Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-09-08
NEW ENGLISH POLICY

The new English patents act seems.
| to be a severe blow at German trade.
| 1t requires. OF foreign manufacturers
who take out patents in England that
unless patents SO obtained are manu-
featured to an adequate extent in
Britain, the patent may be revoked.
The Germans had expected the new
Liberal ministry of Britain to favor
German trade; and the recent improves
ment IN Anglo-Germ relations does,
as Il fact. date from the accession OF
the Campbell- Banncrman cabinet. Yet
the recent Parliament passed Mr.
Lloyd Georges measure In relation to
patent rights without much ado, all
though some surprise was expressed In
Tory circles at its avowed object of
checking the foreign monop0lizing OF
English trade. OF the patents granted
to foreigners In England in 1906. Am
erica headed the list with 2,59S, while
Germany came second with 2,0S1. All
other foreigners together only took out
1917 patents The following, that is to
say. last year. the Germans had gain
ed ground on the Americans In 1907,
tnch a1IleTlCtillS SSIuICu civ ILL.,
Germans, 2.60S
The new act was passed Aug. %.
1907, to take effect one year from Its
date. 1t has therefore just gone into
operation. German manufacturers I'M
der the lead of an influential organi2h-.
ton called the Union of Industrialists,
have taken UP the matter and have
presented to the Imperial chancellor OF
Germany. formal petition that urges
him to take the following course:
ta.) TO secure through diplomatic
channels the extension Of the time limit
of one year from Aug. 2S to at least
a year hence.
Chs To put into force similar mea-
sures against English patents in vir-
tue Of the German patent law, which
admits OF retaliatory measures.
(co To open negotiations with the
British government with a view of re-
moving as soon as possible the com
pulsory manufacture of patented arti-
clcs by placing the inhabitants on an
equal footing on the lines of the agree
ment reached between Germany and
Switzerland.
Since the German export trade to
Britain is more important than the
British export trade to Germany, the
German merchants felt that not much
could be accomplished by retal!atory
measures and lost no time themselves
in dealing with the situation In one
group of analine dye works one firm
atone has proceeded to invest a mil
!, ~, vas r
England and many other firms have
done likewise. English Liberals reject
the assumption that the new law wears
a. "Protectionist aspect" but maintain
that ii is simply a blow aimed at UNI
fairness with which the existing pat
ent legislation was powerless to cope.
Many American firms have been
similarly affected. and are preparing
to comply with the law in like manner,
by arranging for the manufacture of
certain articles or parts of articles
within the limits of the United King
DOM
,rhe law Is justified in Englad on the
ground that the American and German
manufacturers have been taking out
patents, and not only doing business
without factories in England, but have
prevented English companies rom en-
gaeing in manufacture. Incidentally
one of the foremost aims is to stimu-
late homo Industries and TO increase
employment, The operation OF this de-
parture In English law is being watch
ed from every country with great In
terest