32 



one technical. The administrative committee consists 

 of the directors of the agricultural experiment stations 

 in the region and the chiefs of the subject-matter bu- 

 reaus concerned with the work of the laboratory ; and 

 its functon is to advise the Secretary, through the 

 Office of Experiment Stations, on the selection of a 

 laboratory project, the scope of the research, the loca- 

 tion of the laboratory, and relationships of Federal ancl 

 State ao-encies. The technical committee is made up of 

 one representative from each of the State experiment 

 stations in the region, the director of the laboratory, a 

 representative from each of the subject-matter bureaus 

 concerned, and a representative of the Office of Experi- 

 ment Stations. The tecltnical committee is responsible 

 for the development and annual review of a research 

 program, including research by the individual experi- 

 ment stations, within the scope of the laboratory proj- 

 ect. The recommended progiam for each year is sub-> 

 ject to approval by the administrative committee in 

 the light of available funds. 



The Chief of the Office of Experiment Stations, 

 through his administrative responsibility for the fed- 

 erally-aided programs of the experiment stations and 

 his jurisdiction over the regional laboratories, is able 

 to coordinate the agricultural research work of the 

 States both internally and with the program of the 

 Department of Agriculture. As Director of Research 

 for the Department and administrator of the special 

 research fund he is charged also with the task of co- 

 ordinating the research progi-ams of the subject-matter 

 bureaus and has general direction of the planning and 

 development of the research program of the Depart- 

 ment. In practice the program grows out of numerous 

 conferences and discussions, considerable latitude being 

 left to the bureaus, and the Director's function becomes 

 primarily one of eliminating duplications and resolv- 

 ing conflicts. 



At the same time the various subject-matter bureaus 

 of the Department maintain close contact with private 

 organizations carrying on research along similar lines. 

 The Bureau of Animal Industry, for example, co- 

 operates with livestock and trade organizations where 

 access to material or facilities of value to the Bureau 

 may be available ; and agreements are entered into with 

 individuals or companies where special facilities exist 

 for solving a problem of general interest. The Bureau 

 of Dairy Industry works with producers and proc- 

 essors of dairy products, and the Forest Products 

 Laboratory serves producer, manufacturer, and con- 

 sumer alike. 



Industrial Coordination for National Defense 



The War and Navy Departments exemplify another 

 form of coordination of research on a national scale. 



National Resources Committee 



In time of war, military supplies and equipment would 

 have to be furnished in quantity by private industry. 

 Military and naval technicians must therefore know 

 what each factory can produce and must have plans 

 available for turning all industrial facilities to military 

 uses. This coordination is accomplished through the 

 Army and Navy Munitions Board, set up under an 

 amendment to the National Defense Act in 1920. The 

 Munitions Board cooperates closely with tlie Joint 

 Army and Navy Board which has responsibility for 

 formulating war plans, and in time of war would be 

 assisted by the Committee on Army and Navy Affairs 

 of the National Research Council. 



Coordination of research in the interest of national 

 defense thus takes the form of close observation of 

 developments in pertinent fields of industry and makes 

 use of these whenever possible. Modifications or 

 changes of military benefit are occasionally suggested 

 to industry, and financial support is given to outside 

 agencies where necessary. The essential point is that 

 the War and Navy Departments must know what in- 

 dustry is doing and can do, and must so organize their 

 own research programs that they complement rather 

 than duplicate the activities of private agencies. 



By way of illustration, the chairman of the liaison 

 committee on naval research distinguishes four fields 

 of interest to the Department from a research point 

 of view, in each of which a different procedure is fol- 

 lowed depending on the degree to which industry pene- 

 trates the same field : 



(1) That field of endeavor necessary to the successful prose- 

 cution of the Navy Department's activities that is paralleled 

 by a well-established industry, the problems and technical 

 objectives of which are closely similar to the Department's 

 objectives. In this field the Navy Department habitually is 

 able to find the answers to its problems either in the primary 

 research outimt of the indiistry or in the byproduct output 

 of that research which it is able to apply directly to its pur- 

 poses. In other words, daily progress of research in the 

 industry in this field approximately suffices the meeting of the 

 Department's needs. 



(2) A field that has specialized objectives in which an 

 industry with quite similnr objectives exists but is without 

 adequate research establishments, research personnel, or funds 

 for conducting the necessary research. In this case the De- 

 partment must supplement the abilities of the industry by the 

 nse of its own facilities, by the efforts of its own personnel, 

 by the extension of the use of its facilities with outside agen- 

 cies, or by grants of funds either directly or indirectly. 



(3) Industrial and governmental needs closely parallel, 

 though highly specialized, and in a narrow field in which the 

 Industry is provided with adequate research capabilities. In 

 this case there is no need for supplementing the facilities or 

 personnel of non-Government research organizations but there 

 is need for the determination and clear statement of a special- 

 ized problem in this field and the provision of funds for carry- 

 ing on the research in a form or with an objective slightly 

 modified to meet the Government's need as distinguished from 



