<--PREV Doc #218  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #220 Document #219; May 28, 1953 To Charles Erwin Wilson Series: EM, AWF, Administration Series The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XIV - The Presidency: The Middle Way Part II: Settling into "the long pull"; May 1953 to August 1953 Chapter 3: "A time for continued vigilance"   Memorandum to the Secretary of Defense: I think I have forgotten to tell you about my great interest in what we call basic research.1 I think we probably overdo what is generally called development research, but in the basic research largely conducted in industrial establishments and our universities I think we have been doing a good job. Since a relatively small amount of money is involved, I should hate to see this contracted or much damaged.2 If we have planned to cut this particular part of our research program seriously, will you let me know?3 1 Wilson did not share Eisenhower's enthusiasm for "basic" research. In a June 8 appearance before a Senate appropriations subcommittee, the former president of General Motors would repeat an automotive colleague's definition of "pure" science: "If successful, it could not be of any possible use to the people who put up the money for it." Wilson added: "I am not interested in a military project in why potatoes turn brown when they are fried" (New York Times, June 6, 1953). 2 The Administration's proposed defense budget cuts, announced earlier in the month, called for a reduction in FY 1954 research and development (R&D) allocations from $1.6 billion to $1.3 billion. Wilson defended the cuts as attempts to reduce overlapping and "boondoggling" (ibid., May 13, 1953). Although the proposed $1.3 billion for R&D would be part of the ultimate budget, Wilson would announce on June 17 his intention to actually spend less than $1 billion of that amount (U.S. Statutes at Large, vol. 67, pp. 336, 341, 345, 348; U.S., Congress, Senate Reports, 83d Cong., 1st sess., 1953, vol. 3, Miscellaneous III, no. 601; New York Times, June 18, 1953). For further background on the proposed defense cut see no. 197. 3 Eisenhower's faith in the value of basic research was shared by General Omar Bradley, Chairman of the JCS. Bradley would defend "pure" research on July 6, noting that pure research done by the Navy had yielded a weapon that was "one of the best in years" (New York Times, July 7, 1953). Despite Bradley's efforts, Congress trimmed $10 million from Eisenhower's request of $68.6 million for pure research by the Navy. Neither the Army nor the Air Force budgeted basic research as a separate item (U.S., Congress, House, Department of Defense Appropriation Bill, 1954: Report to Accompany H. R. 5969, 83d Cong., 1st sess., 1953, H. Rept. no. 680, pp. 26-27, 52-53). We found no subsequent correspondence between Eisenhower and Wilson on the issue of basic research. For more on defense budget cuts see no. 291. Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Charles Erwin Wilson, 28 May 1953. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 219. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/219.cfm <--PREV Doc #218  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  First Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #220

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