The Denver Jewish news., 1924-01-10
The Jew in Inuention
BY ROBERT LEE MACK
Continuation

Berllner also made the first light
weight revolving cylinder motor now
extensively used in aeroplanes. In No
vcmber 1919, Henry Berliner, under the
direction of his father. made the first
successful rise in n helicopter.
In addition to his inventive work,
all movements of public good have al
ways found an active friend in Emil
Bcrliner. He is president of the Dis
trict of Columbia Anti-Tuberculosis
Society. He was instrumental in con-
voking the first national milk confer
ence and has written extensively on the
dangers in the indiscriminate use Of
raw milk.
Berlincr is an enthusiastic supporter
of the projected Hebrew University of
Jerusalem and has given generous
contribution towards the materializa-
tlon of that project.
The mention of the name Of Berliner
naturally recalls that of the other Jew
ish inventor of the capital city who has
lately come into prominence, DR.. Louis
Cohen. inventor of numerous radio and
cable improvements.
While Bcrliner was born in Germany
and came TO the United States as n
youth, Cohen was born in Kiev, Russia
Russia. the land OF which Mr.. Hen
bricks asks: can any good come out
of it, Cohen upon his arrival in the
United States entered Armour Insti-
tute of Chicago. Graduating from
there. he took up additional studies at
the University of Chicago and later
joined the scientific staff of the U. S.
Bureau OF Standards.
1t was of course in the latter connec-
tion that Cohen perfected his numer-
Gus radio and cable inventions. collatf
Grating in much ofhis research work
with General Sauier. chief Of the Sig
nal Corps OF the Z. S. Army.
DIR. Cohen also holds the chair of
professor Of electrical engineering at
George Washington University. He has
represented the L. s. government as
technical adviser during the confer
cnce ON the Limitation of Armament.
Cohcn's work has been especially
fruitful in the radio field. Incidentally.
ii may he said that there is good ground
for the belief that Herr. the discoverer
of the HerZian waves. which formed
the basis and ncbus for the investi-
| cations of Marconi-indeed the corner
stone of the whole structure Of wire
leSs-was II jew.
The city Of Philadelphia is the home
Of another Jewish inventor who has
been the recipient OF numerous medals
for his discoveries in photo engraving,
Max Levy. Levy is of American birth,
born in the same town in which Mr.
Henry Ford resides. Levy has been
awarded the John Scott medal of the
Franklin Institute. the Royal Corn
wall Polytechnic silver medal and a
half dozen other honors for his inven-
tions in half-tonc illustrations.
Gabriel I.ippman. recent recipient of
the Nobel prize for physics, has many
inventions to his credit. Lippman orig
mated the capillary electrometer, an
clectrO-capilary moor and number
Of other devices. But Lippman's most
signal inventive effort is probably his
Biography.
Many-indecd probably the majority
of inventions-are the product not of
one mind. but the cumulative develop
mont nI minds 1 de- sniI af EfIi.
son. for instance that ''he begins where
others leave off" Before Edison
tackles any inventive problem. he al
ways reads up on what has been done
Cn the problem by others.
In no one invention is this cumulative
aspect so true as in the invention OF
aeropllncs Scores Of others contribut-
cd work on which the Wrights built
As rule, the final perfecters are tho
ones who obtain the credit. And it is
true that the Wrichts do deserve much
credit Yet it is fact known to every
one acquainted with the history of
mans efforts TO soar the air. that Otto
and Gustave I.ilcnthal were the first
To make a successful flight in an air
ship.
The Lilcnthals We're two young Ger
man Jews not overly supplied with
funds. Yet they took Of their scanty
earnings and invested not only that but
all the timc they could snatch from
their daily dork. and gave it for TWEEN
ty-iive years. Finally. they succeeded
in making several successful flights,
hut in one Of these flights Otto Lilen-
thai dropped to his death. the first cas-
since followed in mans attempt TO con
. In