Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-20
1O,Ot)OPAY TRIBUTE
AT BIER OF EDISON
Funeral for Inventor to Be
Held TomorroW-Hoover
May Attend.
BY the Associated Press.

oy VIC hSoOCIdtCu ElCcc'
WEST ORANGE, N. j., OCTOBER 20
The body Of Thomas Alva Edison lay
in state today, while thousands-the
great and the unknown-paid homage
and tribute.
He rested in the library Of his labora-
tory, in the little room. where, with
test tube or pencil, so many Of his
wizardries Of science took shape.
More than 10000 persons-school
children, Edison plant employees, rela-
tives and the curious-had waited In
long line throughout the mellow day
yesterday to file into the little room.
The inventor will be buried in West
Orange tomorrow. Final arrangements
have not been announced, but it was
thought that Rev. Arthur H. Brown,
pastor of the Methodist Episcopal
Church of Orange, would offlciate. Final
services will be at the grave in Rose
dale Cemetery here. The funeral serv-
ice hour is 2:30 pm.
President Is Undecided.
President Hoover was still undecided
today on his plan to attend the funeral.
1t was indicated by the White House
secretariat that Mr.. Hoover would
reach a decision by tonight.
To their comrade who turned his in
ventive genius to his Nations problems
of national defense during the World
War, members OF the American Legion
and Veterans of Foreign Wars paid
tribute today.
In solemn service 80 representatives
of both organizations filed through the
softly lighted library, stood at atten-
ton and saluted as two of their num-
Der draped the casket with an Ameri-
can flag.
Mrs. Edison, who stood silently by,
was visibly impressed by the ceremony.
Mrs. Halbert Kellogg Hitchcock, her
sister, and John v. Miller, her brother.
Clutches Placed by Casket.
The crutches and invalid chair of
John OFT, co-worker of EdisonS for
more than half q century, who dropped
dead yesterday, were placed adjacent
to the inventors caSket today. OTIS
death was attributed to shock incident
to the death of the invenor.
A public demand for a national
tribute to Mr.. Edison's memory has
swept the country.
Acting Gov. Wolber Of New Jersey
proclaimed that all electric lights in
the State-in homes, streets, or fac
tories-be extinguished at pm. for
one minute tomorrow as a reminder OF
what life would have been without Mr.
Edison's invention Of the incandeScent
bulb
Several railroads and industrial con-
Germs have announced they will suspend
operations for one minute in honor Of
| the inventor.
In New York and in many other
cities flags were ordered at half mast.
The Beard of Education in New York
| started a movement to name one Of its
schools, now under construction, the
Thomas A. Edison High School.
More Messages Received.
Messages of confidence continued to
arrive at Glenmont, the Edison home.
/ Some Of these received by Mrs. Edison
| follow:
Cardinal Hayes-Pope Plus XII has
| directed me to present his Stncerest
| sympathy to Mrs. Edison and family in
! this hour Of sad bereavement while the
entire world suffers an irreparable loss
| in the passing on Of one Of its most dis
| tingdished leaders in scientific achieve
ment.
Premier Mussolini Of Italy-HiS ge-
MUS belongs to the United States, but
his work and his glory belong to the
| civilized world.
Gen. John J. Pershing-The world
has suffered loss that Is irreparable.
| None can take his place.
Will H. HayeS-He was the father OF
| the motion picture.
Owen D. Young-The death Of Edison
marks an era in the progress Of civiliza-
ton.
Senator Guglielmo Marconi in a cable
from Rome said "as a devoted friend
and most genuine admirer Of your late
husband, whose life and achievements
have greatly inspired me throughout my
life, beg to express to you my own
and my wife's heartfelt sympathy in
your great loss, which Is shared by the
whole civilized world
Other Messages Received.
Other expressions came from Baron
Franchetti of Florence, Gov. w. P.
Hunt of Arizona, Gov. Arthur Seligman
of New Mexico, William A. and Charles
H. Mayo Of Rochester, Mimi; Andre
Citroen of France, Cyrus H. Mccormick,
Minister Of Education Ii Shoa Hua Of
China, the Association Of Members Of
the American Engineering Society for
the Argentine Republic, the American
Chamber of Commerce IN London, the
Chinese legation in washington, Gen.
Otto H. Falk and Mrs. L. M. Fitzpatrick,