Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-07
Proposed Investigation of Pat,
ent Office Discussed.
Difference OVER NETHOD
Representative Underwood Favors
Inquiry by Economy Commission.
OPPOSED BY MR.. FITZGERALD
Both Agree That Office Force Is In
eficient-Latter Opposes
Appropriation.

An endless discussion. which amounted
to small-sized flibuster. was started
on the House floor this afternoon when
an attempt was made TO appropriate So
W. 10 De spent in an Investigation OF the
patent ofnce by the Presidents economy
and en1ciency commission During the
DEBATE Representative Underwood floor
ieaoer OF the democrats. clashed with an
otner House leader and fellow-democrat.
Representative Fitzgerald of New York
chairman or the appropriations commit
tee, which committee is In favor of limit
ing the expenditures OF the Presidents
commission Both Representative Under
wood and Representative Fitzgerald
agreed that there is inefficiency in the
patent office. but Mr. Fitzgerald was very
bitter In his description of the inefiiciency
and fntimated that the head of the patent
Office would be able to give plenty OF
iight on fnefficiency without the expen-
Following the speeches OF these two
House leaders. the discussion was taken
up with minute details the evident de-
sire being to defeat the resolution, which
was introduced by Representative Bulk
ley of Ohio.
NM Underwood's Views.
When We have a bureau like the pat
snt office, organized for the express pur-
pose OF creating monopoles," said Mr..
Underwood. I'VE must have the assurance
that il is managed by efficient men. and
do not think this is the case with The
patent office There is often great eeav
In getting patents, and wnen aay III
ventor finally does get a patent soale tngt-a
IL Is a useless one and ne mas t. xe tu
court to estab ish his rights.
Il believe the patent Office srtU9 E,e
20 reorsanized that the work noHad .4e
done in a thoroughly efficient manner
Every patent issued should nav au ss-
surance OF its value.
AT present in the patent oiilct NNen
an examiner becomes very efficient hc j.
taken out of the government SCI Wee BIZ
some private firm. The patent Office
does not pay enough money to keen asood
examiners. the best experts do not stay
there. Patent fees should be increased
and sufficient salaries should he paid out
OF this increase that the best experts
will stay In the patent Office So that
when man gets a patent he will have
something of value.
The patent office ought to he remodel
ed along modern business lines / believe
that Mr.. Cleveland of the Pres dents
economy and efficiency commission is per-
fectly capable of doing this work: to in
vestigate this important bureau. deter
mine how 1t should be remodeied deter
mine what salaries should be paid; and in
is foolish to think that the commission
can undertake this work without money"
Efficiency Called in Question.
At this suggestion Representative Fitz-
gerald. chairman OF the appropriation
committee, jumped to his feet.
Thirty or forty of the highest en-
ployes I'm the Office he shouted, ARE SO
inefficient as to impair the entire eff
fciency Of the Office This is something
that the chief OF the bureau has admit
ted to the appropriation committee. He
says the efficiency OF these employees is
impaired from b to 20 per cent"
MIR. Fitzgerald's objection was not d.
rected against the investigation of the
patent office but against the appropria-
ton of $4,000 for the Presidents COM
mission.
In fact. he said that the patent offics.
in his opinion. needed an investigation
much worse than many other government
departments. What he was striving for
was to keep Congress from giving the
Presidents economy and efficiency COM
mission any money. The committee has
already appropriated $4,000 for that COM
mission.
II ask you to point out any economy
or reform which Congress has been able
TO carry out by following any suggestions
of this commission which has already ex-
pended S115.0oo"
Mr.. Fitzgerald minated that the COM
missions plans are not practical ones,
and that the So. 900 already appropriated
Is enough.
While he was arguing against the ex-
ira appropriation he would frequently
take a shot at the patent office, because
of the fnefficiency which he says exists
there.