The Thomas A. Edison Papers Digital Edition

This folder contains a list, prepared by Edison's personal assistant William H. Meadowcroft, of 57 wartime research experiments, along with another list of 48 experiments. Also included are a typescript of a 1919 memoir by Edison relating to his wartime research and a four-page circular by William Maxwell, head of the Phonograph Division of Thomas A. Edison, Inc., entitled "What Did Edison Do During the War?" Maxwell's reference to a recent visit by Cardinal Desire Joseph Mercier indicates that the circular was written around the same time as Edison's memoir. In addition, there is an address by Gov. Charles Edison delivered at the Edison Pioneers Luncheon on the ninety-fifth anniversary of Thomas Edison's birth on February 11, 1942, discussing his father's wartime activities, including his chemical plants and military research. Included in the address is a "memorandum written by Thomas A. Edison" regarding his views of war and the need for a strong national defense, followed by a list of 42 wartime experiments. Additional lists of experiments, along with information concerning research costs, can be found in Experiments (1918), Naval Consulting Board and Wartime Research Papers.