0.6 The science-government compact: 1945-1950  (Page 13/16)

On September 13, 1948, President Truman addressed the centennial anniversary meeting of the American Association for theAdvancement of Science (AAAS). Harry S. Truman, “Address to the Centennial Anniversary AAAS Annual Meeting (1948),” in AlbertTeich, ed., Science and Technology Policy Yearbook 1999 (Washington, DC: American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1999). In history’s first public presidential speech calling for a national science policy, Truman suggested that it be based on five keySteelman recommendations:

First, we should double our total public and private allocations of funds to the sciences….

Second, greater emphasis should be placed on basic research and on medical research.

Third, a National Science Foundation should be established.

Fourth, more aid should be granted to the universities, both for student scholarships and forresearch.

Fifth, the work of the research agencies of the Federal Government should be better financed andcoordinated.

Science and international relations

Scientists have long regarded international communication and cooperation as essential to the advancement of science. In theimmediate aftermath of World War I, several international scientific unions were created, including the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP)and the International Astronomical Union (IAU). Almost always, national academies of sciences became the adhering bodies to these organizations. In the early 1930s, the existing scientific unions created an umbrella organization,the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). By the end of the twentieth century, approximately forty disciplinary scientific unions had beencreated under the umbrella of what had come to be called the International Council of Science.

Since the end of late 1940s, the U.S. government, along with Europe, Japan, China, and India, has regarded science asa significant part of international relations. Even prior to World War II, there was some advocacy for federal support for international scientific activities. Relation of the Federal Government to Research recommended: “International cooperation in scientific research now exists on a large scale. It could be encouraged to the great advantage of theNation if the Federal Government would adopt the practice which is common among the Governments of other nations of according official recognition and, wherevernecessary, financial support to international gatherings of scientists.”

Science—the Endless Frontier also provided a rationale for federal support of international science:

International exchange of scientific information is of growing importance. Increasing specialization of science will make it more importantthan ever that scientists in this country keep continually abreast of developments abroad. In addition, a flow of scientific information constitutesone facet of general international accord which should be cultivated.

The Government can accomplish significant results in several ways: by adding in the arrangement ofscientific congresses, in the official accrediting of American scientists to such gatherings, in the official reception of foreign scientists of standing inthis country, in making possible a rapid flow of technical information, including translation service, and possibly in the provision of internationalfellowships. Private foundations and other groups partially fulfill some of these functions at present, but their scope is incomplete andinadequate. Bush, op. cit. , 22