14 THE NEW WORLD OF SCIENCE 



lished, to deal during the war with its special problems, and 

 later to promote the broad interests of scientific and industrial 

 research, they call for special consideration, because of the im- 

 portant bearing of their war activities on those to be under- 

 taken under peace conditions. In the United States the na- 

 tional body of this character is the National Research Council, 

 formed by the National Academy of Sciences at the call of the 

 President. 



In April, 1916, when the wanton attack on the Sussex had 

 greatly increased the tension of our relations with Germany, 

 the Academy voted unanimously to offer its services to the 

 President of the United States. He accepted this offer im- 

 mediately, and expressed the desire that the Academy should 

 bring into cooperation governmental, educational, industrial, 

 and other research agencies, primarily in the interest of the na- 

 tional defense, but with full recognition of the duties that must 

 be performed in the furtherance of scientific and industrial 

 progress. 



The Academy's connection with the Government, its inclu- 

 sion of the whole range of science, and its many years of co- 

 operation with the Royal Society of London, the Paris Academy 

 of Sciences, and other similar institutions abroad, pointed to it 

 as the only body in the United States in a position to comply 

 with the President's request. It was clear, however, that mem- 

 bership in the desired organization should not be exclusively 

 confined to the National Academy. Many technical bureaus 

 of the army and navy, for example, should be represented by 

 their chiefs ex-officio, and in other cases a varied membership, 

 broadly representative of research in its numerous aspects, 

 would also be desirable. The Organizing Committee accord- 

 ingly proposed the establishment of a new body, resting legally 

 upon the charter of the Academy, sharing its privileges, both 

 at home and abroad, and at the same time affording the wide 

 freedom of selection desired. 



The National Research Council, comprising the chiefs of 

 the technical bureaus of the army and navy, the heads of gov- 



