Nikola Tesla, Great Jugoslav-American Scientist, Inventor, Electrical Wizard

Today, Jan. 7 (the time of this writing) is the anniversary of the death of the great Jugoslav-American scientist — Nikola Tesla who passed away a year ago today at the age of 86.

I feel that for a Jugoslav so great our Slovene papers have devoted comparatively little space to him and especially the English sections and I have picked this time to bring the name of great Tesla into these columns again.

There are few people who are unfamiliar with the name of Tesla. Particularly every Jugoslav does and must know something about the great Jugoslav-American "electrical wizard" Nikola Tesla whose name and work will shine eternally, Tesla who was and is admired and respected by the foremost men of America, Tesla whom we so proudly claim as Jugoslav.

For me to even begin to write of his greatness is naturally impossible and furthermore his work speaks so loudly and so clearly it is completely unnecessary. I have, however, selected a few quotations from his various letters and messages which in themselves well describe and bring closer the man Tesla, but to ascertain that all do know Tesla I am taking the liberty of quoting Volume 21 of the 1942 Encyclopedia Brittanica description of

"NIKOLA TESLA: American inventor, born July 10, 1856, at Smiljan, Croatia (Jugoslavia), studied at the 'realschule' (technical school), Karlstadt (Karlovac) in 1873, the polytechnic school, Graz, Styria, and the University of Prague, intending to specialize in physics and mathematics, but became interested in electricity. He was first employed in the Austrian government telegraph engineering department, later being engaged in electrical engineering in Budapest and Paris. He went to U.S. in 1884. For a time he was with the Edison Co. at Orange, N. J., but relinquished his position in order to devote himself to research, for which purpose he established the Tesla Laboratory in New York City. He was the first to conceive an effective method of utilizing the alternating current and in 1888 patented the induction motor. He invented the principle of the rotary magnetic field embodied in the apparatus used in the transmission of power from Niagara Falls, also new forms of dynamos, transformers, induction coils, condensers, are and incandescent lamps, and other electrical apparatus. His 80th birthday in 1936 was celebrated with scientific forums and meetings in Smiljan, Belgrade, Sofia, Brno,, Prague, Vienna, Paris, Zagreb and other cities."

Among concrete things in our modern world which Tesla foresaw forty years ago, are:

Harnessing a waterfall and transmitting the electric current generated from it over a distance of several hundred miles.
Radio.
Television.
Photographs and facsimiles transmitted by electricity over enormous distances.
Time kept electrically.
Wireless — controlled ships used by navies and armies of the world.

It isn't any wonder that President Roosevelt, We President Henry A. Wallace, J. O. Mauborgne, Major General U.S. Army, retired, Robert A. Millikan, James Franck and hundreds of other outstanding men and women from all over the United States upon learning of Tesla's death wired condolences to the chief mourner, Hon. Dr. Sava N. Kosanovich, nephew of Dr. Tesla, who is the only living relative of Dr. Tesla in the U. S. outside of another nephew, Engineer Nikola Trbojevich who resides in Detroit.

What would happen if Tesla's work was eliminated from the industrial world is best explained in a book on induction motor by Tesla's fellow scientist Dr. B. A. Behrend: "Were we to eliminate from our industrial world the results of Tesla's work, the wheels of industry would cease to turn, our electric trains and cars would stop, our towns would be dark, our mills and factories dead and idle. So far-reaching is his work that it has become the warp and woof of industry. Should Tesla's work be suddenly withdrawn, darkness would prevail and we would slump into barbarism."

What more can one say of Tesla? Just by taking short excerpts written by some of our most famous people, by people who knew Tesla, by people who understood his work and his amazing ability one could go on for columns and columns, for issues and issues, but let me just quote from a message he wrote in April 1942 to his "brothers In America": "President Roosevelt and war-production chief Donald Nelson have again directed an appeal to the American people — to workers and employers — to fulfill as much as possible the projected plan of production of war materials. On that depend the success of resistance and millions of lives in conquered nations. It is the duty of every honest man to respond to the call of the great American President, one of the greatest geniuses in hundreds of years. But in order to answer that call there must be complete unity among us: Any conflict among those who are called upon to contribute their utmost, destroys our common war effort and gives assistance to the forces of evil.

