277 



Presidential support for high-energy physics programs 



The large magnitude and cost of modem research facilities required 

 to support high-energy physics has inevitably involved the office of the 

 President in the programs. Thus, the White House, May 17, 1959, re- 

 leased a report of the President's Science Advisory Committee recom- 

 mending Government sponsorship of the 2-mile-long linear accelerator 

 (SLAC) at Stanford University. President Eisenhower announced his 

 own decision to support the project before a symposium on basic sci- 

 ence, May 14, 1959.^^ 



President Kennedy's attitude toward basic research was reportedly 

 one of lively enthusiasm, tempered by "* * * a realization that, in the 

 early 1960's, after 15 years of fantastically rapid growth of Federal 

 support for basic research, the Congress was feeling sour and restless 

 about the seemingly endless financial appetite of the Nation's scientific 

 community.'' ^^ The President, this source continues, "After several 

 discussions with Wiesner (the President's scientific adviser) on the 

 most basic and most expensive of the sciences — high-energy physics — 

 * * * informally gave an assurance that his administration would back 

 the construction of one major new accelerator about every 5 years 



A major review of high-energy physics was undertaken by the 

 President's Science Advisory Committee together with the Panel on 

 High-Energy Accelerator Physics of the General Advisory Committee 

 to the Atomic Energy Commisson (Ramsey panel) , early in 1963. How- 

 ever, by November 1963, the President had taken no action in response 

 to its recommendations. 



President Johnson, upon his accession to the Presidency, found it 

 necessary for budgetary reasons to deny the aspirations of the Midwest 

 Universities Eesearch Association for a high intensity FFAG accelera- 

 tor. However, the National Science Foundation was permitted to pro- 

 ceed with the support of a 10 Bev accelerator at Cornell University, and 

 planning and design continued for both the 200 Bev accelerator by the 

 Berkeley scientists and the 600-1,000 Bev accelerator at Argonne Na- 

 tional Laboratory. 



At the rec[uest of the members of the Joint Committee on Atomic 

 Energy (prnicipally Representative diet Holifield), Dr. Donald F. 

 Hornig, the President's science adviser, transmitted to the JCAE a 

 policy statement, March 30, 1964, that contained seven principal items, 

 as follows: (paraphrase) 



1. It was in the national interest "to support vigorous advancement of liigh- 

 energy physics as a fundamental field of science." 



2. This was a national program, not identified with any one agency, although 

 AEC would be its "primary custodian." NSF and DOD support would also be 

 beneficial. 



12 According to Daniel S. Greenberg, "The Politics of Pure Science," op. eit., p. 238, the 

 President's support of the Stanford accelerator aroused partisan support and opposition in 

 the Congress. The Joint Committee on Atomic Energy withheld approval of the project, 

 and an effort to restore the budget for SLAC on the floor of the House was defeated "in a 

 vote that closely paralleled party lines" (Democrats against: 188 to 10; Republicans in 

 favor : 118 to 7). The project was subsequently given the go-ahead in 1961. 



" As an indication of congressional concern for the increasing costs of science Represent- 

 ative Holifield observed to Dr. Horni? in the hearings on AEC authorizing legislation for 

 the fiscal year 1965 (p. 1487) : "There is no doubt * • * that high-energy physics is the 

 most exciting scientific field we are now working in * * *. We concede that there is no 

 limit to the scientists* ideas or their ambitions to explore these ideas • * *. But * * * it 

 seems to some of us that we are getting to the point where we are squeezing to death many 

 other fields of science. Very frankly, the Congress is becoming alarmed at it." 



" Greenberg. Op. cit., pp. 239-230. 



