Relation of the Federal Government to Research 



189 



in their respective fields Avilli a view to securing funds 

 to aid publication where it is seriously embarrassed. 

 The councils could well act here as an intermediary 

 between eilher the foundations or the Government and 

 the scholars in the different fields. 



Financing Research in Universities 

 and Colleges 



Ordinaril}', the question of money is the first one 

 raised when research is discussed. While it is always 

 important, it is probably not usually the main question. 

 Most men capable of research manage to carry on, and 

 much of the most valuable research work has been 

 (lone b}- men and women with very little money or 

 time available. Perhaps, however, as the complexity 

 of research increases, money becomes increasingly a 

 vital matter. Some suggestions have been made as to 

 how research could be advanced by better financing. 



Relations of the Government and the Foundations to 

 Financing. — When the universities entered on research 

 it was supported by income from endowment. This 

 source of income for research has been greatly in- 

 creased in recent years and is now probably the greatest 

 single source of funds. The States have provided very 

 generous support for research in State institutions. It 

 now becomes apparent that the two significant agencies 

 to which research in the univei'sities must turn for 

 large financial help are the foundations and the Gov- 

 ernment. At present the Government is giving the 

 universities and colleges in grants for research in the 

 neighborhood of $6,000,000 a year, chiefly for research 

 in agriculture. The foundations are probably giving 

 to the universities for this purpose a somewhat larger 

 sum. 



Bills before Congress now indicate that the Federal 

 Government will be asked to give more largely to re- 

 search and the magnitude of future research projects 

 makes it probable that Government aid will be needed. 

 It is to be hoped that support by the foundations may 

 also increase. 



It is evident from studies made by this Committee 

 that the funds derived from these two great agencies 

 should be coordinated. If the relations between Gov- 

 ernment and the national councils become increasingly 

 intimate, as they should, the coordination of research 

 provided for by the Government and the foundations 

 will naturally be effected through the coraicils. The 

 councils might also point out important areas where 

 larger State support would prove of great value. 



Fluid Research Funds. — Probably no single enter- 

 prise costing as little would stimulate research as much 

 as the general availability in every universit}' and in 

 many colleges of a fluid research fund granted to 

 faculty members by a faculty committee. The amount 



of such funds might range from $50,000 to $200,000 in 

 the great universities; from $10,000 to $50,000 in 

 smaller research institutions; and from $1,000 to $10,- 

 000 in colleges. From information available very few 

 institutions have such funds. They would certainly 

 be very valuable in 200 of the stronger institutions and 

 stimulating in every college in the country. In many 

 institutions they could be set up by altering the allo- 

 cation of present funds. An interesting experiment 

 might be tried by one of the foundations by offeiing 

 small grants to a few colleges, on condition that an 

 equal sum be added from regular income and the total 

 administered by a faculty committee which would 

 make grants to promising research projects under way 

 by the faculty. 



Grants to the Councils for Operation. — The councils 

 seem to have justified themselves, and to offer promise 

 of increased usefulness. The foundations have granted 

 the councils very large sums for specific projects and 

 these funds have been carefully and effectively ad- 

 ministered. If they are to serve as they should, some 

 of the councils, notably the National Research Coun- 

 cil, need much larger funds for operating expenses, 

 salaries, traveling expenses of committee members, 

 etc. So far this money has come from the foundations. 

 It would seem that their adequate financing is of great 

 importance and that fully adequate funds should be 

 provided by the foundations, by the Government, or 

 jointly by both. The councils certainly are capable 

 of serving the Government usefully and seem fully to 

 warrant Government aid. The councils appear to have 

 been too modestly led considering the strategic import- 

 ance of their positions to all Americaii research, and 

 some clarification of their expectations of support is 

 most desirable. The councils are well situated to ad- 

 minister grants for subsidizing publication of ab- 

 stracts journals in various fields and other sclmlarly 

 journals. 



Federal Grants for Business Research. — For 50 years 

 the Government has contributed to agricidtural experi- 

 ment stations in every State, and has seen this work 

 improve greatly both in its value and quality and in 

 the esteem of the people. During the early years of 

 this period industry and busines Avere less active in 

 research, operating largely by custom and rule of 

 thumb. More recently, however, both business and 

 industry have become dependent upon scientific knowl- 

 edge. Perhaps if institutes of business research and 

 engineering experiment stations had been started along 

 with research in agriculture greater advance would 

 have been made. At any rate, many requests are now 

 being made for Federal aid to research in these fields. 



In business research the great corporations are able 

 and willing to organize and maintain their own in- 



