109 



a principal charge. This would be a Division of Social Relations and 

 Conduct and woidd deal synoptically with such problems as crime 

 and arms control by deriving from the social sciences the findings 

 relevant to social relations and conduct. In essence, he jiroposed a 

 special organization of applied social science.^^ 



Testimony of the social scientists on NSF legislation 



The Senate subcommittee devoted 1 day — October 29, 1945 — to the 

 hearing of testimony from witnesses representing the social science 

 disciplines. Dr. Wesley C. Mitchell, an economist and a director of 

 research at the National Bureau of Economic Research, delivered to 

 the subcommittee a memorandum from the Social Science Research 

 Council that made a strong plea for mclusion of the social sciences in 

 the NSF. It said there was a great need of new social inventions — 



There is grave danger that man will find that he does not have the wisdom to 

 guide his tremendous control over the forces of nature for his own greatest benefit. 

 Fears exist not only that the powers of science will be misused in wars of unspeak- 

 able destructiveness, but also that impending fundamental technological innova- 

 tions cannot be made without serious internal social disorders. 



Scientists themselves perhaps more than the public are uneasy about potential 

 evil uses of their inventions. It is obvious that man's inventions are in themselves 

 of neutral character and that their value to humanity depends on the purposes 

 which they are made to serve. The hazards to national and world interest created 

 by new inventions cannot be evaded by checking the powers of invention even 

 were such a proposal not too fantastic to merit serious discussion. Dependence 

 for security and order must rather be on the improvement of the foundations of 

 human relations. 



The social sciences were ill equipped to meet the challenge of 

 designing the accommodation to new technology: 



The present inadequacy of knowledge of human relations is a source of danger 

 which can be greatly reduced by more adequate applications of scientific tech- 

 niques in the study of human problems. Social science personnel, research pro- 

 cedures, and facilities are underdeveloped in terms of the tasks which must be 

 undertaken. The fact that it cannot be claimed that the social sciences have 

 reached a stage comparable to that of some of the other scientific disciplines is 

 considered the strongest possible reason for advancing their develojoment by 

 every effective means. 



The statement concluded with an allusion to the essential indivisi- 

 bility of science and a blunt prediction for the future. 



The traditional lines of demarcation between the natural and the social sciences 

 have little meaning when confronted with the research problems involved in the 

 safeguarding of the human aspects of every major problem of national interest. 

 Collaboration and cooperation among the sciences rather than an intensification 

 of past rivalries and competitions is essential if the contemplated program is not 

 to worsen the existing situation instead of achieving the goals set for it. The 

 proposed research agency will be concerned with social science problems whether 

 it so wishes or not; the only relevant and essential question is whether it will 

 from the outset be able to deal competently with these problems.^^ 



The position of the Social Science Research Council A\'as seconded 

 by Dr. Herbert Emmerich, director of the Public Administration 

 Clearing House, who urged that the "Government shoidd not further 

 put out of balance the program of these discijjhnes by overemphasis 

 on purely physical research." ^^ 



Speaking for the American Political Science Association, Dr. John 

 M. Gaus, its president, called attention to the gro\\ing need for 



33 Ibid., pp. 1074-1079. 



34 Ibid., pp. 741, 743. 

 34 Ibid., p. 740. 



