Editorial. Federal R&D Exceeds $9 Billion - ACS Publications

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ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

EDITORIAL

April 1961,Vol. 33, No. 4

APPLIED JOURNALS, ACS Director of Publications, C. B. Larrabee Editorial Director, Richard L. Kenyon Assistant to the Director of Publications, J m p h H. Kuney Assistant to the Editorial Director, Rodney N. Hader Director of Editorial Research, Robert F. Gould

ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY Editor, LAWRENCE T. HALLETP Managing Editor, ROBERT G. GIBBS

Teletype WA 23

Associate Editors: G. Gladys Gordon, Stella Anderson, Katherine I. Biggs, Sue M. Solliday, Ruth Reynard Assistant Editors: Malvina B. Lester

Robert

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of exposure t o federal government budget figures, of expenditures which are in the order of billions of dollars. W e felt this way again when we received a report concerning a relatively small part of the federal budget for 1961-the amount to be spent for research and development. According to the National Science Foundation, which prepared the report (“Federal Funds for Science, IX,” Government Printing Office, Washington 25, D. C., 50 cents) the Federal Government will obligate $9.1 billion for the support of scientific research and development in the fiscal year 1961. This includes $600 million for increase of R & D plants with $8.5 billion for research and development. Approximately $850 million of the total will go for basic research. The $9.1 billion figure compares with $8.6 billion for 1960 and $7.4 billion for 1959. As was the case last year, the Department of Defense, Atomic Energy Commission, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration account for 90% of the total. Government R & D expenditures account for about two thirds of all R & D funds spent in this country. This means t h a t the U. S.is spending $13 t o $14 million a year on R & D. It is of interest to note t h a t during 1960, when the government allocated $747 million for basic research, 44% of this total went to educational institutions, 14% t o profit organizations, 30% to federal agencies, and 12% t o other groups. Some of this research is being carried out in foreign countries. The basic research program includes physical sciences ( 4 4 % ) , space sciences and operations research (29%), life sciences ( 2 4 % ) , psychological sciences ( 2% ) , and social sciences (1% ). Federal R & D expenditures have increased from $74 million a year in 1940 to $8.6 billion in 1960. It is significant to note t h a t obligations for R & D in 1961 of $9.1 billion are about the same as the total federal budget in 1940. The large sums available eliminate one major obstacle to progress in scientific research and development. The biggest problem now is obtaining adequately trained men with the ideas and imagination to use these funds effectively. I n particular we need scientists who mill resist the temptation to initiate shallow and unrewarding research just because money is available to support it. VEX AFTER YEARS

EDITORIAL HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON 6,D. C. 1155 Sixteenth St., N.W. Phone REpublic 7-3337

Federal R & D Exceeds $9 Billion

Kelley,

Editorial Assistants: Katherine H. Ginnane, Virginia E . Stewart, Lorraine M. Bertuzzi Layout and Production: Joseph Jacobs ( A r t Director), Melvin D. Buckner, Betty V. Kieffer John V. Sinnett Editorial Reference: Barbara A. Gallagher

BRANCH EDITORIAL OFFICES CHICAGO 3,ILL. Room 926.36 South Wabash Ave Teletype CG 725 Phone STate 2-5148 Associate Editor i n Charge: Arthur Poulos HOUSTON 2. TEX. 718 Melrose Bldg. Teletype HO 72 Phone FAirfax 3-7107 Associate Editor in Charge: Bruce F. Greek NEW YORK 16, N. Y. 2 Park Ave. Phone ORegon 9-1646 Teletype NY 1-4726 Associate Editor in Charge: William Q. Hull SAN FRANCISCO 4,CALIF. 703 Mechanics’ Institute Bldg., 57 Post St. Teletype S F 549 Phone EXbrook 2-2895 Associate Editor i n Charge: Richard G. Newhall EASTON, PA. 20th and Northampton Ste. Phone BLackburn 8-9111 Teletype ESTN Pa 7048 Associate Editor: Charlotte C. Sayre Editorial Assistant: Elizabeth R. Rufe EUROPEAN OFFICE Bush House, Aldwych, London Cable JIECHEM Phone Temple Bar 3605 Associate Editor i n Charge: David E. Gushee

Contributing Editor: R. H. Miillel Advisory Board: F. E. Beamish, C. E. Bricker, D. D . DeFord, E. C. Dunlop, C. L. Luke, W. J. Mader, H. V. Malmstadt, W. B. Mason, F. W. Mitchell, Jr., M. L. Moss, N. H. Nachtrieb, L. B. Rogers, B. F. Scribner, Sidney Siggia, F. H. Stross Advertising Management REINHOLD PUBLISHING CORP. (For Branch Offices see page 139 A)

E we still do not fully comprehend the magnitude

-VOL. 33,

NO. 4, APRIL 1961

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