Our
Coming World

by

A.C. MICHAUD

THE WORLD PUBLICATION PRESS

P.O. BOX 2077 · PHILADELPHIA 3, PA.

Copyright 1951

By A.C. Michaud

Printed in the United States of America

Preface

"Astronomers say the earth is constantly swelling and contracting. They call this 'breathing.' Those aren't breaths—those are sighs."[1]

The great mental suffering which the Nazis created in me with their murder factories, their atrocious robbing and sadistic killing of defenseless innocents, and their unprecedented merciless wars against guiltless nations, spontaneously prompted me to write this book.

I am not writing it for personal gain, neither have I an ax to grind. It is a message to humanity, purely a labor of love, hoping to finish and have it ready before I die.

Since the beginning of the last half century, I was a part of our economic system as a small financial speculator, investor, business man, executive, and employer. Experienced success, failure, profits, and losses, have traveled a great deal and always have been a keen observer and reader.

I am not trying to set myself up as an authority on world subjects and affairs, but I feel qualified by my experiences to help humanity. Have no personal prejudice, nor feel inimical to the present way of life, and economic and political powers of our country. My aim is to show mankind, in my own way, and with humility, its defective economic system of living.

Mankind has been looking forward for the millennium, when there will be peace, and security on earth. For a long time I have with undue anxiety been deeply reflecting to find out and analyze the fundamental principle contributing to our world turmoil. Have arrived at the cause, and maybe at the solution, in my following treatise.

Am not superstitious nor ultrareligious, but most of my inspiration in the writing of this book came from impulses given to me by some power other than my own. I seem to have been impelled by a supernatural intervention.

Many another author before me has tried to show humanity the error of its ways. But even that does not deter me from trying to make clear to mankind my conception of how unjust has been our way of living.

Mankind as a whole would be humane if it were not for the false system that our ancestors have created and planted in our world.

Man with his intelligence has two personalities. He is by nature on one side humane, helpful, unselfish and self sacrificing, interested in the welfare of his kind. On the other side, because of our economic system, he has become in many ways a selfish, cruel, and a predatory animal.

I am going to picture as clearly as possible existing faults of our way of living and am suggesting an imaginary remedy. I am fully convinced that it is not only a workable plan, but it is the only solution and antidote we have.

My objective is to help bring about, by my humble efforts, a gradual evolution, believing it possible to work toward a sane and balanced economic life without creating social unrest or strife.

My most sincere gratitude to Mrs. Dorothy Alger of Reno, Nevada, in the scrupulous, good workmanlike manner she typed and retyped my manuscript.

CHAPTER I

Our Coming World

On my daily afternoon strolls on West Riverside Drive Parkway, between 85th and 87th Streets in New York, I noticed a young man about thirty years old sitting alone, always on the same bench, for long periods looking up into the sky or fumbling in his brief case and reading his diary and papers. Most of the time he seemed to me to be in a disconsolate mood.

I sat down beside him, but his manner did not encourage conversation. Every day afterward I sat down on the bench near him and finally, with a great deal of tact, I began to talk to him. He gradually seemed to gain confidence in me. After a couple of weeks of daily meetings I felt by his actions that he was looking forward to my presence each day.

One day, seeming to feel somewhat communicative he apologized for his former rudeness and said, "My name is Fred Balmore. I'm reticent but it isn't because I don't like to talk to strangers. On the contrary, I would only be too glad to tell anyone my story who would help and believe me. My parents, my lifelong friends, the National Geographic Society, everyone hearing or reading my story seem to think I am insane. But somehow, I feel you'll understand.

"My parents had me examined by alienists and I was confined for a short time in an insane asylum in an effort to cure my—," the young man hesitated for a moment, "what they called my delusions. I am sure if I tell you my story, you'll have a hard time believing me too.

"I have inherited a large amount of money. The executors of my grandfather's estate stopped my allowance because they think I'm not mentally responsible. I am anxious to purchase an aeroplane, but my pilot's license has been revoked. I went to a government airfield and, without permission, jumped into one of the bombers standing idle; before I had a chance to take it off the ground, I was caught, forcibly removed, and sent to an insane asylum."

I asked him why he had been so rash and he answered, "When you hear my story, you will understand my purpose.

"By the way, my superior in the air corps also has the idea I am insane. He believes we cracked up somewhere and that I in some manner was saved, and so reported it to the War Department, who officially notified families of my crew members of their death."

His intelligent conversation and calm demeanor convinced me of his sanity. He was obviously anxious to explain and justify his actions to me. As a writer I was naturally interested. I encouraged him to tell his strange story which follows.

"Before entering the army I had just graduated from a well-known eastern college, with a degree in journalism. I became very adept in taking down notes and lectures in shorthand. This was to be a great help to me afterward.

"I am a Lieutenant in the air force, and was the pilot of one of our latest and largest B-29 bombers—never mind its number. The government might not want me to tell my story but my conscience is clear. I feel free to tell you what happened to me, as there are no military secrets involved. You say you are an author. I am sure you will be very much interested and perhaps you will write and publish my story."

Taking from his brief case a bulky typewritten diary he gave it to me to read. That evening I settled into a comfortable chair with no inkling of what this diary would mean to me. This is what I read:

On a day known to only a few, I was ordered to prepare my ship for flight early the following morning. Ten educated boys of excellent background had been chosen for my crew. Each was able to speak another language beside English. Their families had come from various European countries. I, with my crew, was to take this ship, fly it over the Pacific, deliver it to the command on one of our airfields in Japan and wait there for further instructions. I was given a supply of silver dollars and five dollar gold pieces to use, if by accident we should land in Asia among the Asiatic tribes.

Early on the appointed day, fully equipped with oxygen tanks, breathing pressure suits and ammunition, with our guns ready for action and our instruments, including the secret mechanism in our radio transmitter in good order, we took off. We flew fast, upward to the highest possible altitude of the stratosphere, to make a speedy passage across.

After flying rapidly and smoothly for some time, when we were at about the middle of the Pacific, we suddenly felt our ship was being pulled higher and higher from the earth into and above the atmosphere. Our altimeter without reason was fast rising. We could not understand why such a phenomenon.

Looking up, we perceived an immensely large plane of a very strange design, nearly twenty times larger than our own. Hovering in the distance right over us, it covered us like a large, dark cloud.

Too far away to get any help, and thinking that this was a new kind of enemy plane, we, according to orders, destroyed certain secret mechanisms including our high frequency radio transmitter. Then, we used all the force of our powerful motors in an attempt at a nose dive. But even with the strong gravitational pull of the earth, we could not shake ourselves loose from the upward attraction. I ordered our guns manned to shoot it out. But a loud voice called out to us to desist, that this was not an enemy plane. At the same time, all our motors and instruments stopped, and we ourselves became as if paralyzed.

We were fully conscious. We could hear, talk, think, see. We could feel our ship was gradually being pulled up to this plane, and finally absorbed into her through a large opening in her belly. Our plane was anchored within. Then a voice, calling me by rank and name in perfect English, told me that our captors were going to free our bodies from the paralyzing rays and that we would suffer no aftereffects. We immediately regained our power of motion. The same voice ordered us to come out of our plane as it was going to be cleansed and thoroughly disinfected. We were to disrobe entirely and enter into their body cleansing room. We had no alternative but to follow the voice's instructions. We put our clothes into what seemed to be disinfecting closets, and went into a steam room where we were sprayed with a disinfecting shower. After a thorough bath and cleansing each one of us was given by an attendant a full set of under- and over-garments of styles comparable to the ancient Roman or Greek; two pieces of underwear, a soft silky, loose fitting sleeveless undershirt, and above knee length drawers; clinging socks of the same material up to the middle of calf; shoes, leather laced Roman style up to middle of calf. One loose over-garment, similar to a very soft linen material, like a Roman tunica, open at the neck, girded at the waist, reaching to the knees, with above elbow sleeves. Another over-garment was similar to the Roman dalmatica; it was a soft rayon fabric, open at the neck, reaching to just below the knees, with wide elbow sleeves; ornamented with one inch purple or lavender bands around its neck, sleeves and bottom edges; with a belt at the waist.

All garments and shoes were fastened with detachable buttons. The attendant told us they were heat and fresh air dispenser atomic batteries. They supplied the exact required degree of necessary body air conditioning in all kinds of weather. The fibrous materials of these garments were not only fresh air and heat radiation conductors, but were also fire-proof.

Our attendant also gave us a one inch lavender ribbon for our heads. He showed us how to wear it, as he did, tied with a small knot at the back. Some of the boys were smiling a little; I think the attendant sensed their amusement. "You look quite handsome now," he joked.

He told us all clothing was worn only once. The same applied to household linens. Clothing and linens were worn, then sent back to the factory to be crushed into pulp and made over again. "We don't consider laundries sanitary," he said.

Over-garments like the stolla, tunica and the dalmatica were worn for one week, or less; when soiled, they were also fabricated over again. But all garments, new or worn, were sun rayed and disinfected every day before being worn. Our own clothes, which by this time were also disinfected and sun-ray sterilized, were stored away, excepting my log book papers, diary books and shorthand notebooks. Our clothes were to be given to us when we returned to earth. We were relieved at the time to learn our stay was to be only temporary.

