Monday, Feb. 16, 1948

Secrets for Sale

Ever since the end of the war, a steady stream of reports on German research has flowed into U.S. industry. Last week the Office of Technical Services offered more such "reparations": microfilms of documents prepared by German scientists themselves. Packed with detailed drawings, research results, minutes of technical meetings, the microfilms contain the compressed know-how of Germany's famed and closemouthed industries. Eventually they will cover the whole range of German research, from synthetic fuels to plastic dental fillings. Price of the first film (wartime developments in aluminum processing): $6.

The OTS frankly hopes that U.S. industry will buy its films. One of the largest customers for earlier offerings was Amtorg (Soviet-U.S. trading company). OTS will continue to sell its wares to all comers. Wide distribution of German technical knowledge will do more to increase the lead of U.S. industry than any attempt at secrecy.

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