Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-12
Hearings on Trade
Marks and Patterns
BY HARDEN coLFAx.

Interests of the hundred million or
more people of the United States as well
as these of the hundreds of thousands
of manufacturers and merchants are
bound together in two bills which are
scheduled for early hearing before the
House committee on patents.
The committee has announced hear
ing on bill to amend and consolidate
the trade mark laws to be held next
Friday and Saturday. A few weeks.
therefore-the exact dates to be fixed
later-a hearing will be held on design
copyright bills.
Neither of these subjects is a stranger
to the legislative hopper, it must be ad-
mitted, but the concern over the form
the proposed law Is to take in each case
appears more keen than heretofore,
judging from the inquiries made of the
committee. No one need be astounded
II the present Congress enacted meas
ures on both subjects.
II y
The usual toast ito the ladies" will
be in order when the committee opens
its hearings on the bill to permit copy
right registration of designs, for wom-
ems clubs and consumers leagues are
evidencing lively interest in this pro-
posal. And with just cause, for the es-
Whereby a design either of pattern or
color arrangement. in piece goods or
ready-to-wear garments, may be pro-
tected quickly by copyright and hence
have its exclusiveneSS assured.
OF course, there need to be no fear
that style or fashion will be Influenced
to the disadvantage Of masses of the
consumers to any alarming extent,
should such legislation be enacted by
AIM a o1lU fashion and
style can be established only by adop-
ton and use, and too rigid control by
fashion creator would take his title
away from him via the bankruptcy
court with none to mourn his passing;
secondarily, but Importantly, there rs
little chance that the committee would
recommend a bill which would give too
great powers.
Merchants of the country, through
their ORGANIZATIONS are wide awake to
the Implications of this design copy
right bill, AS a matter Of fact, hear
inss were to have been held the latter
part of this month, but have been post
poned, probably until late February or
early March, until the department store
and specially shop owners have at
tended the convention Of the National
Retail Drygoods Association, to be held
In New York City, beginning February 5.
OF even greater Importance, aInougn
it will attract a smaller number OF wit
| nesses because Of the concentrated
form Of its visible effects, Is the bill
to amend and consolidate the trade
mark laws. Of which there now are
seven on the Federal statute BOOKS,
each with some imperfection and with
loopholes between them. Because an
identical bill was reported favoraply
two years ago and was passed IN the
House, only to die because OF failure
of the Senate to act in the closing
days of the Congress, 1t is expected the
hearings February II and ID will re-
suit in speedy final consideration by
the patents committee.
| &%
Just as a patent is gracious grant
| by Government to genius, so trade
mark Is designed to be a legal pro-
lection to good will, that prize beyond
price which Is the ambition of every
manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer.
Good will to a producer or distributor
has as its foundation sound value. with
service as an attribute and advertising
| as a herald.
An essential to well founded good
| will is identification, a name or sym
boil. Hence trade marks, branded goods,
| and advertising of corporations, part
nerships, individuals and commercial
wares. The trade mark is as old as
known history.
This bill, In brief, seeks to write as
q statute the common law Of trade
marks to be applied to commerce over
which the Federal Government has
| jurisdiction.
| n
One Of the innovations proposed in
| this measure Is easy registration of
marks which have acquired q Sec
ondary meaning 4, distinguishing the
goods Of the applicant. Registration Of
KeoRraphical or purely descriptive terms