BRITISH NEWSPAPER IN FACETIOUS MOOD

Chronicle (Levin), 12 February 1949, Page 5

BRITISH NEWSPAPER IN FACETIOUS MOOD

LONDON, Feb. II. Commenting on the report that wher: a party of seientists attending thcPacifle Science Congress inspected a volcano in East Taupo, "it burst into its most violent eruption for years, " the Manchester Guardian remarks: "That might be taken as timely readiness to oblige men of science — unless there is any loeal method of rousing a volcano to action. A bar of soap thrown into a quieseent geyser is said to have a stimulating effect; the oblig ing hot spring presently begins to spout most effectively. One feels that it would be a little below the dignitj of a volcano to say anything in reply to soap bnt there mav be other forms of

stimulus. On the other hand, there is, always the possibilitv that the Taupo volcano just does not approve of the Pacific Science Congress. It may think that there is quite enough science in the Pacific at Hiroshima -and would prefer that its representatives kept their distanee. A third possibility is that the tale of its 'most violent eruption for years,' has been tofiched up for transmission. But that would be even more shattering than the eruption and might pxovoke an outburst from our, own sporadic volcano, the Royal Commission on the Press.'''