present level of research effort.
The net reduction would be increased
still further due to the effect of the new large facilities such as the
bevatron and other accelerators and the ANL research reactor, whose
-
:
operating expenses must be provided,
It was not yet known exactly where the cut would be applied, however,
its effect would certainly be serious,
Dr, Johmson noted that Navy longev-
ity funds are now being used in financing the AEC-ONR Joint Program, He
“4
also mentioned that it was considered urgent to initiate new projects in.
| corrosion research and in chemistry bearing on the separation of the plum
tonium isotopes; hence the cut would be felt in other work new going on.
This situation Was deplored,
It was felt that the GAG couldbe of -
assistance if it provided a brief but strong statement urging restoration
of the research budget , which cculd be used in the Senate budget hearing
for April 7.
(Such a statement was phrased later in the meeting.)
There
was considerable discussion of the unfortunate language of the House report
referring to "fringe" projects,
Dr, Johnson and Dr. Smyth indicated that
they proposed to deny that the Commission's basic research had this
character.
Mr. Murphree, however, cautioned that this would be an avkward
positionto take, He felt it would be better todefend the research
program as carefully considered and well balanced and to maintain the
essentielity of research of a ‘so-called "fringe" character because of the
unforeseeable useful developments which may come out of euch research.
Dr. Buckley cai that fundamentalresearch should not go down while the
total effort goes up} it is good practice to maintain a rough proportion between research and the total effort,
Several favored the use of specific
ee Zab
examples of tangible developments frombasic research,
;
ONR-AEG
Joint
Program
wo
A
Dr. Warner and