After dressing, he again assured us that our captors were friendly and that we must not be afraid; they had a motive for their actions which they would fully explain to our satisfaction. Later we consulted among ourselves and decided that since we were entirely at the mercy of these strange men, we had no choice but to obey.

He then guided us into an antechamber where he told us to leave our firearms, parachutes, breathing suits, and other accoutrements. Then mentioned us to follow him. He assured us our property would be held safely and returned to us. The attendant puzzled me by anticipating my wish in suggesting that I take out my pencil and notebook from the disinfector and take them along so that I could take down notes on what took place. Then, with great ceremony, he ushered us into a large, high ceilinged, beautifully decorated sunlit room, where about fifty men were seated, all dressed in Roman style. They wore their hair cut short, with a mass of short, wavy curls around the ears, bound around with a one inch lavender ribbon. They were all clean shaven, with hair parted on the right or left side. Facing us at the far end of the room, standing near a large desk, was their leader, who wore a distinctive over-garment called the toga; a loose, long, sleeveless wrapper, gracefully thrown over the left shoulder and arm, girdled around the waist, decorated at the edges with a filet of gold. He also wore a one inch wide gold filet ribbon around his head. With great courtesy he bowed low to us and greeted each of us by our full name.

"We welcome you to our ship," he began, "even though you may be unwilling guests at this moment. But after you have heard our reasons for capturing you, and see what we want to show you, you will only be too glad that we took these means to get you here.

"We are Martians from the planet Mars, which is today about fifty-eight million miles away from your earth. Since this is the day of the year when our two worlds are the closest together, we planned to use it in some way to contact you. We wanted to land on your globe and deliver our message, but its invincible gravitational attraction is so powerful that once we landed, we could not, under any circumstances, overcome and detach ourselves from it. Therefore, we have brought you into our orbit, and we shall now explain our reasons.

"On Mars we received all your radio waves. We heard all the languages used on your earth. But try as we would, we were not able to send our radio waves to your earth. There is a strange, strong interference. Your earth has a protective shell of electrically charged gases, some sixty miles thick, clinging to it. This shell seriously disturbs the travels of our radio waves in your atmosphere. It prevented us from making communications. That is one of the reasons we captured your plane; we wished to analyze your radio transmitter and find the metal or element which would help us pierce through.

"We knew about your orders to destroy your secret mechanisms and transmitter; we would have deterred you, but you were too quick for us. Even this action does not discourage us. We shall capture another plane in the same way we have captured yours—or perhaps you will help us to obtain a transmitter, after you understand our purpose. We aim to send radio messages to your Earth people. After you gentlemen have seen the way we live, you may help us by becoming friendly ambassadors to your own people.

"We are now taking you to our planet to show you our way of life. You may stay with us as long as you like—see everything, learn everything." Then the speaker turned to me with a smile, "You were perplexed when our attendant told you to take along your pencil and notebook; he read your thoughts and anticipated your wish.

"I want to warn you, that we have a sixth sense, the faculty of reading, receiving, and transmitting thought waves, even over long distances. This faculty is very highly developed in us. You people of the Earth also possess it, but in a limited subconscious and dormant state; you may develop it in the future. We can read your thoughts, and we ask that you please try your best to control them so as not to offend us. We have long ago, through training, learned to control our thoughts and minds, the guiding spirits of our actions.

"You will be surprised to learn how great our knowledge is of Earth people. Each language is clear to us, because we read the thoughts of your inhabitants. Our television cabinets are so perfect that we can see everywhere on earth. We clearly hear all that is being said. Through constant evolution, we have developed in ourselves an acute mental receptive faculty of hypermnesis, extraordinary power of quick mental absorption, and a sharp lasting memory. It is very easy for us to learn any of your languages.

"We would certainly like to send you television pictures showing how we live, but television receives the same interference as our radio waves. You are surprised at the natural forces we command, no doubt. We'll try to explain. As a pilot you have studied astronomy. You know that our planet—

'Mars is the most interesting object in the heavens for your scientists, because it is the one and only world where they appear to have found direct evidence of life and because some astronomers have held the opinion that it provides evidence for the existence on it of intelligent beings.'[2]

'Our planet revolves in an orbit, that is outside the orbit of the earth, its mean distance from the sun being a little more than one and one-half times that of the earth.'[3]

'The distance of Mars from the sun varies by more than twenty-six million miles. It requires a period of a little short of two years for Mars to complete one revolution in its orbit.'[4]

'The diameter of Mars is about 4,215 miles, only a little more than half that of the earth. Its weight is rather more than one-tenth of the weight of the earth.'[5]

'The rotation period is about twenty-four hours, thirty-seven and one-half minutes.'[6]

'Length of the Martian year is 687 days.'[7]

'Our seasons are nearly twice as long as yours.'

'They found that the vast extent of our continent was furrowed upon every side by a network of numerous lines or fine stripes.'[8]

'That traversed the planet for long distances in regular lines and extended for thousands of miles; the breadth of some may be as great as one or two hundred miles; of others, not more than twenty miles.'[9]

'The channels intersected one another at all possible angles:[10] and these channels were truly great furrows or depressions in the surface of the Planet, destined for the passage of water.[11] Some of these channels run straight and double paralleling others with absolute geometrical precision, as if they were the work of rule or compass.'[12]

'They found that many of the canals converged to dusky patches at their junctions, the so-called oasis, and passed from one oasis to another in an absolutely unswerving direction,[13] proving that they have pumping systems, on a scale far surpassing any of the works of man, and this in itself, presupposes an advanced type of intelligence.'[14]

"This is a description of our planet; you will see for yourselves that your astronomers were right in their surmise.

"Since you Earth people discovered radio, we receive your world space echo waves within three minutes. Our thought reading and our remote reading faculty control and our television are so powerful that we can see and read from here, your books, newspapers and periodicals. We know what is in your concrete and steel safes. We pierce through your earth's surface within your deepest caves and mines. To our consternation we see a terrible picture of Earth man's treatment of his fellow human beings. Frequently his selfishness and ruthless brutality lead to pestilence, famine and destruction. He seems to be heading toward the extinction of the little civilization he has gained.

"Our women and children are not allowed to see some of your horrible scenes. We are certainly very happy on our planet Mars; we are grateful we do not have to struggle through the ordeals of the men on earth. We feel it is not necessary for you to continue so.

"Since what is happening on your earth has become intolerable to us, we have decided on action. We see only total annihilation for your good people if the others are allowed to continue in their present behavior patterns. You now are able to understand our objectives are not aggressive but humanitarian. We would like to act as advisors to those people of earth who are capable of change, feel the need of change but are at a loss where to start.

"But, you must be hungry. We have an insulated room, adjoining this one. Here no one can read your thoughts or hear your conversation. That is where we hold our own secret conferences, there you may adjourn for an hour for food, refreshment, and consultation among yourselves. When you have finished, I will be waiting for you."

I had been taking down his comments. I knew then I was entering into a new world.

We were led into an adjoining room of about 30′ by 60′, where a table was placed and set for us. In front of each of our eleven chairs was a place card with the name of each of us. An attendant served us all kinds of tasty foods from heavy, solid gold and silver tureens and platters. Food and service were of the best. When we had finished our excellent meal, the attendant told us that he was leaving, and that we could shut the door and safely converse among ourselves.

You can imagine our feelings. Our senses were overcome. It was unbelievable.

Our conference was brief. Confident that for the time being we were the friendly guest-prisoners of these strange people of another planet, we decided to conduct ourselves as correctly as possible and to gain information which might benefit our own people.

When we opened the door, the attendant, who was waiting for us, led us back to the assembly room. All the men present rose from their chairs and greeted us as we passed, with deep bows. We again stood in front of their leader. He also bowed, and begged us to sit down, and said, "I hope you gentlemen have confidence in us now, and believe in our sincerity, and fully understand the purpose of our action."

Addressing himself to me, he continued, "I am aware that you wish to ask me many questions. I know them as I read your thoughts; I shall endeavor to anticipate a few of them.

"You are surprised that our airship which is traveling so fast, or rather I should say falling or being attracted towards our planet Mars, is going so smoothly that it seems as if we were motionless. As a matter of fact, we are traveling at the rate of 20,000 miles per minute in the ether of vacuum of space where all atmosphere is totally absent. We are in a void without air pressure or friction. Our speed has no effect on our motion nor does it cause damage to our ship. Flying time from your atmosphere to ours is nearly forty-eight hours. We expect to land on Mars tomorrow night.

"You are also wondering at our appearance. Because we have the reputation among you of being warlike, you Earth people were led to think that we were of abnormal physical size. You are surprised to find us not very much unlike yourselves in looks and stature. What is your opinion of our appearance?"

After carefully looking the men over and contrasting them with ourselves, who were considered on Earth as good athletic and handsome fellows, I answered him. "Frankly," I said, "Your men are as like us as our high bred champion race horses in their prime are like the nags that pull our junk wagons. The other difference between us seems to be, the extramuscular development of your shoulders and arms plus an apparently longer arm reach than we have."

