92 
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL 
ally altered for the immediate future, it is certain that the tremendous change of conditions 
in the country incident to ending of the war makes necessary the immediate considera- 
tion of adaptability of the Council's present machine for handling the next problems to 
come before it. Not only must the question as to our present situation be answered for 
ourselves, but we must make clear to the research men of the country that the Council has 
fully considered this matter and that, recognizing changing conditions, it is fitting itself as 
rapidly as possible into the best position for future work. 
The aims and purposes of the Research Council have from the beginning covered the 
broadest relations and applications of science. In recent months the work has been ex- 
pressed in effort to assist in bringing science to bear upon problems of war. From this ex- 
perience it has been clear that efficiency of the nation in war is in considerable measure depend- 
ent upon the most intimate correlation of scientific interests, such as is also needed in 
time of peace. With the cessation of hostilities, we find our problem differing largely in mode 
of application of results of research and in the larger freedom to consider stimulation and 
correlation of scientific investigation and initiation of new enterprises. 
The skeleton of the present war organization of the Research Council appears in general 
to furnish a satisfactory basis for operation in time of peace. The principal modifications 
needed involve: 
(1) The placing of larger emphasis upon the initiation, stimulation, and correlation of 
fundamental researches. 
(2) Reorganization of the Divisions so as to secure a wide representation of the major 
research interests in the country regardless of geographic location of the members. 
Owing to the immediate need for securing assistance of science in handling emergency 
problems, the work of the Council has recently tended toward the extreme of application of 
results of research, rather than toward the stimulation or initiation of work on new prob- 
lems. With relief from urgent requirements for application of available research data in 
war, it becomes possible for the investigator to concern himself more particularly with re- 
searches in science and technology, depending upon his cooperation with the engineer for 
application of results secured. At the same time that we are relieved from extraordinary 
requirements in application of research we are given the possibility of bringing into con- 
ference with the Research Council a considerable group of men whose participation in the 
work of this organization has been difficult because of geographic situation. 
Accordingly it is considered that the organization of the National Research Council 
should be such as to render it an effective federation of the research agencies of the country. 
To this end a large proportion of the membership of the Council will be nominated by the 
national scientific and technical societies. All members will be appointed for periods 
of three years, and will be grouped into a series of divisions each of which will deal with re- 
lated branches of science and technology or with some specific phase of activity of the Council. 
Each Division will elect a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Executive Committee to admin- 
ister the affairs of the Division. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of each of the several 
Divisions, together with certain other members, shall be the Executive Board of the Council; 
the officers of the Executive Board will be the officers of the Council as a whole. The Ex- 
ecutive Board will determine the general policy of the Council; but each Division will be as 
autonomous as possible, and the policies of the several Divisions may differ in various respects 
provided that these do not conflict with the general policies of the Council. 
Tentative plans, in accordance with the above general principles, were 
discussed at length; but no final conclusions were reached. 
Moved: That the report of the Committee on Organization be approved with the recom- 
mendations contained therein. {Adopted.) 
Moved: That the question of reorganization of the Divisions concerned with adminis- 
trative, governmental and general relations, be referred to the Committee on Organization 
