400 SCIENTIFIC NOTES AND NEWS 



federal agencies relating to mining, metallurg>^ mineral technology, 

 geological surveying, land classification, or mineral resources, would be 

 transferred to the new Division. The bill was referred to the Com- 

 mittee on Mines and Mining. 



The recommendations of the Reclassification Commission were 

 embodied in a bill (S. 4106) introduced in the Senate by Mr. Jones 

 of New Mexico on March 22. A very thorough review of this legislation 

 was given in the Senate by Mr. Henderson on April 29. 



More liberal prov-isions regarding inventions by members of the 

 Government bureaus than are provided by existing law are contained 

 in H. R. 9932 and S. 3223: "Authorizing the Federal Trade Commis- 

 sion to accept and administer for the benefit of the public and the en- 

 couragement of industry, inventions, patents, and patent rights, and 

 for other purposes."'^ The Senate bill, after reference from the Com- 

 mittee on Patents, was debated on March 22, and was amended by the 

 insertion of a provision that the Commissioner of Patents should grant 

 patents of the type described in the bill without the payment of any 

 fee. The bill passed the Senate on March 22 and was referred to the 

 House Committee on Patents, from which it was favorably reported 

 on May 12. 



One of the periodical attempts to reform the calendar is contained 

 in H. R. 13574, introduced by Mr. Sch.\ll on April 12: "To provide 

 for a modification of the tijne calendar now in general use in the United 

 States, the miodified form to be known as the Liberty Calendar." The 

 modified calendar divides the year into 13 months of 28 days each, 

 with a New Year Day which is not included within any month, and 

 likewise a Leap Year I3ay in every fourth year, both of which are legal 

 holidays. The bill was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. 



A special research of a geological character is planned for in S. 3829 

 (Mr. Phipps, February' 2): "Making an appropriation for the investi- 

 gation of underground currents, particularly shallow underground 

 waters, and artesian wells in eastern Colorado." Referred to the 

 Committee on Public Lands. 



notes 



A joint conference of national, state and regional engineering socie- 

 ties met at the Cosmos Club June 3-4, for the purpose of organizing 

 to carry into effect the plans of development committees of the national 

 societies. About 140 delegates, representing about 70 engineering 

 organizations throughout the country, were present. The confer- 

 ence resulted in the formation of the "Federated American Engineering 

 Societies," under the management of a representative body to be known 

 as the "American Engineering Council." The principal discussion 

 was on the resolution: "That it is the sense of the Conference that the 



* For an analysis of the bill see Science, 51: 421-427. 1920. 



