148 



In his opening statement to the committee in the 1966 hearings, Sen- 

 ator Harris stated that he had twin objectives, botli of wliicli would be 

 attained with the creation of a National Foundation for the Social 

 Sciences (NFSS). The first was to solve the DOD social science 

 research problem by creatine a mechanism which would "civilianize 

 research : 



We want to be sure that the proper procedures are being followed to prevent 

 damage to our national image, as has occurred on occasion in the past, when 

 such research projects evoked criticism in the host country. We want to be certain 

 that proper administrative procedures are being followed as well. Since much 

 of the research is done under the auspices of the Defense Department, we want 

 to see if it would not be better to "civilianize" such research through a new or 

 existing agency. 



And the second was to provide additional Federal support for social 

 science research in general : 



I personally do not feel that the Federal Government has been as interested 

 in the social sciences and in the stimulation of social scence research as it should 

 be. And I also believe that statutory changes are required to bring about greater 

 emphasis on the social sciences domestically and to improve social science re- 

 search and its administration abroad." 



Testimony received 



Senator Harris' major intention in holding the hearings was appar- 

 ently to explore the issue and to gather data to substantiate his con- 

 tention that while passage of the Daddario NSF bill was needed, its 

 passage would not solve the major problems of military sponsorship 

 and Federal funding and utilization of social science. (No action was 

 taken on the similar Fascell projiosal, which died in the House Educa- 

 tion and Public Welfare Committee at the close of the 1968 session. 

 Senator Harris did not introduce his bill for creation of a NFSS until 

 October 1966, after the first set of hearings was complete.) His bill, 

 when introduced in October (and the same bill, S. 836, introduced 

 the following session), ®° included provision that the proposed founda- 

 tion conduct research ; accept contracts from defense agencies, that is, 

 the CIA and DOD ; screen projects for political sensitivity; and serve 

 as a subcontractor for the military agencies funding social science 

 research. 



Senator Harris had charted a large task for the newly formed 

 subcommittee. The issues he wanted treated in the hearings had been 

 carefully developed by his staff. In this first set of hearings Senator 

 Harris heard the testimony of 16 social scientists, many of whom were 

 the directors of the major professional organizations of the relevant 

 disciplines — political science, anthroj)ology, sociology, and psychology. 

 Before their appearance he sent them a prepared list of questions that 

 he wanted answered. The major topics related to level of effort and 

 best form of Federal support for social science ; ways to maximize the 

 utility of social science research in the solution of national problems ; 

 Government stimulation of the development of the social sciences as 

 scientific disciplines; and ways to insure propriety of Federal sup- 

 port for foreign area social science research.^^ 



"Federal Support of International Social Science and Behavioral Research, op. cit., 

 pp. 1. 71. 



80 Introduced Feb. 6, 1967. Cosponsored by Senators Mansfield, Tydings, Monroney, 

 McCarthy, Gruening. Kuchel, Edward Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Muskie, Hatfield, Hart, 

 Fulbright, Yarborough, McGee. Mondale, Bayh, Inouye, and Nelson. 



^ In testimony of Robin Williams, Jr., secretary of the American Sociological Associa- 

 tion. In Senate. Federal Support of International Social Science and Behavioral Research, 

 op. cit., pp. 140-145. 



