A
memo sent Edison's secretary 1919 informed company
executives that communications about laboratory operations
should sent J.P. Constable, manager the laboratory,
and not Edison. 37
John Constable had replaced Hutchison chief engineer
in 1918 after the latter's activities salesman for storage
batteries had caused much trouble within the organization. Yet was totally unsuited the operations a
modern business. Edison had completely withdrawn
from the running the laboratory day-to-day basis.38 Hutchison and Edison parted company and era
.XII-19
THE WEST ORANGE LABORATORY THE 192OS
After the War Edison became increasingly isolated from
the general work the laboratory.
Hutchison's personal concession market the battery was a
relic from the old days the West Orange laboratory when
trusted "muckers" got the commercial rights Edison's
inventions. Hutchison's wheeling and dealing undermined
the efforts the storage battery company and its network of
sales agents. When all the leading
managers the company (including the chief engineer) came
together meeting the Executive Committee 1918,
nobody had any idea what the "old man" was doing the top
floor the laboratory
