Nikola Tesla Books
DR. NIKOLA TESLA
"THE FORGOTTEN SUPER MAN OF OUR INDUSTRIAL AGE"
On January 15, 1943, more than one thous and distinguished citizens gathered in the massive cathedral of St. Johns The Divine, New York City, to pay their last respects to one of the greatest men that ever lived, in our times, or in any time.
An American flag lay draped over the casket of Dr. Nikola Tesla, electrical engineer, scientist, inventor and discoverer. A dozen soldiers of the Yugoslavian Government (in exile) stood watch respectfully, as an "honor guard" supplied by the country of his birth. Dr. Tesla had died a pauper. The Yugoslavian Government (then occupied by Germany) had supported him for the last few years of his life, although he had been an American citizen for over 50 years.
Why is Nikola Tesla unknown to every school child in this great country, and in fact, to all of our people? Why do only a small percent of electrical engineers recall the name of Nikola Tesla? Only then, do they con-nect his name with the Tesla coil, one of his minor inventions. Most of those present at Tesla's funeral were men of science who had full appreciation of this great American. They must have wondered, as I did, how a man who had given so much to the world , could have died in poverty supported by a "foreign power. Tesla loved America. He had turned down fabulous offers from other countries who would have welcomed his assistance and advice.
Tesla did not wish to be referred to as an "inventor." He claimed that he was a discoverer of new scientific principles which he had learned first hand from the "secrets of nature . " His claims were certainly true. What greater contribution could any man hope to give to the world than the discovery of alternating current power, the very rock foundation of our entire industrial age. For Tesla is the inventor of the poly-phase alternating current system of power generation, utilized throughout the world; basic developments in electric motors which are used in ten thousand different ways in this present age, high frequency voltage and the oscillator, the heart of our TV and radio broadcasting system of our electronic era.
It has been estimated that every American citizen has the equivalent of twentyone slaves working for him 24 hours each day, each month, year after year. It was the marvelous work and discoveries of Tesla, through his system of power for us. Electric power is the key to our mass production system. By the mere flick of a switch, these slaves are put to work. Should a man who has contributed so greatly to our way of life; whose inventions lifted a great part of the burden of labor and drudgery from the shoulders of mankind, have died unknown to the people of his own country? Tesla is better known in Europe than in this country.
Tesla's great discoveries opened up vast new enterprises and industries, as well as new fundamental scientific knowledge which is still only partially understood and
