CHAPTER 2

Political astrology
Though astrology is creaking in all its foundations, astrologers never cease from patching up its facade with the latest gloss. No political event escapes their keen glance. Thus, in the summer of 1956, when Nasser's nationalisation of the Suez Canal caused an international crisis, a well-known astrological journal was quick to predict the impending collapse of the British Empire. Britain would continue to wage isolated colonial wars in order to stave off the inevitable, but her case was utterly hopeless. More- over, the Crown was in serious peril as well.
One of the main arguments on which this gloomy prophecy was based, was the Queen's own horoscope. This is how the
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25. Kepler's horoscope of Wallenstein (1608). Kepler failed to predict Wallenstein's assassination.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE STARS 105
astrologist Carl Heinrich Huter read it: "Anyone looking at the horoscope of Queen Elizabeth II will be deeply stirred by the ominous position of Saturn at the beginning of the tenth field, for all rulers and politicians with Saturn in this position have either been overthrown or have abdicated of their own free will. There is not a single known exception in the whole of world history."^
According to the same source, the horoscope of Anthony Eden, then Prime Minister of Britain, was not much more favourable either. In Eden's horoscope — as in the Queen's — Mars appeared in the first house, which clearly pointed to an increase in world tension. Moreover: "The conjunction of Moon and Saturn under the sign of Scorpio is remarkable, for Eden's Saturn, 25 degrees in Scorpio, is almost identical with Queen Elizabeth's Saturn which is 24 degrees in Scorpio."
On the basis of these perturbing cosmic signs, our perceptive astrologer came to the further conclusion that "after the abdi- cation of the British Queen and of her Prime Minister there will occur world-shaking events, and changes in the economic, political and social structure". Inter alia, all over the world, the United States included, the oil magnates would be eliminated, and their fortunes nationalised. In this and other ways international peace would be assured without the world falling victim to Bolshevism.
In the same edition of the paper, the author is unfortunately forced to take a less optimistic view of the more distant future. "Immediately after the final collapse of England, America — whose planet is Uranus, the symbol of the Aquarist age of the next 2000 years to come — will rule supreme, but 100 years later supremacy will pass first to the Slavs, and in a further 150 years to the Mongols whose advancing yellow armies will flood across Russia and Western Europe. Before that time, a large proportion of the European population will have emigrated to North and South America, with the consequent disappearance of national states. Thereafter two gigantic continents, two ways of life, will confront each other culturally, economically, and militarily: America vs. Asia-Europe-Africa. Such is the future of the world." 2
1 C. H. Huter: Bahylons Untergang in "Das neue Zeitalter," (Stutt- gart, Year 8, No. 36, SI August 1956).
2 C. H. Huter: Das Horoskop Englands in "Das Neue Zeitalter," 31 August 1956.
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This small sample from the repertoire of a leading astrologer makes it clear that horoscopes go much further than the mere cure of love-sicknesses, and that they often fly off at a tangent into distant times and worlds. The further the times, the less binding, of course, are the predictions, and no one can say with certainty that the Mongols will not in fact rule Europe in 2200. Still, not all astrologers are equally circumspect, and French astrologers, in particular, must be noted for their great bravery in making short-term predictions.
At the beginning of 1950, for instance, the official journal of the French Order of Astrologers announced that the stars had made it clear that the Fourth Republic could not survive for more than a total of three years and nine months from its inception, i.e. it would give way to a stronger system not later than the 13th July 1950. When July 1950 passed uneventfully, astrologers were not discouraged. True to Voltaire's dictum that "no astro- loger should claim the exclusive privilege of being wrong all the time", they realised that, if only they continued to consult the stars often enough, they might come up with a real winner. Thus, when after the 1956 French elections the Socialist Prime Minister Guy Mollet fell out with the leader of the Radical Party, Mendes-France, the astrologer A. Martineau^ explained that this was only to be expected from the fact that the two politicians were both born under Capricorn, which often led to close friendship but equally often to enmity. Moreover the election date had been very close to their respective birthdays and had fallen on a Monday — a very unhappy day for Capri- cornians. Less astrologically but more politically informed observers could have explained the facts more simply, if not more elegantly.
As a rule, however, astrologers rarely dabble in politics. Although they have been known to plug a particular party line on occasion, political astrology is far less harmful than some other branches of "applied astrology", unless of course maniacs like Hitler really start to believe in it.
