16 THE NEW WORLD OF SCIENCE 



The National Research Council was formally organized at 

 a meeting held in the Engineering Societies Building in New 

 York on September 20, 1916. The United States had not 

 yet broken relations with Germany, but some important steps, 

 looking toward preparation for war, could be taken without 

 delay. A national census of research, including data regard- 

 ing the equipment for research, the men engaged in it, and the 

 lines of investigation pursued in cooperating Government 

 Bureaus, educational institutions, research foundations, and in- 

 dustrial research laboratories, was taken by a Research Council 

 Committee under the Chairmanship of the Director of the 

 Bureau of Standards. With the cooperation of leading na- 

 tional scientific societies, committees were formed for the 

 three-fold object of strengthening the national defense, de- 

 veloping American industries, and advancing knowledge. 

 Steps were taken to secure the appointment of Research Com- 

 mittees in educational institutions, where many problems re- 

 lating to the national defense were subsequently investigated. 

 A strong committee was established for the promotion of in- 

 dustrial research, and comprehensive plans were made with the 

 view of securing a far wider recognition of the value of re- 

 search in the development of American industries. 



However, relations with Germany grew rapidly worse, 

 finally resulting in war. On February 28, 1917, the Council 

 of National Defense passed a resolution expressing its recogni- 

 tion of the fact that the National Research Council, at the re- 

 quest of the President, had undertaken to organize the sci- 

 entific resources of the country in the interest of national wel- 

 fare, and inviting the Council to cooperate with it in matters per- 

 taining to scientific research for national defense. Soon after- 

 wards, the Research Council was requested to act during the 

 war as the Department of Science and Research of the Council 

 of National Defense. As war approached, the Research 

 Council opened offices in Washington and prepared to give its 

 entire attention to military and naval problems, and to in- 

 dustrial problems developed by our entrance into hostilities. 



