River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1915-07-22
SCIENTISTS SEE
MANY CHANGES
SubmGrSibI0 Cruiser or Sea-
going Submarine Planned.



| War 1t Would Be Difficult to Secure
Engines For Sufficient Number of
AeroP!anes-Advisory Board Scheme
Meets Hearty Approval.
Inventors and scientists whose names
| have been mentioned as possible col
leagues with Thomas A. Edison on the
new navy advisory board have been
asked for their views on changes in
methods of warfare.
The questions, based on the state
ment by Secretary Daniels that the
war bids fair to render present navies
obsolete, were whether or not some
great and early change in methods of
warfare is imminent; what the next
important development in the naval,
aerial and terrestrial fields of war is
likely to be, and how important a part
in these changes the scientists will
take
Replies to these questions from Hud-
son Maxim, inventor Of the machine
gun; Professor Reginald A. Fessenden,
inventor of wireless control of torpe
does; Charles z. SteinmetZ, the famous
electric expert, and Orville Wright, the
aeroplane inventor, We're received.
Mr.. Maxim considers the problems
now facing solution to be an answer
to the submarine and an effective
means Of getting an enemy out Of
modern trenches without the present
cost in artillery ammunition and lives
Mr.. Steinmetz is looking forward to
the development Of the "submersible
cruiser" sea going submarine which,
through superior speed, can cope sue
cessfully with the battle cruiser.
Mr.. Wright, speaking particularly of
the aviation branch of the United
States defense forces, says that there
would be difficulty in obtaining a suf1i-
cient number of aeroplanes in case of
war because of the scarcity Of enough
suitable motors. The planes themselves
can be made here rapidly enough to
meet requirements, he says, although
he points out that according to reports,
the life Of an aeroplane in war serv-
ice is only about seven hours of actual
fight.
Developing New Cruiser.
In regard to Mr.. Steinmetz's views, a
Washington dispatch says:
A fast cruiser Of large cruising radius
which can be submerged for q brief pc
riod, and proceed submerged for short
distances, is now being developed by
construction experts Of the American
navy. The development Of the ship is
being kept secret, but the bare fact
that work is being done on the plans
was permitted to become known by ma
val officers.
1t is understood that foreign nations
are attempting to construct q similar
vessel. 1t was admitted that the rea-
son for calling on the civilian scientists
Of the country at this time was in part
to rush the development of this radical
departure in naval construction.
Daniels Tells of Plan.
Secretary Daniels said after a con-
ference with Thomas A. Edison: when
the members of the board are named
they will be men SO we'll known inter-
nationally that no one will have to
ask when an appointment is made,
Who is he?' These men can discuss
matters with men of lesser impor-
lance.
THE board will be small, but it will
have the best brains in the world,
hope, on the matters to be handled.
It is not an idle hope when we think
what Americans have invented to ex-
pect a state of defense second to no
nation on earth. If we had had such
board twenty-five years ago we would
today be able to control the submarine
and the aeroplane, both distinctively
and exclusively American inventions.
America should have owned the
aerOplane and the submarine. l am in
formed by Commissioner of Patents
Seymour that when Simon Lake went
to Washington with his submarine he
could not get patent at first. When l
went to Washington Mr.. Lake came to
me. He was so far behind in his con-
tracts he feared failure. I gave him
an extension Of time and gave him
new contracts. Then | went to his
situation up to them, and they financed
him.
IF Mr.. Lake had been allowed to
fail at that time one of the only two
men building submarines in America
would have gone out of business. It
is to prevent just such situations as
that that the new board must interest
the wealthy men of the country. Amer
lean genius must be encouraged and
protected.
Il believe in preparedness for war.
but preparedness on a scientific basis.
The future war will not be fought by
mint Of money and millions of men.
but by mint Of machinery. The fu-
ture seamen Of the United States will
not be swabbing decks and working in