The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-20
FRENCH COOKING
LAUDEO BY EDISON
Wizard Thinks This Country
Has Nothing to Compare
With 1t.
WE HAVE MUCH TO LEARN
Want to Be Refined Where the
French Show Common
Sense.
WE HAVE MUCH TO LEARN
Especial Gable to The rimes.pi,patcb, /,

special Gable TO The Times Dispatch
Farls' August l9-Thomas \. Edi-
son mad much to say concerning the
Impressions made upon him by France
and her people in an interview to-
day He talked of many things, from
the way the French cook bread to the
aeropiane as an engine of war and
ms observations. some of which fol-
low. are interesting.
What Americans waste i'm food will
feed the French nation" he said
I'VE have much to learn of the
science OF food preparation. and this
economic phase OF the food question
Is what strikes me most forcibly here
The French have not only studied out
scientifically what Is best To eat, but
by serious schools long ago estab-
lished, have made research. and by
evolution have arrived at perfection
OF preparation at minimum cost
C"oking Not IInphnzard.
Cooking" he continued. lis no hap
hazard matter in France as i'm Amer
lea. but 1t is u science and an art.
with traditions SO we'll established
that they cannot be broken. Take
French bread--and | think it is the
most delicious in the world---they
don't unbalance the wheat for the
sake of appearance, but retain the
gultinous qualities in an extraordi-
'iuiS way lnlHh OF the mai
gestion In America comes from the
desire to make bread look pretty In
doing this they unbalance the wheat.
taking from IL the qualities most es-
sential for nutrition and health
1T has been found in countries
where that dread disease. berberi.
ourishes that, in the process of pol
ishing and whitening the rice. eie-
mcnts are taken from the food which,
oil Lou al ,,., ~
the patients suffering the disease.
would actually result in a cure
I'VE want TO be refined In our eat
Ing. and tina is where the French
show common sense. We never tasted
bread such you find universally
here. Everything served to YOU. even
i'll the smaller villages. shows a GER
tain magic OF the culinary art which
has only been attained by generations
and generations of scientific chefs. who
did not look upon their vocations as
drudgery. but as a privilege and an
art. The beefsteak that lis so tough
that you cannot stick fork into the
gravy doesn't exist here. or IL II does
they know how to disguise it. There
is an added JOY to living when you
have the privilege of sustaining your
self on French cooking"
Conquest Never Pays.
Changing the topic Mr- Edison said:
"As look at the historical monu-
ments l fail TO lind any bargains
among them. The Arch of Triumph
doesn't impress me. for always
beside ii another and greater arch.
thousands of feet high, made OF the
phosphate of the bones of victims sac
rihced for Napoleons personal glory.
Conquest costs: IT never pays. For
Alsace and Lorraine the Germans have
,,I
they thought they had gained II free!
And their little march around the Arch
OF Triumph was in the end the costli-
eat promenade ever made.
But this well assumed war lord avo-
cation has come TO an end. The GER
man Emperors spasmodic twitchngs
are but the death throes OF the con-
quest business. There are too many
and schools in present day
civilization to allow the Anticipated
methods of over ambitious men. hid
ing their selfish aims behind loud cry
for the glory OF their country, to force
ruin on their people.
anyhow, the war game has been
spoiled for good by the perfection OF
the aeroplanc. i have been told that
the fact that France was able 10 en-
roll In one day 1900 airmen for the
aeroplane branch of the army has ham
pered in no mean way the position
taken by Emperor William in the Mo-
roccan situation. Think OF the effect
of a feet OF 1000 aeroplanes! And
they can get 5000 OF these aeroplanes
for the cost of one Dreadnought,
Fcnr of humiliation.
"Ali the grea. destructive possibiii
ties of the aeroplane are dwarfed by
the moral effect on the population
the fear of indiscriminate annihilation.
I'VE have passed the era of conquest
but the lesson for the generations TO
come would be more plainly presented
IL on each of the great historical mon
uments OF Paris that excite so much
admiration the details OF the cost to-
the French people were placed"