SCIEJNTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS 1 49 



Volcanologists will be interested in a bill introduced in the House on 

 January ig by Mr. Raker, H. R. 11890: "For the protection and im- 

 provement of the Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, and for 

 other purposes." The bill was referred to the Committee on Appro- 

 priations. A similar bill was introduced by Mr. Raker during the 

 First Session (H. R. 1120). 



The bill for a tariff on laboratory glass and porcelain ware, optical 

 glass, and scientific, surgical, and dental instruments (H. R. 7785), 

 which had been referred to the vSenate Committee on Finance- came up 

 for a hearing before a subcommittee consisting of Senators Watson, 

 Curtis and Thomas, on December 12 and 13, 1919. Manufacturers 

 of glass and instruments were represented by Mr. C. G. Fisher, 

 President of the Scientific Materials Compan}^; Mr. J. B. O'Brien, 

 representing glass-blowers' unions; Mr. J. M. Roberts, Secretary 

 of the vScientific Apparatus Makers' Association; Mr. H. F. Coors, 

 of the Herold China & Pottery Company; and Mr. H. N. Ott, 

 of the Spencer Lens Company. Manufacturers of surgical instruments 

 were represented by Mr. C. J. Pilling, of the George E. Pilling Com- 

 pany, and Mr. E. J. Sovatkin, of the J. Sklar Manufacturing Company. 

 Consumers and the public were represented by Lieut. Col. M. A. 

 Reasoner and Col. F. F. Russell, both of the Medical Corps, U. S. 

 A.; Mr. H. C. ParmelEE, Editor of Chemical and Metallurgical En- 

 gineering; Dr. C. E. McClung, of the University of Pennsyh^ania ; 

 and Dr. C. H. Herty, Editor of the Journal of Industrial and Engineer- 

 ing Chemistry. Letters were also introduced from a number of manu- 

 facturers and university professors of chemistry. All of the testimon}- 

 favored the removal of the duty-free privilege, and the imposition of the 

 duties on scientific and surgical instruments prescribed in the bill. 

 Dental instruments were given only passing mention, and no arguments 

 were introduced for or against their inclusion. Some of the opposing 

 statements from universities, quoted by the Tariff Commission,'' 

 were repudiated as having come from purchasing agents and not from 

 members of the faculties. The only opposition to the bill at the hear- 

 ings came from Senator Thomas, Democratic member of the sub- 

 committee, who stated his belief that the duties would be of little use 

 in protecting these industries from German and Japanese competition, 

 and that only a rigid license system would accomplish their protection 

 as "ke}^ industries," which was the ostensible purpose of the bill. 



Hearings on the various tariff bills were re-opened before the sub- 

 committee on January 27. 



A convention of the National Public Works Department Association 

 was held in Washington on January 13-14, 1920, to make plans for 

 expediting action upon the Jones-Reavis bill (S. 2232 and H. R. 6649) 

 for a Federal Department of Public Works. ^ Ninety-five delegates, 



- This Journal 9: 389, 421, 562. 1919. 

 ^ This Journal 9: 562. 1919. 

 ^ This Journal 9: 422. 1919. 



