Evening star., 1939-01-17
Steps 10 Encourage
Research Urged
By DR.. Bush
United Stutes Must Hold
Its Lead, Monopoly
Committee Told
BY JOHN C. HENRY.

Ill OcINOCTdClC 1ASillOu, dS COA-
trasted with an increasing regimen
tation in other nations, America
must hold its place in the forefront
OF all kinds Of scientific research,
the Monopoly Committee was told
today by Vannevar Bush, president
OF the Carnegie Institution of WASH
ington.
On such research, DR.. Bush said,
depends the Nations defense, not
only In a military sense, but one of
public health.
This Is a competitive world" he
declared. IF we are to hold our
place in 1t, we must be in the FORE
front in all kinds of research. To
DO this we need the facilities and
the individuals"
10 make such available, DR.. Bush
recommended encouragement" by
Government and public, to the end
OF development and maintenance of
research efforts along military, in
oustrial and health lines.
Democracy in Research.
Citing the influenza epidemic of
the war period, DR.. Bush pointed out
that we have no assurance against
occurrence Of similar outbreaks Of
new health threats, and that in
such event skill in research would
be the first line Of defense.
BY comparison with American
democracy" in research, DR.. Bush
spoke Of the controlled or influ-
enced" methods in Germany and
Russia.
Does that mean restraint or
merely direction?" Chairman OMa-
honey asked.
1T means BOTH" DR.. Bush replied.
"Of course. the Russians have done
some splendid research in recent
years. In mathematics, for in
stance. But they do not have the
industrial research freedom"
Tying the field Of research into
the study of the patent system, now
oelng made by the committee, DR..
Bush declared the safeguards and
encouragement offered by the sys-
tenn are IN no small degree respon-
slble FOR American high standards
OF living. The democratic character
OF this system is retained, he added
by the fact that individuals possess
the fullest rights under the system.
AS a criticism, however, he re-
marked that patent procedure Is
often "unduly long, unduly compli-
Gated and unduly expensive"
Dr. Bush took occasion to oppose
any requirement of general licensing
at no royalty on the ground that
such circumstance does not nec-
essarily result in the public bene-
fit cited in its support. In ex-
planation he pointed out that alb
sence Of patent protection might
easily remove the profit margin in
production and thus remove the in
centive to produce.
Closely allied to this situation, DR..
Bush said he disapproved Of patent
pooling without royalties and of
pools which exclude newcomers in
such way as to perpetuate monopoly.
On the other hand, he qualified
pooling may be practiced In manner
beneficial to the whole public.
The automobile industry would
have gone ahead more rapidly If it
had retained the interchange of
royalties" DR.. Bush said in re-
marking on the patent pooling prac-
ticed by that industry. II notice
that many automobile Improvements
have appeared in Europe before they
have appeared here"
Approves Court Suggestion.
Remarking that there is no limit
to the number Of new devices which
can be produced and absorbed by
the public, DR.. Bush conceded that
cost per unit would be lowered and
employment affected.
inventions bring local disrup-
tion,' the witness said, but there Is
no doubt that in the long run and
in the aggregate there is increased
employment and improved stand
ards of living"
DR.. Bush Endorsed the suggestion
for special court of patent appeals
with technical advisers to serve 1t.
Scheduled for an early appearance
before the committee are Frank B
Jewett, president Of the Bell Tele-
phone Laboratories, Inc, and Will
liam D. Coolidge, director OF the re-
search laboratory Of General Elec-
trio Co.
AS the committee resumed its ac-
cumulation of testimony and opin-
ion on the patent systems opera
ton, two proposals calculated to
prevent exhausting and interminable
litigation over patent rights were
looked on as probable recommends
tions to Congress.
Patent Court Suggested.
Laid before the committee yester-
day afternoon by Conway P. Coe,
patent commissioner, the suggestions
were for creation of q court of
patent appeals and a change in the
time provision to make patents ef-
fective 20 years from date of appli-
cation rather than II years from
date of allowance.
previous hearings before the COM
mittee have shown that financially
powerful companies can, and some
times do, ruin their competitors by
drawnout litigation, a device made
easy by the filing Of interferences
which keep patent applications
pending in the Patent Office for
many years and finally bring them
into the always crowded ordinary
courts.
Although offering these sugges-
tlons and several others as means
OF improving the patent system, Mr.
Coe made clear to the committee
that adequate patent protection
must be preserved.