I had to give them credit for their white clear skin, their regular features, their vigor, and their erect posture. Their proud, but frank and gentle appearance exuded powerful heavenly personality. There were among them many men with deep sky-blue and grass-green skin, colored men, who also were the same fine specimens of manhood.

Then their leader answered, "There is nothing superhuman or supernatural about us. We as yet have not reached perfection. From what we have observed of Earth men, I would say we are more healthy, virile, better developed physically, also mentally. I mean no offense, our intellectual force is much more advanced than Earth men. But you still have a chance eventually to reach our development, if you will only seize the opportunity."

"You will notice among us Martians something else which will surprise you. Look us over. How old do you think he is?" the leader asked, pointing to their youngest, an erect young man.

"Why," I replied, "I should say about 25 years old."

They all laughed.

"No," he said. "This one, who is our youngest, is now 100 Earth years old. You will notice that none of us have any gray hair, wrinkles, or false teeth; those few of us with false teeth acquired them by accidentally breaking their own. None of us use eye glasses or hearing aids. There are no bald-headed men on Mars. Our old people reach the age of 150 Martian years or 300 Earth years.

"Our women, even those past middle age, retain their natural color texture, youthful figures, velvety skin and texture of their soft, youthful hair.

"Due to our planet's distance from the sun, our seasons and years are double yours. Our minimum life span, according to natural phenomenon is 200 Earth years. Because of our careful way of life, we have extended it to 300 years. Since Earth is so near to the sun, your year and seasons are half the length of ours; the hypothesis is that your minimum life span should be at least 100 to 150 Earth years, providing you lead a natural life, similar to ours.

"Your perverted actions and corrupt standards of living diminished your life span to nearly half of what it should be. Your habits have made your bodies fertile ground for diseases which deprive you of vitality, consume your life, and, by transmission, attack your progeny. Thus large numbers of you are destroyed within half, or less, of your allotted period of life.

"Our long life has evolved from thousands of years of constant improvement in our way of living. Some of the causes for our prolonged youth and vigor are freedom from fear, no worry and no misery. Our entire life is based on the principles of love, peace, and common brotherhood. By periodic physical and dental examinations of everyone and proper treatment afterwards, we are constantly preventing as well as curing injuries and diseases. These examinations and treatments are compulsory and take place weekly or more often, as the cases demand. We are also encouraged to participate in healthy exercise daily. Since we understand its importance, we have real enjoyment of our own participating in games and other forms of exercise.

"Hundreds of thousands of years ago, before the invention of flying machines, our ancestors felt that they should be able to train themselves to fly like birds. They started intensive arm and shoulder exercise to develop a very swift whole arm movement, similar to that of birds. Since water swimming could easily be learned by special arm and leg movements, there was no reason why they couldn't adapt themselves to fly in the air with arm-attached wings. It took many generations of training muscle and bone before they could overcome the disadvantage of weight and lack of bird body buoyancy; however, they succeeded in mastering flying. That is why we have longer arms and more muscular and bone development of our shoulders and arms than you Earth men.

"Health exercises, health rays, diets, and body massages, have kept us young looking, healthy, and vigorous and have kept our body weight very near to normal even in the aged. We prohibit the use of habit-forming foods, tobacco, drugs, and beverages other than low alcoholic beers and wines in limited quantities. Too many of you on Earth carry to extremes a commonplace habit, until it becomes a menace to your health."

I was disappointed at the ban on smoking because we had plenty of cigarettes and were craving a smoke. He immediately understood and said, "We will put no restrictions upon your desire to smoke as long as your cigarettes last. We do not smoke because we do not allow contamination of our fresh air with smoke, no matter how harmless. Self-control is a nerve and emotion tonic and exercise; smoking is a nerve stimulator and pacifier, and dulling them. In time a craving for the stimulant is created, contributing gradually to their weakening. It is a strong habit-forming pastime. We do not need it as we have no nerve tension.

"We lead a well regulated life. Our bodies and nerves get the full rest they require nightly. All our activities cease at 9:00 p.m. and everyone must be in bed by 11:00 p.m. week days. Naturally, exceptions are made for doctors, hospital personnel and workers in necessary utilities."

It was getting late; the meeting broke up. All the Martians present began mingling among us, trying to put us at our ease. After we had been served with refreshments, they began to leave. We were left nearly alone with their leader. He said kindly, "You gentlemen must be tired. Our attendant will lead you to your sleeping quarters." Then he bowed to me and said, "Good night." When I offered to shake hands, he politely refused, remarking, "We do not shake hands; it is not customary with us nor is it sanitary. Hand holding and fondling is done only within our intimate family circle. I am glad to know that Earth people are gradually adopting a practice which is old among us and universal—that of using the self-opening door, thereby doing away with unsanitary door handles."

We went outside and up a stairway to our sleeping quarters. Our attendant assured us that the beds and bedding were sun health rayed and sterilized, a daily precaution practiced everywhere. New night garments, as well as underclothing for our next day's use were laid out for us on chairs. The bed linens and night garments were as white as ours, but softer, and they felt like pure silk. The attendant then pulled out metal beds and springs with mattresses, pillows, and blankets from a wall closet. The mattresses and pillows were of a spongy rubber substance, and felt soft and comfortable.

After making our beds and placing pitchers of water for us on a small table, the attendant wished us a good night's sleep. Before retiring I wrote in my diary, in detail about what happened to us that day.

After a good night's sleep, we awoke, eager to see what the new day would bring. The attendant brought in the clothes allotted to us, pressed and ready for wear. A hot and cold, scented, sterilized water shower gave us an exhilarating body cleansing. We dressed and were led into a breakfast room, where it was ready for us. Afterward, we were taken on a tour of their ship. Some of us took the opportunity of looking out through space, admiring the grand sights of the universe and pointing out many known stars, even a tiny one far away, our own former home, the Earth.

I went, notebook in hand, with their leader, to look over the intricate instruments and machinery, and the general construction of their immense airship. The ship was now falling fast, attracted by the gravitational pull of the planet Mars. It seemed to me motionless. Her pilot told me that when we were about a million miles away from Mars, he would put a brake on her speed and come to a dead stop before he slowly entered her stratosphere. "Then I will put our motors to work when we travel in our atmosphere, you will feel nearly the same motion that you do in your own planes."

When I asked him what kind of gas he used, he answered, "We use atomic energy; some machines and motors use ocean-wave electric energy, others use concentrated sun-ray energy. We use no gas, oil, or coal, even though we have them in great abundance. Their fumes, gases, and smoke would pollute our fresh air. Furthermore, coal mining is hazardous and we do not want to endanger the lives of our potential miners."

This is only the beginning, the first chapter of my strange story which I wrote on my return. There are a great many details I would like to give you; but since I want to finish as quickly as possible, I am omitting description and details of minor matters. Tomorrow I will give you my second chapter, a bird's-eye view of a city on Mars.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Nevada State Journal, Editorial, January 26, 1946.

[2] LIFE ON OTHER WORLDS, H. Spencer Jones, Macmillan Co., 1940, N.Y., p. 200.

[3] Ibid., p. 200.

[4] Ibid., p. 200.

[5] Ibid., p. 200.

[6] Ibid., p. 204.

[7] Ibid., p. 213.

[8] Ibid., p. 207.

[9] Ibid., p. 208.

[10] Ibid., p. 208.

[11] Ibid., pp. 208-9.

[12] Ibid., p. 210.

[13] Ibid., pp. 217-18.

[14] Ibid., p. 218.

CHAPTER II

The Landing

The next day, at the same hour, I found the Lieutenant sitting in the hot sun on the same bench. I asked him if he would like to walk a couple of blocks further, where it was not so sunny.

"No," he said, "this spot reminds me of a certain parkway in Amboria, a city on Mars, where I used to sit with the most beautiful girl in the Universe. Of course, this place can hardly compare in natural beauty with the one there." Then he stopped talking, and by his rapt expression I judged he was recalling pleasant memories.

My presence had no effect on his concentration; he was, for the time being, in another world. After about fifteen minutes he became conscious of his environment. Opening and rubbing his eyes, he said,

"I am very sorry I stopped talking so abruptly. I suddenly felt as though I were in Amboria again, and Xora was encouraging me to have patience, and not to despair, because she loved me. The realization that I am doomed to remain here on this Earth is bitter; however, I still have hope that Xora and her grandfather will someday rescue me.

"That hope keeps me eternally watching the skies. With their power of thought reading, I am sure that they can locate me here; otherwise I would become insane." Taking a picture from his pocket of a beautiful young girl, with the inscription on the bottom "To Fred from your Xora," he handed it to me. Her beauty was angelic.

The picture was an odd disc of some strange metal or composition, about six inches in diameter and a quarter inch thick. One face of it showed a moving picture of our lieutenant reclining under a tree with her, or promenading, the other side showed the loving facial expressions of the beautiful girl.

By pressing the center spot of the disc, I heard her melodious voice giving him loving messages of encouragement and hope. It was a concentrated record. And took a long time to play it. Fred seemed to be in a state of deep enchantment.

He said, "This picture reminds me constantly that what has happened to me was no dream.

