American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-06-10
If EDISON GOES TO wAR.
He Would Loose More Terrible Things
Than Are Known Now.
BY Henry N. Hall.

He deplOren BTedtiy INC a"iui ~
flee of human life that is taking place
I'm Europe and was loath to express al
opinion of the probable duration o.
the war or its results.
But Mr.. Edison was quite Wiling to
talk about science as applied to war
fare. The almost %boundless possible
ties appeal 10 his wonderful imagina-
ton his breadth of vision showed in his
answer to my first question. He said:
"Of course, science can find much
more effective ways of destroying life
than by artillery and rifle fire, or the
use OF high explosives. The possibili-
ties OF chemistry and electricity have
hardly yet been touched upon in mod
ern warfare. They can do a lot bet
ter"
Could Invent New Death Machine.
How" / asked.
II don't want to say. / won't tell"
But do you know of anything bet
teri" / insisted. Could you invent
something more deadly than the gas
bombs?"
Eyes, l could, but / can't get my
self to work on any such stuff as that.
don't want to destroy life; l want to
make the world a better place to live
in"
And h laying a kindly hand upon
my arm, the great inventor explained:
You see, my boy, the dove is nv
emblem"
In quiet even tones. Mr.. Edison
went on to state these facts:
primitive man fought with clubs
and stones, then Il was swords and
Javelins. and later bullets and have
nets When the war began It vas
shot and shell and high explosives.
o they have only just made a be-
ginning with burning liquids and pois-
onous gases. The warfare of the fu-
lure is going to be more and more a
matter of chemistry and electricity
There is no knowing where II will
end"
Chemistry Outplaying Electricity.
Gould they not fight with germs
and kill off whole populations by dis.
ease?' ventured. "They might in
feet an entire country with bubopic
plague for instance"
MIR. Edison, as is his habit. had
brought his right hand up to his ear
TO catch my question and he bent for
ward eagerly. He saw all the posi-
biiities OF the idea, and with a force
full motion Of his hand he swept 1t
aside.
They haven't got to that yet, thank
God. There must be some relics of
civilization still left in the very worst
O; them. Yet the rules of the game
don't count for much these days. It's
getting to be just a reversion to an
animal state. Things are bad enough
as II Is. The use OF gases will be
carried out to a much greater extent.
Every time a new thing comes along
the inventors take hold OF 1t and i'm
prove 1t, but chemistry is playing a
greater part In the game than electric
ity."
Some Things Electricity Could Do.
Gould electricity lie used" | asked,
for destroying stores of ammunition
and setting off high explosives at a
distance, by wireless?"
Yes" was the brief reply.
Then why don't they do it?" I
asked. Mr.. Edison smiled.
THAT is their business. not mine
We'll then. could electricity be
used to destroy a torpedo before II
reached its mark"
81 think not, because the torpedo
moves In the water and 1t would have
20 be specially constructed anyway.
The enemy would not make one to suit
what you want"
But could a torpedo be DETECTED
from its course by wireless?"
mot by the ship It was fired at"
AIR. Edison said. "Or course It could
be controlled by the ship It was fired
from. Young Hamond showed that
TO be possible"
VIII Offset the Torpedo.
But is there no way a ship can be
protected from the effects Of a tor
redo?"
MIR. Edison's eyes twinkled as he
answered.
Yes. a ship might he 80 fitted that
1t would not sink after being hit. |
should not be surprised If a big change
would come about in ship construction,
but you may be SURE some way will no
found to offset the torpedo. The sub
marine has been the one great often
si'e Weapon of this war, and now the
advent OF poisonous gases is another"
And you know Of others, Mr.. Edi-
son. do you not?'
Yes. but ! told you I would not tell.
l won't invent implements of warfare.
Surely 1t is bad enough without nv
~ wnrcan