Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-18


Thomas A. Edison. electrical wizard,
III one of the first interviews he has
ever granted newspapermen, spoke
today of the presidential possibilities
OF his friend Henry Ford and de-
clared that it would spoil a good
man" If the nation sent him to the
White House.
Mr. Edison expressed the opinion
that the automobile manufactured
was more valuable to the nation as a
private citizen and then turned to
the prediction made recently by
Charles +. Steinmctz. inventor con-
nected with the General sElectric
company. that electricity eventually
would reduce the working day to four
hours. With this opinion Mr.. Edison
agreed.
Mr.. Edison. however, was not sure
that the four hour day would be a
good thing for the ma ton. He ex-
pressed fear that too large a leisure
class would be created an" that this
would have bad effect, particularly
on the young.
The interview, an impromptu af-
fair, held after Mr.. Edison had APP
pcarcd as guest of honor at a lun-
cheon given by officials of the Edi-
son Company of New York, was re-
minisccnt of the inventors much
discussed qucstionafrcs submitted to
his prospective employees. He was
surrounded by group of news
paper men who laid down a barragc
Of questions which he answered
SmilinglN.
Commenting on the unpopularity
of new ideas. Mir Edison declared
that il took from seven to forty years
from the initial demonstrate ton of a
beneficial device to its ultimate ac-
cCptancc.
Il made the first dozen typewrit-
crs." he said, laughing. land it took
me seven years to convince the pub
lie they wanted them and then an
other three years to sell them"
Within Il very few years. he said
coal could be transformed into cleo
trical energy at the mines and dis
tributcd throughout the country. in
high power transmission lines. doing
more quickly and efficiently the work
now performed by the fuel after long
haulage and many landings. Trans
portatiop costs and the various 9TH
ting fuel energy to the consumer
would thus be Obviatcd. he said.
why. ! have been advocating this
for forty years" he said.
He added that he recently had
discussed the problem with a group
of Nova Scotia power men. He de-
clarcd that Secretary Hoover's pro-
posed super power system was feas-
ible. He added that whatever
Hoover says is all right" and char
acterizcd him as a 'level headed
man"
Mr.. Edison was animated in his
discussion of the development of cleo
trical devices for the reduction OF
daily hours in which the world $
work is done.
at can be done, and soon. although
| don't know how soon" he said
But ! am not so sure that it will
he good thing. 1t will create much
leisure and it all depends on what
people will do with their idle hours
How will they use them? Will
not the Young men and women be
harmed in the manner in which they
dispose Of their added eisure. rather
did thing for the older people. OF
course. for they will know how to
best employ the added leisure hours
We've got to have work to keep
going"
He told of experiments made bv
Henry Ford in taking over an old
grist mill on the Rouge River in
Michigan.
HE installed turbines" Mr.. Edi-
son said. land developed so much
cheap power that farmers served
from the plant cut their work down
to six hours. Manufacturing plants in
tho district so increased their capa =
city that women left the farms in
the dull season and earned Sc a day
in the factories"
Electrical transmission. the coup
linz of power stations and the de-
velopment of electric railways were
the most imDortnnt developments in
the power field. Mr. Edison declared
Asked if electric railways couldN be
extended SO as to largely replace
steam operated roads. he answered
That depends on Wall street"
The radio. he declared. has been
the greatest modern fctor in caus
in" yonn" people to think Tt has
widened the range Of knowledge he
said. and will continue to do so.
Musical and other radio entertain
men: features n his onnion sooner
or later will he e!irn:r"tc8 from nro-
rrammes. which will Nn confined
wore to speeches and r'qrlct quota
tions. He characterized tho enter
tainmcnt programmes &c fade vhin,
would not live. lar~c'v because. 81
the difficulties of perfect transmits
sion.