Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-03

Once windstorm blew off most CT the glass
roof of his private laboratory Doherty's as
sistant, chemist, walked in next morning to
find the sky over his head, Dammit" was his
cauStic comment "I see the boss is again
sneaking in here nights"
SOMETIMES hobbies lift men into fortune
and eminence. II Thomas Alva Edison
had not been possessed of hobby, he might
still be pounding telegraph key. Now he
makes his hobby his life work and for relief
turns to another interest. He is the most
faithful moviegoer In the Oranges. Another
Jerseyman Louis A. Hazeltine of Stevens Insti-
tute, had a profession athematics-and
hobby, radio. He invented the neutrcdyne set,
made fortune, retired from radio to life Of
ease, and chose as his hobhy-mathematicsI
No less authority than Mark Sullivan points
out as a paradoxical fact that Henry Ford,
ignorant of book learning. is in a sense the
greatest living American historian" Ford has
taken as his hobby the resurrection of Ameri-
can history. I don't know how many of you
have viewed that extraordinary institution, the
Henry Ford Museum at Dearborn. Thus far
it has cost SIS ,000 900 and covers 125 acres.
1t is museum Of common things-"just the
common things as they have existed in this
country since it began to be the white mans
North Anerica"-stage coaches buggies, OK
yo,-es, log cabins, grist mills, village green's, the
old-time country inns, etc.
Ford finds sublimation in preserving those
institutions and relics which his motor age
has made obsolete
Exploration de luxe is another new sport
and new satisfaction Of the kings of finance.
Aboard yachts equipped with radio telephones,
swimming pools, pipe organs, electric elevators,
gyro-stabilizers, deep-sea dredges. hangers,
garages and what not, Mammon loads fully
stated scientific laboratories and pokes into
the lesser known ends of the earth in search
Of botanical, geological and archaeological
treasure.
The Galapagos Islands off South American
coast, have been visited by several recent ex-
petitions. Clifford Pinchot returned with rare
turtles and birds. Vincent Aston, in his new
Nourmahal, took experts from the New York
Aquarium the Museum of Natural History and
the Brooklyn Botanic Garden; and filled tanks
with live coral reef fish and cases with other
specimens Of animal and vegetable oddities.
Eldridge Johnson Of the Victor Talking Ma
chine Co. christened new yacht with q
scientific journey to Easter Island west of
Chile, for the purpose Of examining the islands
gigantic prehistoric statues. He was host
patron to score Of Psychologists from the
University of Pennsylvania. w. K Wander
bits Ara returned last year with the geological
SpoilS of a world cruise.
you'll find at least one business bigwig
without hobby" gentleman of wealth and
wisdom told me when undertook this survey.
Jim Farrell, Garys successor in the steel cor
poration, has no interests outside of work and
family. He despiseS the theater, music, art,
sports. His reading is confined to technical
books and journals"
James A. Farrell indeed, has always seemed
to me about as cold q personality, perfect
an intellectual robot as the machine age has
produced. AS q witness In the steel disSolu-
ton suit, he sat in the chair almost motionlesS
hour after hour while his scarcely moving lips
rolled forth volumes Of statistics. The per.
Torrance was fascinating a study in utter
competency.
Recently visitor noticed number of ship
models and pictures in the Farrell home at ga
Fifth avenue. "Oh," explained Farrell grufhy,
IT pick these up from time to time. I have q
lot more of them. You know, as boy
Travelled a bit between New York and Liverpool
on small vessels operated by my father. Now
let me tell you what q bit of luck I had In
finding this old clipper moder'-and the steely
gray eyes Of the man without hobby lighted
with enthusiasm as he launched into the
anecdote.