Evening star., 1932-04-11

J speaker expressed the belief that with
in the next score Of years the number
of examiners would almost have to be
doubled to meet the demands placed
upon the bureau by the inventive world
This is a prophecy, not threat y
emphasized the former commissioner
For growth is the law OF life of the
office and it has doubled its force on
an average Of every 25 years he added.
This was realized as far back as 1874,
Mr.. Ewing said, and he quoted the re-
marks on the iect made by the COM
missioner in office at that time: " The
advancement in the arts from year to
year taxes our credulity and seems to
presage the arrival of that period when
human improvement must end
Quotes Examiner Rage.
But, Mr.. Ewing pointed out, there
also was in the Fatent ONCE at that
time an examiner, CnaTieS q. Page,
who had more far-reaching and truer
vision of what the future held in store
for this bureau. The speaker quoted
Mr.. Fage as saying.
Mans wants increase with his prog
ress in knowledge. In an incal-
culable ratio will inventions increase.
till space will hardly be found to pre-
serve their presentations.
Since these predictions were made
the Patent Office has outgrown its for
mer home and is pow occupying wing
of a building seven stories in height.
In order also to provide for expansion
during the next 20 years, the building
designers were forced to dig deep into
the bowels OF the earth for storage
space for 85,000,0 900 copies of the l.
100000 patents now on file.
Reading from official statistics, the
speaker pointed to the fact that since
these observations we're made the num-
Der of United States patents granted on
the average per week has been in excess
of the number granted in that year,
and during 1891 twice as many patents
we're granted each week as were granted
in the whole year of 1874.
Continuing. he said:
I'm the last 80 years the number of
our patents has multiplied not to sew
eral times. but to 100 times the num-
Der granted during the first half century
of our Government. Soft copies of these
patents are sold yearly for sum equal
ing 10 per cent of the cost of this great
building of the Department of Com
merce which is occupied by the Patent
Office.
This amazing growth has been by
steadily increasing increment. 1t never
has been taken adequately into account
by Congress in making appropriations
for the Patent ONCE.
Fireproof Room Lacking.
"For more than a century the Pat
ent Office, which the law makes the
custodian of assignment records, had no
fireproof room in which to keep them.
Fire menace was most hazardous and a
destructive fire would have been Ma
ton wide calamity, and there has al
ways been more work than there was
personnel to properly do it."
In reviewing the history of the office
Mr. Ewing recited the many difficulties
encountered by officials, which he said
could. be attributed to the opposition
to the patent system. Explaining this
he said: The Office grants monopolies
and therefore it is to be attacked"
He attributed the cause for opposi-
ton as a confusion of ideas and he
pointed out that it is the function OF
the bureau to restrict the monopolies
granted within the limits of the law
The enemies of the system who at
tack the Office" he asserted, "are blind
er than blind Samson. They are pull
ing down the temple upon their own
heads without destroying their ene-
mics"
In commenting indirectly upon the
proposed general economy program Of
the Government to reduce the person.
mel in bureaus here, Mr.. Ewing declared
he could not forego a plea that thc
present force of the Patent Office b:
not reduced.
In respect to criticism due to the
Office being approximately two year.
behind with its work, the speaker saic
that the bureau was making headwa!
on its delayed research since moving
into the new building.
Actions are becoming prompter," HI
asserted, but the conditions in this re.
! srect are far from satisfactory anc
| constitute heavy drag on the utiliza
| tion of inventions in stimulating bust
ness"
Under Constant Attack.