"I am sure I can go back to Amboria, if I can get possession of a plane; but I am known at all airfields, and no one would lend me a plane, or even let me be a passenger. I can't buy one, as my money is tied up. I don't know what to do. I know how to communicate with the Martians by radio, but I would rather wait until I am able to complete all arrangements. They cannot talk to me until I get within reach of their radio waves by airplane."

To solve this problem, I suggested the following:

"If you will give me the complete story of your experiences and grant me permission to publish it, I will lend you enough money to purchase an airplane and transmitter. There is just one condition; the story be worthwhile enough to interest a publisher; the royalties then may cover the loan."

My offer gave him new hope. His face brightened. With youthful enthusiasm he grasped my hand, exclaiming, "Then you do believe that my story is true and that I am sane!" I answered, "Of course I do." This inspired him with greater confidence, and he said, "Now to continue my story." Then he handed me another typewritten chapter.

That evening, I continued to read his adventures. I was no longer skeptical.

The Martian airship was fast nearing its destination. In the late afternoon when we reached their stratosphere, I began to feel the delicate motion of the ship and the vibration of its motors. Her fast and silent driving power got her into their atmosphere, as their pilot told me it would, without any shock or collision. The large size of the ship helped her to ride out the air pockets more easily and smoothly than our planes. My friends and I did not suffer so much from air sickness, as we used to on our own ships on Earth.

Alongside, above, and below us there was a heavy traffic of planes of all sizes, shapes, and strange designs, flying safely in the air space, criss-crossing each other with the utmost freedom, at different altitudes, and in different directions. We were signaled by uniformed, specially designed planes. These planes, the pilot explained, were directors of air traffic, like our street traffic policemen.

Another thing attracted my attention. All their planes and air ships, both large and small, had a mast jutting from the nose, giving them a resemblance to swordfish. I asked the pilot the purpose of the masts. "They are fog-dispelling masts," he answered. "They shoot out long waves which dispel fogs, and also purify the atmosphere by killing bacteria within their reach. We have them everywhere on Mars. We exterminate all bacteria before they cause diseases in human beings, domestic animals, and in necessary vegetation."

Their leader now came along and told me that they expected to land that evening. "Just as soon as we get beneath the clouds, we shall be above a great water, and you will see one of our oceans."

We were now over the ocean, a large body of dark-blue, turbulent water with many freight ships, going in all directions. They had no smoke-stacks but freight center masts, with one of them sticking out from the bows. I asked the leader about them. He explained, "There are no smoke-stacks, for, as you have already learned, we do not use oil, coal, or gas; that front mast has the same function as the mast on the airship, to dispel fog and kill bacteria. These ships are used for heavy freight transportation between continents. They are thoroughly seaworthy and unsinkable.

"Since the population of our planet is much greater than yours, our production must be greater. Each of our continents has different climate, soil, and natural resources; each produces different necessities. We try to intensify such production at its source in order to produce in equal amount for the consumption of all of us. Nature often does not help us to produce the full quota of our requirements; we then store surpluses in times of plenty to provide for times of scarcity. We equally ration among our races our products and manufactures.

"There is little waste or spoilage in harvesting and distribution, and very little handling. At harvest time or during emergency industrial shortages of help, we call for volunteers. Even our highest Sun-Rank members volunteer. We invariably get more help than we need.

"We manufacture articles at the source of their raw materials, thus saving labor, transportation, distribution and time."

Pointing to what seemed a small island in the middle of the ocean, he said, "This spot is one of our anchored, ocean way stations which we have every thousand square miles, on all our seas. They are used for supply bases, way stations for planes and ships' repair shops, traveler stop-offs, fish canning and storage, and submarine bases. No, not as you are thinking—battleships; our subs are very large peace freight ships.

"The waters as well as the floors of our seas are very fertile and have, along with fish and shell foods, an inexhaustible supply of all kinds of cereals, vegetables, fruits, plus sea forest; there are also minerals and valuable chemicals for industrial and medical uses and for fertilizing purposes. Our submarines, besides being used for transporting these natural elements of the deep, are also used as dredges, planters, cultivators, harvesters, and sawing mills on the floors of three-quarters of our seas and oceans, where pressure is not so strong. Our sea fruits, vegetables, and cereals which we harvest are not only very tasty, but nutritious; the woods we obtain from the trees are some of our best: hard, pliable and resilient. The waters protect them from fires. No doubt your seas also have an abundant supply of all these."

Far away on the horizon we could see a long shore line, with large buildings at equal distances from each other. "These buildings, which you see," the leader pointed out, "are big dams. They are on all our shores, spaced at one hundred mile intervals, and are about ten times larger than your biggest dam. They are built to withstand the constant battering of the most powerful waves. Natural wave forces also create our electric light power and energy. Large filters, distilling, sterilizing, and refining plants extract from the sea water salt and other ingredients for our use, the water is then fresh and palatable for our consumption. This water is stored in immense reservoirs and pumped into our homes and to our hot water plants. The hot water and steam in turn are pumped wherever needed. We also use for power, heat, and other purposes powerful volcanic steam from wells drilled deep into the crust of our planet. We don't have to entirely depend on precipitation for our fresh water supply, like you Earth people do, during your frequent drought periods, which create famines for your inhabitants, and the destruction of your vegetations. Neither do we have to create cloud rains, as we have more than enough water for all our necessities. We even have secondary large fresh water reservoirs in our former deserts which have become productive. Our powerful pumps and our permanent automatic systems of cold water sprinklers and hot water and air pipes keep all our croplands, orchards, and in fact all our cultivations fully supplied, and thermostatically heat protected against frosts, snow storms, and freeze-ups.

"The waters of all our fresh water lakes, large and small rivers, and springs are carefully guarded against pollution. They are always fit, and safe for human consumption. We also have many dams on our rivers. We use the abundant forces of nature at our command, of more than is sufficient for our needs, even if Mars' population were doubled.

"Mother Nature is very generous in her abundant and unlimited gifts. We have harnessed only a few of them. Every day we discover new and better elements. From time to time our mode of life improves through their adaptation and reconstruction. Thus we are kept busy creating new occupations and abandoning some of the old and useless ones."

We were speedily nearing land. They flew low, circling around to give us a bird's-eye view of a great stretch of suburban and city habitations, I would say ten times larger than New York City and its surroundings.

It was a vast area of both natural and artificial gardens landscaped between two wide crystal-clear water rivers, where a large number of ships of all sizes were sailing. This land between the rivers was divided into equal sections within which were square, circular, and other kinds of geometrically shaped courts enclosed with beautiful buildings of diversified types. Some were similar to our Gothic, French, and Italian renaissance; others similar to our Spanish patios and magnificent oriental constructions but including their own predominating gorgeous designs and architectures. All these were fitted into a design most pleasing to the eye. Strange and beautiful, not like the monotony of our architecture with its few variations.

To my pleasant surprise, I saw no sewer polluted, and unsanitary river waters, no mobile traffic, no autos, busses, trolleys, or other moving vehicles. I saw no signs, electric posts, parking meters, water hydrants, telephone wiring, wash lines or vent pipes. There was a total absence of unsightly billboards which clutter up our highways and boulevards.

The air space above roofs was devoid of all obstructions, with the exception of the colored and very visible radio and fog-dispelling, air-purifying, and bacteria-killing masts, which I readily recognized. It was becoming dark as we were nearing our landing. I could see a great number of small luminous bodies, traveling above the surface in different directions, which looked like and reminded me of fireflies. I found out afterwards they were Martians, flying like birds, with large wing attachments on their arms, and red lights on their heads.

We were now approaching one of their large airports outside the city, across one of their rivers, where we were ordered to land and to wheel the ship into a very large building. Nobody was there to meet us because all of us including the Martians, were under strict quarantine.

We again had to undergo the cleansing and disinfecting, but this time more intensified. Their health inspectors and medical specialists began to take all kinds of careful tests to be sure we did not bring in any diseases or that we did not carry any dangerous microbes. We remained here for three days.

On the last day, after again being thoroughly examined, we were given a clean bill of health. Our airship leader, who, I was told, was a first-degree Sun-Rank member, an important dignitary, and who, I could see, was given honorable recognition and homage by everyone, appointed himself my host. He said the rest of our boys were also being taken as guests by other fellow Martian travelers.

Again cautioning every one of us to try his utmost to control his thoughts, he led me to his private plane. We left the airport for his home. He gave me a parachute and fastened on his arms a pair of folded large snow shoes.

"These are flying wings," he said. "I am putting them on in case of accident. Before we reach my home I want to tell you something that may please you. The medical reports about you and your friends are very satisfactory. After a few months with us, if you follow our health habits, we expect you to become just as healthy and vigorous as any one of our young Martians. But you will never acquire our sixth sense of thought reading and transmission, or our bird-flying motions. But by following our way of living, your life span will be extended far beyond Earth standards, even if it does not reach our span of 300 years.

"Our head examiner said it was safe for us to take you to our homes. If you men desire, you may remain indefinitely among us, and look for wives among our girls. You all are able to rear families of healthy Martians. But after consulting with members of our council, they said that if you decided to remain on Mars, you would first have to deserve and earn the Martian citizenship. They decided if you will help me in my plans for your Earth people you will be elected to honorable citizenship of Mars.

