Dr. Rabi next reported the Committee's comments on the cut in the
Research:
Budget,
ONR-AEG
Joint
Program
ResearchDivision's budget and on the ONR-AEC Joint Program.
Mr. Nichols
mentioned that there is money in the FY55 budget for the Joint Progran,
if it doesn't get cut out.
Mr. Zuckert made several comments on the problems involved in
budgeting basic research.
It is extremely difficult to show how much
money is going into the direct research effort, e.g. in physics and
chemistry as contrasted to how much is eaten up by fixed overhead costs.’
The present accounting system does not reflect these fixed costs, which
are continually being built in, in’ machines and brick and mortar,
For
a given level of annual expenditure, as the installations increase the
amount of research will decrease.
Mr. Zuckert hoped that an accounting
system would be devised which would segregate the costs of the fixed
establishment from those of the direct effort.
He also hoped that it
would be possible to alleviate the BNL difficulties which arise from the
fact that the Laboratory gets funds from three separate sources in the
AEC and has no separate fund for its overall operation.
Such an account~
ing plan was being worked on, and might be ready for the FY$6 budget.
Dr. Rabi said the GAC has been greatly perturbed by the language of
the House report, which betrayed a lack of understanding of the nature of
basic research,
Mr, Nichols agreed, and said a campaign on Congressmen
by sclentists was probably needed,
With regard to the General Manager's request for an evaluation of
Boiling
Water
Reactor |
the BWR, Dr. Rabi said the Committee had had no document which could —
serve as a basis for a technical evaluation, but that the Reactor