"Therefore; brothers and sisters, as the oldest Serb, Jugoslay and American of our blood in the United States, I am sending this letter to you urging you to answer the call of President Roosevelt... The deeds of our brothers in the old country are worthy of the spirit which permeates our folklore. What spiritual strength, unbreakable determination, fearlessness, and heroism belong to our still undeveloped boys who joyously shouted, while facing German guns: 'We are Serbian children. Shoot!' The glorious martyrs will live for centuries in our memories inspiring us to immortal deeds.

"Let us not allow that greatness to be minimized through the spreading of hatred — not against the forces of evil — but against our own brothers. The destiny of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in the old country is indivisible no matter what the enemy might attempt to do. United we appear more powerful and more noble. United we can fulfill our duty toward the martyrdom of our people, toward America, toward humanity. Whoever works differently is not on the right road."

One of my favorite Tesla quotations is:

"Behold the dark threat
veiled in words of flame
One child in misery
is a nation's shame!"

Yes, Tesla was a great Jugoslav-American scientist and it was most gratifying to learn that the Maritime Commission of United States had decided to name a liberty ship "Nikola Tesla" in his honor. When Admiral Land notified Tesla's nephew, Dr. Sava N. Kosanovich of the ship launching and requested him to invite a number of people he I wished to be present at the launching I certainly considered myself most fortunate to be among those invited. Dr. Sava N. Kosanovich selected Mrs. Vlasta Subasic, wife of the governor general of Croatia as sponsor of the liberty ship. Among other distinguished guests were: Dr. Ivan Subasic, governor of Croatia; author, Louis Adamie; Zarko Bunctek, chairman of the Serbian Congress; Zlatko Balokovich, famous violin artist and chairman of the Croatian Congress; Etbin Kristan, chairman of the Slovene National American Council; the prominent ship-owner, Mr. Petrinovich: representative of the Jugoslav Merchant Marine Capitan Autunovich, and Mr. Babin; the director of the Jugoslav Information Center Dr. S. Gavrilovich; chief of the Press Bureau of the JIC, Bogdan Radica; Dr. Nicholas Mirkovich, Mrs. Boris Furlan, Misses Charlotte Muzar, Mary Kraljich. To describe the launching and my feelings would take columns. September 25, 1943, witnessing the launching of the liberty ship "Nikola Tesla" at the Bethlehem Fairfield. Shipyards in Baltimore, Md., will always remain in my memory as one of the most exciting and happiest days of my life.

Having seen the "Nikola Tesla" ship leave the slip and splash into the water, I naturally thought this was most certainly the first and last time I would see this great ship. However, I did later have the opportunity and good fortune to secure series of pictures of this ship and the entire launching ceremony which are my cherished possession and which greatly fascinated my friends in Cleveland when I so proudly dis played my (yet incomplete) Tesla "scrapbook" which contains them during my recent stay at home...

It is difficult to relate the thrill and anxiety of the possibility of again seeing the "Tesla" liberty ship after it had served for three months. And a coincidence to say the least. On January 7, the first anniversary of the death of Nikola Tesla, I had the opportunity to see the "Nikola Tesla" liberty ship docked in the waters of the Hudson River. Although now only "Nikol" remains of the freshly white painted "Nikola Tesla" inscription which stood out so clearly Sept. 25, 1943, and service and travel are written all over it. I am sure that just as Tesla's work shall live and serve eternally, the "Nikola Tesla" liberty ship will sail and serve and its end will be as honorable and great as was that of the great Jugoslav-American Scientist, Nikola Tesla, whose name it bears.

ANNE TRAVEN
(New York City.)

Note: The author may be pictured in photos from the launching of the S.S. Nikola Tesla.