"We are, as you notice, flying very slowly. My home is in the suburbs of the city, near by, about 500 miles distant. My wife and my fourth-generation granddaughter, together with other members of our household are waiting to receive you. I am sure they will find you a welcome guest. I also wish to tell you that we have learned your English language. Every one will be able to converse freely with you. You will feel quite at home. It would be wise if you men learned our Martian language so that you could mingle with other Martians."

While we were flying, I was constantly looking above and below us at the innumerable, beautiful airships of all kinds, designs, and sizes flying in all directions.

Glancing below I was astounded to see a garden of Eden with angel figures winging their way over an oasis of blended color. While he had been talking, my companion was preparing to land on his own landing platform. Attendants were on hand to assist us from the plane. A woman of dignity and beauty and a charming young girl were awaiting our arrival. They seemed from another world. No marks of care and anxiety on their faces. They looked to me like the angels I remembered from childhood on Christmas cards. They were dressed in flowing Roman stolas, that appeared to be of very fine linen, falling to their feet, fastened at the shoulders and upper arms by ornamented atomic battery buttons. They wore beautiful bracelets on their arms. Their stolas, girdled at the waist, were semi-décolleté reflecting their healthy, white skin. Two ribbons running over the shoulders crossed themselves in front and back to reach the girdle belt. On the sides under the arms, the gowns were ornamented and fell in a cascade effect into folds, open from the knees down and trailing on the ground at the back.

Their hair was dressed with wavy small curls in front from ear to ear. In the back it fell in beautiful waves.

The older woman wore an inch wide gold fillet band encircling her head.

They welcomed us in a most friendly manner. Introducing his wife to me as Lady Sylvia Banard and the young lady as Miss Xora Savona, he took hold of his wife's arm, indicating that I do the same with Miss Savona. We followed them into their sumptuous dining room for dinner.

The conversation centered on his adventure to Earth and back again, while all the members of the party kept watching me. I especially noticed the friendly, slightly curious side glances of Xora. Evidently these girls on Mars had some of the nice traits of our girls. At least they were feminine enough to be curious. I had difficulty keeping my mind on the conversation but I remembered my manners and tried to join in. After dinner we went into their library, and I remained until I was left alone with Sun-Rank Banard.

One thought was in my mind, which he knew, but he let me question him. "May I ask an important, but perhaps a personal question without offending?"

"I know your question. There is no offense. Ask it."

"You told me that Miss Xora Savona is your grandchild of the fourth generation, so I presume you are over one hundred Earth years old. You and Lady Banard and other Martians of your age look so youthful that, no doubt, you are still virile. How do you people control the overpopulation of Mars?"

He answered, "We limit, and control our birth rate, preventing its overpopulation. Our method of control is very simple. Whereas in many parts of your Earth, with all your preventives, aborti-facients, and your criminal dangerous abortion operations, your population is increasing to a dangerous point of saturation, creating scarcity, undernourishment, famine, and starvation. Chaos will soon overtake you, unless you control these over-birth rates. By our process we control not only the number of coming children, but their sex as well. We can maintain an even balance in sex and also prevent the unfortunates who are not fit to have children from having them. Even with our large population, our planet is as yet hardly half populated. If it were fully populated, our production of all necessities of life would still be more than ample for our needs. In one year, we can produce enough for three years. We always have a generous surplus of everything, because our storage facilities are perfect, and we have no waste.

"We protect our lands against dust storms and other causes of erosion. We do not allow their abandonment; we do not allow any waste. All our soils are constantly analyzed and suitably fertilized to prevent a lack of necessary elements. This treatment results in plants of above-average food value, and of a balanced mineral nutrition, a combination promoting good health.

"The drying up of marshlands and other wastelands plus the perfect irrigation of our deserts has helped us considerably to increase our production, and to almost exterminate pestilent insects.

"Lands not in active production are forested or put to rich grazing use. Our permanent large pumping, drenching, and sprinkling system, with our large sprinkler planes, are used to irrigate our deserts, and other lands suffering from drought and rain scarcity. It is also used in putting out forest fires started either by sun rays or combustion.

"We draw the waters from our great number of immense reserve storage reservoirs, which are directly diverted to them from the run-offs of heavy river water flows. Saving us from overflowing rivers, flood control, levee construction, inundation damage, and disasters, at the same time increasing generating power of our dams. We have an efficient drainage system for our tropical crops in rain-soaked lands, excess waters of which also flow into these reservoirs. Sun rays are available to treat our vegetation, when necessary.

"We limit and regulate agricultural production all over Mars. We have always an overabundance, because we have also completely reclaimed, irrigated, and fertilized our arid areas, distant from our surface water and reservoir supply, by mapping and using their underground water resources; we have converted them into rich productive farm lands. We have also mastered our jungle lands and made them all very productive.

"You are reluctant to ask me a few more questions you feel I may be sensitive about answering. You are puzzled about a fourth generation. Since our generation is thirty Earth years, I would have to be about 150 years old to have a fourth generation grandchild. I am now 175 years old, and Xora is now twenty-six Earth years old, which makes her my fourth generation grandchild. Xora has been appointed as your guide; she will take you tomorrow to her home, where you will meet her family and friends. You will be free to mingle among and closely observe us. You will find out for yourself that we have high standards and happy life.

"'Regnant populi.' The people rule, with a political regime really 'of the people, by the people, and for the people,' through their short term elected representatives; a truly democratic form of government, as defined by your Webster's Dictionary, 'Democracy: Government by the people collectively by elected representatives; political, or social equality,' united for common interests, rights and privileges, in political, economic, and social equality. We have strong doctrines of individual freedom, 'Lalus populi suprema est lex,' the welfare of the people is the supreme law.

"Our government officials are elected for two or five years, depending upon location and departments. They are not allowed to succeed themselves. Dictatorship is non-existent nor would it be tolerated. We have no ruling class. We are ruled by the people. We have no secrecy in our government, nor in our political parties, no party cliques and party discipline. Important decisions are voted for, or against, by all our citizens.

"You are curious and want to know if all Martians live in the same splendor and style as I do. No, they do not. We have ten grades and ten Sun-Rank degrees. Between every grade and every degree there are ten points to be earned. Every one of us must earn all ten points for promotion into the next degree.

"Promotion into the honorable Sun-Ranks is obtained only if we have achieved something outstanding, such as an improvement or invention, a scientific discovery, a disease prevention and cure. These higher advancements are voted upon and approved by our supreme house of council, and are given to us after judgment has been passed by impartial judges of all races from different parts of our planet.

"The type of living quarters of members in the Sun-Rank degrees depends on the degree. The members not only are honored for their attainment, but the higher ranking members are given, for their lifetime or for as long as they desire, mansions in both summer and winter resorts. They have large yachts and planes assigned to them and enjoy comforts and luxuries. They all have their duties to perform during their hours of employment. There is no ostentation in their way of life; for their entertainment, they attend the same theatres and halls as the lowest grade degree members. Stalls, boxes, and the best orchestra seats are always first reserved for the aged, and the next for rank members. Some of them prefer to occupy seats in the balcony with their lower degree families and friends.

"Many of our highest rank members prefer to remain in their old homes where they began as citizens. Many others go back to them if they are still available. Rank members are not envied. Respect and desire to emulate them spur all of us on.

"I have only reached my Sun-Rank first degree very recently. None of my children have as yet reached my rank. They and their children can visit me for a short time, but it would not be ethical for me to keep them, nor would any of them want to remain in our home permanently.

"The children of our Sun-Rank members, at their maturity, revert to the living standards of our lowest grade degree members.

"Now it's getting late, and no doubt you are bewildered and tired." To an attendant, who suddenly appeared, he said, "Please lead Lieutenant Balmore to his sleeping chamber. Good night."

CHAPTER III

Amboria the Paradise

When we met next day, he handed me his third chapter.

The next morning after breakfast en famille, Xora led me outside and into a hangar, where a few planes of different sizes were standing. She went to a corner closet where there was an assortment of what I would call large, light weight snow shoes. They had two parts, hinged together and pliable, similar to those I saw in Sun-Rank Banard's plane. They were covered by a thin fabric with clasps on one surface and were of different colors to blend with her garments. She fastened them tightly on both her arms, and flapping them like bird wings, she swiftly lifted herself off the ground. She flew around gracefully showing me all kinds of tricks. When she came down, Xora told me that it was too bad I did not know how to bird-fly, but that we could take her small tandem.

She picked up a few small contraptions which I helped her carry outside. The piece I carried seemed to be a double seat of a swing with attachable back and legs and with metal ropes. I thought she was going to hang it somewhere and do some swinging; but no, she next hooked on two flat oval pieces like oars or wings. She also screwed onto it tightly a small propeller smokeless jet engine. When the legs were lowered, it became a double bench seat. She sat down on one end and asked me to sit down beside her, carefully fastening her wings on her arms. When she gave me a bundle to strap on (she afterwards told me it was a parachute), I obeyed, puzzled. She covered our knees with a blanket and touched a button near the engine. To my great astonishment, we both were lifted slowly off the ground.

