SCIENCE THE ENDLESS FRONTIER
“New frontiers of the mind are before us, and if they are pioneered with the same vision, boldness, and drive with which we have waged this war we can create a fuller and more fruitful employment and a fuller and more fruitful life.”
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT.
November 17, 1944.
科学：无尽的前沿
“新的思想前沿摆在我们面前，如果以我们发动这场战争时的同样远见、勇气和干劲开拓它们，我们就能创造更充分、更富有成效的就业和更充实、更富有成果的生活。”
富兰克林·D·罗斯福。
1944年11月17日。
SUMMARY OF THE REPORT
报告摘要
SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS IS ESSENTIAL
科学进步势在必行
Progress in the war against disease depends upon a flow of new scientific knowledge. New products, new industries, and more jobs require continuous additions to knowledge of the laws of nature, and the application of that knowledge to practical purposes. Similarly, our defense against aggression demands
new knowledge so that we can develop new and improved weapons. This essential, new knowledge can be obtained only through basic scientific research.Science can be effective in the national welfare only as a member of a team, whether the conditions be peace or war. But without scientific progress no amount of achievement in other directions can insure our health, prosperity, and security as a nation in the modern world.
防治疾病战争的进展取决于新的科学知识的流动。新产品、新产业和更多的工作岗位需要不断地增加对自然法则的知识，并将这些知识应用于实际目的。同样，我们对侵略的防御需要新的知识，以便我们可以开发新的和改进的*器武**。这一基本的新知识只能通过基础的科学研究来获得。科学在国家福利的影响中，只有作为一个团队的一员，无论条件是和平还是战争。但是，如果没有科学进步，在其他方面取得的成就也不能确保我们作为一个现代世界国家的健康、繁荣和安全。
For the War Against Disease
We have taken great strides in the war against disease. The death rate for all diseases in the Army, including overseas forces, has been reduced from 14.1 per thousand in the last war to 0.6 per thousand in this war. In the last 40 years life expectancy has increased from 49 to 65 years, largely as a consequence of the reduction in the death rates of infants and children. But we are far from
the goal. The annual deaths from one or two diseases far exceed the total
number of American lives lost in battle during this war. A large fraction of these deaths in our civilian population cut short the useful lives of our citizens.
Approximately 7,000,000 persons in the United States are mentally ill and their care costs the public over $175,000,000 a year. Clearly much illness remains for which adequate means of prevention and cure are not yet known.
为了反疾病战争，我们在反疾病战争中取得了巨大的进步。*队军**中所有疾病的死亡率，包括海外部队，已从上次战争中的每千人14.1人降至这次战争中的每千人0.6人。在过去的40年中，预期寿命从49岁增加到65岁，这主要是由于婴儿和儿童死亡率的下降。但我们离目标还很远。每年死于一到两种疾病的人数远远超过了美国人在这次战争中丧生的总人数。在我们平民中死亡中，很大一部分缩短了我们公民的使用寿命。美国大约有700万人患有精神疾病，他们每年照顾公众护理超过17.5亿美元。显然，仍有许多疾病的适当预防和治疗方法尚不清楚。
The responsibility for basic research in medicine and the underlying sciences,so essential to progress in the war against disease, falls primarily upon the medical schools and universities. Yet we find that the traditional sources of support for medical research in the medical schools and universities, largelyendowment income, foundation grants, and private donations, are diminishing and there is no immediate prospect of a change in this trend. Meanwhile, the cost of medical research has been rising. If we are to maintain the progress in
medicine which has marked the last 25 years, the Government should extend financial support to basic medical research in the medical schools and in universities.
医学基础研究和基础科学的责任对疾病战争的进展至关重要，其责任主要落在医学院和大学身上。然而，我们发现，医学院和大学对医学研究的传统支持来源，主要是捐赠收入、基金会拨款和私人捐赠，正在减少，这一趋势没有立即发生变化的前景。与此同时，医学研究的成本一直在上升。如果我们要保持过去25年的医学进步，政府应该向医学院和大学的基础医学研究提供财政支持。
For Our National Security
The bitter and dangerous battle against the U-boat was a battle of
scientific techniques—and our margin of success was dangerously small. The new eyes which radar has supplied can sometimes be blinded by new scientific developments. V-2 was countered only by capture of the launching sites.
