The evening world., 1920-02-11
"As the Prohibitionists Have
Buried Johnny Walker,
and He Has No Further
Use for His Trade Mark,
III Borrow 1t and Say I'm
Still Going Strong, II"
Says Electrical Wizard.

The president OF the United States
was one among scores OF statesmen,
scientists, mon OF letters and plain
good fellows who to-day congratu
lated Thomas Alva edison on hav-
ing reached the seventy third mile
stone on Hfe's highway, and old time
telegraphers put a little extra zest
into their "TS's," for in the code Of
great inventors old craft '7S' stands
for best wishes" or many happy
the great inventors old craft "73"
stands for Tbest wishes or many
happy returns"
Mr.. EdisOn's fellow tOwnspeople Of
Orange, n. j., made a gala occasion
OF the Wizards" birthday. the cere-
monies beginning at 1.3O o'clock this
afternoon with a dinner Of the ''Edi-
son Pioneers
T. Commerford Martin, Vice Presi-
dent of the pioneers, read the follow
ing letter from President Wilson:
81 cannot deny myself the pleasure
OF sending "a message TO be read at
tho celebration of Mr.. Edison's sew
| enty-tbird birthday. l am proud to
count myself among the friends and
admirers of Mr.. Bdison and l beg
that you viii convey to him my
wa1mest concentrations and my hope
that he will see many very happy re-
turns of the anniversary, marked by
an increasing number Of scientific
| trimphs."
Mr.. Edison came down to the Edi-
son Works from his home, Llewellyn
Park, in big sleigh. Mrs. Edison
and other members of the family
were with him. When the sleigh
appeared at the side of the hill
leading from the Edison home to the
works Mr.. Edison was cheered agair
and again by big crowd. The Edi-
son Band serenaded him and hun
dreds OF the older workers pressed
forward to greet him.
'Tm glad that the eight-hour da!
had not been invented when I was 1
young man." Mr.. Edison said to-day
ION my birthdays like to turn for I
moment and look backward over tn
road | have travelled. To-day / an
: wondering what would have happenet
TO me by now If fifty years ago som
fluent talker had converted me to tn
theory of the eight-hour day and con
| yinced me that II was not fair to m
. fellow workers to put forth my oes
efforts in my work.
, "If my lite had been made up o
eight-hour days" said Mr.. Edison
~ don't believe 1 could have accom-
pllshed a great deal. This countr.
would not amount to as much as
: does II the young men OF nifty year
. ago had been afraid that they miRh
earn more than they were PAID
There were shrkers in those days. I
he suro. but they did not boast OF Il
P Ths shirker tried to conceal or ex
cuso his shiftlessness and lack c
ambition.
81 am not against the eight-ho
g day or any other thing that protect
% labor from exploitation at the hand
=, OF ruthless employers, but II make
me sad to see young Americans shaG
n Ne their abilities by blindly cor
,. forming to rules which force the In
s dustrious man to keep in step wit
the shirker. II these rules are car
! rled to their logical conclusion
would seem that they are likely
It establish a rigid system OF Vocation
y classes which will make IL ditticu
% for the workingman TO improve h
IA condition and station in life by h
m own efforts.
'Tt used to be fashionable to
ambitious. There appears to ha'
been change in recent years. I'll
present disposition is seemingly
y say in effect: 4 am what ] am al
b. so shall remain. aspire TO nothiI
70 better than my present JOB. a.
4. fnr nothing but larger wages a.
l. short hours.
II wonder " the time win ever COS