The Washington times., 1920-08-01
PATENT OFFICE
USELESS NOW
Important Work Hampered by
Lack Of Funds and Swarm
Of designations.
tcontinusd from First Psss.)

IL inc pufoau Aoie 10 get Aiohs ~
well as IL 10 doing. ~. ,,..s.
FURTHER embarrassment 10 due TO
the fact that the business OF the
Patent Office has increased 90 per
cent during the last nfteen months,
while the total force has only, In
creased g. per cent during that period.
During the last few months, despite
the increased pay bill passed by Con-
gress, which relieved conditions to
some extent. the resignstions of un-
darpaid examiners have been continu-
ing steadily. ... g
This was accentuated by the recent
resignation OF the Commissioner Of
Patents, James T. Newton. who quit
Office July 10 last to accept a private
position at q salary reputed to be
twice as big as he was getting while
commissioner.
These are some OF the glaring in
stances brought to light during the
recent investigation OF conditions:
The clerical force in the Patent Of
nee Is the lowest paid of any bureau
OF the Government.
or all the Government clerks who
receive $3.50, about 60 per cent OF
them are employed in the Patent Or
fce.
The office is undermined 15 per
cent in its clerical force and 20 per
cent In its corps OF examiners.
Examiners, requiring highly
trained technical course, come into
the Patent Office at salary about
the equal of the salary paid to clerks
In the city postoffice.
II has been almost impossible to
fill the vacancies created with trained
examiners. and the bureau, In the
face OF an increasing volume OF work.
has had to employ and break in tenn
porary employees.
THIRTY TO RETIRE.
The personnel will be decreased
further under the retirement law
ifty-hve or more employees being
eligible for retirement now. OF these
-.bout twenty-five will remain in the
service.
Because of the rigid requirements
FOR examiners, the Patent ONCE is
facing an unsolved problem In seek
ing examiners to hll the places of
those who have retired.
In an effort to obtain examiners the
Civil Service Comm ssion has 5e"1
compelled to let down the bars. EE-
aminations even now are more 'ifh-
Iult perhaps than for positions In any
other branch of the service, and the
result Of lowering the standard is no.
regarded as conducive to increased ef-
ficiency.
The work of an examiner requires
a college education or study equivalent
to that obtained in college or uni
versity. He must have thorough
understanding of science, law, en-
gineering. arts: in fact, he must know
a little about everything.
In 1916. 1917 and 1918 fifteen ex-
aminations were held by the Civil
Service Commissions; 7s4 persons took
these examinations and only 147 pass
ed the same, or 1913 per cent. 1t Is
estimated that the Civil Service Conn
mission has only been able to pro-
vide a mere handful of employees for
the bureau during the last year.
AS showing the training In science
and law possessed by members OF the
examining corps. pointed to as an es-
sential reason why higher salaries
should be paid, the following results
Of a recent canvass speak for them
selves:
The degree of doctor of philosophy
was held by seven examiners; doctor
of medicine, IS: doctor of dental sur
gerry, 1; mechanical engineer, p: elec-
trical engineer 10: civil engineer, 10;
chemical engineer, 2; master OF Sc
cnce, Is; bachelor of science, 115;
master of arts, 81; bachelor of arts,
9S; bachelor of philosophy. 10; all
others, 9; members at present pur-
suing studies in science. 81.
Law degrees held by members of
the examining corps follow: Master
OF laws, 43; master of patent law,
5S; bachelor Of laws 100.
There were 146 examiners who were
members of the bar of the United
States Supreme Court the District of
Columbia Court of Appeals, District
of Columbia Supreme Court or other
jurisdictions, and 100 examiners who
had completed two years law school
work and planned continuing their
studies.
Members OF the American Patent
Law Association. of which Thomas T..
Robertson, of Washington, is presi-
dent. are stirred up over conditions
in the Patent Office. brought about
mainly through insufficient appropri-
;ttions for salaries.
$500 IS PAY LIMIT.
started in at 81. 500 and after many
year Of service would be able to earn
sa.70O IL they got to be chief exam
iners. THIS scale has been increased
so that the salaries range now from
st,SOO to $4,000 for the highest
Despite this increase. It has been i'm
possible to put a halt to the resigna-
tions.
Business interests, through their
legal departments are crying for re-
lief from the sufferings that have
resulted through delay in issuing
patents. To add to the situation the
price of copies of patents has in
creased and the appropriations for
printing are entirely insufficient.
The failure OF the Patent Office to
function as II should function not
only is injuring industry throughout
the country. but Is entailing an addi-
tional burden on the people. While
Congress Afforded a degree OF relief
at the last session. patent lawyers
will bring it's attention an in
Creasing number of Ills that need i'm
mediate remedying II the highly inn
portant work OF the bureau in its re-
lation to industry Is to be realized
TO its fullest extent