We cannot again rely on our allies to hold off the enemy while we struggle
to catch up. There must be more—and more adequate—military research in peacetime. It is essential that the civilian scientists continue in peacetime some portion of those contributions to national security which they have made so effectively during the war. This can best be done through a civilian-controlledorganization with close liaison with the Army and Navy, but with funds direct from Congress, and the clear power to initiate military research which will supplement and strengthen that carried on directly under the control of the Army and Navy.
为了国家安全
与u艇的激烈而危险的战斗是一场科学技术的战斗——而我们的成功差距却非常危险。雷达提供的新眼睛有时会被新的科学发展所蒙蔽。V-2仅通过捕获发射场来进行反击。
在我们努力追赶的时候，我们不能再依靠我们的盟友来阻挡敌人。在和平时期，必须进行越来越充分的军事研究。平民科学家必须在和平时期继续进行他们在战争期间如此有效地为国家安全作出的部分贡献。这最好通过一个与陆军和海军有密切联系的文官控制的组织来实现，但要从国会直接提供资金，并有明确的权力来启动军事研究，这将补充和加强直接在陆军和海军控制下进行的研究。
And for the Public Welfare
One of our hopes is that after the war there will be full employment. To reach that goal the full creative and productive energies of the American people must be released. To create more jobs we must make new and better and cheaper products.
We want plenty of new, vigorous enterprises. But new products and processes are not born full-grown. They are founded on new principles and new conceptions which in
turn result from basic scientific research. Basic scientific research is scientific capital. Moreover, we cannot any longer depend upon Europe as a major source of this scientific capital. Clearly, more and better scientific research is one essential to the achievement of our goal of full employment.
对于公共福利，我们的希望之一是战后会有充分的就业。为了实现这一目标，必须充分释放美国人民的创造力和生产力。为了创造更多的就业机会，我们必须生产新的、更好的、更便宜的产品。我们想要大量的新的、有活力的企业。但是，新产品和新工艺并不是完全成熟的。它们建立在新的原则和新概念上，而这些又是基础科学研究的结果。基础科学研究是科学资本。此外，我们不能再依赖欧洲作为这一科学资本的主要来源。显然，越来越多和更好的科学研究对实现我们的充分就业目标至关重要。
How do we increase this scientific capital? First, we must have plenty of
men and women trained in science, for upon them depends both the creation of new knowledge and its application to practical purposes. Second, we must strengthen the centers of basic research which are principally the colleges, universities, and research institutes. These institutions provide the environment which is most conducive to the creation of new scientific knowledge and least under pressure for immediate, tangible results. With some notable exceptions, most research in industry and in Government involves application of existing scientific knowledge to practical problems. It is only the colleges, universities, and a few research institutes that devote most of their research efforts to expanding the frontiers of knowledge.
我们如何增加这些科学资本？首先，我们必须有大量的受过科学训练的男人和女人，因为新知识既取决于新知识的创造，也取决于其应用于实际目的。第二，要加强以高校、科研机构为主的基础研究中心。这些机构提供的环境最有利于创造新的科学知识，在直接、切实成果的压力下最小。除了一些明显的例外，工业和政府的大多数研究都涉及将现有的科学知识应用于实际问题。只有学院、大学和少数研究机构将他们的研究致力于扩大知识的前沿。
Expenditures for scientific research by industry and Government increased from $140,000,000 in 1930 to $309,000,000 in 1940. Those for the colleges and universities increased from $20,000,000 to $31,000,000, while those for the research institutes declined from $5,200,000 to $4,500,000 during the
same period. If the colleges, universities, and research institutes are to meet the rapidly increasing demands of industry and Government for new scientific knowledge, their basic research should be strengthened by use of public funds.
企业和政府用于科学研究的支出使从1930年的1.4亿美元增加到1940年的3.090亿美元。同期，学院和大学的资金从2000万美元增加到3100万美元，而研究机构的资金则从520万美元下降到450万美元。高校、科研机构要满足企业和政府对新的科学知识迅速增长的需求，应利用公共资金加强基础研究。
For science to serve as a powerful factor in our national welfare, applied
research both in Government and in industry must be vigorous. To improve the quality of scientific research within the Government, steps should be taken to modify the procedures for recruiting, classifying, and compensating scientific personnel in order to reduce the present handicap of governmental scientific bureaus in competing with industry and the universities for top-grade scientific
talent. To provide coordination of the common scientific activities of these governmental agencies as to policies and budgets, a permanent Science Advisory Board should be created to advise the executive and legislative branches of Government on these matters.
