modif\- iind chiinue aclministrati\'e 

 procedures in the light of experience 

 acquired. Presumabh', the executi\'e 

 director would have at his command 

 a staff of experts, each responsible for 

 a major division of science: the physi- 

 cal sciences, the biological sciences, 

 engineering, agriculture, etc. These 

 experts would be full-time profes- 

 sional employees of high salary and 

 status, charged with the task of keep- 

 ing in touch with research all over 

 the country. By lightening the bur- 

 den of administration for the board, 

 they would permit it to concentrate 

 on important policy decisions. Not 

 the least of the problems which 

 would have to be faced bv the new 

 organization would be that of main- 

 taining close contact with research in 

 all parts of the country. 



B. Powers and Responsibilities 



The broad, general object of the 

 Foundation is to promote the general 

 welfare through support to science. 

 However, more concrete powers, re- 

 sponsibilities, and limitations must, in 

 the judgment of this Committee, be 

 placed upon the scientific Foundation 

 when it is established. Under the 

 guise of "promoting the general wel- 

 fare," the agency should not be able 

 to set itself up in business to produce 

 in competition with existing industry. 

 Its primary purpose is to provide en- 

 couragement, and where necessary, 

 financial aid, without at the same 

 time introducing centralized control 

 of research. The Foundation should 

 be empowered to receive gifts or be- 

 quests for the support of scientific re- 

 search from outside sources as well 

 as from the Government. 



In carrying out its objectives, the 

 Foundation should take all necessary 

 or proper steps: 



(a) To study and keep itself cur- 

 rentlv informed on the present state 

 of science in the United States and 

 to seek ways of apph'ing its resources 

 to the discovery of useful knowledge. 



ih) To initiate, encourage, sponsor 

 and finance scientific research and 

 development with emphasis on re- 

 search aimed at (1) increasing the 

 general fund of basic scientific knowl 

 edge and thus creating new industries 

 and increased employment, (2) pro- 

 moting the conserx'ation and better 

 utilization of natural resources, and 

 (3) improving the health of the Na- 

 tion. The Foundation should utilize 

 to the greatest extent feasible the 

 existing facilities in the Federal Gov- 

 ernment, State governments, educa- 

 tional institutions, public and private 

 foundations, laboratories, and re- 

 search institutes. No contract or 

 grant-in-aid made in furtherance of 

 this provision should introduce con- 

 trol by the Foundation over the in- 

 ternal policies or operations of the 

 contractor or grantee. 



(c) To establish or provide new or 

 additional scientific and technical re- 

 search facilities in geographical areas 

 or specialized fields of study or en- 

 deavor where none exist or where 

 existing facilities are deemed by the 

 Foundation to be inadequate: Pro- 

 vided, That the Foundation should 

 not itself undertake directly to oper- 

 ate such facilities. 



{d) To provide for and assure the 

 most comprehensi\'e collection and 

 dissemination of scientific and techni- 

 cal knowledge and information by 

 aids to libraries, bibliographic serv- 

 ices, translating activities, etc. 



(e) To seek out latent scientific 

 talent, and to foster and support 

 scientific and technical education and 

 training through grants to individ- 

 uals, educational institutions, public 



116 



