Resolutions Passed by the Council 113 



American people, and given useful employment to millions ; and 



Whereas, For greatest benefit the applications of science in industry should In- 

 facilitated and encouraged ; and 



Whereas, The founders of this Republic instituted a patent system to encourage 

 progress in science and useful arts, which has been a powerful aid in this respect, and 

 which should be strengthened and maintained ; and 



Whereas, The increasing complexity of science and its applications places a great 

 burden upon the patent office and the courts in their administration of the patent sys- 

 tem ; and 



Whereas, The Science Advisory Board has recommended alterations in the patent 

 system to enable it to operate more effectively for the benefit of the American inventor 

 and the American public, which recommendations contemplate simplification of the 

 process of litigation, scientific and technical advice to courts in the consideration of 

 patent matters, and steps to raise the standard of invention, 



Now, Therefore, Be it resolved, that this Council expresses the readiness of the 

 scientific men of this country to aid in worthy moves to render the Patent System of 

 greatest benefit to the American Public ; and 



That this Council endorses the recommendation of the Science Advisory Board that 

 the processes of patent litigation be simplified, in order that expense and delay may be 

 reduced, by prompt, enlightened decision of patent cases by a single Court of Patent 

 Appeals ; and 



That this Council endorses also the recommendation that adequate scientific and 

 technical advice, on a high plane, be made available to this court and to all courts deal- 

 ing with the intricate technical problems involved in modern patent cases ; and 



That this Council endorses the principle that the standard of invention should be 

 raised, and recommends careful attention to this problem on the part of those charged 

 with the administration of the Patent Office. 



A Resolution on International Biological Abstracts 



Adopted by the Executive Committee by Authority of the Council, December 30, 1935 



Whereas, The American Association for the Advancement of Science has cooperated 

 with the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council in the or- 

 ganization and development of International Biological Abstracts through the Union 

 of Biological Societies ; and 



Whereas, Great progress has been made in the development of international coopera- 

 tion among biologists in support of this project; and 



Whereas, The Rockefeller Foundation has generously aided this project since its 

 beginning ten years ago and has expressed its hearty satisfaction and approval of the 

 work thus far accomplished ; 



Whereas, The results of a decade of intensive and largely gratuitous work by many 

 biologists represented by the ten volumes of abstracts now nearing completion consti- 

 tute one of the most noteworthy achievements of the Foundation ; 



Therefore, The Council of the American Association for the Advancement of 

 Science, with its 152 associated societies representing more than one-half a million men 

 and women of science, both in this country and abroad, urges that every possible effort 

 be made to continue this highly important and significant undertaking and hopes that 

 the Rockefeller Foundation will find it possible to provide for permanent continuation 

 of International Biological Abstracts. 



