Evening star., 1943-04-14
10000 Enemy Patents
On Sale for $50 Each
AtChemists' Meetinq
Worlds Biggest Jackpot,
Representing Billions,
Free Of Any Royalties
BY HOWARD w. BLAKEsLEE,

ny HOW AND W. bLAhESLEE,
Associated Press Science Editor.
DETROIT. April 14.-Fifty dollars
buys stake in the worlds biggest
jackpot, the potential billions in
enemy alien patents seized by the
United States.
The game is under way here this
week, in Mecca Temple, on a long
table set up by the alien property
custodian and the American Chem
ical Society. On the table are about
10000 enemy patents.
In the first two days of this meet
ing nearly 1000 chemists have sat
at the table, looking for tips on
enemy secrets on which to place the
$50 stakes of their firms.
NOn-Exclusive, No Royalties.
The $50 buys a non-exclusive
license, royalty free, for the life of
the patent, which may run II years.
The licensee may keep any improve
ment he make on his own.
If he wants another related pat
ent, the cost is only white chip
SIS. Each patent in a non-related
field costs him $50.
The patent players are not talk
Ing about their choices. But the at
tendants at the table have had
many inquiries for patents on hor-
mones, medicines and pharmaceuti-
calls
Patents with immediate war pos
sibilities also are on the table. But
apparently many of the players here
are looking ahead to peace. Some
of the patents they want may re-
Quire several years for development.
Available also in the Mecca Temple
are patents of nationals of enemy
occupied countries. Royalties will be
paid on them beginning six months
after the war.
$4,000 Patents Seized.
The alien property custodian. Leo
T. Crowley, since the war started
has taken over $4,000 patents of all
sorts, mostly enemy alien. He has
$4,000 to 10000 patents yet to take.
The jackpot includes some Ameri-
can patents, pooled for the duration
of the war. On those the takers will
pay ropalty after the war.
Describing what has been accom-
pllshed already with enemy patents
taken over by Americans, Mr.. Crow
ley says:
I'VE now have better goods than
before, critical materials have been
saved and manpoWer spared"
Mpanuhjlo tho Chor,joo1
made prediction that no windshield
wipers will be needed on postwar
automobiles because of new types OF
glass now being made for fighting.
The prediction was made by DR..
Gustav Egloff of the Universal Oil
Products Co, Chicago. The new glass
contains no silica and neither rain
nor snow will wet or cover it, he de-
clared.
Supporting Posts Are Transparent.
Furthermore, Windshields probably
will be proof against glare, due to
new qualities of glass. At the same
time, the window areas will have
transparent supporting posts, which
do not obstruct vision. In a closed
car person may be able to see on
all sides as readily as in an open
vehicle
Synthetic rubbers. DR.. Egloff pre-
dicted, will be used as shock and
vibration absorbers throughout a
car, giving smoother riding. He ex-
poets synthetic tires to outlast the
cars.
Poison war gases are not the hor-
rible weapons men imagine, Dean
c. D. Leake of the University of
Texas school of medicine told the
chemists. Moreover he said, the
ordinary citizen may easily take care
of himself with equipment readily
available in every household. A wet
cloth or handkerchief over the nose
and mouth makes a fair mask for
gas concentrations civilians might
encounter.
Kitchen bleach, if soaked into the
handkerchief, will destroy most war
gases. If eyes, nose or throat are
irritated, they should be washed with
a solution of teaspoon of baking
powder in glass of water.
If liquid war gas is spattered on
clothing. take it off in a hurry and
throw it out of a window. The
decontamination squad can clean the
clothes later. If the liquid spatters
on the skin. daub, don't rub. with a
cloth wet with kitchen bleach, or
with soap and water.
Keep away from fumes Of high
explosive shells. They can be as
dangerous as poison gas.
In the World War, Dr. Leake said,
per cent Of all men sufficiently in
jured by gas to be recoGded as
casualties died. Against this "a per
cent died from shell or bayonet
wounds. The false notions about
war gases, he said, developed due to
the customary fear of the unknown