Evening star., 1942-04-26
2, the Associated Press.

Es AAft Ho0ctAeStN fNrSo-
Holding up a small. hollow metal
screw, Thurman Arnold, Assistant
Attorney General. told Senators yes
terday that patent-spawned
shortage of them had shut down
assembly lines in one aircraft fac
tory, delayed completion of 80
airplanes at another and Of 20 at
third.
Mr.. Arnold, testifying before the
Senate Patents Committee, said the
gadget known as a clip fastener,
was vital TO aircraft production,
and that patents on 1t were held
by William DEUS, former aircraft
toolmaker who manufactures them
in his plant near New York City.
A bottleneck in the aircraft in
dustry has developed. according to
Mr., Arnold's testimony, because
Mr.. DEUS has refused to license
his patents to others and is unable
himself to produce enough of the
gadgets.
Although Mr.. DEUS declined to
grant any patent license. North
American Aviation. Inc, California
company, was informed by him
April q that it could make the
product under certain restrictions,
Mr.. Arnold said. That required
withdrawal from production when
ever Mr.. DEUS could supply the fas-
teners and surrender all tools and
equipment to him.
North American Denies Delay.
Mr.. Arnold said North American
stopped production lines month
ago for lack Of supplies. This state
ment later was challenged in Ingle-
wood, Calf, by President j. II. Kin
delberger of North American.
Contrary to MIR. Arnold's state
ment in Washington" he said,
North American aviation has not
been and will not be delayed in its
production lines because of short
age of DEUS fasteners. We requested
and obtained permission from the
DEUS Fastener Co. to manufacture
our own DEUS fasteners without
paying any royalty whatsoever, and
We have been manufacturing them
in our California and Texas plants
IN sufficient quantities to meet our
production requirements since the
date when DEUS capacity became
inadequate to meet our needs.
I'VE will continue to manufacture
DEUS fasteners ourselves until DEUS
is again able to supply US AS far
as we are concerned. DEUS deserves
credit for permitting US to manu-
facture the fasteners without roy
atty in order to maintain our pro-
duction"
In New York, the Offices of the
DEUS Fastener Co. said all officials
were out of town and would have
no comment until perhaps some
time this week
Patent Laws Blamed.
Mr.. Arnold said in his testimony
that Mr.. DZus is a small business
man who simply was trying to ex-
ercise what he regarded as his
legitimate rights under the present
patent law and was not subject to
criticism as much as was the patent
law system.
Senator Lucas, Democrat. of Illi-
nois broke in TO suggest that the
immediate thing to do was find 8
way Ito break this bottleneck" be-
fore trying TO reshape permanent
patent laws.
Mr. Arnold agreed, saying he be-
lieved that Mr.. DZus was fair
minded and Of good Judgment anc
would aid the Government in speed
inc production of the parts which
both the Army and Navy require in
all of their fighting airplanes.
Il could bring you hundreds OF
cases like this to keen this COM
mittee going for months" Mr. Ar
mold remarked.
He had publicized this case. he
went on, because reports to him by
Investigators in New York and Cali
fornia indicate that because of the
patent on single screw, our mill
tary aircraft program has been and
is at the very moment being seri-
ously delayed"
Chairman Bone described the
gadget as a sort of button, screw
and rivet" combination after Mr.
/ Arnold explained it was used tc
hold in place any removable part
Of an airplsne, such as the cowling
over the nose
Vultee Aircraft Delayed.
Mr., Arnold said a pursuit plane
required $50 of the fasteners and a
large bomber about 450.
For lack Of fasteners, he said, not
only North American stopped pro-
duction but also Vultee Aircraft had
so planes on a field waiting fasten-
ers for landing light lens: and that
Vega plant No. halted completion
OF 20 big bombers.
Mr.. Arnolds testimony was fol-
lowed few hours by an announce
ment by Attorney General Biddle