C 0 PI 

AFSA-03A5/ILP 

15 June 1950 

IEMORANDUM THRU TECHNICAL DI RECTOR, OFFICE OF RESEARCH A.ND DEVELOPMENT 

FOR1 THE CHIEF, OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 

SUBJECT. JAG (Army) Conterence Relative to Inventions of William F. 

Friedman 

1, Unti.J. January, 1950, the rights of Government-employed 

inventors in their inventions - as opposed to the rights ot the 

Government - •ere tixed in genera! by custom and judicial decision • 

..l.lthough a tew governmental organizations had special (more restrictive) policies, notabl1' the Department of Agriculture and the 

National Bureau of Standards, the general rule was that the 

Govern111ent took tree licenses to practice the inventions made by its 

employees, ana the inventors retained title and commercial right& 

therein. 

2. While in the utfice 0£ the Chief Signal Officer, the patent 

policy of 1'ffiich was the general rule above-mentioned, e89'eral inventions were made b:y Mr. William F. Friedman (either eolel.1' or in coll.aboration with others). The most significant of thaao were embodied 

in equip~enta known as SIGABA, SIGOUM, and SIGFOY. These invention• 

(with others by the same and other inventors) were considered classified to a degree which would not permit the issue or patents, and 

the result was that domestic and foreign commercial promotion became 

impossible. 

3. llr. Friedman has long felt that this situation discriminated 

unf airl3' against inventors or 01"1ptologic and other highJ3-clasol.i'ied 

equipment and has made several attempts ta modity it and to have one 

of his applications (SIGCUM) declassified eo that a patent might i•-

aue. He has not so far been successt'ul although the Director ot Intelligence has ta.~e~ a position generally ravorable to such 

Government inventors (see Inclosure 1). 

4. It was with this general background that the JAG (Department 

of the Arm7) called a meeting on 8 June 1950J the purpose was to conaider the possibilities or compensating Mr. FriedJ'lan £or loss or commercial righta, domestic and foreign, suffered as a result of the 

claasif'ication or hia inventions. 

SECRET 

eclassifi ed and a roved for release b NSA on 08-30-2013 ursuantto E .0. 1352 
... ... • 

Sa ITe$'2tt__..t 

Ml'. 

nr. ~ 

P&tuler · ~ 

) . :rei:cesen~ *•, ~ 

YajOl" &11'11 o.t ~teU;lg•noe Di-t1eicm 

MeJor Milla · .ot the ottJ.oe or the JUdge. Advodate Geneftl 

Mr. Galleher . ~ . · · Mr. stautter ) ot the Amed Force$ ~eo~1t:1. Age~ · · · :: =• > .or \bit ~ ot tbt o~ Sloal omoo~ 

· 6. ro~ a brl.t eceount 111·11a3.- ralll or rir. ~'s 

ld.lituy and QiV111an. •1"Yf.cs•.;·· th& meeting 'Qa tttrrled ·Ofti' to Mr. 

n.cher· who ~telT c!Ucld.1114 tor- ~. ~ M1 1ntentic ot 

pres.eout!n8 -.n.r ,torwnai mtlit ~ the ~nt tor ~Uon 

~~a re~ulttng boom the tffat.ent of 8!lT ot h1a ~tenta aid · applicattQu. In brief, h9 aake4 that u •ttempt be made t.o obtaiu 

1-tore.tumd a~.i by· the. Do~nt ot Dete:nae ot • private bUl 

tor spec1*1 ~t1on). he aen.t1tmed two ~ente or ~ • 

pnvate bill, '*'14111• OWt telat!ng to WUfll (Na.Y;7 Department) r 19'5~ 

an<i the other tel4ting to Qall!rl UA PO«mtD (~ DepartMntJ • l9'Yl. 

. 7. ' 14&,jor Ml11a ...... er"'ltn whether the De~nt or the A'ftf!f 

or the Deplrtment or Dof'enae eould, w!th rropr!ety, ~t tteeli' 1n 

adva11ce in •uch a ma~ t · but sumJeated that Mr. Fiaoher rrupp]3 tor 

atudt a draft Qt a propond billj a brier in auPPott ot the deaire4 

-.ct1on, and ~:mplett c1tat!Onc tor. the ho precede?)ts Clbove-100ioatedt1 

8. Mr. Fischer Se?'f'ed to euppl.1 the requested documents witbln approzSate~ two llOW, and the meeting was c~. 

1 1-1 

c, ..... 29 ·~ 46 .sgd OWOlub; ACS/G-2 . 

Cep,y f\lm1sbMJ 

Cb:at I USA.·14 

!frd. 

~ B. S1'AUP1'Ell 

Chiet; AF&~-oJAS: