart a new hope; made me understand our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ better than ever before. I believe I bespeak the sentiments of the entire Council and that they, too, have supreme confidence in you and now understand what the great faith that you have had in your Creator has done for you. Had the world and all of us understood the Bible and God's plan as you do, this war would never have taken place. I plainly see now that it is God's intention to teach man thru trials, sorrow and bitter experiences to reverence and respect the law which he has laid down for man to follow. Man must learn to love his neighbor as himself and to do unto others as he would have them do unto him. When that law is understood and obeyed, then men will no longer want to make war because war is not based on brotherly love, but on greed, jealousy and hatred. When we decided to surrender Chicago, I felt that that meant the end of our glorious country. I could see no hope, no way out, but you have shown us the way and our combined faith in you, together with the inspiration from our holy Father, will guide us to victory thru your leadership. We are with you, in all confidence, to victory."

Supreme Commander Gordon then ordered each officer and commander to return to his respective post of duty and to await further orders. He said, "If my plans develop as I think, you will not need to take further action." He asked for the use of the largest building in New York, "The Mammouth" and wanted the entire top floor of this 110-story building at 42nd street and Broadway. His wishes were immediately granted. Was told that the Government already had taken over control of all the large buildings in the United States and that he might use the building as he chose. Supreme Commander Gordon departed from Washington that night in the old "St. Marie" which he had ordered brought to Washington to convey him back, taking with him Colonel Walter Kennelworth. He had instructed Colonel Edna Kennelworth to meet him at the Mammouth Building in New York. On arrival he proceeded at once to put the top floor in order for the "Demon of Death" to be moved in. Colonel Kennelworth and another assistant were sent at once to the Adirondacks to the secret hiding of "Marie the Angel of Mercy," to test out this giant Ezekiel airplane, and bring it to New York City. The machine for distributing the sleeping gas which would reach a radius of 700 miles, was made in readiness on the top floor of the building. "Marie the Angel of Mercy" was in perfect working order, and arrived in New York ship-shape.

The whole United States was waiting in anxiety because it was known that within a few days the armistice would end and the United States must either fight or surrender. The people in Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, and New York had not slept for more than a week. They knew that an air attack had been threatened and feared the consequences. Supreme Commander Gordon dispatched the sleeping gas by "Marie the Angel of Mercy," and it was distributed to the planes all across the country. Colonel Kennelworth returned at the end of the second day in "Marie the Angel of Mercy," after distributing the sleeping gas and giving instructions how to use it. The "Demon of Death" was tested out and found to be in good working order. For many months previous to this, all of the large cities had been kept in darkness because they feared night attacks.

CHAPTER XXX

When the commanders of the Allied Enemy in Chicago and St. Louis received the defiance hurled at them on October 15, 1931, this reply was signed by Supreme Commander Robert Gordon. The English, German, Austrian, and Russians had never heard of this United States officer before and were at a loss to understand whom the United States had placed in supreme command. The reply was conveyed to Japanese and Spanish headquarters in Mexico and the Japanese quickly understood just who Supreme Commander Robert Gordon was and feared that he had made some wonderful invention which had made him confident of winning the war. The Japanese Generals, knowing what this might mean and fearing the great genius, Robert Gordon, asked for an allied war council to convene before making another attack. On October 21st it was decided that the War Council should be held in the City of Mexico. The allied enemy were confident that the United States would not make any attack in the near future, but would wait for them to make the next move. They felt that the great losses which had been suffered by the United States Army at the battle of Chicago placed them in no position to make an immediate attack and that they would try to strengthen their position for the next attack by the allied enemy. It was decided that the commanding generals of all the allied enemy nations should proceed at once to the City of Mexico to hold a council and decide what the wisest and next move should be. They left in the dead hours of the night in the fastest planes and those which could rise to the highest altitudes, enabling them to travel noiselessly and at a height at which they could not be detected or captured. The scouting and cruising planes were left to patrol the lines between Chicago, St. Louis and New Orleans and watch for any move that might be made on the part of the United States forces.

When the Council had convened in the City of Mexico, General Nagato, the commander of the Japanese army, arose and said: "Supreme Commander Robert Gordon now in charge of the United States forces is well known to us. He is the man who made the first flight from New York City to Japan in 1927, traveling at a speed of more than 300 miles per hour. He is the man who invented the muffler which made our airplanes noiseless. We bought it from him and it helped us to successfully wage this war. When we attacked the Rio Grande and were preparing to bombard El Paso, Gordon, we believe, was the man who successfully brought down our greatest ship, the 'Tokyo J-1.' Later we captured Gordon at the battle of San Francisco. He was flying one of our planes which was on board the Tokyo. We found that he had a wonderful Pocket-Radio by which we could communicate without any sound passing thru the air, thus avoiding our orders being intercepted. After negotiating with him, we gave him his freedom, conducted him safely back to the American lines in consideration of his turning over to us his secret Pocket-Radio, which we worked successfully for many months. Finally it failed to work and we have always believed that he invented something by which he could prevent our communications.

"He is one of the ablest inventors that the United States has. The fact that he has been placed in command means that he must have made some great discovery or new invention which has inspired the United States with confidence of winning the war. While we have all the advantage in numbers, both in men, ships and ammunition, and to all appearance the United States is hopelessly crippled and will not be able to hold out much longer, one new invention by this man Gordon may mean our defeat. It is my opinion that the factories in Detroit, Michigan, have been working on some of his new discoveries. Our next attack should be directed at Detroit. We should capture that city and destroy the factories of the big automobile concerns and other manufacturing concerns there. All of these manufacturing concerns have long since been commandeered by the United States Government and are working on war weapons and ammunition."

When Colonel Nagato had finished speaking, the Spanish, English, German, Austrian and Russian Generals discussed war plans for many days and there were numerous disagreements before it was finally agreed as to just what the next move should be. Finally they united on the plan to make the next attack upon Detroit and if successful there, proceed to attack Boston, New York, Washington and the Eastern Coast of the United States.

The delay by the Allied Enemy was just what Supreme Commander Gordon wanted. It gave him time to prepare. He had ordered the Henry Motor Company of Detroit to proceed at once to manufacture according to his plans which he sent them, two large machines, one positive and one negative, by which he could send currents of electricity thru the air and produce a vacuum, or as he called it, a "Tunnel thru the Air." These plans had been worked out years before and there was no question but what the machines would work successfully. The Henry Motor Company had been commandeered by the United States Government and as soon as they received the order and plans from the Supreme Commander, they started running day and night working to build the two giant machines.

The fifteen days' armistice expired on October 18th, 1931. Supreme Commander Gordon was in readiness and waited the first attack of the enemy. Less than thirty days from the time that he ordered work started on the machines, they reported that the machines were completed and ready to test out. He called Colonel Kennelworth to his office in New York and explained to him that the great Vacuum Producer, as the machine had been named, had been completed; ordered him to proceed at once to Detroit and test out the machines both for short and long distance work.