The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-08-17

or something else WoTk-uohe Soni0
little thing that will transform the
flying machine from the toy Of
sports into a commercial success.
Here Edison's mind went back
over the trail Of sother years. He told
about time when Roentgen dis
covered his wonderful A-fayS. Inc
cable brought over the news and the
| morning newspapers printed it. A
New York newspaper reporter called
upon Edison to ask him il he credited
the reports. Edison told him he did.
ROentgen was a reliable man-i1 ne
said he had done a thing. he had done
it. The man went PACK
and published the story.
Any Day\Nay Bring Solution.
"As soon as the article was printed
said Edison, about twenty newspaper
men came, yer from New York They
found me at work trying to get the
rays Roeitgen had first seen. Enough
had been printed to give me an idea
Of how be had done it. And after
working two nights and two days L
succeeded. ThOs newspaper men
stayed here/for' two weeks.
Edison told the story to illustrate
the suddenness with which news OF
the most amazing discoveries now
breaks upon the world. Any day, he
said. again and again, might bring
news that would revolutionize flying
machine construction, and give the
machine itself a place among CONNER
cial successes.
Somebody will soon discover what
is needed he said. The science of
aerial navi cation is making aStOund-
ing rog g. In ten years there will
be plenty of flying machines-lots of
them"
Edison was asked if he believed the
invention and development Of the fly
ing machine would nave an effect
I upon civilization that might justly be
compared with the invention and de-
velopment of the steam engine.
He didn't answer right away. When
he did speak he spoke slowly.
IT n know" he replied. THE
possibilities Of the flying machine are
too great for me to be sure that [
comprehend them. The effect of the
flying machine upon civilization may
machine can do in war.
Some day it is going to be impossi-
Bile to conduct wars. Up to this time
we have gone on making h armor
plate that no projectile could pierce
and following it with the projectile
that could pierce any armor plate.
That can't go on forever. The time
is coming when a means Of attack will
be discovered that cannot be resisted.
Il am not sure the flying machine
is not going to constitute that means
of attack. If so, it willsbe the greatest
discovery, so far as it's effects npon
civilization are concerned. in the his
tory of the world. It will end war, for
there can be no war when there is no
means of defense. The nations would
come trooping into The Hague so rap
idly that Carnegie would have to
build an addition to the Peace
Temple"
The last sentence was said with a
smile. He added, wrinkling up his
face with apparent disgust:
"War-this killing peoples bad
business The only war we want iS
commercial war"
Just Begun to Discover.
Passing from flying machines to in
ventiOns in general, Edison was asked
whether, in his opinion, the inventive
age, hat dawned a century ago, would
wane-at least for a time-or whether
it would &C on, gathering speed as
it goes.
1T will go on" he replied. 1--WE nave
just begun to discover things. What
we know is only the smallest atom Of
what there is to know. Oh, we know
Notwithstanding. Forces are in oper-
alton all around us Of which we have
no knowledge. We have but five
senses If a force happens to become
translated into a form that enable
US. with one of our Senses, to become
aware Of 1t, we become conscious of
the existence OF the force. Otherwise
we do not. u think what we might
find if we should develop two more
senses! None of us would know this
world if we were to come back here
in 100 years. Invention is going to
bring about such changes as the mind
can hardly conceive. And invention
and discovery are going to go on for
ever"
Edison was asked what part he be-
l1eved necessity played in Invention
whether human needs. even though a
people were unconscious of them-did
not act upon inventive minds, squirting
them on.
He didn't think so. He said nobody
was clamoring for a better light than !;
gaslightSwhen he invented the electric
light. He simply saw that gaSlight was
poor and WaSteful.
"Ninety-seven per cent Of the energy