Hon. ALBERT THOMAS, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, Washington 25, D. C., January 17, 1952. Chairman, Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, Washington 25, D. C. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Toward the conclusion of the hearing on January before your committee, on the foundation's 1953 budget, several members of t committee wanted to know how the foundation would discharge its statuto obligation "to evaluate scientific research programs undertaken by agencies of t Federal Government. * * *"" My review of the transcript indicates that concise summary of the present position of the foundation with regard to th point may be helpful to the committee. If this statement succeeds in clarifyi the matter, it would be appreciated if it could be published with the record of t hearing. First, may I call to your attention that the Bureau of the Budget, in approvi the $7,000,000 increase for research support in our 1953 estimate, decreased t research budget of the Department of Defense and other agencies by this amour and that the Atomic Energy Commission is discontinuing its general purpose fellow ship program concurrently with the proposed increase in ours. Since success in the evaluation function will depend largely upon the caliber the scientists engaged in it, I have taken especial pains in recruiting a top scientif staff to ensure that the responsible man in each major field of science is equippe to provide leadership in program evaluation, derived from the confidence in hi both of the scientific community and of the responsible scientists in the othe Government agencies. In the evaluation of research programs as varied as those supported by th Government there is required, as a first phase, analysis and evaluation of curre progress in science itself, its potentialities and limitations. This phase in the over all evaluation requires the advice and guidance of the country's leaders in scientin research. This is under way. As a second phase, concurrent with the first, it is necessary for the foundatio to become thoroughly acquainted with the research programs of the agencies co: cerned with research. For this purpose the foundation will need to study report and summaries of the research programs of Federal agencies and actively consul with their research staffs. The foundation will likewise be concerned with th missions of the several agencies in their planning of research, and the analyse leading to selection of the work to be undertaken. In this the contribution o the National Science Foundation will be assistance in eliminating research bottle necks; providing sources of research information bearing upon the problems o each agency; and suggesting ways of bringing about increased, concerted effort in research. In this process of consultation the foundation will expect, in the light of it increasing knowledge of basic research, to suggest promising leads for develop ments of importance to the agency, and to point out where lack of basic knowledg should discourage active pursuit of applications, pending further fundamental of background research. This latter area is one in which the possibilities for econ omies are great. From the combination of the two phases of analysis and evaluation suggested. most important and far-reaching savings and increases in efficiency may confi dently be expected. These may, for example, counsel postponement of costly development until further inexpensive basic or background research is done, or the amalgamation of parallel work with consequent reduction of staffs, and simila: economies. At the same time, this approach should ensure that programs of high priority in research and development, such as occur in defense and public health. be given maximum impetus by focussing upon them the full power of the most talented and experienced research scientists in the country. In the above remarks, it should be clearly understood that the National Science Foundation has and should have no authority to direct the research of any agency. public or private. The foundation conceives its responsibility to be that of taking leadership to ensure proper coordination and concerted effort along the most promising lines, and the avoidance of effort in unprofitable pursuits. At the same time, full opportunity must be given to individual initiative, subject to the advice and counsel of the highest scientific authorities. This whole matter has been the subject of a series of discussions with the Bureau of the Budget, and there is tentative agreement between the Bureau and the foundation that the evaluation of the scientific research programs undertaken by agencies of the Federal Government is an important function of the foundation. ment has been reached that this function will require continuing year-round by the foundation. In this study the foundation will have increasing op**anity to consult and advise with the agencies themselves, the President, and • Congress on the budgetary requirements of the Federal research program, as develops. The starting point of this survey and evaluation is properly in the region of c research, but it will necessarily extend to include applied research programs. the initial emphasis must be in basic or fundamental research. As studies the field of applied research the weight of evidence from each agency in on to its mission becomes more and more important. is my judgment that this function presents an outstanding opportunity for mies in the expenditure of Federal funds and for the elimination of undesirduplication both in actual work and scientific manpower. In carrying out -responsibility the foundation will undoubtedly accumulate information which e useful to the President and the Congress in considering the major decisions made on the Federal research program. Believing that your committee be interested in following progress in this endeavor, we shall aim to keep you ed. In addition, we shall be pleased to be of any assistance to you in any Se instance that you may feel desirable. Sincerely yours, ALAN T. WATERMAN, Director. SELECTIVE SERVICE STATUS OF FELLOWS Mг. THOMAS. Have you made any arrangements with the selective rvice people relative to drafting one of your fellows? Suppose one them has started on his training course and has been in school about or 5 or 6 months, and the draft board gets him, what happens? Dr. WATERMAN. We would have to stand on the law as it is now, und that is that I believe a man can finish his education. Mr. THOMAS. Are these people all exempt by virtue of the fact that are outstanding students and by the mere fact that you have ened them and they have passed the examinations and tests? Dr. WATERMAN. This would have to be decided, I believe, by the raft board. Public Law 51, signed by the President on June 19,1951, states that " person