MR. EDISON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3383, 25 November 1911, Page 10

MR. EDISON.

HIS ESTIMATE OF THE GERMANS

Mr. Thomas Edison, before sailing home from Hamburg, expressed some remarkable views about Germany and the Germans to the special correspondent of the “New York World” who accompanied him throughout his European trip. He was much interested in industrial Hamburg, saying that there, as elsewhere Germany’s new buildings were distressingly uncouth. “There’s something wrong with Germany’s aesthetic lobe. They feed their brains with too much beer —result, beer architecture. Hie only dignified buildings I’ve seen are copies of Greek and Roman. In architecture initiative —they are good adapters, that’s all. “I was surprised while going through miles of factories in Berlin to see how little there was new—everywhere American machinery. Another thing that handicaps German progress is overeconomy. They grudge spending money, and if a new machine comes out that’s an improvement on the old the German won’t buy it until he has used up the old. “"Where the American’s intelligence comes in is in his willingness to spend money when necessary. There is no short-minded sou-saving done among our business men. One hears great talk of the high standard of business integrity in Germany, yet at lunch the other day with German financiers it was admitted that there was no comparison between English standards and their own. The English is the highest standard of integrity in the world.”

“I was told that the German aristocracy are entering largely into business now to get rich quick, and they do not care how it is done. Their methods have generaly affected business deals. It is my opinion that the English are the highest type physically, morally, and mentally over here.

“I don’t believe in the talked-of industrial world dominations of Germany. Just wait till our markets get filled up, and we’re forced to ilood Europe with our ‘drummers.’ They’ll show Germans what push is. Germany has interested me through the changes which have taken place since I was hero before. But xve have nothing to learn- from her, while she’s got- much to learn from us.”