Panic Caused By Broadcast From Our Own Correspondent NEW YORK, OCT. 31 America to-day hardly knows whether to laugh or to be angry. Here is a nation which, alone of big nations, has deemed it unnecessary to rehearse for protection against attack from the air by fellow- beings on this earth and suddenly believes itself-and for little enough reason- faced with a more fearful attack from another world. All began after 8 o'clock last night, when a dramatization of Mr. H. G. Wells's fantasy " The War of the Worlds " came on the air over the national " net- work" of the Columbia broadcasting system. The programme was the work of Mr. Orson Welles, a young American who is known as an innovator on the New York stage. He dramatizes a book or a play every Sunday night on the wireless, The story, written before bombers became a reality on this world, was pre- sented with an American locale substituted for the English. The programme opened with the usual announcements, and Mr. Orson Welles described the series of which it is a part. Then a setting was built up, first a weather report, then a programmc of dance music from a fictitious hotel. In the middle of a number came a " flash " about an astronomer having observed a gas explosion on Mars. News bulletins and descriptive broadcasts followed rapidly-just as in the recent European crisis. A " meteor " had landed near Princeton, New Jersey, killing 1,500 per- sons. No, it was not a meteor, it was a "m metal cylinder "-and the top un- screwed-and monsters crawled out armed with death rays-and they were impervious to bullets-and they were marching on New York-and martial law had been declared and State militia were out. And so on, all told in a voice of doom. TOWELS AS GAS MASKS Thrice after the initial announcement it was explained that the events were only part of a wireless programme, but these were insufficient to arrest panic in many peaceful Sunday night homes. Telephone lines to police stations, newspaper offices, and broadcasting stations were soon jammed; in some towns people hurried into the streets, many with towels over their faces as gas masks. Less excitable citizens telephoned to the authorities to know how they could help in the emergency. Even church services were interrupted. This state of affairs continued until a series of reassuring announcements by the Columnbia officials and the police and news services restored peace. The upshot to-day is that the Federal Communications Commission, which issues all licences for broadcasting, has asked for the script of the broadcast and for the electrical recording taken at the time. The chairman has declared that any programme causing such panic is at least regrettable, and that he will institute a prompt inquiry. Mr. H. G. Wells's literary representa- tive in New York stated to-day that he gave permission for one performance of The War of the Worlds " over the wire- less, but it was not explained to him that there would be rewriting which would turn it " into an entirely different story." He added that Mr. Wells and himself were deeply concerned, and considered retraction was necessary by the Columbia Company and Mr. Orson Welles. PANIC CAUSED BY BROADCAST A WELIS FANTASY IN AMERICA INVASION FROM MARS