Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-10-22
NOTED INVENTOR GIVES OUT RE-
MAR<AeLE INTERVIEW RE-
oARDING WAR.
U. .. SHOULD STORE
FACILITIES AND MATERIALS
Would Have Nation Do Its Fighting
by Machines, Not Men-lntimatss
Americans Could Whip Any Nation
on Earth If Properly and Scientific
ally Equipped.

Chicago, Oct. 22.-"Don't be ready
to start war, but be ready to main.
tain it at full speed and capacity the
minute 1t is started. Do your fighting
by machines, not men"
That is Thomas Ava Edison's ad-
vice to America. !,
The noted inventors interview, In
which this keynote Of preparedness
was sounded, was one OF the most re-
markable pronouncements he hal
made on the subject Of war since he
was appointed chairman of the gov
ernment.s general science board.
1t was given while he was being
transferred in his private car from
the Michigan Central station in Chi
cago to tho Chicago & Northwestern
on his way to the San Francisco fair.
Urges "Potential' Work.
Potential preparedness - that is, a
preparedness that may be turned to
active account whenever needed, but
is stored up until that time-is his
plan to prepare this nation for any
eventuality Of war.
He declared himself opposed to q
large standing army, which. he said,
was worthless unless Kept at war
strength all the time.
Il am down on military establish
ments," he declared. reflectively. The
business of finding materials for max
ing war and Of conducting the prep
aration Is not military job, but one
S Of economics.
Let the military men file requisi-
lions Tor the kind Of fighting equip
ment they think best. Let business
men and manufacturers manage the
economics Of preparation.
Il believe the soldier of the future
will not be saber-bearing, blood
thirsty savage, whose delight 1t is to
carve up his fellow man. but me-
chanic a machinist.
ANY future war the United States
undertakes will be promoted with ma
chinery, not men. For that reason we
can gamble safely on a volunteer
army, since we can train the men to
be machinists as quickly as we can
use them.
What we do need is a great num-
Der Of officers, more than we now
dream Of using, trained for instant
service. We need drill sergeants ready
fbr instant call, 80 that within forty
eight hours we may have men ut hand
to begin drilling"
Gives Preparedness Plan.
"Will you give in concise form, Mr..
Edison, your idea Of what should be
None IN the United States In prepara-
ton for or against ware" he was
asked.
WELL" he said. running his fingers
thru his sparse silver locks, my idea
may not be just the same as many
other peoples. Let's see:
''Have you thought Of the immense
amount of powder shot OF every day
on the battle lines Of Europe? would
build factories and equip them to turn
cut Just twice as much every day. I
would build them inland. away from
the danger of sudden attack.
Then / would get together vast
quantity Of materials used In manu-
featuring this powder and have them
at hand. would grease up the ma
chinery and let it all stand, unused
but ready for use.
.I would make up none in advance.
but l would be ready in forty eight
hours to turn out enough powder to
blow any enemy into the sea.
Machines For Shells.
"The same holds true Of shells. It Is
an economic waste to make shells
singly on lathes, as at present. That's
decidedly American. We should de-
wise machines to turn out shells as tin
cans are turned out-in vast quanti-
ties. These machines should be set
IN in factories. creased up and left
idle, with an enormous quantity OF
steel billets, so that within two days
If the time the shells were needed tho