Relation of the Federal Government to Research 



about 6 million dollars for surveys and mapping and 

 about 2 million dollars for library and archival aids 

 to research. 



The work of such agencies as the Bureau of Chemis- 

 try and Soils, the National Advisory Committee for 

 Aeronautics, and the Bureau of the Census consists 

 almost entirely in research. There are some 125 Fed- 

 eral bureaus and independent agencies engaged in 

 some form of scientific research. On the other hand, 

 about the same number of active Federal agencies carry 

 on no scientific investigations. The Post Office De- 

 partment, for example, has practically no research 

 within the several divisions of its huge organization. 



Investigations in agriculture predominate among the 

 fields of governmental research, with over one-third of 

 the total regular expenditures for research devoted to 

 research in this field. Next in importance to agricul- 

 tural research comes research for improved military 

 and naval equipment and techniques, which accounts 

 for about one-fifth of the regular expenditures for 

 research. The relative importance of the different 

 fields changes as new problems arouse national con- 

 cern. For example, aeronautical research has increased 

 until now it accounts for one-eighth of the research 

 expenditures from regular funds. Every 10 years 

 there is an appreciable increase in the total research 

 expenditures of the Government as the decennial cen- 

 sus, one of the oldest as well as the largest research 

 project of the Government, carries on its Nation-wide 

 canvass. 



Range of Researches in the Government 



Various efforts have been made to prepare lists of 

 the types of research which are to be thought of as the 

 primary responsibility of the Federal Government. 

 One of the most comprehensive of these lists is as 

 follows : 



(a) Defense. 



(b) Weather interpretation, short-time prediction, and long- 

 range forecasting. 



(c) Problems of public health which are clearly the responsi- 

 bility of the whole people. 



(d) Much of agriculture requiring intensive study of critical 

 biological problems for which the small operator is not com- 

 petent to obtain the necessary data. 



(e) Questions of national scope relating to physical, biolog- 

 ical, and human values inherent in public domain or Federal 

 possessions. 



(f) National problems that have to do with mental health, 

 crime control, the opening of opportunity for constructive living 

 and enjoyment of life, and other basic questions concerning 

 health, education, recreation, and psychology. 



(g) Problems concerning life and culture of native American 

 peoples considered with a view to development of their best 

 opportunity. 



(h) All questions of physical or biological research involved 

 in international relations. Development of proper perspective 

 122999 — 39 2 



in ethnological and historical research as touching international 

 questions. 



(i) Population changes and problems connected with dis- 

 tribution, etc. 



(j) International trade. Goods and money and their effects, 

 especially on the balance of payment and in relation to pri- 

 mary domestic industries. 



(k) Indices of economic changes in production, employment, 

 etc. 



(1) The conditions of labor, including especially costs and 

 standards of living. 



(m) Government finance — revenues, expenditiu'es, including 

 grants in aid. 



In each of the fields mentioned in the foregoing list 

 the Government is now engaged in carrying on major 

 lesearches. An even more extended list than the fore- 

 going could be prepared if the research undertaMngs 

 of all subdivisions of the Government were catalogued. 

 Practically every subdivision has within its organiza- 

 tion provision for researches related to its field of 

 operation. 



Illustrative Examples of 

 Governmental Research 



The subsequent sections of this volume describe and 

 discuss typical research projects in which govern- 

 mental agencies are engaged. No attemptj will be 

 made here to repeat the descriptions there given. It is 

 the function of the present section to focus attention 

 on certain problems which a careful study of material 

 collected for the Science Committee shows to be 

 important. 



Problems of Personnel 



A highly important problem facing the Government, 

 if it is to maintain and improve its standards of re- 

 search, is that of securing able research workers. It 

 is enlightening to note that a special committee of the 

 Bi'itish Government was recently commissioned, be- 

 cause of conditions in England similar to those which 

 exist in the United States, to make a study of the per- 

 sonnel problems in the governmental research agencies 

 of Great Britain. The findings of that committee 

 may be quoted at some length. The statements made 

 might with slight changes be used in describing the 

 personnel problems of this country. 



Failure to recruit or retain implies successful competition 

 from other sources, and reference is often made in this con- 

 nection to the fact, to which we have already drawn attention, 

 that an appreciable number of officers leave some of the Gov- 

 ernment scientific establishments to take up employment else- 

 where. Nevertheless this criticism cannot be accepted in all 

 cases at its full face value. Substantial advantages, such as 

 the benefit of outside experience and the application of fresh 

 minds to State problems, are to be gained from a reasonably 

 free flow of research workers into and out of the State serv- 

 ice. The flow will necessarily be more marked in some estab- 

 lishments than in others. For example, in some branches on 