Moreover, most of the "correct" horoscopes of leading poli- ticians which astrologers often boast about, were in fact drawn up after the event or at best at a time when the character of the personality in question was already fully formed. But even then, 1 Astres (Paris) March 1956.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE STARS 107
errors have to be explained away, as in the posthumous astro- logical report on the Emperor Franz- Joseph of Austria: "In the Emperor's horoscope there occurs an important concentra- tion of lights and of three planets in the fourth celestial quadrant. Sun, Moon, and Saturn in Leo point to a ruler of fame. The ascending planet in Libra reflects the monarch's work for world peace and internal harmony — a labour which was notoriously unsuccessful. This is explained by the position of Mars in his horoscope."^
On the other hand, those rare cases in which a famous man or a famous woman completely fulfils the "promise of the stars" are heralded as great triumphs of astrology, and no one bothers to ask questions about the real reasons that made these "triumphs" possible. An example is the case of the Duchess of Windsor, the wife of the ex-King Edward VIII who says in her memoirs^ that when she was still known as Bessie Wallis Warfield, a New York astrologer told her that she would marry three times, and attain great power when she was 40-50 years old. Her power would be connected with a man.
Now it is not too difficult to predict that a vivacious American woman of her temperament and social standing would contract three marriages, since two divorces, under these conditions, are statistically more probable than a single marriage. As for her power, if by power we understand political influence, this is precisely what she lost when her marriage caused her third husband to abdicate. True she has achieved a far greater posi- tion than she could have expected in her youth, but this is not what the astrologer could have meant. Thus even this "true" prediction, which is often adduced as evidence in favour of astro- logy, was anything but prophetic.
Collective Horoscopes
Obviously the stars move with the times, and affect the latest achievements of science. In ancient Rome, whenever technical
^ P. L. Winter: Leitfaden der Astrologie in Mdchte des Schicksals (Vienna
1953) p. 432 f.
^ The Duchess of Windsor: The Heart has its Reasons (N.Y. 1956).
108 CHAPTER 2
innovations — ^for instance, canals — ^were introduced, they were entrusted to a new god or goddess. While astrologers do not emulate this noble example — though the modern star catalogue with its scores of millions of stars would clearly enable them to do so — they prefer to burden their old trusties with new tasks.
Thus a modern textbook of astrology tells us that House III, in Gemini under Mercury, is particularly favourable to radio installations — ^no wonder when we realise that Mercury has for- ever been the patron saint of traffic and communications. Diplomatic matters, the theatre, and education come under House V (in Leo under the Sun), while Church matters, parlia- mentary matters, the Navy, and scientific discoveries fall under House IX (in Sagittarius under Jupiter), etc.
Such generalities, however, do little to satisfy the quest of those who seek information about personal or love affairs. These people nowadays turn for their information to the popular press, which is often hard put to it to fill an entire issue with social scandal and cooking recipes, and welcomes any oppor- tunity of pleasing its readers in simple ways. Thus many papers publish daily horoscopes that are apparently compiled with the other news. In fact, they might just as well publish horoscopes for a year ahead, for as we know, the stars are eternal. But people who believe in the stars, generally prefer their bits of wisdom in small doses, and like to have their fortunes told from day to day, even when it is a question of contracting such long- term obligations as marriage. It seems logical that people who believe in the stars would consult an astrologer for years in advance, but this type of prophecy seems to have fallen into dis- use. Mass media have changed astrology from the kind of pro- phetic message it used to be into a mere set of mechanical directions for immediate implementation. Only on special occasions, such as New Year's Day, do some astrologers still make more far-reaching predictions.
The Planets of Chance
Though astrology has lost much of its dramatic quality and has, as it were, cut off its grey prophet's beard, it has become
THE LANGUAGE OF THE STARS 109
highly specialised. There is, for instance a special branch of astrology which deals exclusively with the race-course, and which has much in common with other tipsters' methods, except that it introduces special variables — the stars.
Oddly enough, astrologers prefer to read the horoscopes of the jockeys rather than of the horses. After all, the stars which have so much influence on our fate, ought to have an equally great influence on other creatures also. Moreover, horse horoscopes should not be too difficult to read since the hour and day of birth of all race-horses is carefully recorded in the stud book, and their chance of winning should therefore be eminently predict- able from the stars
Be that as it may, horse horoscopes are not in popular demand, possibly because they would complicate the work of astrologers by introducing an unnecessary complication.
As it is, if astrologers bother to cast even the jockey's horo- scope, it is only as an afterthought, for it is the gambler's and not the jockey's lucky day which really counts. Similarly careful people who, needless to say, make a point of buying lottery tickets only on lucky days, will make doubly sure of success by only participating in lotteries that are also drawn on lucky days.
