Relation of the Federal Government to Research 



105 



persons who are neither olHcers nor employees of the 

 United States." (U. S. C. 5:601c.) 



Compensation 



The salary scale for positions in the professional and 

 scientific service of the Federal Government bears di- 

 rectly on the quality of personnel attracted to govern- 

 mental positions. For civil service employees, this 

 salary scale is fixed by the Classification Act of 1923 

 and its amendents (U. S. C. 5 : 661-674), and runs from 

 $2,000 to $9,000 annually. 



Limitations on salaries jjaid to employees, however, 

 occur not infrequently in connection with provisions 

 permitting the employment of technicians without re- 

 gard to the civil service. Thus the experts employed 

 on a consulting basis by the Bureau of Mines may not 

 receive more than $10 a day, while maximum compen- 

 sation authorized for consulting engineers, geologists, 

 and economists with the Bureau of Reclamation is $50 

 a day, with the proviso that no such consultant shall 

 receive more than $5,000 during any fiscal year. 



Maximum annual salaries are specified for the non- 

 civil-service emplojees of the Federal Communications 

 Commission. The ai^pointees of the U. S. Maritime 

 Commission who are not subject to civil service may 

 not receive salaries higher than those who are ; and no 

 employee of the Tennessee Valley Authority may re- 

 ceive a salary in excess of the $10,000 a year drawn by 

 the members of the board. The Agricultural Adjust- 

 ment Act provided that no employee should receive 

 more than $10,000, and $8,000 was set as a maximum 

 under the Relief Act of 1935. The Chairman of the 

 Central Statistical Board is provided with a salary of 

 $10,000 a year; and in some instances the salaries of 

 bureau chiefs are also prescribed by statute. 



The Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1920 made a 

 more comprehensive gesture toward establishing a com- 

 plete salary scale for employees engaged in research 

 and administration under the act, but the section was 

 withdrawn by amendment in 1924. 



By way of rewai-ding meritorious service of scien- 

 tific personnel beyond the permitted limit for position 

 and grade, both the Secretary of War and the Secre- 

 tary of the Navy may pay cash awards to civilian 

 employees for "beneficial suggestions." (U. S. C. 50: 58; 

 5:416.) 



Training of Scientific Personnel 



With respect to securing special training for scien- 

 tific employees of the Government, only the War De- 

 partment has broad authority, and even here it does 

 not apply to civilian workers. The Secretary of War 

 is authorized, in his discretion — 



122999—39 8 



to dotuil not to exceed 2 percent of the commissioued officers 

 aud one-half of 1 percent of tlie enlisted men of the Regular 

 Army in any fiscal year as students at such technical, pro- 

 fessional, and other educational institutions, or as stu- 

 dent observers, or investigators at such industrial plant.s, 

 hospitals, and other places as shall be best suited to enable 

 such officers or enlisted men to acquire a knowledge of or 

 experience in the specialties in which it is deemed necessary 

 that such officers or enlisted men shall perfect themselves 

 • • * (U. &'. C. 10:535). 



The men so detailed at any one time are to be dis- 

 tributed so far as practicable among the various 

 branches of the service ; and their pay, allowances, and 

 tuition are to be paid by the Department. The period 

 of detail for enlisted men may not exceed 50 percent of 

 tlie enlistment period, and the Secretary of War may 

 fix the period of enlistment for this purpose at 3 years 

 or less. In the case of Air Corps officers, as many as 

 25 at a time may be detailed to study aeronautical 

 engineering, and books and equipment as well as tuition 

 are to be provided. (U. S. C. 10 : 298.) 



Cooperation With Other Agencies- 

 Provisions for cooperation with other agencies are 

 frequently made in research statutes. The cooperative 

 arrangement authorized may be a grant-in-aid to 

 States or other non-Federal agencies, or it may require 

 other departments or bureaus of the Federal Govern- 

 ment to furnish information or lend personnel when 

 called upon to do so. Where cooperation with non- 

 Federal agencies is desired, some financial inducement 

 is generally deemed essential. Cooperation between 

 agencies of the Federal Government, however, does 

 not necessarily depend upon statutory permission. 



General Cooperation 



Many research statutes authorize or direct the ad- 

 ministering agency to cooperate with other bureaus or 

 departments, or with non-Federal instrumentalities, no 

 particular form of cooperation being specified. Thus 

 the Forest Research Act of 1928 authorizes the Secre- 

 tary of Agriculture to — 



cooperate with individuals and public and private agencies, 

 organizations, and institutions, and, in connection with the 

 collection, investigation, and tests of foreign woods, he may 

 also cooperate with individuals and public and private agen- 

 cies, organizations, and institutions in other countries * * * 



He is empowered to receive money from cooperators 

 "under such conditions as he may impose." In similar 

 substance the Soil Conservation Service, through the 

 Secretary of Agriculture, is empowered to — 



cooperate or enter into agreements with, or to furnish financial 

 or other aid to, any agency, governmental or otherwise, or any 

 person, subject to such conditions as he may deem necessary, 

 for the purposes of this act * * • 



