SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 



Findings 



1. From the earliest days of national history the 

 Government of the United States has conducted scien- 

 tific investigations in order to establish a sound basis 

 for its legislative and administrative activities. Gov- 

 ernmental agencies were pioneers in this country in 

 carrying on research. 



2. As the population has increased and new prob- 

 lems have arisen, such as those relating to agriculture, 

 conservation of natural resources, and general eco- 

 nomic conditions, the Government has found it neces- 

 sary to extend greatly the scope of its research 

 program. It is now engaged in research on a vast 

 scale. 



3. Kesearch is at the present time universally recog- 

 nized as highly important. Universities, the founda- 

 tions, special research institutions, and industrial and 

 connnercial concerns are all engaged in the encourage- 

 ment and prosecution of research in many lines. 



4. Competition for research workers and the demand 

 for large funds to support research have ci-eated a 

 situation which calls for better coordination of the 

 research facilities of the Nation than now exists. 



5. Research is of many different types. There is 

 ample opportunity for all the agencies, private and pub- 

 lic, engaged in research to make valuable contributions, 

 especially if further cooperation can be developed. 



6. The Congress engages directly in many lines of 

 inquiry through its special committees and special 

 commissions. It often caiTies on through these com- 

 mittees and commissions researches which contribute 

 significant findings to both the natural sciences and 

 the social sciences. 



7. When research projects become elaborate and the 

 necessity for continued investigations of particular 

 types arises, the Congress creates permanent research 

 agencies to make these investigations. 



8. There has been in recent times a great expansion 

 of the professional and scientific personnel in the 

 departmental and field services of the Government. 



9. Great sums of money are spent annually by in- 

 dustry and commerce on research. It is estimated 

 that research in industrial laboratories alone involves 

 the expenditure of $100,000,000 a year. Some uni- 

 versities spend 25 percent of their income on research. 

 Some industrial corporations spend as high as 4 per- 

 cent of tlieir gross income on research. Tlie Govern- 

 ment spends approximately 2 percent of its total 



budget on research. The Government spent in the 

 aggregate for its own research activities and those 

 which it subsidized during the fiscal year 1936-37, 

 $120,000,000, including both regular and emergency 

 expenditures. 



10. Most branches of the Government are supplied 

 with a research division. 



11. The recruiting, placement, and in-service train- 

 ing of research workers in the Government are, under 

 present conditions, less satisfactory than they should 

 be. The Civil Service system and the management 

 of research personnel might be modified at a number 

 of points with advantage to the Government. Two 

 of these points deserve special mention. The Govern- 

 ment would gain in the efficiency of its research 

 agencies if it inaugurated a plan of internship train- 

 ing and if it allowed the assignment of its civil career 

 employees, as it does its military and naval employees, 

 to study from time to time in institutions outside of 

 Washington for the purpose of bringing to govern- 

 mental agencies the methods and findings of science 

 which are being developed outside of governmental 

 research centers. 



12. Research agencies in the Government have 

 taken advantage of the aid which can be contributed 

 by able scientists not in the employ of the Govern- 

 ment. To some extent such aid is now secured 

 through advisory committees and through coopera- 

 tion of slate institutions with the Government. 



13. In both Government and industi'y science can 

 render its unique service to the Nation only when re- 

 search is so organized and conducted as to be absolutely 

 impartial in its discovery and statement of facts. 



14. The solution of the problem of the utilization of 

 the research facilities of the country as aids to research 

 in the Government is rendered readily possible by the 

 existence of a number of national councils made up of 

 the scientific specialists in the major lines of research. 



15. The Government has developed a pattern of 

 cooperation with research agencies outside the Govern- 

 ment by making contracts for the prosecution of spe- 

 cific research projects with responsible institutions and 

 national organizations. 



16. It seems feasible to make more extended use than 

 at present of the plan of entering into contracts with 

 national research organizations to take charge of re- 

 search projects. In order that extension of the contract 

 plan may be realized, the governmental research agen- 



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