Laughing at my surprise, she explained, "This is my old portable tandem plane. It can travel 500 miles an hour. I can control its speed, and bring it to a dead stop on any surface. It's driven by perpetual atomic energy. First, we'll go sight-seeing above the city, and then we'll land on the roof of my home in the city. I want you to meet my parents and my sister and brother."

As I sat beside her, the pleasant scent of her hair, the nearness and warmth of her body, and the occasional light touch of her hands thrilled me so much that I almost lost control of myself. I told myself I was acting like a school boy, instead of a grown man. By the faint color in her cheeks she showed she was aware of my predicament. "You are so lovely," I said, "that all these other marvels seem secondary. How do you expect me to concentrate on them? By the way, isn't there a Martian boy who will be jealous of the time you are spending with me?"

She hesitated a minute before she answered. "Not seriously," she finally said. "Of course I have friends, but as yet I haven't made any decision."

My heart gave an extra thump. Then there was hope for me. I asked her if she wanted to marry a man of high rank or of low rank. She answered, "Nowadays very few young men reach the rank degrees, but many of my friends are hoping to marry such. But I first want one whom I love. He must be noble, lovable, intelligent, ambitious and capable of achieving honor by an outstanding action of which I may be proud."

Our talk and thoughts had so confused Xora that she was forgetting to apply her flying rules. We were dodging and barely escaping collisions with planes which seemed suddenly to be cluttering the sky. A small plane came alongside us. The occupant was in uniform, which I recognized as an air policeman's. Recognizing Xora, he cautioned her and indicated that she was out of her flying altitude. She immediately followed the instructions he gave. After he had left, she told me he was a schoolmate of hers and was now serving his first year in the general army of service, of which all policemen were members.

"He certainly went against the rules by not giving me a summons. I suppose he was being considerate of you as an Earth visitor to Mars."

During this time, I had been almost unaware of the city below. Xora now called my attention to the view. She said the city had been constructed five years before. It looked more like a large park than a city. There were no streets, but wide park lanes, criss-crossing each other. There was a large round lake in the center, surrounded by beautiful buildings.

Carefully kept lawns, gardens, and buildings covered all the surface space. The roof tops were pleasant to see with no unsightly water tanks, chimneys, signs, wiring, smoke, and junk. There were no broken-down hulks of unoccupied buildings, no dirty, drab, or sooty walls, no fire escapes. The flat or slanting roofs were all covered with well kept verdure and flower beds.

There were courts of different shapes, five or six clustered together, surrounded by green markings like a hedge, with a very visible letter in the Martian calligraphy within a center flowerbed denoting, I suppose, its number and location.

Along the rivers, busy waterways with freight ships and pleasure yachts, were clean flat beaches. On the Amboria city side of the river, on the edge and over part of the river on the extreme southern end, many large buildings covered a space equivalent to about two hundred and fifty New York city blocks. I asked Xora what these large buildings were.

She answered, "They are our general stores."

"Why so large?" I wanted to know.

"They are the only stores we have for our city," she explained. "They have the capacity to daily receive, unload, and store the contents of one thousand large freight airplanes landing on their roofs, two hundred fifty large freight ships, two hundred fifty freight submarines, all sailing under and unloading inside the buildings, and two hundred fifty long freight trains. If necessary, they can double this capacity."

"You mean to say," I asked her, "that these stores not only store away, but also distribute everything needed for every individual? Is your city population large?"

"Yes," she replied. "I will take you through one of the buildings on the next shopping day when the people in our section are allowed to shop. That will be Monday.

"The city is divided into six zones, and the inhabitants of each zone are allowed to shop only on their appointed day. The stores are never overcrowded."

"If you shop only one day a week," I interrupted, "then you must order for the whole week in advance."

"Oh, yes, we must submit our list a week in advance."

"Suppose you haven't the time or you are sick?"

"Then, I order either by telephone or by mail from the catalogue, or I can leave my list at our commissary department."

"You just told me you have only one set of stores. Then you also have commissary departments?"

"Our commissary department," she said, "is only the distributing point where we get our daily food and beverages. We don't have to shop for them in the large, center stores."

We now came above a round court fringed around by private homes. Slowly descending, we landed on the roof of one of the houses, where Xora's family, who were expecting us, were waiting to receive us.

Xora introduced me to her mother, father, young sister and brother. All welcomed me with cordiality. There is no need for me to describe them. Nature had been kind to them.

As I was following them down to their living room, her father said, "Lieutenant Balmore, you must feel strange landing so suddenly on our planet, but we are your friends, and we will try our utmost to make you feel at home.

"Of course, since everything on Mars is unfamiliar to you, you must be anxious to see everything. Let me begin by showing you our home. It is large enough for our family and for guests. It is fully insulated; weather, water, fire, germ, and insect proof, outside and inside. We use concentrated sun rays for heat and light, and atomic energy for power and cooking. It is air conditioned. We get the desired temperature and humidity in all seasons; the inside temperature thermostat is set by our health officer, who does not allow too cold or over-heated living quarters. The house is thoroughly dust proof. The electronic dust catcher and dirt remover cleans our walls, floors, ceilings, and even our furniture, and frees the air of all foreign articles.

"Each room is fully exposed at different times of the day to full sunlight. Sun-ray health lamps are always operating in every room and within the air conditioning unit to destroy all microbes that happen to evade our other guards. These lamps are in every living, work and office room.

"The comforts of our home equal those in all the homes of our citizens from the first to the tenth grade degree. All the furniture, furnishings, clothes, even paper are fire-proof. By our process we fire-proof 100% all inflammable materials, including even the thickest of lumber. We take no risk of destruction by fire. We do not need a fire department, nor firemen. We do not allow conditions to exist to which Earth people are accustomed. I find that in your Brick and Clay Record Magazine, February 1947 issue:

"Last year you built in the United States a half million permanent homes, but at the same time 400,000 were burned down or damaged, and this situation is going to get worse. You are building tinder boxes and firetraps at the greatest rate in your history and with the encouragement of your government. And this is in the face of some of the worst fire disasters you have ever known.

"Your fire losses last year were up 30%. They cost 11,000 lives. They wasted $500,000,000. You burned to death 3,000 children in their homes. Yet your Federal Government is encouraging, even subsidizing the building of homes, virtually every part of which above the ground, including the interior wall finish, is combustible. When fire hits such homes they will burn so fast the occupants won't have time to save themselves, let alone the home."[15]

"New York (AP)—Fire losses in the United States reached an appalling all time high of $700,000,000 this year."[16]

He led me through their living room, bedrooms, library, fumigating and disinfecting closets, toilet and shower closets without bathtubs. When I asked him about the tubs, he said bathtubs were not used on Mars, as they were unsanitary and unsafe.

We then went into their spacious dining room, where Mrs. Savona was arranging the table. "I have arranged to serve luncheon in privacy here; this room is thought transmission proof, so we can freely talk. I want you to be comfortable. Our guest room is ready for you. You can occupy it as long as you are on this planet. Mr. Savona and Xora will keep you busy showing you around. In a few days you will find your way by yourself, and you will be able to locate and visit your fellow Earth men."

Passing through the dining room, we went into the kitchen, which had all kinds of improved machines to help make kitchen work more efficient and pleasant. Walls, floors, and ceilings were of glossy white. But there was no sink. I asked about it.

"In our small homes we did away with that drudgery and servants long ago. Our dishes and silverware are cleaned at our central dishwashing department."

He led me to a closet with a continuous moving escalator dumb-waiter. "After our meal we place our dishes, silverware, and glassware, all of which have our name and number, on trays going down. When they reach the bottom, they automatically land on a conveyor belt which takes them directly to the central dishwashing and sterilizing machine; they come back, clean and sanitary, the same way."

"What do you do with your garbage and rubbish?"

He took hold of the knob of a small door in the wall beside the dumb waiter.

"Oh," I said, "that's your incinerator."

"No," he replied, "we do not burn such valuable materials. We put our garbage into paper bags, seal it, and throw it into this opening. It reaches a garbage car which takes it to a large factory where it is turned into fertilizer. Our rubbish is wrapped up and sent down the dumb-waiter. The belt conveyor takes it to the assorting room, and again by belt conveyors for long distances to our factories. Very little is wasted.

"The kitchen in our home is seldom used. Underneath the court there is a large central kitchen, where any housewife can have her dinner cooked. She either just brings her raw food to the chef, or gives him directions over the phone, telling him for how many people and the time to be served. If the chef needs raw foods, he sends to the commissary department.

"The commissary department supplies foods and beverages to all the residents of a community of five or more courts. It is also an ordering and receiving station from our main depots, which you have seen from the air. Daily supplies are shipped from the depot by our underground freight cars. Emergency shipments are made by messenger planes."

"Does the commissary department ever run short of supplies because of an unusual demand?" I asked.

"If it does, it can then requisition from another nearby department," he answered. "If people are inclined to be gluttonous, and it happens at times, even here, we ration them. That situation doesn't arise frequently, however, and when it does, we study the individual to find out what causes this unhealthy habit and help him to eliminate it. Individuals are very quickly cured from such an unhealthy inclination.

