After being elected, Johnson appointed the 26-year-old Neylan as Chairman of the State Board of Control, newly established by the legislature in 1911 to oversee agency expenses.

It was so successful in regulating the state's finances that it converted the $2,000,000 deficit taken on when Johnson entered office, into an $8,000,000 surplus at the end of six years.

After Johnson was appointed by the state legislature as US Senator from California, Neylan moved to San Francisco to practice law.

Neylan was an influential member of the Board's Finance Committee and was in great measure responsible for the University's role in the development of atomic research.

Through the club, Lawrence met William H. Crocker and Edwin Pauley; influential men who helped him get money for his energy investigations.

[1] In 1949-1950 Neylan was a central figure in the bitter controversy over the loyalty oath, which the state demanded of people involved with the university system, during the period of fears of Communist influence in academia.