Science: World Quart

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

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