The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

These clippings cover the period February-December 1918. Most of the items are taken from newspapers, but there are several lengthy magazine articles as well. Included is an article by William Maxwell, vice president of Thomas A. Edison, Inc., regarding his perceptions of Edison's personality and character and his "capacity as a businessman," as well as an article by Charles Edison discussing his experiences working for this father. Another article by Maxwell pertains to sales and advertising, while two articles by Mark M. Jones of the Personnel Service Dept. of TAE Inc. deal with human resources management.

There are numerous clippings about Charles Edison, including his elevation to Chairman of the Board of Thomas A. Edison, Inc.—a position that enabled him to obtain a deferment in the draft; his emergency appendectomy in February; and his marriage to Carolyn Hawkins in March. Other clippings concern the resignation of chief engineer Miller Reese Hutchison; the enlistment of William Leslie Edison in a tank unit; and the foundation of the Edison Pioneers, an association of former employees primarily in the electric light and power industry. In addition, there are articles about Edison's public promotion of Liberty Loan war bonds; his camping trip with Henry Ford and John Burroughs; and the general effects of the war on his research and other activities. There are also reports of rumors, quickly denied, that Edison would run for the U.S. Senate as a Wilson Democrat.

Approximately 20 percent of the clippings have been selected. In addition to numerous duplicate versions of most of the stories, the unselected items include articles, not directly related to Edison, about science, technology, and warfare; naval affairs and antisubmarine devices; motion pictures; and the annual Edison Field Day event of company employees.

There are no general scrapbooks containing clippings from this period. However, newspaper articles and other documents pertaining to Charles Edison's role in the Liberty Loan and Victory Loan campaigns, 1917-1919, can be found in four unselected scrapbooks (Cat. 44,511, Cat. 44,512, Cat. 44,513, and Cat. 44,514) at the Edison National Historical Park.