“I do not make any such suggestions,” Mart said to Cogswell.
“Then will you please explain to the Committee what earthly value it would have been for Sir Isaac Newton to hold a patent on the Law of Gravity! And what good it would do you to be issued patents on what must be equally obvious Laws of Nature.”
“In your last statement lies the fallacy which is at the root of all our difficulty in understanding one another,” said Mart. “The action of gravity is obvious. The Law of Gravity is very far from obvious. The Laws which I have discovered are even less so. As a matter of fact, they are so unobvious that I will make the statement that, unless I agree to reveal them after being given proper patent protection, they will not be rediscovered for at least another hundred years.”
“You take a high view of your own abilities in comparison with those of your colleagues! ” said Cogswell dryly.
“No — not of my abilities, but of the methods by which I have been able to make these discoveries. To clarify my position, let us take a more understandable example.
“One of the most well-known technological devices in modern science and industry is the common photoelectric cell. The photo cell was made possible by the discoveries of Dr. Albert Einstein. Dr. Einstein did not invent the photo cell; he discovered the basic principles by which others were able to do the actual designing of the device. Do you see the difference?
“Dr. Einstein did not, and could not obtain any patents upon his basic discoveries. He went without any appreciable remuneration for that work. But the corporations which have since designed and manufactured photoelectric cells have been paid fabulous royalties on the patents they hold on photo cells. The man who made photo cells possible receives no royalty.
“This same man, through his momentous principle: E = MC 2, laid the foundation for the atomic bomb. You may be sure that the Atomic Energy Commission does not pay him royalties on each bomb produced — or to any of the other workers whose basic discoveries made possible the production of this weapon.
“On the other hand you will find that —”
There was a sudden explosive stir at the rear of the room. For a moment it seemed as if an excited beetle had burst into flight. Then it became apparent that it was merely Dr. Dykstra who had flown from his seat and was rushing down the short aisle toward the senators’ table.