The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-03-24
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

The annual attempt to enforce the
adoption Of the metric system OF weights
and measures in the United States gov
eminent service is about due. For years
this attempt has been made by means
OF bills introduced in Congress. For
years the House Committee on Coinage,
Weights and Measures, has considered
the matter, given long hearings upon II,
and, In some cases. reported the bills
favorably, but 1t has always been i'm
possible TO secure the enactment OF such
a law. However, the advocates of the
metric system declare they will keep up
the fight until victory rests uron their
banners
Already they have made important
strides toward the Iong-sought goal. In
1866 Congress made the metric system law
ful in the United States The Revised
Statutes contain provisions making the
metric system the basis OF foreign postal
rates and of the American coinage sys-
tenn. Congress has provided for the dis
tribution OF a set Of the standard metric
weights and measures 10 each State OF
the Union, and has decreed that the
International electrical units based on
the metric system shall be legal units OF
electrical measurement in this country.
The Secretary Of the Treasury. In 1893.
ordered that the international prototype
meter and kilogram should be the funda-
mental standards for weights and meas
ures in the United States. BY executive
order. the metric system has been adopt
ed as the standard in the medical depart
ment OF the navt, in the United States
Marine Hospital Service. and in Porto
Rico. The Philippine tariff act OF 1901
directed the continuance OF the use OF
the metric system in the Philippines.
1t IS now proposed 10 direct the use Of
the metric system alone throughout the
government service, with the avowed OBJ
jet Of accust0ming the public to that
system 50 that il can be adopted through
out our public schools. and eventually
throughout the commercial world. II sup
port Of this plan. it is claimed that the
metric system is more simple than any
other system OF weights and measures.
being based on the decimal figures; that
il Is uniform and easily used. and that
IL is now the only legal system for about
100000 600 people. the principle countries
in which its use IS not enforced being
the United States. Great Britain. and
Russia. Its advocates claim that il Il is
officially adopted by this country, Great
Britain will soon follow suit.
While the advocates OF the metric sys-
TEN in this country are enthusiastic in
their support OF IL, there is a great deal
Of opposition 10 be found here. The pro-
ponents Of the metric plan consist princi-
pally OF scientific men and mathemati-
clans. while the strongest opponents are
representatives OF American commercial
interests. II is claimed by the latter that
the enforced use Of the metric system by
them would necessitate the replacing OF
the present standards and gauges used in
manufacturing. at cost of between 500
600 COO and 81. 00000 coo. and that business
would be seriously disturbed. II is pointed
out that conditions existing In Europe
when the metric system was established
there were very different from what they
are now in the United States. the CON-
meTcial world being too complex at pres
ent 10 permit a complete change in its
weights and measures without disastrous
consequences
To placate the metric enthusiasts. the
opponents OF the system have proposed
that Congress create q technical commits
sion composed of representatives Of all
interests concerned. to study the question
OF weights and measures and recommend
such legislation on the subject as they
may deem necessary or desirable After
such an investigation. the enemies OF
the metric system believe there will be
little ground for Il to stand on in this
country.
While the claims OF the metric oppon-
ents may be founded on fact, there is no
doubt that the American system OF
weights and measures lacks uniformity.
There are the apoIhecary's pound and
the troy pound containing twelve ounces
each. while the avoirdupois pound has
sixteen ounces. There are the long ton
and the short ton. There are the statute
mile. containing $3.50 feet, and the nauti-
cal mile. Of SOS feet. The dry quart is
larger than the liquid quart. People of
the United States have 10 learn dry
measure, liquid measure. long measure.
square measure, cubic measure. time
measure. and circular measure, not 10
mention the contents Of perch Of stone
and a cord OF wood The situation is
still more complicated BIZ the fact that
the same terms do not mean the same
thing In all sections Of the country. Even
at this late date IL has become necessary
for Representative Pearre. of Maryland.
10 introduce a bill In Congress Providing
that a cord Of wood in the District OF
Columbia shall contain i2S cubic feet
Responsibility for the lack of uniformity
can be laid at the door OF Congress. The
Constitution gave Congress the power to
fix the standards Of weights and measures.
but that power has been exercised only
partially President Washington, In his
first message, urged the establishment by
legislative enactment OF an official system
OF weights and measures. President
Jefferson followed his example. and in
1921 John Quincy Adams. then Secretary-of
State. urged the adoption OF n Uniform
system in a report which has since be-
come classic Other Presidents have made
similar recommendations, but the national
legislature has never followed them. The
result is that at the Philadelphia mint
they use the apothecary's weight for their
drugs and chemicals, the avoirdupois
weight for their coarse metal. and the
troy weight for their precious metals,
while they manufacture subsidiary sill
yer IN grams. Former Assistant Secre-