The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-02-17
PART Of SCIENCE IN WAR;
Frenchman Thinks Edison's
Criticism Unfair-Wire-
less Inventions.

1uIAS.-AOul xululeNc, mem.
Der Of the French institute, EN-.
inent In mathematics. deputy for the
Latin quarter. and until recently min |
lister Of public instruction and inven- !
tons, declares that Thomas Edison |
was rather severe in his Judgment |
when he expressed in a recent inter |
view his surprise that science had |
played so small a part in the war"
THE most important scientific APP
plications made since the war began |
are still military secrets" said NJ.
Painleve to the Associated Press. |
When 1t is all over and details of new
inventions and new developments Of
old ones, discovered and put into prac-
tice, used at the front, may be revealed,
think Mr.. Edison viii revise his opin-
ion and that the world will generally
admit that science has done its part
ITO mention only isolated cases, the
processes of wireless communication
and for registering the sounds at dis
tances, that is by the ordinary wire
less currents and by ground Undue
ton. have been marvcllously perfected
through the requirements Of the war.
All the armies are rivalling each other
in skilful methods of tapping the enc
my's lines of telephone commuricas
ton from considerable distance;
not tapping as it is generally under
| stood. but by the use of a marvellous
instrument that enables the sentinel
l !, hic a. 1;ota 4.
You'd the front line OF trenches to hear
the enemy communications by telc-
phone going over wires that are sew
cral hundred yards away"
mo more than an allusion to these
things may be made" said NJ. Pain
leve who. as minister of munitions.
organized. n veritable mobilization of
the scientists and scientific laborator-
les In France. The technical sections
Of his ministry Elaborated with in
ventors to bring to practical use the
interesting propositions that were
found worth considering. He himself
presided over a special commission Of
men OF science, charged with the en-
animation Of all new inventions and
processes proposed for use in the ma :
ional defense, and must inconsequcnt-
~ be regarded as in a better position
than any other man in France to
know what science has done for the
war.
Il would mention also" he said, "a
system that we perfected and put into
! fnr
les by sound. The principle was
known before the war but it was re-
garded as impraCticable. 1t has, since
the war been brought to the highest
state of perfection and efficiency and
Tor months has been in use over the
entire front. 1t has proven so effec-
tive that our adversaries, who cap
tured motor car with one of the out =
fits. have equipped themselves with
similar appliances. but lacking the del
icacy and precision of our instruments
IL was France that had the entire in
itlatlVe OF this brilliant application.
Inventions for following the enc
my's sapping and mining operations
by sound were. in all armies, very
crude and insufficient before the war,
have made the most remarkable prog
ress and will reflect honor upon
French science later on.
Aviation in every respect has been
remarkably perfected by the efforts of
science and technicians since the war
began. Today pilot goes up in all
kinds of weather without fear of being
upset by sudden squalls, so well have
been perfected the measures for the
stability of flying machines. Great
progress also has been made in the
Improvement of motors, particularly
III the reduction OF their weight in pro-
portion to their effective power, so that
they speed up to $50 miles an. hour,
Finally, in spite of the difficulties,
wireless telegraphy has been remark