L. C. DUNN 



is that, as Americans, we did not want either continuous support or 

 direction or planned application of science. The detailed causes of 

 this attitude trace in part to reasoned premises and in part to prejudice; 

 and from these there has resulted a confusion of thought which the war 

 has now revealed. 



The contradictions come out most clearly in the views of scien- 

 tists concerning the support of science after the war. Most of them 

 hope for release from the capricious and precarious methods by which 

 fundamental research was chiefly supported before the war, namely, 

 by periodic begging from donors, such as foundations who 'chose the 

 researches to be supported. Scientists generally hope for a more 

 orderly and stable means of support than this, yet most of them would 

 not turn to the Federal Government as the source of more continuous 

 support. They profess to fear infringements on their freedom more 

 when support comes from their government than when it comes from 

 private sources. 



There is no sense in dodging or belittling the dilemma in which 

 this places science. On the one hand, the war agencies which have 

 guided and financed a large segment of scientific research propose to 

 withdraw from this function. If they do, the public investment in 

 scientific research will drop to a third or a quarter of its present level. 

 At the same time, the principal sums in the hands of the great founda- 

 tions are declining and science must adjust itself to diminishing support 

 from this and other private sources, and possibly to the extinction of 

 this sort of financial aid within another generation. There will even- 

 tually remain as sources of support chiefly industry and business, 

 through their reseai'ch laboratories and foundations, and the govern- 

 ment, through its own scientific agencies or through new channels 

 yet to be created. 



Most scientists who do not like "domination of science by 

 government" like "domination of science by industry" even less; and 

 many have already objected to the influence which the foundations 

 wield because of their control of the fluid funds with which to supple- 

 ment the fixed investments of universities and research institutes in 

 men and permanent plant. It has often seemed that this small tail 

 of free funds has wagged the larger dog of solid investment. 



Moreover, scientific research depends upon trained men and 

 women as much as upon material facilities, and we have as yet made 



474 



