New-York tribune., 1922-03-28
Law to Protect
Patents ON w ar
Material Sought
Weeks Asks Congress for
Legislation to Prevent
Foreigners From Monopo-
lizing L. S. Inventions
Germans Chief Offenders
Situation Caused Harding
to Defer Revival Of Pre-
War Treaty Relations

fro1a The Tribune's 1TGsia1 1iol Eilrc1H
WASHINGTON, March q. Early
action by Congress 10 amend the
American patent laws TO prevent for
elgners from acquiring 3 monopoly on
war implements, high explosives ar ID
poison gases discovered hy Americans,
vas urged to-day by Secrets Of War
Weeks, Following the decision to post
ponc notification to Germany Of re-
vival Of the patent treaty between that
government and the United States
70 renew this treaty at this time,
without the safeguards that he sug-
gests, would result in this government
being as unprepared for war as it was
at the outbreal, Of the World War, Sec
rotary Weeks eaid
About q year ago it was brought to
Tie attention Of Secretary Weeks that
many patents were being Issued and
applications filed Fgy German citizens
on articles pertinent to national Dc
tense. Out Of dozen patents selected
at random, eight were found to cmbody
a complete system OF railroad artillery,
substantially covering everything de-
vcloped by the United States during
the war. It is to protect the American
patcntecs from their inventions getting
Into tho hands Of Germans that az
amendment to the present patent laws
is suggested.
Last month the Senate authorized
The President TO revive the patent
treaty with Germany. This action was
resisted by Secretary Weeks and a
number OF representatives OF American
industries, who made a showing that
TO renew the treaty without amending
the American patent laws would be
fatal to American genius. As q conse-
quence, tic President instructcd The
State Department TO withhold notice TO
Germany Of revival of the treaty.
"a number OF representatives o
some OF our important industries" :"
Secretary Weeks said, 'have made rep
vaccinations to the President and to
the Department OF State TO. the effect
that revival OF the treaty at this time
without change in our patent laws
inevitably would result in & revival Of
the condition found to exist at the time
the United States entered the war, i. G.,
that the extent and strength Of Ger
many holdings in key industries in tie
United States and The important part
which she had assigned to them not
in the Geld OF commerce. but in actual
COZ duct OF war, is condition which
existed and which is SO we'll known
that but little comment IS necessary.
"In this day and age national de
Tense is viewed largely as a matter OF
q highly developed, we'll balanced IL
CuGtry, and it was somewhat due to the
lack of such situation that the United
States was so long delayed in effec-
lively getting its army into the field
OF onorations after the declaration OF
war. The question of establishing new
industries to supply men with tools
with which to fight and the various
ether supplies incident to q properly
fed and equipped army was q most
stupendous task, and while we were
ultimately successful in acquiring the
end sought, it is not thought that we
should now or ever stand supinely by
and permit such a condition to arise
again