Anyone who recalls Sir Alexander King's evidence and his controversy
with the Spectator as to the proper way in which officials of the State should conduct commercial bargains, will remember that he did scout the suggestion that the Government should take advantage of its exceptional powers in regard to patents to make a more favourable bargain with the Marconi Company. Sir Alexander King repudiated the idea that it was his duty to get the best terms he could for the Government, and used a good deal of rhetoric about only getting good terms " within reason," and as to it not being the duty of any Government department " to get an unfair bargain." When reminded of the tremendously strong position of the Government in regard to the Marconi Company, which was indeed entirely at their mercy, he said : " We do not negotiate on that basis." "We do not say to a man ' Because we have got the pull on you we are going to get the best of you.' " That, of course, is an unexceptionable abstract proposition—one to which every sane man would agree. We all know, however, what it comes to when a sleepy and muddle- headed Government department is dealing with extremely " cute " business men. It means that the national interests go to the wall and the private negotiator is "on velvet." A Government office is always at a disadvantage in business negotiations. Why was an assertion of the Government's right to use any patent in the public interest put into the Patents Act if it would be unfair to use that right
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