basic research: a technolocical savings account 



known Hamlet or Romeo. Had Beethoven to justify his music 

 on the basis of popular approval, he would have left us nothing. 



The support of creativity in any area is nothing more 

 than an affirmation of our faith in man's intellectual capacity. 

 It is, in fact, only that capacity that sets humanity apart from 

 the beasts in the field and forest. If we are not prepared to 

 support creativity, we are not prepared to support ourselves. 



All of this is surely obvious, and I have no doubt that all 

 can agree on the importance of basic research and, in fact, on 

 any other manifestation of the creative process. The problem, 

 it seems to me, is quantitative — not qualitative. Basic research 

 must surely be done. The question is one of scale and how best 

 to marshal our forces in its support. 



Traditionally, basic research has been the responsibility 

 of the universities, and it is from their laboratories and facul- 

 ties in this country and abroad that we have in the past re- 

 ceived the seeds of knowledge which have grown and matured 

 into our present industrial establishment. 



In industry, even applied research was a novelty prior to 

 the present century, and one can only marvel at its extraordi- 

 nary growth during a period well within the life span of most of 

 us here. 



More recently, many companies have undertaken basic 

 research with their own personnel and in their own laboratories. 

 The Du Pont Company, for example, initiated such a program 

 in 1927 with a modest budget and a handful of scientists. 

 Today our expenditures for basic research exceed fifteen million 

 dollars annuallv, a sum equal to our entire research expendi- 

 tures not many years ago. Many companies in many industries 

 have instituted similar programs. Indeed, industrial research in 

 this area is nothing more than a recognition by management 

 of its responsibility to insure corporate longevity. 



Fundamental research in industry has also resulted in 



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