"In the court along the kitchen, there is a public dining room where each family has a permanently reserved table. Menus are made up daily, by competent dietitians, who offer nourishing dishes adapted to the special needs of age, activity, and physical condition of the individual. When we wish a specially cooked dinner, we must notify our chef about the change of our menu. Sometimes my wife cooks a special dinner herself, in one of the small kitchenettes adjoining this large kitchen. It is only when we have special company that we dine in our homes."

Mrs. Savona announced luncheon. A metal cooker on the table did the roasting right in front of us by electronic high frequency short wave radio. The heat generated in the food cooked it in seconds. It was so wonderfully flavored and tasty that I enjoyed several helpings. I complimented my hostess on her good cooking, asking her if all housewives on Mars were such good cooks.

"Oh, yes, and some are better. A great many are specialists in the different branches of culinary arts. But we all stress a wholesome diet. All our girls must take courses in home economics as well as in practical nursing, pediatrics, and at what you call baby sitting; they are frequently called to care for children when their parents go out. We all get, in our court, a week's turn to work and help in our kitchen. Kitchens in every court are operated by the residents, other residents operate our dining rooms; but it is all done under the supervision of our chef and head waiter.

"We live in what you earth people would call a community style. Every community has five or six courts, as you must have seen from the air, laid out in cluster near each other. The young couples like ourselves who bring up families and who need more rooms occupy single homes or two family homes. The four-story apartment houses, which surround the larger courts, are occupied by people who have already raised their families and who need less space.

"Every community has its preliminary school, hospital, and with provisions for one bed for every twenty persons and one physician for every fifty adults or twenty-five couples and their families in the community. There are also a drug store, theatre, moving picture and television house, gymnasium, dance hall, for the young boys and girls, social clubs for the young and the aged, music band, skating rink during the winter, and indoor and outdoor playgrounds for the very young children. Of course, there is constant intermingling, between those living in adjoining and other communities.

"We also have our own court of justice presided over by a conciliator chosen from our retired aged residents every year. This court settles our personal disputes. If we wish, we can call in an outside impartial arbitrator. We also have in this city a superior court of appeal, presided over by ten retired, aged Martians who are elected by all our city residents for a four year term. Anyone can appeal his case and get a hearing. Our court, comparable to your Supreme Court, is also located in Amboria."

Mrs. Savona addressed Xora. "Do not forget that after the next two weeks you will take your turn as nurse's aide in the hospital. You had better make the most of your time now in showing around our Earth guest."

Luncheon over, Xora suggested taking a walk. "It's a favorite diversion of ours," she said. "You can more readily observe our ground surface while we are strolling."

We went into a spacious outside court with trees, and close cut lawns. She led me out of the court through an opening in a beautifully trimmed hedge which she told me surrounded the five or six courts forming their community. Beyond the hedge, running east and west, one hundred fifty feet away, was another hedge. The space between was a street without sidewalks. Along the hedges on both sides were lines of beautifully shaped shade trees, at equal distances from each other, carefully pruned to allow shade as well as sunshine and beauty. There were comfortable benches under them. Parallel to both hedges were two twenty-five foot strips of beautiful green lawns in lieu of sidewalks. Between these strips were two twenty-five foot pathways, paved with a cork or ocean tree lumber surface, easy and resilient to walk on. In the center and between these pathways was a fifty foot wide full length flower bed with passages every 200 feet leading to fountains and statues in the midst of the flower beds. Happy couples, both young and old, strolled arm in arm or sat on the comfortable benches. The sweet scents of beautiful flowers, the freshness of vegetation, and the pleasant chirping of birds were unspoiled by traffic, and industrial noises. At the end of these hedges, we came to a very wide cross street or avenue, lined with pruned and beautifully shaped shade trees. It seemed as if every street had its own style of trees.

I asked Xora, "I noticed from the air the absence of vehicles on your streets, and I see none now; don't you use your streets even for deliveries?"

"No, all our traffic for deliveries and collections is done underground. To avoid accidents, individuals are forbidden to drive vehicles on the streets or to walk in our subways. Nor are children allowed to ride bicycles on the surface as they do on earth. We have no streets, as you call them. We call them parkways, and they are used exclusively for our pedestrians, who can walk, rest, and cross in perfect safety, even in the dark."

"Then you have no street accidents, and even an unattended blind man can safely at any time cross your parkways in any part of your city?"

"Yes," she answered, "providing he knows directions and carries a blind man's feeling compass."

It was a relief to cross safely without trying to find traffic lights, or stopping to look both ways for approaching automobiles. My precautions in crossing remained with me for some time, to the merriment of Martians with whom I happened to be walking. However, back here in New York I have almost been run over several times because of my forgetfulness. I did not see a street policeman there of any kind; a fact which impressed me then, and occurred to me later. What a relief not to have to run across streets dodging automobiles and fire engines! The indescribable pleasure of children playing and the birds twittering added to my feeling. I was in a land of enchantment.

In the center of the crossroads was an attractive pavilion with awnings all around it, and with dainty little umbrella tables outside. Many people were sitting around the tables with refreshments. Xora led me to a vacant one where a courteous attendant seated us and gave us a menu with a list of all kinds of ice creams, drinks, fruits, cakes, and dainty candies. My companion gave the order, after translating the menu for me. Everyone enjoyed these simple refreshments in a happy orderly manner. No barkeepers, with their noisy customers guzzling alcoholic drinks, no disgusting drunkards, no promiscuous petting, no attempt at pick-ups, no vulgarity, and no high class "Cafe Society."

In a very comfortable corner spot, there were about five vacant tables decorated with pennants on top of the umbrella poles. I asked Xora why these tables were vacant. She said they were reserved for the over-aged and high ranking members and their immediate families. So were the best seats in all public assemblies. Others had to take seats according to their rank and grade degree. Her family had to take balcony seats, because neither of her parents had as yet reached higher than the fifth grade.

Bowls of beautiful fresh, conserved, and dried fruits and nuts of many varieties were placed on our table. Xora said they were not the best of their kind. The choicest food from the commissary and the best articles from the general stores were first allotted to the crippled, the disabled, the sick, the aged, and the high ranking members and their families.

Momentarily forgetting what her grandfather had told me, I reached into my pocket for some gold pieces to pay for the refreshments. She started to laugh and said there was no payment.

"In that event," I said, "I can sit here all day and gorge these, and go to other pavilions when the supply here is low."

"You can do that," she said, "but you will soon become satiated and you will not take advantage of such privilege. It's only the small children who are tempted to partake of more than is good for them. They are not served without their parents, and they are taught restraint. These pavilions are at every crossing and are supplied continually by one of the four adjoining communities for a week each in their turn. Each community tries to outdo the other in quality and service, so as to attract more guests. Pavilions and benches on all our streets contribute a great deal to our social intermingling, especially during the afternoon teas."

"To whom are all these refreshments charged? There must be an enormous supply consumed daily."

"They are charged against the account of public supply," she answered.

"Is there no payment for anything you get here?"

"No! It certainly looks very droll to us when we observe your payments, your nuisance taxes and all other taxes and licenses you impose on your citizens.

"Think of your federal, state, county, and city taxes, your licenses, assessments, permits, and tariffs. How about your large army of salespeople, cashiers, bookkeepers, examiners, accountants, and others? Cash registers and office machinery and other derivative occupations pertaining to your money handling, including your assessors, collectors and other employees, all wasting their time in these your boundless non-productive occupations."

For a minute I didn't answer. Then I commented, "your street cleaners certainly keep your streets in perfect condition. I see no dust, rubbish, leaves, or papers flying around."

"Of course not," she answered in an offended manner. "We have no street cleaners, no garbage collectors who, like your Earth ones, collect rubbish and openly spill it into their wagons, fouling the air of the whole street for the passersby. Our volunteer gardeners prune our trees and shrubberies, cut and trim our hedges and lawns, and plant and keep our flower beds. They have up-to-date tools and machinery, as well as strong vacuum pumps to take up the dust, and dead leaves from lawns and walks. The leaves are used for fertilizer. They take great pride in their work, and each group tries to outdo the other in keeping the parkways and streets clean and beautiful. In the winter time we have no snow, ice accumulations, or slippery walks, because they all are provided with hot water pipes below the surface."

"I have not seen a foot policeman anywhere. Don't you have them, or need them?"

"We do not need them," she replied, "with the exception of a few as directors of air traffic, and one in every court of justice. Neither do we have or tolerate your tyrannical secret police, or investigating agents. Have you noticed that we have no locks on our doors or latches on our windows? No one possesses anything that someone else would take away or could not obtain himself. We have nothing of such value that it has to be hidden under lock and keys, put into safes or safe deposit boxes, or protected by burglar alarms."

"I am surprised," I told her, "that I haven't seen any people of another race on your walks or in your pavilion. There were many blue and green Martians on your grandfather's flight ship. Would you serve any of them at this pavilion?"

She answered with astonishment, "Why not? They would receive the same service you had."

"Do they live in separate quarters in this city?"

