The Washington herald., 1922-01-12
EXPECTED
ONPATEM OFFICE
WAGE BILL TODAY
Mondell Criticises Men
Opposing Reclassifica-
.o' stion Measure.

The bill to increase the force and
salaries in the Patent once was
brought up in the House yesterday
by daeienan Lsmpert. OF the Conn
mittee on Patents. and 1t reached a
point wtfere vote Is expected to
be 1H45 today.
The attitude Of the Hoose yes
terdaN. l9dicated that the bill will
be sasssssful In the lower body OF
Congress. This was emphasized by
HOUSE Leader Mondell. who critI-
cised @tke men who opposed the
Leh4bach reclassification bill, be-
Gauge ii called for an increase in
expsnditures. The same men, Mon
del declared. were now supporting
thecPatent ONCE bill, that would
greSny increase the cost Of public
service and would add more to the
Individual pay than any bill ever
pasSed IN the House. The bill, he
- d judging from the attitude of
theC House. would be passed.
The House leader did not oppose
at. but expressed the hope that the
meoi who were supporting this
measure would be more reasonable
when bills similar to the reclassifi-
cation bill were presented.
Heads salary Increased.
The bill under discussion raises
the salaries of the principal ex-
annum and the assistant examiners
are. given raises ranging from $3.50
to 5000 per annum.
The commissioners salary is in
creased from $4,000 to $4,000 per
veg: the first assistant commits
sioQer from $500 to $500. the
second assistant from $4,000 to s5.-
O0er FIVE members Of the board of
examiners in chief from s3.5O0 to
s5,@O. chief clerk from $4,000 to
$4,000. one solicitor from s2,75O to
5000. five law examiners from 81
750-to $4,000. two examiners Of in
references from S27OO to $4,000.
the financial clerk from s2,250 to
$4,000. librarian from $4,000 TO
s2.7OO.
8 the clerical force at present
the, salaries are the lowest In the
govepment service. or fifty clerks
in abe Federal service who receive
a basic salary Of S720 per year.
thirty are in the Patent once.
These clerks would be increased
from s72O to S1.1O0. The bill pro-
vidss 14o clerks and copyists at
s1.lVO each. 125 at $1,000 each. 100
at S1,4O0 each. thirty-three at ST.
60e,eachs and twenty-five at $500
each. Thus. of 40 clerks, 3s5 re-
ceive from s1.1o0 to S1,4o0 and only
fifty five receive over s1.400. The
eight chiefs OF clerical divisions
(s2eral of whom have from forty
to Ninety clerks under them) are
raised from $4,000 to $4,000
Inventor Bears Burden.
The present bill. which increases
the salaries, increases the patent
fee. Thus, the first fee paid by
ninyentor is increased from SIS
to $40. As there were s1,s47 ap-
plisations filed in 1920. this would
on the same basis. provide addi-
tio.al revenue of S409.235 (ths
applications filed in the first FIVE
months OF 1921 greatly exceeded
thQse in the same months OF
1927 Moreover. the price OF
copies has recently been increased
from 5 cents to 10 cents each
and this. last year. provided ad-
dippnal income Of s112.S7s.
The increase in fees, II Is argued
bysahose in favor of the bill, will
remove the burden of paying the
additional salaries from the tax
pagers.
Those opposed to the measure
arEne that the expense will fall
upan the inventor who is usually
uua.ble to pay the fee that is being
ir1SUsed upon him at this time.