PATENT LAW REVISION

HEARINGS

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON

PATENTS, TRADEMARKS, AND COPYRIGHTS

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY
UNITED STATES SENATE

NINETY-SECOND CONGRESS

COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY

JAMES O. EASTLAND, Mississippi, Chairman

SUBCOMMITTEE ON PATENTS, TRADEMARKS, AND COPYRIGHTS
JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, Arkansas, Chairman

QUENTIN N. BURDICK, North Dakota HIRAM L. FONG, Hawaii

THOMAS C. BRENNAN, Chief Counsel
EDD, N. WILLIAMS, Jr., Assistant Counsel

CONTENTS

Statement of

Page

Raymond E. Johnson, general counsel, Electronic Industries Association.

185

John A. McKinney, vice president, Johns-Manville Corp., on behalf
of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM)..
S. W. Herwald, vice president, Engineering and Development, West-
inghouse Electric Corp---

194

197

Marvin R. Jones, manager of Research and Development, Cameron
Iron Works, Houston, Tex____

200

203

Robert W. Beart, senior vice president, Illinois Tool Works, Inc., on
behalf of the Illinois Manufacturers Association_
Jackson B. Browning, Vice President (Technology), Carbon Products
Division, Union Carbide Corp., on behalf of the Chamber of Com-
merce of the United States__

James T. Lynn, Under Secretary of Commerce, accompanied by
William E. Schuyler, Jr., Commissioner of Patents, and Rene D.
Tegtmeyer, Assistant Commissioner of Patents--
Richard W. McLaren, Assistant Attorney General, Antitrust Division,
accompanied by Bruce B. Wilson, Chief, Consumer Affairs Section,
and Richard H. Stern, Chief, Patents Unit__.
Edward J. Brenner, U.S. Commissioner of Patents (1964–69).

206

228

265

286

Alan Ward, Director, Bureau of Competition, Federal Trade Com-
mission, accompanied by Alan Ransom...
Prof. Donald Turner, Harvard Law School-
Prof. Harlan Blake, Columbia Law School__

299

308

320

Stanley M. Clark, Patent counsel, Firestone Tire & Rubber Co..
Martin Adelman, attorney, Birmingham, Michigan..

322

336

Austin R. Miller, president, Philadelphia Patent Law Association, accompanied by James A. Drobile, chairman, Antitrust Subcommittee of Legislative Committee of Philadelphia Patent Law Association...

345

Walter W. Beachboard, secretary, Smith, Kline, & French Laboratories.

352

Dr. Robert W. Cairns, vice president for Research, Hercules, Inc. -
William P. Cole, president, Rubber Crafters, Inc.-

357

362

Dr. Chalmer G. Kirkbride, retired vice president for Research and
Engineering, Sun Oil Co....

Nathaniel R. French, president of the American Patent Law Asso-
ciation, accompanied by Thomas F. Fisher and George W. Whitney-
B. R. Pravel, chairman, National Council of Patent Law Association

SUBCOMMITTEE ON PATENTS, TRADEMARKS, AND COPYRIGHTS,

COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY,

Washington, D.C.

The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m., in room 3302, New Senate Office Building, Senator John L. McClellan (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.

Present: Senators McClellan (presiding), Fong, and Scott.

Also present: Thomas C. Brennan, chief counsel and Edd N. Williams, Jr., assistant counsel.

Senator MCCLELLAN. The committee will come to order.
The Chair will make a brief opening statement.

The subcommittee is today resuming the hearings on patent law revision. The purpose now is to hear testimony on those patent issues which have developed since the conclusion of the extensive hearings on the Report of the President's Commission on the Patent System, and the bills that were introduced as a result of that report. Because of the change in administration, the subcommittee has delayed reporting legislation for a general revision of the patent laws awaiting the views of this administration.

The amendments introduced to S. 643, the pending patent revision bill by the minority leader clearly raise the most important issue before the subcommittee to be considered in these hearings. These amendments present complex public policy and legal issues touching upon the viability of our patent system, the investment of capital, the competitive free enterprise system, and international trade.

I currently have no position concerning the specific provisions of Senator Scott's amendments. However, I reject the contention. that it is not appropriate or desirable for the Congress to enumerate the rights of patent owners, but that any necessary clarification should be provided by judicial decisions and the public statements of officials of the executive branch. I think Congress has a role to play and a duty to perform in connection with this problem. When significant differences of opinion exist as to what patent practices are in the public interest, the Congress should resolve the issue. The minority leader has indicated that he is not committed to any particular text. It is quite likely that constructive suggestions for clarification of the Scott amendments will be made.

The subcommittee has sought to have all viewpoints represented in these hearings. I have been advised by the staff that any person who requested an opportunity to be heard in opposition to the Scott amendments has been allocated time for his testimony.