Evening star., 1921-12-07
WORK PILES HIGHER
IN PATENT OFFICE
Congestion Of Applications
and Lack Of Helpers Noted
in Report.

Deplorable conditions in the pat
ent ONCE, due to the congestion of
applications for patents and the lack
of an adequate and trained force of
examiners. are destined to become
intolerable," according to resume
Of the annual report Of the commits
sioner Of patents for the fiscal year
ending June 80. 1921. The report
was prepared by Commissioner James
T. Newton, who was succeeded sew
eral months ago by Thomas z. Rob-
ertson.
From July. 1919, to June 80, 1921.
the report pointed out, the patent
office, suffered the loss of 1853 exam
and also members Of the bar. These
men, the report said. have been re-
placed by inexperienced men, fresh
from college, without any knowledge
Of patent law or any legal training.
Increase 81 Per Cent.
During that period. the report
emphasized, the number of applica-
tions increased "a per cent, while
he trademark applications increased
s5k per cent. In July. 1919. there
were $4,000 patent applications await
ing action There are now about
o.oo0 applications awaiting action.
1T is further shown" said the re-
port. that number ost,s OF hsh,nd d1y1siohs in
their work, and, to illustrate the
large turnover in the personnel;
there is cited one of the chemical
divisions where five out OF nine OF
the examiners have been appointed
Of the fiscal year one OF these had
been In the Office only one week.
another three weeks, another seven
weeks and another two months. One
out of every four examiners mas re-
signed in sixteen months ana more
than one-half have resigned IN thlr-
ty-two months. Relief is, therefore,
indicated as Imperative.
Many Industries Delayed
It was shown that there are many
Industries which cannot enter Into
DEVELOPMENT work on account OF the
doubtful status OF their appilcations
for patents. 1t also was emphasized
that bill is now pending IN tne
House which is designed to relieve
the situation.
The report showed that the re,
cetpts Of money for the year increased
from $2,615.697.33 to $2,712,11s;6s, or
almost 100000. A net surplus OF
s2s4.342.ss was earned; and II me the
surplus amounted to s71.745.73. max
ing the total net surplus. that IL, tne
excess Of receipts over expenditures
during the history Of the patent once
$S.376,7ss.2s.
Reference is made to the entrance
salaries of the assistant. examiners,
who are q highly educated and pickeo
corps Of scientific mep. who receive
the same initial salary as clerks VINO
perform routine duties In other
branches Of the government service,
said the report. Mote Is made OF tne
inadeauacy Of salaries paid to tnese
technical men as compared TO tnelr
qualifications and the requirements "
their positions, showing the neces-
sity OF correcting the disparity VI
conditions.
says Force II Too Small.
"Emphasis is laid upon the figures
given and the conditions cited 70
show that the volume Of business pre-
sented to the patent office Is aito-
gether too large for the presen. per
sonnel to properly perform. undouot-
edly, unless proper remedial measa =
are applied, the present oepioraoie
condition will be como tntoleraoie:
Statistics in the report showed tna'
1o7.656 patents with fees were re-
ce;ved during the year and that tnere
are 1884 awaiting action. Ine ap
n1ications for patents for Inventions
totaIed s4,24s, and the applicatlons
for patents on reissues, aesigns' na
trademarks, labels and prints' w.
656.