The Washington times., 1916-03-15

on Naval Affairs arose IN their places
at the committee table today and APP
plauded b gray-haired, siightiy-stooped
man as he left the witness stand.
The man himself smiled. waved aside
the applause. which came from commit-
tee members and roomful Of specta-
tors. and unobtruslvely took his seat
beside Secretary Daniels.
Thomas A. Edifon. inventor and chair
man of the Naval Advisory Board, was
the recipient OF this unusual mark OF
respect from the House Committee. He
had just concluded an argument for Z
research laboratory to cost $4,000, ana
which would be one OF tho keystones OF
the structure OF national defense.
Furnishes Amusement.
Probably no more entertaining Wit
ness than Mr.. Edison has Appeared he
fore q Conversational committee In sew
eral years. The fact that he II almost
totally deaf lent q bit Of tragedy TO the
hearing. He himself furnished the hui
NOR in his eplgrnh,matlc replies to
questions asked by committee members.
These questions were shouted In Mr..
Edison's eaf by Miller Reese HUtchison,
chief engineer OF the Edison Laboras
!sTy q o. The .s sRs e ssS
That the United states ought to be
able &c build submarine in a week
WAS ono Of tho stralghtforward state
He endsavored once or twice to catch
the interrogatories OF the House COM
mitteemen, but his afrliction prevented.
Thereafter he leaned toward Mr.. Hutch
inson. and as soon as he caught the i'm
businese-like sentences. making q char
scteristic little gesture with his hands
az he replied.
Snaps Out Apt Answers.
Here 10 an example of the practical
way the inventor looks at thinEs:
Suppose now" suggested Mr.. Rob-
erts Of Massachusetts,, that our re-
search laboratory should devise an
teroplane engine OF Do-horsepower and
pose that q private concern should come
along with an engine Just as good and
i weighed 900 pounds. what would you
Take the other engine; get the new
one; and then 80 ahead and try 10 get
out an engine that would do the work
s sisa. weigh go pounds snapped Mr..
How are you going to get skilled
flying machine operators?" asked Mr..
That Is talking out OF my line OF
ousiness. I am not O Tying machine
man." said Mr.. Edison.
Would Keep Ahead Of Game.
ITO what extent would you 20 In the
Standardization OF parts. say OF aero
the fact that improvements may come
a.
soiete tomorrow" asked Congressman
Butler.
II would try to. keep ahead OF the
game. Look far ahead; get there ahead
Of the other fellow" said Mr.. Edison.
1he inventors chief argument was
instruments of national defense. He
planned that the models might be per-
fected' Mt the Governments research
laboratory and tim the models might
be given out To private contractors
all over the country and anything
numbers under Government inspec-
tion.
Thres shifts of men working eight
hours Der SHIFT each day. were ad-
vocatea for employment n the re-
search sSoT bn oS hs sno MD SS snl
proprlated now for experimental
work he said:
1T depends on what vuu want to do
Now / spend about S300.000 q year
on experiments and SIN not 3 fell
low to be compared with Uncle sam"
Plenty Of "Muckers."
DO you think you could get a SUI
hcient number OF scientific and tech
rioal men to work three shifts In our
laboratory" asked Mr.. Roberts.
Sure" said Mr. Edison. II can get
all the muckers' want. I can get lots
e 'Muekers?' repested Mr.. Roberts.
what does he meanT'
Mr. Hutchinson. MP Per Edison T. q
'mucker' himself. He calls all expert
How would you control this labora-
tory?" asked Mr.. Roberts.
The Navy DepaTtmen. would con-
"Do you think you can set men to do
this work on Government salaries.
which are low7"
They have some pretty smart men in
s the nsyy wo@ld Ike to see their sal
First Business With Engines.
subsequently,, Mr.. Edison said he
would rather have one good man than
a dozen sorry ones"
The frst work of the research labora-
tOTy, ne bdlu SnOulu NC OApciihtohNltioii
on engines for aeroplanes and subma-
rines. Mr.. Edison graphically explain
ed how one should 60 about perfecting
Private concerns can't spend the
money like the Government" he said.
1--WE would take an engine-one, two
three, or four OF them. We would throw
the first engine on the Junk pile after
letting II run q long while and discov-
ering its defect. Then we would dis
cover another defect in the second en-
CINE. and so on. We would develop 9
perfect engine about the fourth tryout
YOU may say, but SSsfvate concerns could
not afford to 60 to such palms"
He suggested that the Government
could AFFORD to spend any reasonable
amount for good submarine engine.
Will Have to Pay II.
Referring to his plan to perfect work
Ing models and then have the product
turned out here and there by private
contract. Mr.. Edison said: "A me
chanic who cannot take a blue prip
aWarI.I