The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1915-07-04

= = r i Y
II the United States must defend
itself in war and be attacked by a
foreign foe. will Thomas Edison.
wizard OF electricity and master
scientist, be able to drive back the
attacking forces?
Could the wizard Of West Orange,
NJ j., with the aid of his laboratory
assistants kill the foreign hosts with
deadly gases or explode their ans
munition by electricity? What ut-'
known invention has he up his
sleeve?
In a recent interview Edison in
Dictated that were the United States
attacked he would devote his atten-
ton to our country's defense and
would make war more deadly than it
is at present.
II can help make war worse than
1t is at present" the great inventor
recently said.
How would Thomas Edison. the
master mind of the century, the
worlds greatest inventor, make war
more deadly than it is at present
with poison gases killing thousands
in the trenches in Europe? This he
refuses to discuss but the answer is
plain: by inventing or preparing
more poisonous gases than those
used at present? Edison says that
the two great factors that will count
in future wars are deadly gases and
electricity.
FATAL TO
SCIENTISTS.
Hydrocyanic acid has killed more
scientists than any other agent. But
one whif of it is necessary to Kill.
often professors in closed rooms
have unmindful1y allowed the gases
to accumulate and have been found
dead. Several years ago physician
in Illinois, determined to kill him
self. decided on hydrocyanic acid
and to leave a last contribution to
science. arranged so as to mark on
a piece of paper a black dash for
4 every second he lived after 1nhaing
the gas It is said that only ten
marks were found on the paper
Edison may be able to invent gases
more deadly even than hydrocyan1c
acid.
more effective ways of destroying
Hfe than by artillery and high ex-
nlosiyes. The possibilities OF chem
istry and electricity have hardly yet
heen touched on in modern warfare.
They can do lot better, Edlson
recently said. ~ could invent some
thing more deadly imam lHe 5nS
] bombs but I would rather make the
world a better place to live In.
speaking of the possibilities OF war
rine nations using deadly bac1li the
Inventor said: They haven't got to
that vet. thank God. There must be
reiics Of civilization still left in the
very worst of them. Yet the rules
~ the game don't count for much
these days. It's eating to be Just
a ravarsion to an animal state.
Taing5 are bad enough as 1t is.
BAD ENOUGH
NOW. Ia, :. ..-riad
IN to a much greater extent. Every
Ss.oe a new thing comes along the
s..--arfors take hold OF 1t and Inn
1.nve II hut chemistry is playing
oreater part In the present war
+. than electricity.
ar do not think electricity could
~ ,,sed to prevent a torpedo reach
lie mark. The torpedo moves In
.l.e water and would have to be
especially SO that 1t might De ex-
nIoded before 1t struck a vessel, put
the enemy is not going to construct
s,,ci, a torpedo. A torpedo's course
nav be controlled by the vessel that
araa & as has already been proved,
ANT the ship 1t strikes 10 powerless
81 haft Its APPROACH. A ship might
~ ~ fitted that It would not sink
AFTER being hit. I should not be
snrprised II big change comes