Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-12

Lll6 dIlIlS TdCc-1OI IIl0 WOI1QS
Secretary Trevor Gardner, was dis
closed to have submitted his resis-
nation-in considerable huff.
At q press conference Wednesday
Mr.. Gardner mentioned three major
complaints against his Defense De-
paftment superiors:
/. Although faced with the known
Soviet surge. they had not put the
long-range missile program on q
crash" or wartime emergency
basis" as he had recommended.
2. Requests for Air Force research
and development appropriations, for
the year beginning next July l,
were set too Lowry one-third. In
stead Of the $50 million his SUI
periors asked, the request should
have been for about $50 million.
he said. This years spending on
"R and D" also fell 5000 million
short, he believes.
8. Letting all three services
Army. Navy and Air Force-scram-
BILE for scientists to develop the
various missiles is wasteful, in his
opinion.
Pentogon Career
The story Of Mr.. Gardeners career
In the Pentagon is not new in the
annals Of big government. Mr..
Gardner came to Washington under
the Republicans. determined to
drain the water" out Of the r and
D program. In due time. however.
he became convinced that r and D
was, IN the contrary. far too dry al
ready.
His first battle was with Defense
Secretary Charles E. Wilson and
Roger M. KyeS. Mr.. Wilson's deputy.
They arbitrarily had withheld $3.50
million q year from all Pentagon r
and D administrators and at the
same time instituted q long-haul.
steady-spending policy.
The $3.50 million cut would have
stified all new research projects and
even would have crippled those un-
der way. Intense pressure from all
three services eventually reversed
this decision. Mr.. Gardner used
some Of the Air Force money to
rescue the languishing intercon-
tinental missile project.
But the concept Of keeping r and
D spending at a constant level has
been tenaciously retained to this
day. It ID Mr.. Gardner's basic thesis
that r and D must obtain mod
erately increasing appropriation II
It In to improve It's effectiveness.
There are limits. Of course. TO how
much can be spent. But reasearch
u an ever-expanding phenomenon.
A look at current Air Force r
and D spending shows why. The
fiscal year 1857 budget allots 500
million. Half Of this goes into
plant maintenance" Of existing
equipment and salaries.
Roughly $500 million will be
left for actual research. But the
average life Of q research project
Is i've years. That means only one
NTH, or $50 million, is available for
new research projects each year.
The other $240 million goes for
programs already under way.
Actually. there is enough basic
research knowledge available-and
In need of exploitation II the Rus
slams are to be matched-So that
scientists believe $3.50 million to
$500 million ought to be spent on
new projects every year. Scientists
are available to exploit these re-
search channels. Mr.. Gardner
claims.
One of his specific complaints is
that a significant breakthrough
last July, perhaps in heat-resistant
metals or nuclear power for air.
craft, was not quickly exploited
despite his urgent pleading. He had
asked for a 5000 million supple
mental appropriation to push the
project. But supposedly his request
never got past Air Force Secretary
Donald A. Quarles, himself a for
mer r and D official, who thought
1t would stand no chance against
the administration in the front Of
fee.
Both House and Senate commit
tees have indicated they want to
hear Mr.. Gardner's full story, per-
haps within the next 10 days.