The New York herald., 1921-01-02

action the established churches would take
should that success determine-as he him
self has expressed t-either that spirit
communication is possible and can be sys-
tematized scientifically or that 1t has never
yet been actually experienced by any human
being and never will be. The dominant note
of the assertions accredited to the greatest
living inventive genius is his regarding the
result of his own experiments and investi-
cations as a definite and incontrovertible So
luton of life after death" problems and
even to the extent Of the possibility OF his
preparing to assert that death" is but an
other word for "annihilation" of the human
being, physically and spiritually.
Edison Is Neutral, Taking Sides
Neither With Science Nor the Church.
1t may be taken for granted that each and
every word published in Mr.. Edison's maga-
zine interview had been carefully weighed
and analyzed before being submitted to print
to the end of there being no possible misun-
derstanding Of his assertion that the instru
ment he is presently engaged upon will
prove that spirits can cannot communi-
cate with this world. Considering the vast
Importance of his undertaking one can
readily realize the truth of the words Of that
famous British statesman, w. E. Gladstone,
In his statement when becoming a charter
member of the (British) Psychical Research
search) is not only important but by far the
most important of any subject"
Where the world at large Is more or less
familiar with the varius phases OF me
diumship" as purported channels of commu-
nication with "the beyond" 1t Is not gener-
ally known that others have preceded Edison
in attempts to devise delicately sensitive
instruments calculated to serve as means
of transmission of communication with dis
carnate entities, but so far without apar-
emily achieving a measure of success war
ranting the attention or Endorsement OF the
more eminent men who have identifed
themselves with the progress Of spiritualistic
belief. On the other hand, number OF
scientists of Continental Europe have pro-
fessed their opinion that an instrument de-
signed by two eminent authorities on cleo
tricity, liquid air and compressed gases. OF
Holland have satisfactorily and conclusively
proven its efficiency in a long series OF sue
cessful results in its supernormal applica-
ton.
Drs. ]. L. W. p. Malta and G.. J. Zaaiberg
van Zeist the scientists referred to, have,
according to their statements published In
a volume entitled THE Mystery of Death"
devoted over twenty years in experimenting
on what would seem to be along the lines Of
Edison, In that electricity plays apparently
an important part in the construction OF
their instrument and it's operation. Such,
however, can only be determined when the
time comes for the latter's announcing the
success or otherwise of his research work.
Where the principles of the invention of the
Dutch scientists are available for publication
and reasoning upon one cannot, on that ac-
count, anticipate or decide that the essential
mechanical construction of the "dynamsto-
graph" as Drs Malta and Zest have
named their contrivance has its counterpart
in the instrument that Edison is at work
upon.
Machine Invented by Dutch
Scientists May Be Like Edisons.
There is at the same time similarity in
the deductions of the inventors of the "dy-
namistograph" and Mr.. Edison in that the
former contend that the spirit" of a dead
human being is composed of molecules and
that communication may be established
where some method may be devised that
will permit the gathering together of the
myrads of invisible atoms and in thus hav-
ing (assumedly) provided for the concen-
trating of any mental or physical force that
may be retained after the dissolution at
tendant upon the process of death" permits
it's manifestation through the medium of an
instrument of the essentially delicate charac-
ter necessary to assist and control the
operation.
This principle would seem. from the pub
lished description of the acknowledgement"
to have been given the fullest consideration
and attention where the inventors claim that
a cylindrical shaped chamber. as part of the
equipment of the device, serves the purposes
of concentrating the inhnitesimally atomic
particles assumed to compose the manifest
ing entity.
In the earlier stages Of their experiment