NDRC OF OSRD: THE CHAIRMAN S OFFICE 7I 



The reorganization of NDRC in December 1942, with the resultant 

 increase in the number of divisions and the withdrawal of administrative 

 duties from the members of NDRC, threw an increased burden on the 

 Chairman's Office, which, it will be recalled, Jewett was not satisfied it 

 was equipped to handle. To meet this situation, primary responsibility for 

 following the work of the new divisions was assigned to staff members as 

 follows: Hovde, Divisions 3, 5 and 8; Davidson, Divisions i, 2, 4, 7, 18 and 

 the Applied Mathematics Panel; Chad well, Divisions 9, 10, 11, personnel 

 and relations with the Office of Strategic Services (this later was the field 

 of Division 19); Jackson, Divisions 6, 12, 16 and 17; and Murray, Divi- 

 sions 13, 14 and 15. These individuals operated in the name of the Chair- 

 man. They kept the Chairman and the Executive Officer informed of the 

 activities of the divisions, and they interpreted to the divisions the policies 

 of NDRC. They also worked closely with the Chairmen of the several 

 reviewing subcommittees of NDRC. 



From time to time special assistants were added to the Chairman's Office 

 to follow new activities until they could be fitted into the regular plan of 

 NDRC operation. This was the case with L. P. Jordan, who followed 

 metallurgical problems from May i, 1942 to July i, 1943, by which time 

 Division 18 was well under way; L. W. Bass, who followed Quartermaster 

 Corps problems from June 30, 1943 to June 12, 1944, when they were made 

 the responsibility of a section in Division 11; and C. W. Bray, who fol- 

 lowed psychological problems from July 24, 1942 to October 18, 1943, at 

 which time the Applied Psychology Panel was set up. Information con- 

 cerning the progress of work of the several divisions flowed to the Direc- 

 tor of OSRD through the Chairman's Office and, similarly, instructions 

 and decisions on matters of policy flowed from the Director through the 

 Chairman to the Division Chiefs. 



The Chairman's Office prepared the agenda for the biweekly Committee 

 meetings. In preparation for those meetings, staff conferences were held 

 on Wednesday before the Friday committee meetings for a preliminary 

 review of contract proposals. Any additional details which the staflE consid- 

 ered necessary for a full consideration of the proposed contracts were then 

 procured by the appropriate staff member prior to the Committee meeting. 

 Contract proposals originating in the divisions were normally presented to 

 NDRC by the Executive Officer although in special cases either he or the 

 Committee might invite the Division Chief to appear in person or by 

 representative. To guard against delay in handling urgent contract pro- 

 posals between Committee meetings, the Chairman and the Executive Offi- 

 cer were authorized to recommend to the Director contract authorizations 

 not exceeding a stipulated amount, usually $100,000, between meetings, 

 provided that at least one member of the Committee had given prior ap- 

 proval to each recommendation. 



