A National Science Foundation

Pressed by the exigencies of war time, prompted by the success of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, and by the sincere, but naive, attempts at science legislation by Senator Kilgore during 1943 and 1944, and desiring to see what might be done further to promote the progress of science in war and in peace, the late President Roosevelt in November, 1944, requested Dr. Vannevar Bush, President of the Carnegie Institute of Washington and then Director of the OSRD, to prepare a report on the status of science in the United States and to suggest what the Government might do to further its progress. His report, Science, the Endless Frontier,l was presented to President Truman on July 5, 1945. This report had been prepared by Dr. Bush from the reports of committees of distinguished scientists and other citizens appointed by Dr. Bush to consider specific questions which President Roosevelt had asked.* The direct result of this report was the simultaneous introduction of S. 1285t by Senator Magnuson and of H.R. 3852 by Representative Mills on July 19, 1945. A few days later Senator Kilgore introduced S. 1297 which differed in several respects from the other bill. The differences between these bills soon became a point of great debate. Few seemed to question the necessity or advisability of a National Science Foundation, but, as to its exact structure, no agreement could be reached. Since that time the arguments have continued and, while scientists and laymen with few exceptions have constantly urged the passage of legislation to create a National Science Foundation, these differences have created a major stumbling block. The tragedy of the situation was witnessed in August, 1947, when both the Senate and the House finally passed a bill after more than two years of debate and when, on August 6, 1947, President Truman vetoed this bill because the type of administration of the Foundation which it proposed was not acceptable to him.'9