Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-08-09

E2A
WASHINGTON. Aug. s-Author-
~ization of a national trademark
which will be a guarantee to the
world that all goods carrying such
a brand are of uniform quality and
which it is thought viii prove .
powerful aid in creating confidence
in American goods in all the mar
kets of the world during the new
era of trade expansion will receive
serious consideration in the Decem-
Der session of congress.
The Federal Trade Commission
In deeply interested In such legisla-
ton, especially as 1t will facilitate
operations under the Webb-Pome-
rene export trade act.
During the last two sessions of
congress there was a growing inter-
est in a national trademark. and
there are at least a half-dozen bills
now before the patents committee
and the committee on interstate and
foreign commerce. There is wide
variation among these bills. some
being merely permissive while
others are strictly compulsory. The
national trademark as advocated
by William B. Colver, of the Fed
GIdl 1Idu6 NOIlIll@SlOn III III da-
dress before the summer school OF
Pan-American and Foreign Com
merce, aims at a middle course
optional, but If such a trademark
Is used II must not be abssed, which
Is a feature not included in any or
the bills already before congress.
The essential feature Of the pro-
posed legislation is that the device
would be a sign of merit.
The Federal Trade Commission
has found two objections to a ma
tional trademark: Cd that it would
seem to put a stamp of equality up
on inferior goods as compared with
goods of merit and of equality; CD
that the good will embodied in priv
ate trademarks would be lessened
by the use of a general or national
trademark.
The big objection before the con-
g~ressional committees has come
from the so-called specially" con-
Germs, the undercurrent Of sentiment
being that the national trademark
would submerge the hard-won glory
of the private mark, gained by gen-
erous use of printers ink. This OPP
position was open and very definite
some time ago until the Federal
Trade Commission had several
frank conferences with the objec-
tors, and a reaction set in. 1t now
appears, according to co~rrespon-
dence of members of the patents
and commerce committees of con-
gress, that this opposition had died
down and that some of those who
previously fought this legislation
are favorable to it now.
The business leaders seem to
have been impressed with Commits
sioner Colver's suggestion that
should congress authorize merely a
design OF symbol which may be
placed indiscriminately upon any
thing. or any quality that is placed
on a ship for sale abroad, then a
national trade mark would work in
c~alculable harm to all American
foreign trade, especially to those
concerns which have by quality of
goods and fair dealing made their
private trademark a valuable bust
ness asset. They are coming to
agree with his further contention
that If the national trade mark
shall be not the substance but the
symbol, and If the substance behind
the symbol shall be the pledge of
the nation, of the conscientious
manufacture and of the honest
mark viii be raised to the dignity
of being a zeal of the national hon.
or and will demand and hold good
will, the biggest business asset, in
the uttermost markets of the
world.
Behind all this is the hope that
with a national trade mark autho-
rized, a manufacturer applying to
use the trademark will be required
to deposit in the United States Blu
reau of Standards a sample and de-
scription of each article on which
he intends to use this national
mark. Then should he deliver any
goods not conforming with this
sample he would not be living up
to the trademark. So that buyers
for foreign houses could find at the
Bureau of Standards just what the
American manufacturer must de-
liver under the trademark. There
would be nc doubt regarding the
quality of goods bought. The whole
world would know just what was
meant and just what would be de-
livered when the American manu-
facturer or exporter made his pro-
posal to deliver goods of a certain
brand.
Emphasis is laid on the fact that
there would be a great saving to
the honest American manufacturer
intending to remain in business
through establishment of such
standards recognized and accepted
in all markets of the world.