The article below was published in the daily newspaper Combat, Paris, France, page 10, on October 19, 1954.
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BONN, October 18. -- Whatever happens, do not shoot at the pilots of flying saucers. They should be approached with a charitable spirit, writes Philipp Dessauer, a German theologian, in the Catholic magazine *Wort und Wahrheit*.
Professor Dessauer, lamenting the skeptical attitude of the American Air Force—which has studied the reports on flying saucers without conviction—states that it is poor policy to refuse to consider unexplained phenomena. Such a stance could spark panic if the existence of the saucers is confirmed.
One day, he says, saucer appearances will multiply, and these craft will likely land on Earth. "Governments should consider it their duty to prepare their peoples for such an encounter."
Professor Dessauer wonders why the saucers have not landed yet. Perhaps, he suggests, their occupants have tried to make contact but were misunderstood. Perhaps they wish to observe Earth before landing. If so, their observations of the Korean War have surely not encouraged them to approach us with confidence. It may also be that there are technical reasons preventing the beings from the saucers (whom the professor calls "planetarians") from landing.
In any case, Professor Dessauer believes that the planetarians can only come from Mars or Venus, since the next possible planets are four light-years from Earth.
On Mars, gravitational force is only 38% of that on Earth, and the air is less dense. Perhaps the planetarians are experimenting with devices to help them adapt to life on Earth.
Professor Dessauer also asks: Are the planetarians mortal, and do they have weapons? They must be thinking creatures, since they have reached a high level of technology.
They must be mortal, because judging by the care they take to avoid human aircraft, they must know what danger is. They do not seem to be spirits or demons, as they are subject to physical limits and require technical means.
Flying saucers did not begin the week with particularly promising signs. Only a few sightings have been reported. Nevertheless, Mr. René Déjean, deputy of Ariège, submitted a written question to the President of the Council regarding "flying craft of unknown type." He asks in particular:
"Whether a service has been created to collect existing documentation on the subject and to study the nature and origin of said craft."
"Whether the information currently collected allows us to absolutely rule out the hypothesis of craft piloted or controlled by living beings of unknown species and origin."
"Whether the government, on the contrary, has sufficient information to attribute the production of these craft to the industry of a foreign state."
"If in the latter case, the international agreements signed by France have already enabled consultations regarding the use of such craft in the event of a conflict."
LISBON, October 18 — Several flying objects were seen yesterday in the skies of Portugal. A "flying cigar" was spotted in Lisbon, while two "saucers" and an "object of rounded shape" were reported in the Porto region.
MADRID, October 18 — Two Madrid shopkeepers saw, yesterday afternoon, a slightly oval, very bright craft surrounded by a "fluorescent" light.
