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Mrs. Lasker, I believe you want to begin today by talking about the National Science Foundation legislation, did you not?

Yes, Mr. Mason. The National Science Foundation bill was introduced by Senators Kilgore and Magnusson as a result of the report by Vannevar Bush called Science: The Endless Frontier, which had been done at the suggestion of President Roosevelt and as a result of the interest of Mrs. Anna Rosenberg, when she received my memorandum saying that Federal research in science would cease with the end of the war unless some legislation were introduced to continue the work of Vannevar Bush's committee.

She was a very fortunate ally in this work, wasn't she?

Oh, yes, she certainly was, and a great friend. At the time she was very close to President Roosevelt and knew everybody in the Administration well.

Was this a basic interest of her or was it something that you inspired her to?

No, she really wasn't basically interested in it, but she was in favor of it without being preoccupied with the area of