Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1920-10-13
EDIsON's WAR WORK.
How He Helped Win the War
His Work in Navy During
Critical Period

Many thousands of persons have
expressed curiosity as to the work
Mr.. Edison, the illustrious inventor
did toward winning the recent war,
1t was pretty well known that his
activities were valuable, but exactly
in what way has been more or less
wrapped in mystery Enough time
has elapsed even for legends to grow
up around the character of service
he rendered, but at last the truth
is out in an official report. The fol-
lowing is resume of this United
States Government document, as re-
rorted in the New York American
Cor Sunday, Sept. 9Th, 1920.
Washington, ID. C.-Thc part
American ingenuity played in win
ming the war is disclosed in his
tory of the NaWai Consulting Board
of the United States. made public
Gy Secretary Daniels today.
THE volume reveals achievements
which, il projected decade ago,
probably would have been ridiculed
as visionary Chief among these
was device by which the launch
ing of a torpedo could be heard on
shipboard 1000 yards away or fur
Their than torpedo can be effect
lively launched from submarine.
This. invention was but one of a
score or more contributed by Thomas
A. Edison, president of the board.
Mr.. Edison appears to have been
the moving spirit Of the board. For.
saking his laboratories at the out.
break of the war, he practically be.
came a naval officer He spent mos,
Of his time in the Navy Department
Offices here, and took long deep-sea
cruises that he might be in closer
touch with the problems to be solved
His "Listening Device"
Because of the German submar
inc menace, ship protection claimed
most of the attention of the board
To this problem MIR. Edison devoted
his traditional tweaty-h0ur WORKING
days, and after overcoming many
obstacles finally perfected his listen
ing device.
Prevented SinISings.
Mr.. Edison devoted a great dea
of thought to various plans for pre-
venting sinkings, and he suggested
q number Of schemes to this end
One of these was a proposition Il
furnish merchant ships with type
of specially designed three-inct
shells filled with an oleum smoke
producing compound with which Il
blind enemy submarines If they had
long range guns.
1.-The problem of extinguishinf
fires in coal bunkers he solved with
small stream of silicate of soda
played on a coal or wood fire. Tbs
moment the stlicate strikes the in
candescent body the small quantity
of water in the siIicate eyapor
incandescent body the small guam
tity of water in the silicate evapor.
ates, and the glowing body become:
coated with a CLASSY surface, ex
Guiding the oxygen' and extinguish
Sng the fire. a. -
This contrivancei was in the form
of an outrigger suspended from the
bowsprit of a vessel and containing
an immense phonograph diaphram
BY means of compenSators. the noise
of the vessels engines was obliter
ated, thus making it possible for the
device to work perfectly even when
the ship was blowing at full speed
through the toughest seas.
~With this device boats moving
100 yards away could be readily
heard while the vessel was goine
full speed. A submarine bell five
and one-half miles away could alst
be heard while big storm was IL
progress and the boat also proceed
ing at full speed.