8 ORGANIZING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FOR WAR 



Authority of the NDRC 



The Committee was directed to correlate and support scientific research 

 on the mechanisms and devices of warfare, except those relating to prob- 

 lems of flight included in the field of activities of the National Advisory 

 Committee for Aeronautics. It was directed to aid and supplement the 

 experimental and research activities of the War and Navy Departments; 

 and it was authorized to "conduct research for the creation and improve- 

 ment of instrumentalities, methods and materials of warfare." The Com- 

 mittee was authorized in carrying out its functions to utilize, to the extent 

 that such facilities were available for the purpose, the laboratories, equip- 

 ment and services of the National Bureau of Standards and other Govern- 

 ment institutions. Within the limits of appropriations allocated to it, it was 

 authorized to transfer funds to such institutions and to enter into contracts 

 with individuals, educational or scientific institutions (including the Na- 

 tional Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council), and in- 

 dustrial organizations for studies, experimental investigations, and reports. 



The final paragraph of the order authorized the Committee to promulgate 

 rules and regulations for the conduct of its work, which rules and regula- 

 tions were to be subject to the approval of the Council and the President. 

 The Committee never exercised the authority granted in this paragraph, 

 the only rules which it adopted being of a procedural nature not requiring 

 such approval. 



In his letter of June 15, 1940, appointing Bush Chairman of the Com- 

 mittee, President Roosevelt stated specifically that it was not intended that 

 the work of the Committee should replace any of the "excellent work" 

 which the Army and Navy were carrying on either in their own laboratories 

 or by contract with industry. The Committee was directed to "supplement 

 this activity by extending the research base and enlisting the aid of the 

 scientists who can effectively contribute to the more rapid improvement of 

 important devices, and by study determine where new effort on new instru- 

 mentalities may be usefully employed." 



Anticipating questions concerning the relation of the new Committee to 

 existing agencies, the President in his letter pointed out that the National 

 Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council had been formed 

 primarily to advise the agencies of Government on scientific matters when 

 called upon for such service. He expressed the opinion that these organiza- 

 tions would respond cordially to requests from the Committee for advice 

 on "such broad scientific problems as may arise." He thought that the 

 National Bureau of Standards and other Government laboratories might 

 well be able to carry on effectively some of the research which the Com- 

 mittee deemed necessary. Research on problems of flight having been en- 



