WASHINGTON NEWS BUREAU
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j.PH¥t>HfAC POSTSCRIPTS ROBERT GIBBS, Associaie Editor
Top-level A d v i s o r y Committee on Defense Scientific Research b e i n g set up . . . Action still awaited on creation of central o r g a n i z a t i o n to receive a n d e v a l u a t e research proposals of potential defense v a l u e of the top-level Advisory CREATION Committee on L>efcnse Scientific Rest-arch appears to be? the first major step in an effort to bring centralized! direction and control to the Federal Government's research and development programs. There are, however, n o definite indications that the formation o f this advisory committee will be followed u p with the establishment of essential operatizig groups. Such operating groups would be similar to the Office of Scientific Research and Development ( O S R D ) and t h e Office or Production Research and Development which functioned during World War II. In a recent speech, Charles E. Wilson. Administrator of t h e Office o f Defense Mobilization ( O D M ) , stated: "Sciential id research developed great weapons ot victory during World War II. T h e mobilization efforts of science and research will be centered in an Advisory Committee on Defense Scientific Research to be created by the President. I am confide-nt that the group of scientists, already set up t o do this work, will be as successFul as they have been in the past." Further inquiry reflects that:, although the committee members have been selected, the post of a full-time chairman has not yet been filled. It also appears that a statement of the exact aims and objectives has not yet been drawn up. Until these two questions have been resolved, no formal announcement will btmade by the President. In the meantime there is considerable conjecture as to thtr names of the members and the prospective chairman. There is also a question a s to whether the newcommittee will be s e t up as a n independent organization in the Executive Office of the President or whether it will be made a part of the O D M , which is itself a unit in the President's office. Present reports point toward an independent status. Several well informed government sources point out that a committee of this nature, operating o n such a high level, could be very effective in formulating a coordinated research and development program. They emphasize, ho>wever, that there is still needed a central organization to receive, study, sand evalua-te ideas of potential value to the nation's defense effort and to follow up this action with necessary basic arid applied research. Clearing House for Research Projects Needed Representatives of industry, educational institutions, and private research 982
foundations often come to Washington to present ideas for research projects which might be of considerable value to the defense program. Very frequently these projects are still in the theoretical stage or nave been investigated only to a limited extent. These persons generally go from one agency to another in an attempt to find the organization most interested in their suggestions. Very frequently they return home with no tangible results. One govennnent official stated that the military agencies, like industry, generally are interested in ideas which have been developed to the extent that production may be undertaken with some assurance of success. There are few groups with personnel or funds to undertake "long-shot" research and development projects, even though they would be of great value if successful. For this reason, there are many scientists within and outside the Government who advocate creation of a central agency to receive and consider such proposals. If the ideas were considered of potential value, the new agency should have authority and funds to initiate necessary basic and applied research to establish the merit of each proposal. In general, this was the function of the Office of Scientific Research and Development created during World War II. This function could be taken over by a new OSRD, or could be handled by the National Science Foundation. The big stumbling block with respect to the National Science Foundation is the lack of a director. Until he is appointed, the role NSF will play in the defense program is an unknown quantity. The only official explanation advanced to account for the months'-long delay in naming a director is that several prospective nominees were not available. The provisions of the law, which created the foundation, appear to be sufficiently comprehensive to allow it to fill OSRD's role. In this connection, frequent reference is made to the so-called Stewart Report. Two years or more ago, Irvin Stewart, president of the University of West Virginia, was named to head up a committee in the Research and Development Board to study government scientific needs during periods of national emergency. Although the report and recommendations prepared by this committee are restricted and not available for distribution, it is understood that the report has been shelved. One major recommendat : on alC H E M I C A L
legedly calls for the re-creation of an office like OSRD. The principal reason for the lack of action reportedly hinges on the controversy as to whether the agency should operate independently or be under the control of the Department of Defense. One government official, who requested that he not be identified, stated that the individual anned services are jealous of their authority in the fields of military research and development and do not want to relinquish any authority to an organization either within or outside the Department of Defense. This source added that the Research and Development Board of the Department'of Defense has not assumed its full responsibilities in coordinating and controlling military research and development programs. Organization Needed to Promote Production Even if a new OSRD were formed to evaluate and develop research possibilities, provision should still be made to bring valuable ideas into the production stage. Those items of direct military value could be handled by the armed force most concerned. The ideas which are of interest to national defense, but not directly of military value, need sponsoring by some other group. During World War II, the War Production Board created the Office of Production Research and Development, which took over many OSRD projects and put them into production. Some officials in the Department of Commerce, and especially the National Production / uthority, feel quite strongly that such a group should be established. One function of the organization would be to study and evaluate applications for government loans to produce needed deIf established, it could b e made a part of an operating agency, such as the National Production Authority, or policy and program level organizations like the Office of Defense Mobilization or the Defense Production Administration. Cooperation with North Atlantic Treaty Nations The creation ol a central agency would also facilitate technical discussions and negotiations with foreign nations. In this connection, a reliable report has been received to the effect that preliminary discussions have been initiated among the member nations of the North AtlanticTreaty to integrate European research facilities with those of the United States. The nature and extent of these discussions are not yet known but they appear to be in line with the general policies expressed in the North Atlantic Treaty and the Mutual Defense Assistance Program. Among other things, the M D A P calls for the U. S. to assist these nations to utilize their existing production capacity. This assistance is to take the form not only of machine tools, materials, and components, but technical assistance as well (see Potomac Postscripts, Oct. 30, 1 9 5 0 ) . AND
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