must be worked out before we can arrive at an intelligent use of Federal research resources. This is necessary to a balanced postwar program of Federal research. The chief function of coordination should be (1) to insure that the most important problems are receiving adequate attention; (2) to make possible the best matching of such problems with scientific workers and facilities; (3) to make significant findings available to all interested investigators as rapidly as possible. Such coordination will arise from a mutual exchange of information on problems, men, facilities, and findings. It cannot be accomplished by decree but by mutual understanding. Where exchange of information and mutual discussion does reveal the need for definite action to achieve more efficient coordination of activity, final responsibility to assure that necessary action is taken should rest with a central scientific agency or with an overall supervisory agency such as the Bureau of the Budget. The scope of such coordination should be the whole range of Federal scientific activity. This in turn should be balanced with private activity through cooperative mechanisms and the advisory participation of leading scientists and administrators from private institutions. APPENDIX III Science Legislation: Analytical Summary of Testimony. Appendix to report from the Subcommittee on War Mobilization to the Committee on Military Affairs, United States Senate, 79th Congress (Senator Kilgore). Senate Subcommittee Monograph No. 5, December 1945. 138 pages. At pages v-vi. On January 23, 1945. the Subcommittee on War Mobilization issued part I of its report, the Government's Wartime Research and Development, 1940–44, which presented the results of the subcommittee survey of the work of some 40 Federal agencies and bureaus engaged in or concerned with research activities. On July 23, 1945, the subcommittee issued part II of the report, which summarized the subcommittee's findings and recommendations in regard to the Government's wartime program in the light of prewar scientific development and anticipated postwar problems. On the same day, July 23, 1945, I introduced into the Senate, for myself and Senator Johnson of Colorado and Senator Pepper of Florida, S. 1297, a bill to establish a National Science Foundation as an independent agency of the Federal Government. S. 1297 was referred to the Senate Committee on Military Affairs and further to the Subcommittee on War Mobilization. On A similar proposal originated in the executive branch of the Government. July 5, 1945, Vannevar Bush, Director of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, made a report to the President, entitled "Science-the Endless Frontier," in which the creation of a permanent overall Federal agency for the support of science was recommended. The recommendations of this report were incorporated in S. 1285, which was introduced into the Senate on July 19, 1945, by Senator Magnuson, of Washington. S. 1285 was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce and further to a subcommittee headed by Senator Magnuson. A bill, S. 1248, to establish a Bureau of Scientific Research within the Department of Commerce, was introduced into the Senate on July 9, 1945. S. 1248 was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce and further to a subcommittee headed by Senator Pepper, of Florida. Because of the related character of these three bills, I invited Senator Magnuson and Senator Pepper and their subcommittees to participate in joint hearings before the Subcommittee on War Mobilization of the Senate Committee on Military Affairs. Senator Fulbright, sponsor of S. 1248, was also invited to participate in the hearings. Joint hearings were opened on October 8, 1945, and continued until November 2, 1945. On the first day of hearings, Senator Magnuson and myself joined in a draft of a proposed bill as a further basis of discussion in the hearings. Approximately 100 witnesses appeared during the month of hearings, and over 1,000 printed pages of testimony was taken. The witnesses included both scientists and other experts and representatives of interested groups and Government agencies. Included were witnesses invited to appear by Senator Magnuson and myself, and witnesses who appeared at their own request. These witnesses were virtually unanimous on the need for a National Foundation for the Promotion of Science. Some differences of opinion were expressed by the witnesses which reflected the differences in the original bills, S. 1297 and S. 1285. Other differences of opinion were expressed in regard to matters which were raised during the hearings but were not covered in the original bills. Most important of these was the inclusion of the social sciences within the proposed Foundation and the question of international cooperation which was dealt with in the committee print of October 8. A number of other new questions were raised during the course of the testimony. Among these were the proposal for a separate Division for the Biological Sciences, the right of private publication of information, and the use of an automatic formula for the distribution of funds for research among the several States. The staff of the Subcommittee on War Mobilization has prepared an analytical summary of the more than 1,000 pages of testimony. This summary, which will be printed shortly, excludes the question of atomic energy, which was touched upon during the hearings but which is being considered by a special committee of the Senate, and excludes the testimony in regard to S. 1248, on which subsequent and fuller hearings will be held. A tabular summary covering selected issues concerning which there was the greatest amount of discussion is attached. It is necessarily imperfect in that it gives equal weight to the testimony of each witness, which varied from a simple expression of opinion on one hand to a forceful and comprehensive analysis on the other. This tabulation includes only opinions explicitly stated by the witnesses in their testimony. SECTION 2 THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL Historical Summary of Activities, With Particular Emphasis on the Administration of Fellowship Programs PREPARED FOR THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS BY DOROTHY M. BATES ANALYST IN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT LIBRARY OF CONGRESS |