AFebiuaryPih9iT' }      International  Standardization. 
ards  come  into  competition,  there  is  practically  as  bad  a  condition 
as  if  everything  was  specially  designed  and  constructed  without 
any  pretense  at  standardization.  Possibly  any  one  of  the  various 
systems  would  answer  were  it  possible  to  eliminate  national  and 
commercial  prejudice  and  conform  to  it,  but  with  the  experience 
of  all,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  none  is  an  ideal  system. 
Now  as  efficiency  in  all  fields  of  activity  is  a  ratio  between  the 
actual  and  the  ideal,  so  in  determining  a  standard  we  must  aim 
as  close  as  possible  to  the  ideal.  Consequently,  the  problem  usually 
is  to  evolve  an  ideal  system  based  on  experience,  but  not  necessarily 
confined  to  the  practice  of  the  past.  In  evolving  an  ideal  system, 
it  is  not  infrequently  desirable  to  start  afresh  and  utilize  the  various 
advances  made  in  science  and  industry,  since  the  former  system  or 
systems  were  developed  on  a  fixed  basis.  It  may  be  that  in  a  battle 
of  the  standards  one  system  may  occupy  such  a  predominant 
position  as  to  warrant  its  international  adoption.  On  the  other  hand, 
there  can  be  little,  if  any,  general  approach  to  a  complete  standard- 
ization until  entirely  new  standards  are  evolved  by  careful  investi- 
gation of  the  conditions,  scientific,  technical,  and  economic.  In 
such  a  case  whatever  the  material  or  article  may  be,  the  aim  at  the 
very  outset  should  be  to  secure  an  international  and  ideal  standard, 
in  which  the  best  technical  and  commercial  knowledge  of  the  special 
art  or  industry  concerned  the  world  over  should  unite  to  secure  the 
desired  end. 
Now  unless  any  new  or  improved  system  of  standards  intended 
to  be  permanent  is  to  be  scientific  (i.  e.,  exactly  defined  and  speci- 
fied, interrelated,  and  interchangeable)  and  international  or  sus- 
ceptible of  international  use,  there  is  but  little  advantage  to  be 
gained  by  its  establishment,  particularly  at  this  time.  Scientific 
accuracy  is  the  keynote  of  industrial  progress,  and  international 
trade  is  the  field  for  future  commercial  prosperity.  Consequently, 
as  an  essential  in  either  case,  standards  defined  in  the  metric  system 
are  essential. 
It  may  be  noted  that  the  word  defined  is  used,  and  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  this  should  be  borne  in  mind.  Given  an  exact  definition 
and  knowing  the  ratio  of  different  systems  of  weights  and  measures, 
articles  or  materials  can  be  made  in  any  system.  Modern  industry 
works  to  gage  not  to  measurement,  and  will  conform  to  any  stand- 
ards that  can  be  defined. 
The  product  must  be  adapted  to  the  needs  of  the  consumer,  so 
