The article below was published in the daily newspaper L'Est Républicain, France, on September 24, 1954.
|
Paris. -- The appearance of "flying saucers" and "flying cigars" intrigues the public opinion. This is at least what Mr. Léotard, deputy of the Seine thinks, whom has just asked on this matter a written question to the Secretary of State to the Armed Forces (Air).
The member of Parliament asks:
"1) Whether instructions were given so that these phenomena are systematically and scientifically observed;
"2) Whether these "saucers" or "cigars" could be chased to be better observed, so that the public knows exactly if it is a matter of collective autosuggestion to dissipate, or if it is necessary to take account of these phenomena, from the security and national defense point of view."
Reported in the Puy-de-Dôme, the Allier, in Lorrain[e] and in the sky of Rome, the mysterious craft werealso observed in the Hérault, Saturday, at 7 p.m., by three Lodève residents.
The witnesses were able to see, during five minutes, a fuselage towing a fire red shining illuminated sphere moving without noise, roughly at the speed of an ordinary plane.
In addition, returning from a round during the night, two gendarmes of Chateauroux, Misters Courtaud and Peninon, stated to their chief that they saw, between 09:15 p.m. and 09:45 p.m., above Lafleuranderie, a commune of Montierchaume (Indre), a luminous machine immobilized in the sky at an altitude of approximately 1.500 meters, plus two others of greenish color at a greater altitude. The three mysterious objects, after having veered at a right angle, reportedly took the north-western - south-east direction.
