Evening star., 1923-02-15

Tho United States Navy gives
Thomas A. Edison credit for one war
time achiGvement--the perfection or
the telephone system used aboard
warships. The Navy had experienced
agreat deal of trouble with it's tele-
phone systems, especially when
ship was "in action" Mr.. Edison DUR
ing the war improved the system TO
such an extent that the Navy owes
him lasting debt of gratitude.
AS to his other wartime Inventions;
the Navy shrugs its shoulders. IL VIII
not discuss them. 1T does not wlsn 70
enter into controversy with tne
sage of West Orange, who claimed III
his seventy sixth birthday anniver,
sary interview that the Navy nao
pigeon-hoIed forty-tlve or his inven-
tions, making no other use OF tnem
than an outline publication in a Navy
book.
May Remain PigeOnhOled.
From every indication at the Navy
Department today the Edison tnVen-
Iicns are likely to remain pigeon
huled. In refusing TO discuss tne
matter. naval officers point TO the ~
tie blue book published a year ago
and already virtually out of circuia-
ton. This little book lists thirty
nine Edison Inventions or planS' as
the book constantly refers to them.
Rear Admiral William 5. Benson,
retired, who was III charge Of naval
operations during the war. declined
70 be drawn into the controversy. He
laid that former Secretary OF the
Navy JoSephuS Daniels was In direct
charge OF the naval consultlns board
which Edison headed and through
which he furnished his ideas. Admiral
Benson therefore declines TO take re-
*ponsibility for pigeon-holtnG the
Edison plans.
Chapter Devoted to Edison.
The little blue book" does not deal
exclusively with the Edison plans. 1t
is entitled The Naval Consulting
Board OF the United States" and 1t
was edited by Capt. Lloyd a. Scott or
the Army, who acted as iiaiSon officer.
One entire chapter OF the book is DC
voted TO MIR. Edison and his work. thc
chapter does not credit the electrical
wizard with any OF the major lnFcn-
/ cns employed by the Navy.
The blue book states tha. Mr.. Edison
,,Ibn.tted a carefully worked out plan
or the mining of the harbor or Zee
iruCge, the Belgian channel po!. useu
:, Il base for German submarines Inc
E.llisn had attempted TO block this mar
Dor in one OF the most daring naval ex-
plolts recorded IN history. Mr.. Edison
opposed the Nays pet plan or zis-zas-
IIng ships In the submarine zones when
hnots an hour or less
Credits Arc Distributed.
The greatest wartime invention used
by the Navy. the depth bombs for SUBJ
marines, II Is poiated out, was the re-
suit OF d cola boration OF naval experts.
The art OF camouhage is credited. or
course TO the French. While the British
arc given credit for working It OUT tor
s1'pS.
air. Edison s7oac MS early months
with the consulting board in looking Tor
= device 10 detect submarines, Capt.
Scott says, and wsS successful only to
,Gc point where the apparatus would
.ecord the approach OF q torpedo 5000
Yards distant, provided the ship equip
ped with the apparatus Was not in mo-
on. Further experimentation, Capt.
Scott says. was ieft 10 others.
Advised Anthracite CoaI.
AIR. Edison insisted il his plans tina;
vessels should cross the English channel
with the English practice. He also
recommended thar war vessels and
transports Use anthracite in the war
zones. thus avoiding the ten-tale smoke
riouds that always accompany feet.
Efe also recommended that the Atlantic
coast be protected by three or four lines
OF submarine buoyS Anything coming
result IN a signal being flashed ashore.
The implication In the Edison inter
View that naval officers were inspired
hy jealousy in pigeon -hoiing most OF
The wartime Inventions submitted to
them is loudly denied in naval circles.
The very fact that the Edison inven-
tons were given a chapter in the blue
book'' is pointed out as evidence that
the naval experts were not trying to
decry or to obscure the ''plans and in