78 ORGANIZING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FOR WAR 



organization. Responsibility for expenditure of funds and for results rested 

 squarely on the Division Chief at all times. As a result, while he could 

 delegate his authority for supervision of few-quick or transition type of 

 work to another group, he could not delegate his ultimate responsibility. 

 It was necessary to assure the Chief of each division for whom transition 

 work was undertaken not only of the ability of the transition group but 

 also of its responsibility to him for work undertaken on his behalf. 



The Chairman's Office (which later included the Engineering and 

 Transition Office) was an essential part of the NDRC organization, pro- 

 viding that minimum of central supervision necessary to hold together, 

 however lightly, the highly diversified and rapidly expanding research 

 and development program. That program was largely shaped within the 

 divisions and panels, the organization and operations of which are dis- 

 cussed in the next chapter. 