要使科学成为我们国家福利的一个有力因素，在政府和工业上的应用研究都必须充满活力。为提高政府内部的科研质量，应采取措施修改科学人员的招聘、分类和补偿的程序，以减少目前政府科学局在与工业和大学竞争顶级科学人才方面的障碍。为了协调这些政府机构在政策和预算方面的共同科学活动，应设立一个常设科学咨询委员会，就这些事项向政府的行政和立法部门提供咨询意见。
The most important ways in which the Government can promote industrial research are to increase the flow of new scientific knowledge through support of basic research, and to aid in the development of scientific talent. In addition,the Government should provide suitable incentives to industry to conduct research, (a) by clarification of present uncertainties in the Internal Revenue Code in regard to the deductibility of research and development expenditures as current charges against net income, and (b) by strengthening the patent system
so as to eliminate uncertainties which now bear heavily on small industries and so as to prevent abuses which reflect discredit upon a basically sound system. In addition, ways should be found to cause the benefits of basic research to reach
industries which do not now utilize new scientific knowledge.
政府能够促进工业研究的最重要的途径是通过支持基础研究来增加新的科学知识的流动，并帮助科学人才的发展。此外，政府应该提供适当的激励行业进行研究，(a)澄清目前的不确定性在国内税收代码的研究和开发支出扣除当前收费净利润，和(b)通过加强专利系统，消除不确定性现在承担小行业，以防止滥用反映信誉在一个基本健全的系统。此外，应该找到办法，使基础研究的好处到达现在没有利用新的科学知识的行业。
WE MUST RENEW OUR SCIENTIFIC TALENT
我们必须更新我们的科学才能
The responsibility for the creation of new scientific knowledge—and for most of its application—rests on that small body of men and women who understand the fundamental laws of nature and are skilled in the techniques of scientific research. We shall have rapid or slow advance on any scientific frontier depending on the number of highly qualified and trained scientists exploring it.
创造新的科学知识的责任——以及其大部分应用——建立在一小部分了解自然基本规律并精通科学研究技术的男女身上。我们将在任何科学前沿取得快速或缓慢的进步，这取决于探索它的高度合格和训练有素的科学家的数量。
The deficit of science and technology students who, but for the war, would
have received bachelor’s degrees is about 150,000. It is estimated that the deficit of those obtaining advanced degrees in these fields will amount in 1955 to about 17,000—for it takes at least 6 years from college entry to achieve a doctor’s degree or its equivalent in science or engineering. The real ceiling on our productivity of new scientific knowledge and its application in the war
against disease, and the development of new products and new industries, is the number of trained scientists available.
如果不是战争，能够获得学士学位的科技学生大约约15万。据估计，在这些领域获得高级学位的人在1955年将达到大约17000人——因为从大学入学开始至少需要6年的时间才能获得博士学位或科学或工程方面的同等学位。我们的新科学知识的生产力及其在抗击疾病战争中的应用，以及新产品和新工业的发展的真正上限是训练有素的科学家的数量。
The training of a scientist is a long and expensive process. Studies clearly show that there are talented individuals in every part of the population, but with few exceptions, those without the means of buying higher education go without it. If ability, and not the circumstance of family fortune, determines who shall receive higher education in science, then we shall be assured of constantly improving quality at every level of scientific activity. The Government should provide a reasonable number of undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships in order to develop scientific talent in American youth. The plans should be designed to attract into science only that proportion of youthful talent appropriate to the needs of science in relation to the other needs of the
nation for high abilities.
对科学家的培训是一个漫长而昂贵的过程。研究清楚地表明，在人口的每一部分都有有才华的人，但除了少数例外，那些没有办法购买高等教育的人没有它。如果能力决定了谁将接受高等科学教育，而不是家庭财富的情况，那么我们就能保证在各级科学活动中不断提高质量。政府应提供合理数量的本科奖学金和研究生奖学金，以培养美国青年的科学人才。这些计划的设计应该只吸引适合科学需要的年轻人才与国家对高能力的其他需要的比例进入科学。
Including Those in Uniform
The most immediate prospect of making up the deficit in scientific personnel is to develop the scientific talent in the generation now in uniform. Even if we should start now to train the current crop of high-school graduates none would complete graduate studies before 1951. The Armed Services should comb their records for men who, prior to or during the war, have given evidence of talent for science, and make prompt arrangements, consistent with current discharge plans, for ordering those who remain in uniform, as soon as militarily possible, to duty at institutions here and overseas where they can continue their scientific education. Moreover, the Services should see that those who study over seas have the benefit of the latest scientific information resulting from research
during the war.
