Electricity on Yom Tob - the pre-war view from Lithuania

TURNING LIGHTS ON AND OFF ON YOM TOV 
(THIS RULING DOES NOT APPLY ON SHABBAT!).
THE EDICT AS ISSUED BY THE GAON RABBI EPSTEIN AND HIS BETH DIN:
(Beis va'ad la-chachamim, 1902), and reprinted also in Sarei ha-Meah, vol6, pg14, 1955."It is permitted to put on electric lights on Yom Tov. It is not considered nolad, creating a new fire on Yom Tov, similar to rubbing a matchstick to create a spark and fire. For in the match there is not the live power of fire, only the ingredients to create fire. But in electricity, the power of fire is in the wires.
When you combine or touch wires, the positive and the negative, the fire shoots forth. This is similar to blowing on a dormant coal, making it come to life, and it is permitted. This is not considered nolad, although the blowing is a power in itself that makes the fire shoot forth from the seemingly dead coal.
This is the same with electricity. When we open the electric switch we only make the fire come forth and when we close it we simply push it back.
Eve if we say we are gorem, causing nolad, the creation of something new, we have never found a gorem to be prohibited, only the actual work of creating the fire (such as rubbing two sticks together to create the spark). The Gemara in Shabbos states explicity (Shabbos 120) : Asiah, actual work, is prohibited, but gerama, causing (instrumental) is permitted. In electricity it is as if we only open a door.
This is my view based on my knowledge of electricity...."
Signed
Yechiel Michael Epstein
Rabbi of Nohrdok (Nevardik) (Lithuania)
Author of the Aruch ha-Shulchan and Or L'Yisharim.
A great many other gedolim signed Rabbi Epstein's heter, as is recorded in Vaad lachachamim.
Ha- Gaon Rabbi Chaim Ozer (Warsaw) disagreed with Rabbi Epstein, but said, " As long as it is not a specific prohibition from the Torah, we are not to criticise people who rely on rabbis who permit it"
Recently, the Chief Rabbi of Netanya discussed this matter in great detail. After many pages of analysing the views of all the geonim on this subject, he states that electricity is considered doubtful fire as referred to in the Torah proper, and if some geonim think it is fire, there is also a doubt, if a spark emanates from a metal, whether it is considered fire; and if we state that it creates heat which is derived from fire, (the coils become red hot), heat from iron is not considered fire. This soon becomes safekd'safeka, doubts compounded within doubts, which then becomes permissible.
Thus, he permits putting electricity on and off during Yom Tov. He also permits using an electric oven, similar to using an electric spit to broil on Yom Tov.
He quotes other geonim, Ahron ben Shimshon in his sefer Tzur Dvash, and gaon Uziel, in his Mishpatei Uziel, who also permits turning electricity on and off, (Rabbi Udel Rosenberg, Rabbi Chaim Heller, etc)
Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, in Yalkut Yosef pg63, says that while he prohibits it, he would not interfere with those who permit it.