Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1923-02-22
WIPE OUT KU KLIJX
SAYS THOS. EDISON
ON 79THBIRTHDAY
THOS. A. EDISON PASSES ANO.
THEIR MILESTONE
Electrical Wizard Starts on first Lap
Towards his 77th Birthday.

West Orange, N. j. Feb. 15.-
Thomas Alvah Edison, electrical wiz
ard, started on his first lap towards
his 77th birthday Monday by receiv-
ing hundreds of messages of con-
gratulations from all parts of the
; United States and entertaining sew
eral guests at his home and answer
ing questions of newspaper men on
domestic and world affairs.
Briefly the famous inventor thinks
the navy is "closed corporation, -
the Ku Klux Klan should be wiped
out. the British debt refunding
scheme is all right; the French are
right in occupying the Ruhr, the Ger
mans are bad losers and the British
good sports; Coue isn't a fake, and
seems to be in earnest; booze will
not be a critical issue at any time
and America should be sober; the
newspapers print too much scandal
and 'politicians makek suckers out of
the publishers" business conditions
are shaping nicely; college men don't
know what's going on; newspaper
men "would have to be bunch of
nuts" to understand what his "con-
trivances' are all about; the American
girl is fine-none BETTER" and the
helicopter is good in the field of in
vention.
Mr.. Edison also wants the world to
know that he likes the movies pretty
well. When the newspapermen were
nearing the end of their interroga-
tions the inventor gave them point
er on how to spend their time.
eff you want to spend your time
vol In n11, x1,bxy Jo,,,t xro,, ~ oL
what's being done for the sick. Get
a story about the Rockefeller insti-
tute. Learn who is effecting cures
and let the people know about it."
Mr.. Edison awoke early this morn
ing, arranging his program for the
day, and at noon he took up that part
Of his birthday program which he
likes best-shaking hands with the
men who aided and encouraged him
daring 1.-The days when he was .ex-
perimenting with his inventions.
These old friends came from all parts
of the country. They banded to-
gether years ago, calling themselves
the edison pioneers" and resolved
to make a reunion each year of the
"chief's" birthday.
Lately, according to his associates,
he has developed a desire to leave
his laboratory and question persons
seeking jobs in his facories, some
thing he never did in former days.
The inventor insists that everyone
seeking employment should submit to
questioning concerning his or her
qualifications for the work desired.
1t was this which prompted him to
prepare the famous questionairre
which he hands to all job seekers.
Associates of Mr.. Edison say the
only changes time is making in him
is an increased whitening of the hair
He continued steadfastly to refrain
from arranging his hours for sleep
ing or eating according to the division
of light and darkness. Hunger and
fatigue do not annoy him when he
gives himself to a problem.
The great inventor attributes his
amazing power of physical endurance
to the fact that his life had been alb
slutely free firm dissipation of any
kind 1t is a source of much pride
birthday anniversaries that his pro-
longed labors have never been buoy
ed up by the slightest artificial stim-
ulant.
At his home in Llewellyn Park Mr..
Edison's birthday was observed very
quietly. His desk was piled high
with greetings from all parts of the
world.