弥补科学人员不足的最直接的前景是发展现在统一的那一代的科学人才。即使我们现在就开始培训现在的高中毕业生，也没有人能在1951年之前完成研究生学习。*队军**应该梳理记录的人，之前或在战争期间，给科学人才的证据，并及时安排，符合当前放电计划，命令那些留在制服，尽快在军事上，责任在这里和海外机构，他们可以继续他们的科学教育。此外，各军种应该确保那些在海外学习的人能够利用战争期间的研究所产生的最新科学信息。
THE LID MUST BE LIFTED
必须打开盖子
While most of the war research has involved the application of existing scientific knowledge to the problems of war, rather than basic research, there has been accumulated a vast amount of information relating to the application of science to particular problems. Much of this can be used by industry. It is also needed for teaching in the colleges and universities here and in the Armed
Forces Institutes overseas. Some of this information must remain secret, but most of it should be made public as soon as there is ground for belief that the enemy will not be able to turn it against us in this war. To select that portion which should be made public, to coordinate its release, and definitely to encourage its publication, a Board composed of Army, Navy, and civilian scientific mem bers should be promptly established.
虽然大多数战争研究都涉及到将现有的科学知识应用于战争问题，而不是基础研究，但已经积累了大量关于将科学应用于特定问题的信息。其中大部分可以被工业界使用。在这里的学院和大学以及在海外的武装部队学院的教学也需要它。其中一些信息必须保密，但一旦有理由相信敌人无法在这场战争中背叛我们，大部分信息就应该公开。为了选择应该公开的部分，协调其发布，并明确地鼓励其发布，应该迅速建立一个由陆军、海军和民用科学成员组成的委员会。
A PROGRAM FOR ACTION
用于操作的程序
The Government should accept new responsibilities for promoting the flow of new scientific knowledge and the development of scientific talent in ouryouth. These responsibilities are the proper concern of the Government, for they vitally affect our health, our jobs, and our national security. It is in keeping also with basic United States policy that the Government should foster the opening of new frontiers and this is the modern way to do it. For many years
the Government has wisely supported research in the agricultural colleges and the benefits have been great. The time has come when such support should be extended to other fields.
政府应该承担新的责任，以促进我们青年时期新的科学知识的流动和科学人才的发展。这些责任是政府应该关心的问题，因为它们严重影响着我们的健康、我们的工作和我们的国家安全。为了保持美国的基本政策，政府应该促进的新边界的开放，这是现代的方法。多年来，政府一直明智地支持农业学院的研究，而且效益也很大。这种支持应该扩大到其他领域。
The effective discharge of these new responsibilities will require the full at
tention of some over-all agency devoted to that purpose. There is not now in the permanent Governmental structure receiving its funds from Congress an agency adapted to supplementing the support of basic research in the colleges, universities, and research institutes, both in medicine and the natural sciences,
adapted to supporting research on new weapons for both Services, or adapted to administering a program of science scholarships and fellowships.
有效履行这些新责任将需要一些为此目的的全面机构的充分注意。现在没有永久的政府结构接收其从国会获得资金一个机构适应补充基础研究的支持学院，大学和研究机构，在医学和自然科学，适应支持研究新*器武**服务，或适应管理项目的科学奖学金和奖学金。
Therefore I recommend that a new agency for these purposes be estab
lished. Such an agency should be composed of persons of broad interest and experience, having an understanding of the peculiarities of scientific research and scientific education. It should have stability of funds so that long-range programs may be undertaken. It should recognize that freedom of inquiry must be preserved and should leave internal control of policy, personnel, and the method and scope of research to the institutions in which it is carried on. It should be fully responsible to the President and through him to the Congress for its program.
因此，我建议为这些目的设立一个新的机构。这一个机构应由具有广泛兴趣和经验的人组成，了解科学研究和科学教育的特点。它应该有稳定的资金，以便可以进行长期项目。它应该认识到，必须保留调查的自由，并应该将对政策、人员和研究方法和范围的内部控制留给进行调查的机构。它应该对总统全面负责，并通过他对国会负责。
Early action on these recommendations is imperative if this nation is to meet the challenge of science in the crucial years ahead. On the wisdom with which we bring science to bear in the war against disease, in the creation of new industries, and in the strengthening of our Armed Forces depends in large
measure our future as a nation.
如果这个国家要在未来的关键几年迎接科学的挑战，就必须对这些建议采取早期行动。我们在反疾病的战争、新工业的建立和加强我们的武装力量中运用科学的智慧，在很大程度上取决于我们作为一个国家的未来。