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As the Republican headquarters in the Fairmont Hotel began to take shape, it looked at first as though that was the way it was going to be--television cables all over the lobby, Pepsicola girls in bottle-top bathing suits, stunts and flashlight bulbs going off in all directions. The author feels that this convention was not just the combined brains of the best advertising agencies of the United States. It was a reflection of something all these people believe as a patent fact. As far as this Administration is concerned, the business community does not manipulate the government, it is the government.

The article presents information on the U.S. patents policy on the computer programs with reference to the position of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). A set of guidelines for the examination of computer programs has been proposed by the U.S. Patent Office in 1966 with a view to possibly issuing patents thereon. At the same time, the U.S. Congress was preparing a proposed copyright revision statute. There was a huge gap between the lawgivers and enforcers and the industry's techniques and economics. An ad hoc committee was set up by the then president of the ACM, Dr. A.G. Oettinger. It was decided that the ACM as a body would make available those of its members who are knowledgeable in the relevant areas.

The article presents a brief discussion on the decision of the U.S. Secretary of State, to have the validity of the telephone patent of Alexander Graham Bell, an inventor, tested in the courts. The stock in trade of companies on whose motion the suit is brought consists of a paper capital of several million dollars and a few patents of insignificant value, which they probably never intend to use. Before the courts, a suit instituted by and in the name of the U.S. is invested with such dignity that all injunctions against infringements of Bell's patent may remain inoperative until the case is finally settled.

The article presents information on U.S. military secret. A Minneapolis scientist applied in Washington for a patent on an earth-orbiting telescope. The U.S. Patent Office responded by notifying the Minnesotan that his telescope had just been classified a U.S. military secret by a group of defense officials who had reviewed his plans. The news startled the scientist: he had recently returned from Stockholm where a large international conference, including eight Russian scientists, had heard him explain the device. The telescope remained a "military secret" for next few months and no U.S. citizen, including the inventor, could speak of it without risking a $10,000 fine or two years in prison.

In times past there was a danger that an aggregation of patents could be used by a company to strengthen its monopoly powers. Today, because of the effective operation of our antitrust laws, this danger is no longer important. The threat now is not from our patent system but to it, and the menace comes from business itself. In sounding this warning, Edwin H. Land, founder and head of Polaroid Corporation, makes many provocative observations not only about scientific invention but also about creativeness in general--in any field where new ideas and insights are important. His thinking made such a strong impression on the members of the Boston Patent Law Association when he addressed them earlier this year that the Editors asked him to prepare this version for a wider audience of business executives. He is, of course, well known as a scientist and inventor in the field of optics, photography, and vision, as well as a business administrator. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article refers to the ideals of professionalism and discusses industrial relations with professional employees in the United States. Professional employee unions--such as the United Office and Professional Workers (CIO), American Nurses' Association, Federation of Technical Engineers, Architects and Draftsmen's Unions (AFL), and American Federation of Teachers--have made demands and collective bargaining agreements similar to other unions, but also have the additional issues of leave with pay for professional development and intellectual property rights. Topics include the controversy over professional ethics and unionism, factors contributing to the development of professional unionization, and National Labor Relations Board policies.

The article examines the merchandising of business ideas. The general types of business ideas fall in two categories, described as plans for new products or new ways of selling old products, and plans for reorganizing, consolidating and refinancing companies. Consideration is given to the protection afforded under United States law to the sale of ideas and contractual protection for the seller. A method for obtaining legal protection as well as a description and criticism of the suggested method for protecting the sale of an idea are presented.

This article presents information on various socio-political developments in several countries. The American Copyright League is about to make an effort to have the Chace-Breckinridge International Copyright Bill taken up again in the present session of the U.S. Congress. It has issued a deadly parallel, showing who are the principal supporters and who the principal opponents of the bill. The showing is rather a poor one for the latter. Apparently the bulk of rebel leader Osman Digna's forces were not engaged in the fight at Suakin, Sudan on Wednesday week, but the British success has certainly steadied public opinion in England as to the expediency of holding the town, and will very likely determine the Government to take possession of it, in the Queen's name. The neighboring tribes, it is supposed, would not object to its becoming British territory.

The article presents information related to several publications. The U.S. Commissioner of Patents has issued a document, entitled "Women to Whom Patents Have Been Granted by the United States Government, 1790 to July 1, 1888." The document is of 44 pages, and records in round numbers about 2,500 patents, besides 57 reissues. The first patent on the list was taken out by Mary Kies in 1809 for "straw-weaving with silk or thread." The first page of the pamphlet embraces the whole of the half century 1809-1858, in which there was precisely fifty patents granted.

This article discusses the matter related to political and economic issues in the U.S. The long-delayed decision in the telephone eases has finally been announced, and it is a complete victory for the inventor. On the most important issue, so far as the law of patents is concerned, the court is unanimous. The holding is clear that a line may be drawn between discovery and invention. The Bulletin of the American Iron and Steel Association intimates pretty plainly that if a judge is nominated for the Presidency by the Republicans, the protected classes will bolt the ticket. The recent municipal election in Mobile, Alabama, was rendered noteworthy by the breaking down of the color line for the first time in the history of the city and, indeed, on any large scale in the State.

The article addresses the possible impact of the proposed copyright laws on students and teachers in the United States. According to the author, the proposed laws are likely to narrow, rather than broaden, the availability and accessibility of materials and media for students and teachers. The author highlights the provisions of the proposal that will supposedly create a hands-off policy for teachers. The author argues that education in the 1970s needs a hands-on policy and the proposed laws will be more detrimental than beneficial to the country's education.

The article focuses on issues concerning trademark litigation in the U.S. There has been a rise in the number of trademark applications to the U.S. Patent Office in the last ten years as well as the number of trademark cases heard by the Court of Customs & Patent Appeals in the last five years. It explains that the cost of some consumer goods cases can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, since they usually involve consumer attitude polls and reactions. The trademark approval process under the Patent Office is detailed.

The article discusses the investigation of patent system in the U.S. by the Temporary National Economic Committee (TNEC). It is stated that the stage of patent process as an absolute essential has been passed by most of the companies in the nation. It is mentioned that for the TNEC's inquiry regarding the use of patents, the Patent Office is responsible to some extent.

The article focuses on the Geneva Accord concerning the reforms for patent laws which was approved by various countries including Japan, France and the U.S. It mentions that the international treaty demands for a specific application for each country, wherein businessmen desire to protect their patents and inventions. It says that the accord would establish a particular multilingual international patent application that would be registered by patent clearing houses.

The article announces that the U.S. Office of Alien Property is offering for sale a book containing summaries of all the mechanical and electrical patents of enemy nationals which were seized by the U.S. during the war.