09/21/98 ...AND OUTLAYS FOR RESEARCH ARE PALTRY, TOO

...AND OUTLAYS FOR RESEARCH ARE PALTRY, TOO

''The innovative society'' (Editorials, Aug. 24-31) addresses the need for increased federal funding for research. Your statement that Washington needs ''an economic policy with a top priority of encouraging innovation'' was on target. Our coalition, which consists of 28 Chambers of Commerce from all parts of the U.S., believes that federal research funding should be increased. The most critical need is in defense basic research. Although it spurred the development of the transistor and the Internet, defense basic research is down by 30% in real dollars since its peak in fiscal year 1993. Regaining this lost ground needs to be a top priority in federal budget deliberations.
Jim Klocke
Executive Director
National Business Coalition
for Federal Research
Boston