ABSTRACT
Mr. Lloyd George altered the British Patent Law in such manner as to require that a patent should become void if the person to whom it was granted did not work the patent in the United Kingdom It was at first freely alleged that this was a policy of Protection, but this argument was pulverised in the High Court of Justice and less is now heard of it. A patent, of course, is the grant of a complete monopoly for a certain period, and all that Mr. Lloyd George did was to prevent that monopoly being used against British interests. He did not increase the monopoly; on the contrary he limited it. Under the law as it was, although this might be a most suitable country in which to carry on an industry, the patentee, under his State-given monopoly, could import his articles and charge what he liked for them. That, of course, was not Free Trade, and to require that the monopoly should not be abused was no derogation of Free Trade.
