I08 ORGANIZING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH FOR WAR 



undertake research without some confidence of retaining their personnel 

 throughout its conduct. 



The difficulties were partly formal ones with the Office of Procurement 

 and Assignment and the Selective Service System. The former had no 

 final jurisdiction; the latter was sometimes difficult to convince of the con- 

 nection between research and war; in both cases the procedure for de- 

 ferment was cumbersome. Within the limitations imposed upon them both 

 agencies co-operated willingly and well with CMR. There were very few 

 losses of research personnel by induction. Greater difficulty was encoun- 

 tered with the personnel themselves who were understandably loath to re- 

 quest repeated deferment against the apparent wishes of the Services. The 

 problem was by no means peculiar to CMR but was part of a very large 

 and formidable one which is discussed at some length in the chapter on 

 scientific manpower. 



The procedure to obtain deferment differed with medical and nonmedical 

 personnel. In the case of medical personnel, the avenue of approach was 

 through the Office of Procurement and Assignment of the War Manpower 

 Commission. Responsible investigators under each contract were instructed 

 to see that the names of their staff were included on the roster of essential 

 teaching and scientific personnel which was prepared by each institution 

 and sent to the State Chairman of Procurement and Assignment. CMR ap- 

 preciated that Procurement and Assignment was under compulsion to sup- 

 ply a monthly quota of doctors to the armed forces. It therefore instructed 

 investigators to utilize 4-F personnel and women as far as possible in their 

 research and to include on the roster only those individuals who were 

 devoting a large part of their time to the investigation and who were, in 

 fact, essential to its effective prosecution. If, despite the presence of his 

 name on this list, the individual was classified as i-A or was directed to 

 apply for a commission in the Medical Corps by the local Selective Service 

 Board, his institution was directed to appeal the decision and to write 

 both the State Chairman of Procurement and Assignment and CMR about 

 the case. CMR thereupon communicated with both Selective Service and 

 Procurement and Assignment, endorsing the request for deferment and 

 asserting its interest in the individual. 



The deferment of nonmedical personnel is discussed in the chapter on 

 scientific manpower. Beginning in August 1944 the deferment of this 

 group was handled for CMR by the Scientific Personnel Office of OSRD. 

 Prior to that date CMR had its own contacts with the Selective Service 

 Boards. 



One method of operation would have been to concede the induction of 

 personnel and then have Army or Navy assign them to work on research 

 projects as long as their contribution to it was vital. In cases of special 

 urgency this was attempted. The Navy was able to arrange such assign- 



