WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 369 



measures in interstate commerce, which it has ample power to do under 

 the express authority conferred upon it hy the constitution. The as- 

 sumption of federal authority in this instance points out the proper 

 method for the solution of other weights and measures problems; and 

 the enforcement of this amendment, it is believed, will present convinc- 

 ing evidence of the judiciousness and necessity of federal regulation 

 over matters of an interstate nature, or where the exercise of authority by 

 the individual states would be conflicting, or unnecessarily cumbersome 

 on account of its multiplicity. 



The proper regulation of types of weighing and measuring apparatus 

 is one of the problems referred to which could be regulated by the federal 

 government more scientifically and better than by the individual states 

 and with more economy to the manufacturers of apparatus. Much 

 apparatus now sold is faulty in design, false in its indications, and 

 would not be permitted in any other important country in the world. 

 A number of the states have already adopted specifications which the 

 manufacturers are required to follow in making the apparatus sold in 

 those states. They are in many cases imperfectly drawn, and on 

 account of their lack of agreement with one another, the manufac- 

 turers are required to change their construction for some states, thus 

 increasing the cost without accomplishing any useful purpose. The need 

 of proper supervision over types of weighing and measuring apparatus 

 has been felt for some time by weights and measures officials and is now 

 beginning to be appreciated by manufacturers. The effect of such super- 

 vision would be to eliminate from use types of apparatus which facilitate 

 the perpetration of fraud, and poor apparatus of cheap construction ; and 

 would in general standardize apparatus and practises. Bills have been 

 introduced in Congress from time to time to confer upon the Bureau of 

 Standards the authority to pass upon types of weighing and measuring 

 apparatus, but no law has yet been passed. 



Another problem of far-reaching effect upon the interstate commerce 

 of the country is the proper supervision of railroad track scales. This 

 matter was recently brought to the attention of Congress by the Bureau 

 of Standards, and its request for an appropriation of $25,000, which 

 became available July 1, 1913, was granted. Out of this appropriation a 

 special test weight car has been provided with which a number of rail- 

 road track scales have already been tested, disclosing large discrepancies 

 and plainly showing the need of supervision. The purposes of this car 

 are to provide, as far as practicable, official standards heretofore lacking 

 for the testing and standardizing of railroad track, elevator and other 

 scales, and to obtain data for determining what tests are adequate to 

 insure reliable adjustment of such scales, and upon which may be based 

 specifications for their construction and operation. 



