The article below was published in the daily newspaper La Haute-Marne Libérée, France, on October 11, 1954.
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The Saucers remain on the agenda. That is why, apologizing for wearying some of our readers who do not believe in them, it is fitting to sort through all the information we can gather around us, especially when it comes from people known for their sound physical, mental, and moral balance.
As for us, it is well understood that we remain in a state of expectancy. Forgive us. We are a little like Saint Thomas… minus the sainthood.
We had the opportunity to speak, on Saturday morning, with a member of the Saint-Dizier police force.
What did he tell us?
That he had been on the scene at Laneuville-à-Rémy shortly after Mr. Narcy’s statements. That he had gone to the site. That the earth at the spot indicated by the witness was compacted. The grass on certain clods looked like "cooked lettuce." In his opinion the craft (if craft there was) weighed around 500 kilos.
A Polish worker with whom he spoke admitted that the same morning he had seen a "red ball" descend from the sky.
We record this statement objectively, our interlocutor having furthermore expressed the intention of having the grass and soil he brought back from his expedition analyzed.
Apologies to our friends the road workers
We owe an apology to the road workers who received us so kindly when, on Thursday, along the Montier-en-Der road, we were looking for Mr. Narcy.
We indulged in an innocent joke at the expense of some of them by telling them that we were "Parisian journalists."
To which they replied, moreover, by pointing out "that we had really gone to a lot of trouble for nothing..."
The lie was not a big one, since most of us are correspondents for daily newspapers in the capital, which asked their local representatives for articles about the event.
We shall settle the matter by offering our road worker friends a friendly drink the next time we meet.
It is a fine we willingly impose upon ourselves.
Let us note, however, that "Radar" was there... Its reporters left "skeptical."
And what is not still being whispered!...
Let us wait.
On the subject of flying saucers, let us add this reflection, which is probably not devoid of common sense. We caught it in passing:
- It is the government that must not be unhappy with all this commotion, with all this agitation stirred up around the saucers. Meanwhile, people forget about it and its difficulties…
X X X
Let us add this further testimony collected on Saturday morning concerning the saucers:
An honorable resident of St-Dizier - we shall not name him so as not to bring him trouble with the curious (but let us specify that he lives on the Wassy road near the municipal stadium and works as a bicycle mechanic) - clearly saw during the night a reddish ball moving across the sky at great speed toward Montier-en-Der.
He is a man whose statement cannot be suspected.
X X X
Have you met this motorcyclist, a thoroughly likable fellow, who is no stranger to mishaps with his machine, which, for its part, has nothing "flying" about it. Alas, thrice alas! for its unfortunate owner who lives in Vert-Bois.
To get to his work, somewhere on Avenue de la République, that is still manageable. It is downhill and the engine starts...
But if he stops somewhere? Then, despite vigorous kicks on the starter delivered with a determined leg, the 100 cc engine refuses even to cough.
He must call upon kind souls to push this machine that dates from another age.
But the worst is in the evening, when worn out from his day, he wants to return home.
By chance it "runs." Our man is delighted to climb the hill without having to pedal.
But it is dark. The time has come to switch on the headlight.
He presses the button.
The bulb lights up.
But the engine dies.
What is to be done?
Respectful of the laws and regulations in force—whose usefulness he is the first to acknowledge and to demand be applied—he gets off the capricious machine and resumes riding it as a bicycle. Unless he must make his way back "pedicus cum jambis"...
Tell him now of the pleasures of motorcycling...