Still all these considerations are merely secondary, what matters most is the gambler's own luck. Only in one field do modern astrologers rely on more "objective" data: in the stock exchange, which was apparently born under a star of its own, though, of course, stocks and shares must still be bought and sold on the client's lucky days. The successful speculator will therefore do well to synchronise his own horoscope with that of the stock exchange. Once that is done, the rest is child's play and heavy losses can easily be avoided. Fortunately, this branch of astrology has few adherents, since their combined psychological pressure might otherwise play havoc with the markets. Stock exchange astrology is a very difficult science, understood by only a handful of experts, who usually base their special pro- phecies on Jupiter and Venus. Thus we can read in a Parisian Astrological Monthly^ that "since Jupiter is trine to Venus, the third, fifth, eighth, tenth, thirteenth, nineteenth and twenty- fourth days of March will see a rise in the market, but the market will be dull on the second, sixth, seventh, twelfth, and ^ Astres 56 (Paris, March 1956)
no CHAPTER 2
thirty-first days of that month". For more detailed information still, the readers are referred to the special Stock Exchange Bulletin published by the same editor. Strangely enough, few of the experts seem to have been able to amass any vast fortunes for themselves with the help of Jupiter and Venus, but the very existence of a "Special Stock Exchange Bulletin" indicates that others are not deterred by this odd circumstance.
Other astrological specialities are more dangerous, and particularly those which dabble in medicine. Unlike their mediaeval predecessors, modern astrologers do not maintain that they can produce miraculous cures, but they do claim to know from the stars on what days cures are particularly effective or ineffective. Moreover, astrological herbalists publish monthly bulletins of particularly favourable medicinal plants and _of the lucky days on which they should be used. The planets themselves are alleged to produce certain diseases and to cure others. Thus Uranus under the sign of Cancer causes colic ; Mercury under the sign of Aries causes facial neuralgia, Venus under the sign of the Aquarist causes varicose veins, etc. Even benign Jupiter c^ cause many complaints according to the house in which it rises. "If this were not the case," a critical astrologer pointed out, "one twelfth of all mankind would be free from all physical ills".i
This notion that health and disease are governed by the stars, induces many patients to delay medical treatment, and to use dangerous medicaments until the stars become more favourable to them. It can moreover turn believers into rank hypochondriacs who spend their lives running around with a Saturn-complex. Astrological medicine, far from being a harmless game, must be considered a particularly stupid and dangerous form of quackery.
The balance sheet
Although astrology is based on a coherent framework, astro- logers, like scientists, are often at loggerheads with one another. For this reason, we may read the most divergent ex-
1 La MMecine astrologique. Astrologie-Psychoanalyse (Paris) Janu- ary 1956, p. 153.
THE LANGUAGE OF THE STARS 1 1 1
planations about the effects of the stars during one and the same period (see p. 112).
Contradictory astrological predictions are printed daily by the million, and are certainly read by millions of people. Who are the suppliers of this prophetic industry? At first, they were pure amateurs who tried to gain an extra living in this way, but as demand for their services grew, they turned professional. Nowadays, astrology has become a large-scale industry, and big agencies do nothing but supply the press with horoscopes for the day, the week, or the month.
Unlike special astrological journals, most daily papers do not employ a special sub-editor or specialised staff to run their astrological department. They find it much simpler to print the ready-made horoscopes supplied by the agencies instead. These they publish with a lack of concern that they would find distaste- ful in any other column.
Most editors hold that the whole business is sheer nonsense, for which they cannot accept any responsibility — moral or otherwise. But whether they like it or not, they are to blame that astrology is so widespread today.
Investigations in America and Europe have thrown greater light on this subject. The first great wave of collective horo- scopes in newspapers and journals started in English-speaking countries after the First World War, at about the same time that crossword puzzles became fashionable. Like crossword puzzles, astrological predictions were at first considered a mere game, until countless letters from readers proved that they were being taken very seriously. From then on, there was no going back. After the Second World War, astrology became more popular still. A questionnaire prepared in 1943 showed that in the United States alone five million people act according to astrological advice, and pay 200 million dollars annually for the privilege.^
At present, more than two thousand U.S. dailies and weeklies run a regular astrological column, and there are a further twenty magazines which deal exclusively or mainly with astro- logical questions. The most popular of these magazines has a circulation of more than half a million copies. The radio, too, used to run an astrological programme, until the U.S. authori- ^ Paul Couderc: L'Astrologie, p. 106
112