The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1930-02-18
WIFE BIC HELP
To MAN SAYS
INVENTOR
CONTINUED from Page ID

asked.
We'll, think the quadreplex
was hard proposition" Edison
answered, thoughtfully. '"r h Z
electric light was hard, too, be.
cause so many things had to be
done to make it a commercial
success"
Forgot Photograph
He did not mention the phono-
graph, which he invented, nor
the motion picture camera, the
stock ticker and numerous other
devices. The ouadreplex was a
telegraph achievement. The
machine permitted two messages
to go each way over a~Single wire
at the same. time.
What do you regard as your
greatest scientific achievement.
the one that did the most for
mankind?" was another question.
Edison replied that he could
not work at anything that he did
not believe would prove useful.
So then the reporter asked him
what was his most useful" in
vention, and this was his answer:
Lights Most Useful
II don't know. It depends upon
the point of view. I suppose the
electric lighting system was the
most useful"
Asked his formula for happi-
ness he succinctly replied, Work, "
and asked his formula for sue
cess he reiterated. Work" Asked
how much of day man should
devote to work and how much
to play, he replied that you
can't give any rule because men.
like plants. have such a variety
Of characteristics"
How much of his brain does
the average man use?" he was
asked.
Scarcely any" Edison replied.
The capacity of the human
brain is tremendous. The brain
Of man Is laying idle. for the
most part. 1t is being hardly
used at ALL"
Have people learned how to
take care of themselves-how to
live?"
Beginning To Live
mo they are just commencing
to suspect how to live" said
Edison, a smile playing about
his eyes.
Asked if he thought human
beings existed on other planets,
he answered that he did not
know. saying: Il keep myself
confined pretty closely to earth"
Very greatly, enormously" he
said when asked to what extent
he thought a good wife contrib
uted to the success Of her hus-
band in life.
cat what age approximately,
should a young man marry?"
Around 81" replied Edison.
Should all boys strive for a
college education?"
Colleges are changing" said
Edison. They are throwing off
the old methods that did not
produce we'll. There IS more
reality being introduced into the
colleges steadily. More technical
schools are coming into being
They are getting down to realities
and they see the need Of a
technical education for young
men. This is the age Of
machines"
Cited "SnOb" Advise
Edison's attention was called to
the advice of a Massachusetts,
professor who advised students
to "be a snob and marry the
boss daughter" Edison'S COM
ment was:
simply wind; academic, as
they call it,"
He declared that his idea Of a
college is the Massachusetts, In
stitute of Technology. He pointed
out we are "a machine nation
and we want engineers" He said
when the M. I. Of T. turns out
students into the world they
know what to do and how to
do it,"
What one thing in your life
gave you the greatest thrill?"
Edison was asked.
Quite seriously. he replied:
Keep Experimenting
IT cannot say that I ever had
what you call a thrill BY
the very nature of my life's work
I had to expect to be continually
disappointed, but to keep on
reaching for the solution of the
problem. Then when the prob
lem was solved I would go into
something else. An inventor has
theories. He tries them out, ex-
perimenting with this, that anG
the other thing. Some things
work, others do not. We cannot
see ahead: That is we have to
keep experimenting. improving on
things as we go along"
And Edison, still experimenting
on ways to benefit mankind,
turned to his work bench.