248 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1955 



Committee. The full Committee was to meet only semiamiually. The 

 executive committee was set up to meet regularly throughout the 

 year and was charged with the administration of the affairs of the 

 Committee and "general supervision of all arrangements for research." 



Dr. Walcott was the first chairman of the executive committee. The 

 other members were Dr. Ames, Captain Bristol, Dr. Marvin, Dr. 

 Pupin, Colonel Reber, and Dr. Stratton, with Naval Constructor 

 Richardson, ex officio, as secretary. Improvised quarters in the Army's 

 Aviation Section were used the first year. 



In the beginning the executive committee was a working group; 

 the NACA had no paid personnel. It was not until June 23 that 

 the first employee was hired. He was John F. Victory; 41 years 

 later he is continuing his faithful, effective service to the Committee. 

 In 1917 he was named assistant secretary of the Committee ; 10 years 

 later he became secretary, and in 1945, executive secretary. 



One of the first problems was to examine what aeronautical research 

 was then in progress in the United States — both under Government 

 auspices and by private organizations — and then to effect rational co- 

 ordination to assure maximum value from the total effort. Congress- 

 man Roberts, reporting on the need for the NACA on February 19, 

 1915, had well stated the situation : 



Besides these governmental agencies [he named the Bureau of Standards, the 

 Weather Bureau and the War and Navy Departments] for the development of 

 aviation, individuals tn civil life have devoted time and expense in the scientific 

 study and practical development of aeronautics. At the present time all of these 

 agencies, both governmental and private, vv^ork independently without any co- 

 ordination of activities. 



Ten years later Dr. Ames gave a prime reason for "the great 

 success of the Committee, because the Committee is a success," the 

 coordination, on a rational scale, of American aeronautical research. 

 His comments were made before hearings of the President's Aircraft 

 Board (often called the Morrow Board). He spoke as chairman of 

 the executive committee, to which position he had been elected when 

 Dr. Walcott became Committee chairman in 1919. 



In part, Dr. Ames said : 



The organization has an Executive Committee which appoints a number of 

 tchnical subcommittees whose function it is to coordinate the research worli 

 throui^hout the country .... The various problems which all the services of 

 the Government and the people engaged in industry, so far as we know, have in 

 mind are brought before these subeommittes. The importance of each problem 

 is discussed, and a program is laid out .... 



Around our table meet . . . representatives from all the Government services 

 involved .... We work for all the departments of the Government. 



Furthermore, there are discussions going on at our table between the Army 

 and the Navy and all other people interested which othei'wise would not take 

 place. We are really a coordinating body and that function would be Impossible 



