Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-16
House OK Seen
For New Atomic
Bill Conference
Senote Negotiotors
Still Foce Fight on I
Patent Rights Issue
sy De A..eeie..d pre.l.

BY NE Assoeiassd Press
The House was expected to ap-
prove today the Senate's request
for another conference round on
atomic energy legislation. But
House negotiators seemed still
against yielding on the issue that
fouled the FIRST conference at.
tempt.
Conflict conferred on whether
private firms should be allowed
sole patent rights on civilian nu-
clear power developments, as Is
permitted under normal patent
laws.
The Senate called for a To-
year period of compulsory pat
ent sharing. 1t threw out Friday
a compromise without that pro-
vision that had been worked out
in conference with the House.
Cole Answers Critics.
Representative Cole, Repub-
Hcan, Of New York told a re-
porter he believes most House
conferees win continue fighting
the Senate proposal. And, in
apparent answer to Senate crit
icism. he said he had acted only
as representative of a House ma
jority in insisting on exclusive
patent rights.
Mr.. Cole said his position would
be determined by the majority
stand. las it always isl
Democrats charged on the
Senate floor last week that one
stubborn manufacturing to
Mr.. Cole-was blocking agree
ment on the measure putting
private industry into atomic
energy.
Senator Gore, Democrat, Of
Tennessee said the Senate re.
inforced its demand that patents
be shared for some period by its
48-41 vote Friday in rejecting
the first proposed compromise.
The version tossed out by the
Senate would have allowed ex-
elusive patent rights to private
firms in the atomic energy field
for IL years, renewable for the
some length of time, provided
the patents did not cover de-
velopments made under Govern
ment auspices. It would also
have directed the Atomic Energy
Commission to give preference in
granting atomic equipment Ii.
cenSes to companies agreeing to
share patent rights for the first
i've years.
Safeguards Held Inadequate.
Senate Democrats charged
and administration supporters
denied THAT this did not ade-
quately safeguard the future
atomic power industry from be.
coming a private monopoly.
MIR. Cole, chairman Of the Sem
te-House Atomic Energy Conn
mittee. said solution Of the dead
lock depends upon how unreal
Soning" Senate negotiators
might be.
NoncontroverSial provisions in
the bill seek to carry out Presi-
dent Eisenhower's global atomic
energy program by authorizing
the exchange of some nuclear
secrets and permitting first steps
toward creating global atomic
pool to help backward nations.
There was no immediate indi-
cation whether the deadlock
could be solved quickly enough to
prevent the atomic bill from de-
laying adjournment a second
time.
Senator Edwin G. johnson.
Democrat, of Colorado, a Senate
conferee, said he thought new
negotiations could be concluded
within a few hours. But in an
apparent reference to Mr.. Cole
he added, II don't know how de-
termined one man will be-"
Voted With Cole.
During first compromise nego-
tiations, four of the five House
conferees voted with Mr.. Cole
on the patent issue. They were
Joined eventually by three Re.
publican Senators.
Mr.. Cole says he Is opposed to
any form Of compulsory patent.
sharing, calling it unconstitu.
tional and contrary to American
free enterprise.
Senator Kerr, Democrat, Of
Oklahoma, author of the Senate
provision, says claiming it VIC.
lates the Constitution is NON
sense"