Science: World Quart

A determined drive on behalf of the metric system will be made by the Pan American Standardization Conference, which is to meet at Léma, Peru, in November. From Washington it was last week announced that Secretary of Commerce Hoover is one of those who think that the nations of the world would be more amicable were their ways of weighing and measuring the same. Said Mr. Hoover: “It may well be set forth, as a truism, that it is impossible to maintain proper standards of ethical conduct throughout business and industry without a proper background of recognized physical standards of quality and quantity. Much of the misunderstanding and ill-feeling arising in the course of transactions between producers and consumers can be eliminated. . .”

Present standards need only a little changing here and there in order to conform with those of the 20 other American republics: the yard must be stretched; the quart must take on international proportions—become a world quart. Canada is expected to follow the U. S. in participation.