From the May 2, 1909 NYT:

Save the problem of immortality and of life beyond the grave, there is, perhaps, no more fascinating one than that which conjectures life on mars and the possibility of establishing contact with that great planet, whose canals are as blank a mystery now as they were when Schiaparelli discovered them.

If, as many scientists assert, the planet is really inhabited by intelligent beings, and if a way is found by which the inhabitants of the earth can communicate with those of Mars, the result to science and knowledge would inevitably be so stupendous that the mind can hardly grasp all that it would mean.

So, (cue the Close Encounters chimes) how would we go about communicating? There are some suggestions:

Prof. Robert W. Wood, the noted physicist of Johns Hopkins University, has rather discouraged the enthusiastic scheme of citizens of Stamford, Texas, of communicating with the planet Mars by mirror signalling.

Says the good doctor:

"As to the project of attracting the attention of the Martians to the fact that there are rational beings on the earth, it seems to me that if there are any who insist upon making us conspicuous in this way it would be better to devise some simpler way than the construction of a mirror several miles in diameter. A large black spot on the white alkali plains could be constructed at much less expense, and would be as easily perceived by the Martians, if they exist and have telescopes as powerful as our. It would be easy to `wink' signals with the black spot as with a mirror of equal size, probably easier.

Columbia University provides its input in the form of Prof. Jacoby, Rutherford Professor of Astronomy:

"It is exceedingly uncertain that there are Martians," he declared to a reporter from THE TIMES.

But the Columbia professor is interested, nevertheless, in the scheme suggested by Prof. Pickering of Harvard for sending signals to Mars...

"If any one wishes to signal to Mars in spite of the lack of evidence that there are any Martians, it seems to me that it would be better for them to let the Martians begin the signalling - to let them spend the first $10,000,000 on scheme.

But, if the Martians are thinking the same thing we are stuck in a prisoner's dilemma of inaction.

The good Prof. Jacoby goes on:

"It is not unreasonable to suppose, if there is anything in the theories advanced by Prof. Percival Lowell regarding the hydraulic feats of the Martians' engineers on the Martian canals that the Martians should be far better able than we are to signal to the earth and find out whether there is intelligent life here. Why, according to Lowell, the Martians pump water clean from the poles to the equator! Certainly people who are able to do an engineering feat like that ought to be able to send signals to us.