i68 



The National Geographic Magazine 



approximate say to a sixty-fourth of an 

 inch, or a fraction of a millimeter, which 

 would be near enough to precise figures 

 ordinarily. The old tools and machinery 

 need not be thrown away; they can be 

 used during the transitional period at 

 whatever may be their metrical value. A 

 tool or machine has only a limited life. It 

 may last, say, ten years, and then it must 

 be replaced. After the adoption of the 

 metric system the new machinery made 

 would certainly be constructed to an 

 exact metrical scale. The old machinery, 

 however, so long as it lasted, would be 

 measured by the metrical system, and you 

 would simply rate it at its nearest equiv- 

 alent in the metric system. 



Mr Scroggy:* I would like to ask a 

 question in that connection. This bill, 

 you must observe, uses the language that 

 in the transaction of business requiring 

 the use of weight and measurement the 

 government shall employ and use the 

 weights and measures of the metric sys- 

 tem. That apparently is mandatory. 

 Now could you suggest to this committee 

 some amendment to that language by 

 which the present tools, the tools now in 

 use for manufacturing machinery that is 

 now being manufactured, could still con- 

 tinue to be used, and at the same time 

 adopt the metric system as contemplated 

 by this bill ? 



Mr Bell: I do not think, sir, that this 

 requires any amendment. The bill is 

 only mandatory concerning the system of 

 arithmetic to be used (the metric sys- 

 tem), and leaves the question of tools, 

 etc., open. It relates simply and exclu- 

 sively to a method of measurement : The 

 weights and measures of the metric sys- 

 tem shall be used — that is all. It does 

 not prescribe the kind of tools or ma- 

 chinery or limit it in any way. 



Mr Scroggy: Do you think that the 

 language would admit of the use of the 

 present tools ? 



Mr Bell: You mean in the government 

 departments ? 



* Thomas E. Scroggy, Representative from 

 Ohio. 



Mr Scroggy: Yes. 



Mr Bell: I have not hitherto given 

 that point consideration, but I should 

 think that it, would. It simply refers to 

 the measurement of them. Take the pres- 

 ent tools and measure them in the metric 

 system. 



I thought you referred especially to 

 outside firms undertaking business for 

 the government, and whether they would 

 be required to have new tools and ma- 

 chinery made in undertaking government 

 work. I don't think they would, under 

 the language of the bill. I have no doubt 

 that some enterprising manufacturer 

 would, have metrical tools and appliances 

 made for use in government work, 

 though this does not seem to me to be 

 required by the bill. The same remarks 

 apply to the tools and appliances at pres- 

 ent in use in the government departments 

 themselves. I can see nothing in the bill 

 to require their abandonment and re- 

 placement by tools specially constructed 

 for metrical measurement. The present 

 tools can be measured metrically, which 

 is all that is required by the present bill, 

 so far as I understand it. I do not there- 

 fore see why any amendment is required 

 to permit the use of any kind of ma- 

 chinery that may be desired. The bill 

 simply prescribes that in the transaction 

 of business requiring the use of weight 

 and measurement the departments of the 

 government shall use the weights and 

 measures of the metric system. Under 

 this language I take it that you can use 

 anything under the sun if you measure it 

 by the metric system. You can use a 

 pound weight if you please, if you put it 

 down at 454 grams. 



The Chairman: It would require the 

 use of metric weights and measures, for 

 instance, in the Treasury Department in 

 determining our imports and things of 

 that kind. 



Mr Bell: Oh, yes. 



The Chairman: There would be no 

 difficulty about that, I should think. 



Mr Bell: I don't think there would. 

 Indeed, it might be possible that the labor 



