330 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
COMMITTEE ON THE METHODS AND EXPENSES OF CON- 
DUCTING SCIENTIFIC WORK UNDER THE GOVERN- 
MENT. 1908 
The Sundry Civil Act for 1908-1909, approved May 27, 1908, 
contained the following section: 
“ Sect. 8. The National Academy of Sciences is required, at their next meeting, 
to take into consideration the methods and expenses of conducting all surveys of a 
scientific character, and all chemical, testing, and experimental laboratories and 
to report to Congress as soon thereafter as may be practicable a plan for consoli- 
dating such surveys, chemical, testing, and experimental laboratories so as to 
effectually prevent duplication of work and reduce expenditures without detri- 
ment to the public service. 
“Tt is the judgment of Congress that any person who holds employment under 
the United States or who is employed by or receives a regular salary from any 
scientific bureau or institution that is required to report to Congress should 
refrain from participation in the deliberations of said National Academy of 
Science on this subject and from voting on or joining in any recommendation 
hereunder.” 184 
Immediately upon the passage of this Act, President Remsen 
appointed a committee consisting of R. S. Woodward, W. W. 
Campbell, Edward L. Nichols, Arthur A. Noyes, and Charles 
R. Van Hise to consider and report on the subject in question. 
The committee submitted its report to the Council on January 
9, 1909, and President Remsen on January 16, addressed it to the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. It was transmitted to 
Congress by President Roosevelt on January 18 and referred to 
the Committee on Appropriations of the House and ordered to 
be printed.*” 
The principal conclusions of the committee are embodied in 
the following paragraphs: 
“From a general survey of the field of work under consideration three facts 
appear to be clearly established, namely: 
“ First. That the amount of actual duplication of work now carried on by 
the government bureaus is relatively unimportant; but that the duplication of 
organizations and of plants for the conduct of such work is so considerable as to 
need careful attention from Congress in the future. 
1 Stat. at Large, vol. 35, part 1, p. 387, 6oth Congress, 1st Session, chap. 200. 
Tt constitutes House Doc. no. 1337, 60th Congress, 2d Session. 
