40 ORGANIZING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FOR WAR 



make provision for necessary supplies, facilities and services. He was also 

 instructed, however, to use such statistical, informational, fiscal, personnel, 

 and other general business services and facilities as might be made avail- 

 able to him through the Office for Emergency Management. 



Executive Order No. 8807 was amended by Executive Order No. 9389 

 on October 18, 1943. The purpose of the amendment was to permit the 

 Director to provide for the internal organization and management of 

 OSRD without the need to obtain the approval of the President for the 

 establishment of the subdivisions of the agency and the appointment of 

 the heads thereof. 



Legal Basis of OSRD Operations 



The authority conferred upon OSRD by the order creating it was ex- 

 panded from time to time by other executive orders and by legislation in 

 connection with OSRD appropriations. 



By Executive Order No. 9218 of August 11, 1942, OSRD was authorized 

 to exercise the authority contained in Title II of the Second War Powers 

 Act, 1942, to "acquire, use, and dispose of any real property, temporary 

 use thereof, or other interest therein, together with any personal property 

 located thereon, or used therewith, which the Office of Scientific Research 

 and Development shall deem necessary for military, naval, and other war 

 purposes." 



Executive Order No. 9219, also signed on August 11, 1942, extended to 

 the Office of Scientific Research and Development the provisions of Ex- 

 ecutive Order No. 9001 of December 27, 1941. That order had given the 

 War and Navy Departments and the Maritime Commission certain broad 

 powers authorized in Title II of the act of December 18, 1941, entitled "An 

 Act to Expedite the Prosecution of the War Effort." The effect of the order 

 was to exempt the OSRD from certain statutory restrictions upon contracts. 



The two orders of August 11, 1942, contributed materially to the flexibil- 

 ity with which OSRD operated. It is difficult to see how OSRD could have 

 operated effectively without the powers they conferred. 



Needed authority was also conferred by legislation in connection with 

 appropriation acts. Thus the First Supplemental Civil Functions Appro- 

 priation Act, 1 94 1 (Public Law No. 812, 76th Congress) paved the way for 

 acceptance of voluntary services which played such an important part in 

 NDRC and OSRD operations. 



The Third Supplemental National Defense Appropriation Act, 1942, 

 approved December 17, 1941, gave the OSRD power to make advance 

 payments on contracts — a power absolutely necessary if academic institu- 

 tions were to continue to operate the rapidly growing central laboratories. 

 It also specifically authorized Government agencies with funds for research 



