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Show EDISON GALLED 10 I OFTHE NAVY ACCEPTS INVITATION TO HEAD AN ADVISORY BOARD OF CIVILIAN CIV-ILIAN INVENTORS. Plan Is to Utilize Intentive Genius of Americans to Meet Conditions of Warfare Shown in Conflict Raging Rag-ing in Europe. West Orange, N. J. Thomas A. Edison Ed-ison has accepted an invitation from Secretary Daniels to head an advisory advis-ory board of civilian inventors for a bureau of invention and development to be created in the navy department His acceptance will go forward at once to Washington, where the new plans await word from the man "who can turn dreams into realities." Mr. Daniels' idea of utilizing the inventive genius of Americans in and out of the military and naval service to meet conditions of warfare shown in the conflict on land and sea in Europe Eu-rope is outlined in a letter asking Mr. Edison whether, as a patriotic service to his country, he would undertake un-dertake the task of advising the proposed pro-posed bureau. The plan is to have several men prominent in special lines of inventive research associated in the work. Among the great problems to toe laid before the investigators, the secretary sec-retary mentioned submarine warfare, war-fare, adding that he felt sure that with Mr. Edison's wonderful brain to help them the officers of the navy would be "able to meet this new danger dan-ger with new devices that will assure peace to our country by their effectiveness." effec-tiveness." In announcing that he would gladly glad-ly accept Secretary Daniels' invitation, invita-tion, Mr. Edison said he believed the proposal so important that it Bhould 'be attended to now, when the war in Europe was 'bringing before the public pub-lic the importance of encouraging the developing of the ideas and inventions inven-tions of Americans especially offt-cers offt-cers and men of the army and navy "The United States is far behind in these matters," said Mr. Edison. " believe it is highly important for a board of civilians, made up of engl neers from leading industries, to b formed for the purpose of looking into the feasibility of ideas developed by young men. While all ideas that will be submitted may cot be feasible, at least they will have the benefit oi expert judgment and advice." |