The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-11
|RUSE LEADS EDISON
TO BIRTHDAY PARTY
Friends and Employees Get
Him to Pose for Movies in
Newark Hotel.
GIVES PROOF OF vIGOR
Many Gather to Congratulate
the Great Inventor, Who
Reaches 70.

Reaches 70.
Trapping Thomas A. Edison into at
| tending his own birthday party Is Just
| like hunting n shark. 1t has to be done
in guileful and devious ways. And IL he
hadn't been going to Florida yesterday
for rest It is probable that those asso-
ciates of his younger days who call him
master would have had TO lunch with
out first shaking his hand and telling
him that at 70 he is the friskiest young
ster of them all.
So with the connivance or Mrs. Edi-
son and his children he was spirited
away from Llewellyn an hour earlier
| than he might have left TO eaten the
| train in Newark, and when his car
pulled up in front OF the Robert Treat
! Hotel he was persuaded TO get out Tor
| lust a minute Then the half hundred
| men who worked with him years ago
and are prouder OF It than of most OF
their accomplishments descended on him.
They patted him on the back and re-
minded him OF things that had hap
pened long ago when lie was young
| ster puzzliny over the photograph and
the electric light and the germ ideas of
n hundred other inventions which bear
his name.
Poses for the Movies.
He posed for the movies. and when
some one compiimented him on his APP
pesrance he chuckled and. holding the
skirt OF his coat out with one hand'
shook a leg in the most approved Broad
way fashion. One put down niue
mental bet that even II Thomas A. Edi-
son does work most OF his waking hours
there must have been times when he
danced with the best OF them. Indeed
he seemed inclined to try yesterday.
There were men from all over the
ca stern part of the country there. each
| OF them with a blue button in his coat
lapel on which was Mr.. Edison's name
and the number Of his years, number
which he defed. Some of them brought
mementoes OF the past, and one, T. Com
merford Martin, had picture and
framed letter at which the inventor
looked long. 1t was picture OF him
self taken in 1878. when he was 81 years
old. seated in front Of his first expert
mental, photograph. cumbrous cyiindrl-
cal machine that spoke words.
Recalls Old Invention.
Beside IL was the reproduction OF his
signature in what looked like fadeo
yellow ink. and It was not until one
read the inscription over It that it could
be seen this was Just one of the many
. inventions this busy man has. stumbled
upon played with for time and ther
forgotten in the press Of bigger things
. His name was written In chemical INK
which raised the paper as the per
= moved, making It possible for letters
| | to be written which the blind coulo
, read. Some of the corrugations still
l remain after forty years. but Mr.. Ed!
. son never had time to develop his idea
Mrs Edison, in a lull OF merrymak
, ing. gathered the old friends of hei
husband about her In big circle anc
sked them to send to her what reWi
= niscences and mementos they could Of
, his early days. She wants to gatLe'
them together in a collection that will
make fascinating study some day fol
one who wants to learn how mucf
. one man can crowd into n lifetime.
Finally the handshaking came TO ar
, end, and watching his opportunity, Mr.
Edison slipped out into the hall They
made a rush after him like boys aftel
. a leader. and until he stepped into TIT
, elevator. shouted congratulations ant
Q orders to restrain his youthful enthusi
, asm while he Is away.
Works Even in Vacation.
n This IS the first vacation Mr.. Ediso,
: has had since the United States en-
Z tered the war and even now he is en-
" gagged in extensive research work TO
Q the Government. a subject on which h
d naturally will not talk.
d II developed afterward at the lunch
con OF the Edison Pioneers. as the.
= call themselves youngsters who are ell
d gible to membership II they WORKED
( with their master before 1855. that Their
Q Is a new electrical star rising in tn
e Edison family. This is Mr.. Edison's sor
y Theodore. who was not old enough 10
( active service when the war started
i but who in the last two years has =
I applied himself to inventive work 70
the Government that he has alread
proved himself to have a mind of un
usual creative ability, He was men
toned by the retiring president OF tn
Pioneers. Francis Upton. who said:
HE has had his inventions approve
Y by the Government. We are proud I
speak Of his inventive work, which ha
shown the utmost promise, and he ha
a evidently inherited wonderful pertina
; city IN holding fast to n chosen line o
= work. ! only wish ] were permitted I
l. tell more regarding his activities. bu
q the results were certainly remarkable
70 His time for nearly TWO years was give
. almost entirely TO inventive work"
81 Says Edison Is Sentimental.
20 And after that, when Theodore wa
=, noticed standing quietly at one side, az
- parently having inherited his father
|, desire for self-effacement in a publ
gathering, IL was hard to believe that s
!, youthful and shy a person could alread
~ have done the things To call forth sue
:, high praise. Mr.. Upton also combate
- another favorite pronouncement of hi
old companion.
y "Our dear. great master. Edison. claim
he Is not sentimental" he said II kno'
% that he prides himself upon his practtca
" sense. with which he Is leader anon
men. l beg to differ with him regard
10 ing his being sentimental. l think n
II man has ever held more fully in min
pr the sentiment of making two blades {