Evening star., 1918-02-10
Discoyerer of Wireless Teleg-
raphy Advises Making EdI-
son Board International.
EDISON SHOULD BE HEAD
OF GREAT COMMITTEE
Tremendous Problems Are Still
Waiting to Be Worked Out by Our
Side and Demand Immediate
Attention.
BY EDWARD MARSHALL.

ROME.-Here is a very big
suggestion to America and the
other allies, made by Maroon,
wizard of the wireless, senator OF
Italy. 1t must interest America
especially because it is the de-
velopment of an American idea.
It interested me especially be-
cause that American idea first was
worked out by our great Edison
in an interview which | had with
him several years ago, and which
resulted in the appointment OF
the United States naval consulting
board, since then the model for
bodies of the sort in every war
ring nation. These bodies have
been of a particular and an meal
culable value to the allies.
Allies Have Not Co-operated Fully.
"One of the things which has been
evident from the start OF the great
war" Marconi said, has been and is
the fact that the allies have not CO.
operated with complete effectiveness.
This statement of the situation is a
mild one as compared with that made
by Lloyd George, so am saying moth
ing which can be regarded as the
revelation of secret of the war.
'I hope and I believe that the en-
trance of the United States will mean
complete entrance Of America IS very
recent. for yoA-were not fully in the
war prtu you recognized tfe fact that
Austria Is as much your enemy as Ger
many, and by making war on her be-
came the full ally Of my own country,
Italy.
Let America coordinate the allied
effort! Especially let the United States
naval consulting board become the
model for an international committee
Of inventors and executives which will
mobilize the scientific thought and
practical achievement of all our brains
and hands in the service of the great
cause Of humanity"
] then told the great Marconi what
he had not known before-that the
United States naval consulting board.
to which he had made reference, is not
only under the great Edison's chair
nlanship, but is his creation. / told him
how, three years ago. the world famous
inventor told me that he was convinced
America would have to. and in the in
terests of right and justice should ioin
the allies, and that she ought to start,
straightway, upon the mobilization of
her inventive genius, so that when she
Joined her joining would be momen-
tous thing.
I told him how I, representing This
newspaper. asked the great inventor II
he would head a committee for the ac-
compiishment Of this in case the gov
said he would, although at that time he
was overburdened by the tasks which
for q long period followed the great
nfe which almost wholly had wiped out
MS works at Orange.
told him how our progressive and
6ig-minded Secretary of the NAVY
Daniels. when he saw the fnteryiew ~
once was captured by the thought and
ssterWard @ or %e fo1 % lay age plan. Immediately
united States naval consulting hoard
The Big Marconi Idea.
He listened closely. evidently think
ing hard meanwhile. Then-he voiced
the Dig idea which. at the beginninp ~
'n.n artlele. l said that he had voiced.
VIC must have a similar board AT
once for all the allies" he declared en-
phatically. VII
1T would be wonderful thing if +,
mahship. Surely it should have a real
american as chairman. Thus. althoueh
ns headouarters probably of necessity
touio y De on this side Of the ocean
grave dangers of red tapeism which
are so likely to surround European ef.
ganization." vi
Would you cooperate fully with
board Of that kind" I inquired.
~ should be glad to-" said Marconf.
would You serve IS member Of it .,
u should be proud to-" said Marconi
Especially should I be proud to If q,
the head of the great board was Mr.
full America. and loved citizen OF al
the decent world.
of course. it will be necessary IN GO.
iect meeting place somewhere in f,u.
rope. for that could be near to the ac.
tual battle line while an American cit,
could not he, and because in Euron.
mere are many allies while the Unitee
States is one.
Each contributing nation would neaf
10 appoint delegates with power ane
TO furnish them with means. unstint
ediy. for carrying on new work. as wei
everything that has been done by ever,
friendly nation, and. as far as possible
the achievements and the failures o
the enemy.
Possible Service.
What service such a board nigh
render Consider, for example tn,
splendid British tanks They were in
hnitely valuable from the start, but i
was months before any one of Britain.
allies knew anything about them In
deed, that they should have know
was quite impossible because of th
lack of any medium through whicl
they could be safely and intelligent,
informed. There have been other epi
sodes as striking.
Roughly. and at first thought, al
ways reserving the full right to chang
my views after more careful considera
tion, should say that the internationa
committee should consist of two mem
bers from each allied country, backe
by numerous individuals and subcom
mittees at home. Probably your Amer
lean form of organization would be
good one:Y Americas plans usually ar
good.
There are many subdivisions whic
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