ROBERT E. WILSON 



date. I am glad that the National Science Foundation is start- 

 ing a new survey. Its former report No. 5 in June 1957 is based 

 on 1953 figures and estimates the total expenditures for basic 

 research at $435,000,000, which was 8 per cent of the country's 

 total research and development expenditures that year. Industry 

 is also credited with devoting about 8 per cent of its research 

 funds to basic research that year. The much larger proportion 

 of university money devoted to basic research is offset by the 

 fact that only 6 per cent of the much larger expenditures of the 

 federal government were devoted to basic research. 



A study* of the chemical and related industries shows 

 about 9 per cent for basic work in 1958 and 10 per cent esti- 

 mated for 1959. 



From my surveys and studies I would certainly conclude 

 that industry's own expenditures for basic research have not 

 declined in percentage since 1953, and have probably increased 

 above 8 per cent. On the other hand, Dr. Waterman's testi- 

 mony before the Joint Economic Committee of Congress on 

 February 2, i959,t stated that only slightly over 6 per cent of 

 the present national total of $10,000,000,000 is being ex- 

 pended for basic research. However, his paper of yesterday esti- 

 mates that basic research expenditures were $670,000,000 out 

 of $9,000,000,000 total for 1956, or 7.44 per cent. To me it 

 seems highly improbable, in view of the rapid recent growth 

 of basic research in industrial, university, and foundation lab- 

 oratories, that the total expenditures for this purpose can have 

 fallen as low as slightly over 6 per cent of our nation's total 

 research and development expense. 



The report of the President's Science Advisory Committee 

 in December 1958 estimates that 6 per cent of the federal 

 government's research and development budget is presently 



* Chemical and Engineering News, March 16, 1959, p. 23. 

 "f National Science Foundation, Review of Data #13. 



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