South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-07-16
CAP AND OVERALLS
NEEDED FOR NAVY
Too Much Gold Braid Has Been
Real Trouble Says
U.s. Daniels.

Sec'y Of the Navy Daniels had a long
conference Thursday night with
Thomas A. Edison az the latter's home
here on the new naval board Of in
vention and development Of which the
famous inventor is To be head. Mr..
Daniels stated that tho personnel of
the board had not been decided upon
and would not be until he had talked
the matter over with experts Incl
dental 10 q discussion OF the scope
OF the board he asserted that the
main defence OF the United States in
future will he the submarine N
aeroplane and that gold braid OF the
navy viii give way 20 the cap and
overalls worn by men with ability as
mechanics and electricians.
The secretary was accompanied
from washington 10y his personal aide,
Commander Daniel W. Wurtzbaugh-
They were met at Newark by Miller
r. Hutchinson. chief of the Edison
staff, and drove 10 West Orange where
they had dinner with Mr.. Hutchinson
before calling at Lewellyn park, the
Edison home.
Edison Enjoys Occasion.
Mr.. Edison greeted the secretary
cordially. smiling and shaking him
heartily by the hand. He seemed 10
thoroughly enjoy h occasion. When
newspaper reporters him what
he had 70 say about the new board his
smile -broadened and waving his arm
toward Sec'y Daniels he replied:
L have nothing TO say. IT IS his
idea. Let him talk"
Before responding. however. Sec'y
Daniels accompanied Mr. Edison into
the conservatory where they posed Tor
newspaper photographers. Then be-
fore going into the conference the
secretary said;
when the members Of the board
are named they will be men so we'll
known nationally and internationally
that no one will have TO ask when an
appointment is made Who is heY
These men can discuss matters with
men of lesser importance.
The board will be small, but 1t VIII
be brainy and when we get such q
board assembled we will De in a state
Of defence second TO no nation on
earth. II we had had such a board %
years ago we would today be able TO
control the submarine and the aero
plane"
Wants Moro Submarines.
ThetwO things that Sec'y Daniels Is
most Interested In are the develop
ment OF the submarine and the devel-
Opment OF the aerOplane- Both are
American inventions yet he has been
compelled TO resort to extraordinary
ear by organizing the naval board
of invention and development TO bring
the American naval forces up TO the
standard Of other nations which have
simply borrowed American brains. Mr..
Daniels said:
Il am trying to find a way to mObi-
lie the genius OF this country. The
idea has come from a clear sky, but
you would be surprised to know that
It has made a tremendous hit all over
IN. country L rnarAiEa EpnTDE Of letters
every day from congressman, senators
and inventors applauding h scheme.
For instance one man in Denver
wrote the department concerning an
idea for wireless. 1T so impressed
Capt. Willard, the radio chief, that /
wrote for the Denver man To come to
Washington He replied that he was
so poor he could not afford the trip.
The should provide
some way 10 encourage the help Of
such men as this one.
Board Not Yet Chosen.
Il want to say that the personnel
of the board has not yet been decided
upon. j want a small board. but a
board composed Of men known the
world over. L have no definite plans.
am seeking the advice Of Mr.. Eli
son. 1 probably shall suggest several
names TO him and ask him what he
thinks OF the men I mention.
Let Lake Fail.
America should have owned the
aeroplane and the submarine. I am
informed by Commissioners of Patents
SeN mour that whe Simon Lake went
TO washington with his submarine he
could not get a patent at first. When
/ went TO Washington Mr.. Lake came
TO me. He was so far behind in his
contracts that he feared failure. /
gave him new contracts. Then ] went
" III I.n1rawa IN hFl hnw1a #aVrr, "a ma
put the situation up TO them and they
financed him.
Mr.. AXE had been allowed TO fail
at that time one OF the only two men
building submarines In America would
have gone oUt of business. Ii Is TO
prevent Just such situations as that
that the new board must interest the
wealthy men of the country. Ameri-
can genius must be encouraged and
prOtectdN-
believe in preparedness for war,
but preparedness on a scientific basis
The future Will not be fought 10y a
mint Of money and millions OF men,
but by a mint OF machinery. The
future seamen Of h United States
viii not be swabbing decks and work
ing IN Iaundrfes.
Want Men With Brains.
there IS coming a time when q
man viii only be able 10 be an otlceI
in the United States navy who has
specialized IN some electrical or me-
chantcai line. Gold lace Will dlsap-
pear from the navy and in its place
sill come the men in cap and over
alls-the wOrkingmen-the men who
VIII fight with brains.
II repeat that I believe in belnz
prepared for war. but believe in ed
ucatlng properly the men who are &c
take part in the war. The main de
Tense Of the United States in the fu-
ture will be the submarine and the
aeroplane- The great problem OF
these two fighting machines is the
motor. one OF the first things the
board viii have 10 take up viii bC
The development OF the craft them
selves.
For the first timo we have beer
granted by congress q million dollar:
TOR aerOplanes. Unfortunately there
is no standard %aeroplane. I do no.
want 10 spend this million dollars eN-
perimenting unwisely. That IS a
problem, however. for the board %