Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-01

Club. It's present director is DR..
Allan Waterman. a physicist.
who says its the foundations job
to Coordinate science. not
, dominate it,"
The private companies that
have settled here like the place
for its readily available techni-
cal information and the city's
great wealth in libraries. The
Library of Congress Is con-
sidered the best scientific library
in the world.
/ Bait for Companies
4 The Washington Board of
Trades Economic Development
COMMITTEE has offered WASH
Iington's research atmosphere
and facilities as bait for private
companies considering settling
here. 1t has paid on. At the
last listing. there were SO private
concerns here. engaged in re-
Isearch-mainly research apply
ing to electronics.
Typical Of these companies Is
Melpar, started in 1915. and now
located on a 44-acre tract in
Fairfax County. A subsidiary OF
Westinghouse Air Brake Com
Ipany. 1t employees more than
700 people, including some 400
engineers. physicists, mathema-
lticians. chemists, and specialists.
liMelpar. at one time or another.
has done research on ar1tennae,
iradar systems. flight simulators.
direction finders, acoustics. audio
and ultrasonic systems. Much of
its work Is under Government
contract.
| Another company Is the At
lantic Research Corp, started by
two scientists In l949 with
81 900. They turned 1t into a 81
million business. Atlantic's con-
tracts are with the armed forces
primarily Ion items like develop
ment Of propellants for rockets.
The main Office is at Dol North
Columbus street in Alexandria.
$500 In the Work
The Board of Trade estimates
scientific research and develop
ment in the WASHINGTON area
now employs 81 500 persons. with
10. 900 of them employed by pri-
vate organizations.
What pure research is done
locally is carried on mainly by
the Carnegie Institution, which
Operates the Geophysical Lab
oratory at 280l Upton street
INV. and the Department of
Terrestrial Magnetism at 524l
Broad Branch road NV.
| The Geophysical lab bores into
geological problems. Its chief
Interest is in the processes IN
volved in the formation and
evolution of the earth's crust.
At the Terrestrial Magnetism
lab. scientists are examining
ideas in physics. cosmic rays.
Iisotopes. Auclear physics and
Ibiosynthesis.
An example of their work turns
up in a recent report on 1.-THE
Upper Atmosphere
"Radio-star scintillation of the
radio waves from descrete celes-
tial sources has been observed as
consistently as possible during
the year. using simple techniquesI
lat SO cisco. The scintillationI
results from irregularities in the
upper ionosphere, and to UNDER
stand the origin of the Irregular
titles one must investigate their
behavior over different parts Of
the earth and their incidence at
different times"
Pure-Type Research
This is pure research -.
Smithsonian scientists--there
are about 100, and also Of the
lpure-type-are looking into the
mysteries of photosynthesis in
the basement of the old Smith
sonian Building. Its museum
curators are doing research on
the side in biology and geology,
Their chief concerns are the life
sciences and many are the re-
cipients Of scientific grants
awarded, sometimes by the
Atomic Energy Commission or
the National Science Foundation.
The National Academy Of
Sciences. which investigates
problems for either the Govern
ment or private industry, does
not conduct research locally.
More, it rounds up the scientists
who are best informed on a given
subject TO answer problems
brought up.
| Working arm Of the National
Academy--its members are the