"Oh, no, they don't live among us. But those that visit us, or are tourists or members of our council, reside here temporarily with us. They, with their families, occupy some of the best suites in our largest and best hotels, where travelers and tourists from other cities and continents of all races reside while in Amboria. They mingle freely with us, without discrimination, mainly in the center of the city. When we visit there, you will see many of them."

"You mean that only the people of the white race are permanent residents of this city?"

"You seem surprised. You're probably judging us by Earth standards. There, even good citizens supposedly, calling themselves Christians, practice forms of discrimination. They have no tolerance of other religious faiths; no tolerance of racial groups. Even in social life, clubs and other organizations by gentleman's agreement exclude certain races and creeds. In business a man's ability counts less than his social connections. This to us seems unfair."

"But how can you eliminate such castes," I asked. "You have your principles of democracy," she answered. "If your people would follow them, even follow the principles of their religious creeds sincerely, intolerance, injustices, and bigotry would soon vanish.

"I have learned in school the history of Earth through moving pictures taken from our television. We've used television for thousands of years. We actually see what has happened and what is now happening on your Earth. We have no white supremacy. Our white race has never wanted to enslave, exploit or govern our other races. We have no underprivileged groups of our own or any race. We have found it best for every race to permanently occupy and reside within the continent and climate where nature originally planted it and to have its own territory and sphere of influence. It takes all our races combined to amicably govern the inhabitants of our planet; we cooperate with each other, and compete in our achievements, for the benefit of us all. All our continents and races are amicably and completely interdependent.

"Scientists, inventors, students, and teachers of one race often attend universities of other races to learn of their new discoveries and improved methods and mechanics. Ideas, information, and even machines are freely exchanged between our races. We equally share with other continents and races those natural, mineral, and other products, that we have, and they need. They do the same with us. We even ration among us the scarce products. Unlike your greedy nations, we do not forcibly grab or extort from other continents.

"Each race has its own schools of all types, cultural, professional and trade.

"There is equal representation in our Supreme Government Council. The President of our Council, or of Mars, can be either male or female and of any race. In fact, quite often our President is not of the white race.

"Our other races are just as careful and as proud to maintain their purity of race as we are. Our laws in that respect are very strict all over Mars. All of us up to the tenth grade degree, including adult children of Sun-Rank members, on this globe have the same standard of living, and we are happy together; difference in race is no problem to us."

"I certainly am impressed," I answered, "you people certainly solved that problem easily. You have done away with intolerance, and all the grievances of discrimination. Tell me more about your governing class."

"We have no class or racial distinction, no titled nobility, no high and low castes of society, no dollar aristocracies, no so-called upper classes, and no retired rich idlers nor jobless poor ones.

"We have one governing upper class, our aged citizens. They have the intelligence and wisdom that come from maturity and experience. They act on committees of conciliation and arbitration between workers, foremen and executives. If their physical and mental abilities show a natural decline with age, they apply and are elected to the more easy government and municipal offices, according to their capabilities. Our factories have separate apprentice craft training and finishing school shops, where productive speed is non-existent. The shops are staffed by our qualified aged, as teachers. Skilled aged workers are frequently used for precision work.

"By this method, we are able to keep our older people busy and contented. They give us the best of their experience as long as they feel able to do so. They keep their self-respect as useful citizens.

"They are our government elected executives, and officials. They are selected and nominated by their parties, and elected by the people, as an honor, and as a duty. But only of those who have not reached the Sun-Rank degrees. Sun-Rank degree members do not and are not allowed to occupy these offices. A government office with us in an honorary position without any extra emoluments. Whereas on your earth very often loyal party members and those who liberally contribute to its political campaigns reach and get lucrative offices, and favors."

"How about political parties?" I asked.

"In every one of our races we have sometimes as many as five political parties, although we don't make a career of politics. Government executives and officials are not allowed to influence or bring pressure in favor of or against candidates.

"Because of our system, we don't need homes for the aged, where every day some of the inmates die, and where they talk of death and plan and prepare for it years in advance. We give them a full life. They do not sit around stagnating. They are carefully watched by our medical department. Our aim is to have them live the longest possible time and not get tired of it. Thus, most of them live longer than they would otherwise, and die in harness. Our love and respect for them intensify our desire to have our aged parents, relations, and all others live their full life span. They are no burden to us, and we have nothing to gain by their early death. We are not like some of you on Earth, eagerly looking forward to their demise to inherit their fortune. All soft jobs, as you call them, such as employment bureaus, government and municipal libraries, museums, and other public offices are exclusively directed and staffed by them. These appointments are made on a merit basis only. To the contrary, in your country; so many high and low positions are filled from the ranks of the politically faithful.

"We on Mars are wondering why your government has created what you call the Federal Old Age and Survivors Insurance, through your Social Security Boards, for your old people; and then provide them with such a small pension. Not only are the old people neglected, it seems to us, but money which could help them is lavishly spent on sumptuous Social Security Board offices staffed by young, and high salaried officials."

By this time my mind was alert. I listened even more carefully as she summed up her argument.

"We know you have many healthy, self-respecting, sagacious old people who would fill all those positions better and, I dare say, more efficiently. At the same time, while thus employed, they would save your Social Security Board a great deal in old age security payments."

We were thus absorbed in our conversation at the pavilion. Now she arose and asked me if I were ready to take a brisk ten mile walk to the center of the city. "We all walk at least five or ten miles a day, rain or shine."

I was surprised. "Don't you find taking such long walks harmful to your feet?"

"Oh, no," she said, "on the contrary, it makes them stronger. It's exhilarating and invigorating to walk and breathe fresh air. We enjoy our walks because our shoes are comfortable and soft inside, and do not deform our feet. They are made to order from lasts of perfect molds of our feet and fit their functional requirements in motion. In fact, with few exceptions, all our garments are and must be soft and loose, so as not to create pressure, or friction to our skin. We believe in plenty of exercise. Our women do not need, or use your corsets and your other body torturing contraptions.

"While we walk, I shall try my best to explain to you the layout of our city. This city, between its east and west rivers, is a little more than twenty-five terrestrial miles wide. Let us call the pathways running east and west, streets, and those running north and south, avenues. They run parallel and at equal distances from each other. All our communities cover equal surface space, a square fifteen hundred by fifteen hundred terrestrial feet or 2,250,000 square feet. All the communities except those adjoining the center oval are bordered into exact squares by hedges, even though the buildings within may be laid out in different shapes, so as to make the entire plan symmetrical and harmonious.

"In the exact center of the city we have a large oval running north and south. This oval is about five miles wide at the center and narrows down at both ends to less than a mile; its full length is twenty miles. The center part is the active spot. I know what you are thinking—factories, office buildings, business houses. Oh, no. A few of our manufacturing plants are across the rivers, but all of them are located on our planet nearest to their natural sources of production, as you already have been told."

We were so intent in our conversation that I was surprised when she told me that we had reached the center. I have seldom on earth covered such a distance in such a short time. I did not feel tired; it was a pleasure to walk on the resilient pavements.

We were at the edge of a large lake where a great many people were resting, sitting alongside or rowing in all kinds of boats. Rainbow-colored fishes, of sizes up to 18 inches, freely and fearlessly and swiftly glided in the water among all kinds of beautiful swimming birds.

Xora pointed to an island in the center of the lake with a very large pavilion. "Our Symphony Orchestra plays there in the late afternoon tea period, and after dinner in the evening. This lake-shore is very popular with our people. Others in their homes or sick in hospitals hear it over their radios.

"There are three large artificial lakes here. The round center one is the largest. The two oval ones at each end are both larger than your New York Central Park. In the winter time they are covered with young and old people skating and playing ice games. All about the edges of this center are located our libraries, museums, opera houses, theatres, hotels, stadiums, universities, theological seminary, dance halls, and public buildings, as well as the stately building of our Supreme Council of the Planet Mars."

"Where are your temples of worship, and to what kind of religion do you people profess?"

"Our temples for religious services are located in this city within this center. In our monotheistic religion we are not like you on Earth with your many religious faiths which cause disruptions."

So I said, "I recall reading an article by Rev. Harry Emerson Fosdick, in which he said we must face the fact that religion has helped make the world a mess. Fosdick is a well-known writer and thinker. He said that religious differences and prejudices set man against man. Instead of unifying mankind, religion seems to divide it."[17]

"That's very true," Xora replied. "And at the same time your Earth babel of over 2,500 languages divide your people too. Here in Mars with a universal language and a universal deity we can come close to the ideal of man understanding man."

"What kind of athletic games do you people indulge in?" I asked.

"Now coming back to this center; at both ends and middle sides of it, we have large stadiums, each seating one hundred thousand persons. We have games like your football, baseball, basketball, tennis, running, figure skating, hockey. We also have our own body flying stunts, for physical upbuilding and enjoyment. Large exhibitions, performances, and circuses often take place here, but with no brutal, hazardous and dangerous feats, such as your boxing, wrestling, high trapeze swinging, wire rope walking, rodeos, bull fighting, or wild animal training spectacles.

"Now, during our summer or early fall, it is not so crowded here. This is our vacation and traveling period. Many people frequent the seashores and the river beaches on both sides of Amboria."