who while satisfactorily pursuing a full-time course of instruction at ege, university, or similar institution is ordered to report for induction shall, upon the facts being presented to the local board, be deferred til the end of such academic year, or (b) until he ceases satisfactorily to paste such course of instruction, whichever is the earlier. Mr. THOMAS. You think that will take care of them? Dr. WATERMAN. Yes, I hope so. Mr. THOMAS. Gentlemen, it has been pleasant to see you all, and a Happy New Year to all of you. Thank you all for coming over to see TUESDAY, JANUARY 15, 195 TARIFF COMMISSION WITNESSES OSCAR B. RYDER, CHAIRMAN LYNN R. EDMINSTER, VICE CHAIRMAN EDGAR B. BROSSARD, COMMISSIONER JOHN P. GREGG, COMMISSIONER GEORGE MCGILL, COMMISSIONER LOYLE A. MORRISON, DIRECTOR OF INVESTIGATION LOUIS S. BALLIF, CHIEF, TECHNICAL SERVICE BEN D. DORFMAN, CHIEF ECONOMIST PAUL KAPLOWITZ, GENERAL COUNSEL DONN N. BENT, THE SECRETARY We are es Mr. THOMAS. The committee will please come to order. It is very nice to have you with us this afternoon. pecially pleased to have our friend, the Chairman, Mr. Ryder, and the Vice Chairman, Mr. Edminster, Commissioner Brossard, Commissioner Durand, Commissioner Gregg, and Commissioner McGill. I think this is the first time we have had the honor of having all the Commissioners here. Mr. RYDER. One of the Commissioners is absent. Mr. Durant was detained. Mr. THOMAS. We are delighted to have you. We also have Mr. Morrison, Director of Investigation; Mr. Ballif, Chief of the Technical Services; Mr. Dorfman, Chief Economist; Mr. Kaplowitz, General Counsel, and Mr. Bent, the Secretary. Mr. Chairman, if you or any of your colleagues have a statement for us we will be delighted to hear it. GENERAL STATEMENT Mr. RYDER. I have a brief statement here. Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, you have before you the Tariff Commission's Justification for the appropriation recommended for it for the fiscal year 1953 by the Bureau of the Budget. It. I think, fairly presents the case for the small increase in appropration which is being requested in order to enable the Commission to fill certain key positions on its staff, to enable it to keep up the basic research upon which all its activities are based, and to enable It to cope with the increased demands which it faces. I do not care to elaborate on the justification, but merely to emphasize a few points. 1 I should like first to call your attention to the table on page 1-2. This table shows the average number of Commission employees in each year, 1939 to 1953. From this table you will note the decline Since 1944 in employment from a war and prewar average of about 3 to 227 in 1950, 213 in 1951, and an estimated 201 for the current Jar. We are merely asking for funds to support a staff of 214, about the same as in 1951 and much below that in earlier years. 2 The second point I should like to emphasize is set forth in the Second paragraph on page I-3 of the justification, which reads as SLOWS: 93850-52-pt. 1-15 Even the average employment of 201, estimated for the current year, will b attainable in fact only through such drastic measures as the transfer of the fu amount permitted by the Independent Offices Appropriation Act of 1951 from miscellaneous expenses to personal services, and the accompanying curtailmer of essential printing, supply, and equipment expenditures; leaving unfilled a vacancies occurring during the year; and the withholding of many deserve promotions, and the limiting of promotions to those few cases absolutely require by law. The attainment of the estimated average employment of 201 is co ditioned, moreover, on the appropriation by Congress of the full amount recor mended by the Bureau of the Budget to meet the Commission's costs under th recent pay increase legislation, and upon the continuance throughout the curre fiscal year of several minor reimbursable projects which are subject to cancella t on at any time by the agencies involved. Still further, as the Commissio started the current fiscal year at its 1951 level with 211 employees, and ha necessarily made no appointments since, it is evident that by the close of fisca 1952 its actual staff will have fallen below 200. (3) The third point I should like to emphasize is that the declin in staff just outlined has not been accompanied by any decline i workload. On the contrary, the demands upon the Commission fo work which falls inescapably within its field have steadily increased With its increasingly inadequate staff the Commission has had t require unduly heavy work from its employees, and has been forced to forego entirely the performance of certain functions prescribed by law Moreover, it has not been able to complete as fully or as promptly a was desirable some of the projects it has undertaken, including projects specifically requested by Congress. Unless the downward trend in the Commission's staff is not only checked but reversed, the Commission will progressively be less able to meet effectively even the most urgent of the duties imposed upon it by law. (4) Another point I think should be emphasized is that a further substantial increase in work faces the Commission in the remainder of this fiscal year and in the fiscal year 1953. This increase will result principally from increased work, already in process or unquestionably forthcoming, under the "escape clause" provisions of the Trade Agreements Extension Act of 1951. This provision requires the Commission to make an "escape clause" investigation whenever requested by any interested party. The Commission has before it now 13 such investigations and a much larger number of new applications will undoubtedly be filed during the remainder of this fiscal year and in 1953. Each "escape clause" investigation requires much work, and many of them require very extensive work, including field work and public hearings. If these investigations are to be handled promptly and effectively, there must be some increase in the staff of the Commission. If you will now turn to the table on page II-2, you will note that work under the escape clause which took 5.8 man-years in the 1950 fiscal year, took 6.6 man-years in 1951, and we estimate that it will take at least 25 man-years of work this year and 40 man-years of work in 1953. These estimates for the current fiscal year and for 1953. especially that for 1953, are extremely conservative. They represent a minimum which may very well be exceeded. You will also note from the table on page II-2 that a considerable increase in the Commission's work under section 22 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act is anticipated. The coverage of this provision has been extended and the Trade Agreements Extension Act of 1951 carries a provision requiring the Commission to make emergency investigations as to |