d, which produced an ineradicable impression. The
President of the United States, of course, presided. Representatives of
the greater powers occupied the front seats, and some of them were
honored with special chairs near the President.

No time was wasted in preliminaries. The President made a brief speech.

"We have come together," he said, "to consider a question that equally
interests the whole earth. I need not remind you that unexpectedly and
without provocation on our part the people--the monsters, I should
rather say--of Mars, recently came down upon the earth, attacked us in
our homes and spread desolation around them. Having the advantage of
ages of evolution, which for us are yet in the future, they brought with
them engines of death and destruction against which we found it
impossible to contend. It is within the memory of every one within reach
of my voice that it was through the entirely unexpected succor which
Providence sent us that we were suddenly and effectually freed from the
invaders. By our own efforts we could have done nothing.

"But, as you all know, the first feeling of relief which followed the
death of our foes was quickly succeeded by the fearful news which came
to us from the observatories, that the Martians were undoubtedly
preparing for a second invasion of our planet. Against this we should
have had no recourse and no hope but for the genius of one of my
countrymen, who, as you are all aware, has perfected means which may
enable us not only to withstand the attack of those awful enemies, but
to meet them, and, let us hope, to conquer them on their own ground.

"Mr. Edison is here to explain to you what those means are. But we have
also another object. Whether we send a fleet of interplanetary ships to
invade Mars or whether we simply confine our attention to works of
defense, in either case it will be necessary to raise a very large sum
of money. None of us has yet recovered from the effects of the recent
invasion. The earth is poor today compared to its position a few years
ago; yet we can not allow our poverty to stand in the way. The money,
the means, must be had. It will be part of our business here to raise a
gigantic war fund by the aid of which we can construct the equipment and
machinery that we shall require. This, I think, is all I need to say.
Let us proceed to business."

"Where is Mr. Edison?" cried a voice.

"Will Mr. Edison please step forward?" said the President.