202 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. L. No. 1287 



of consultant, advising tliem' upon the phys- 

 ical aspects of their research problems. Much 

 satisfaction could be derived from putting 

 one's best efforts into such work; for there 

 ■would come out of it the consciousness of 

 having rendered a valuable service to the 

 cause of science. 



Discussion of the question in these pages 

 seems to me very desirable as an aid to the 

 crystallization of ideas regarding it. It is 

 hoped that eventually sufficient interest may 

 be aroused in the idea of making physics more 

 valuable, to bring about the establishment in 

 our colleges and universities of courses along 

 the line which has been pointed out. 



Paul E. Klopsteg 



Leeds & Northeup Company, 

 Philadelphia 



PATENT REFORM PROSPECTS 



The initial patent reform measures advo- 

 cated by the Patent Committee of the Na- 

 tional Eesearch Coimcil (as noted in Science, 

 April 11, 1919, No. 1267, p. 356) have been 

 introduced by Chairman John I. Nolan, of the 

 House Committee on Patents under the fol- 

 lowing numbers: 



H. R. 5011. Provides for the separation of the 

 Patent Office from the Interior Department and its 

 establishment as an independent bureau. This bill, 

 if made a law, would take the Patent Office out of 

 the position of one of a number of inconspicuous 

 bureaus in a great department, and set it forth in 

 its proper light as one of the reaUy important 

 branches of the government, exercising a vast in- 

 fluence upon the material and industrial prosperity 

 of our people. It is believed this change would 

 greatly extend the activities of the Patent Ofifico 

 with a resviltant stimulation of invention in various 

 lines, and that it would open the door to numerous 

 important reforms. 



H. E. 5012. Provides for a single Court of Pat- 

 ent Appeals. The purpose of this court is to shorten 

 the processes of patent litigation and to unify the 

 decisions rendered in patent cases. 



H. E. 7010. Provides for increases in personnel 

 and in the salaries paid in the Patent Office. This 

 legislaton is shown to be absolutely indispensable, 

 owing to present outside competitive conditions, in 

 order to obtain and retain the services of com- 

 petently educated men as examiners. Good men 



are resigning to take positions with big industrial 

 firms paying large salaries. The Patent Office har 

 long been working without a sufficient force of 

 competent men ; its work is consequently in arrears, 

 and the work is done too hastily to be reliable. The 

 bill provides for a considerable increase in the 

 working forces, and fixes a range of salaries for 

 examiners, running from an entrance salary of 

 $1,800 up to $4,000 for primary examiners with 

 corresponding increases for higher officers. 



Public hearings on the foregoing bill were 

 held, commencing July 9, by the mentioned 

 House Committee. This committee includes 

 at the present time the following Republican 

 members in addition to Mr. Nolan: Plorian 

 Lampert (Wis.), Loran E. "Wheeler (HI), 

 Albert IT. Vestal (Ind.), Wm. J. Burke (Pa)., 

 Albert W. Jefferies (Neb.) and John C. Mc- 

 Crate (N. Y.). The Democratic members 

 are: Guy E. Campbell (Pa.), John B. Johns- 

 ton (N. T.), John J. Babka (Ohio), Edwin 

 L. Davis (Tenn.) and John McDuffie (Ala.), 

 but not all members mentioned were present 

 at any one session of the committee. Every 

 member that attended participated to a greater 

 or less extent in the asking of questions of 

 the successive speakers. Chairman Nolan and 

 Eepresentative Johnston being especially at- 

 tentive and active in this regard, frequently 

 giving distinct assistance in the emphasis or 

 qualification of points made. 



As secretary of the National Research 

 Council's committee, Mr. E. J. Prindle had 

 perfected the arrangements for these hearings, 

 and by him the successive speakers were intro- 

 duced. The iirst of these was Mr. F. P. Pish, 

 referred to as the dean of the American 

 patent bar. The short address of Mr. Eish 

 will long be remembered by those who heard 

 it as a wonderfully candid, comprehensive and 

 convincing general statement of the impor- 

 tance of the patent system, of its decline, aud 

 of the utility or intended effect of the reme- 

 dial measures under immediate consideration. 



On the second day of the hearings Mr. 

 Prindle, having interrupted his own remarks 

 on the preceding day in order that Mr. Pish 

 might be heard, completed a general exposi- 

 tion of the bills. He seemed to agree with 

 Mr. Fish in placing a primai-y emphasis upon 



