180 HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



spacecraft. The roar of the Saturn on blast-off failed to drown out the 

 noise and excitement created by a statement on the same day by the 

 Critical Issues Council, of the Republican Citizens Committee (a 

 group presuming to speak for elements of the Republican Party), 

 calling on the United States to abandon the 1970 goal of a manned 

 lunar landing. One sentence in the declaration particularly infuriated 

 Chairman 'league: 



The exploration of our universe is a goal too vast, too hazardous, too costly, 

 and too important to all mankind to be financed and conducted by one country alone, 

 and least of all in an atmosphere of unfriendly competition. 



Having just emerged from the bitter fight over a President's 

 suggestion that the United States and the U.S.S.R. undertake a 

 joint lunar landing program, Teague was in no mood to have the 

 issue revived. On the same day as the Saturn shot and the same day of 

 the council's statement, Teague fired off a telegram to Dr. Milton 

 Eisenhower, chairman of the council: 



This wire is to invite you and your committee or any member of your committee 

 to appear before the Manned Space Flight Subcommittee of the House Committee on 

 Science and Astronautics and present any evidence which you have which would 

 indicate that our space exploration program is too vast, too hazardous, too costly, 

 and too important to all mankind to be financed by one country alone. 



Speaking from Cape Kennedy, Teague blasted the council as 

 "doing a disservice to a very successful American space program." 

 He pointed out that "it is not a crash program, but a very austere 

 program and a program that is making excellent progress." He added 

 that any slowdown in the program would eventually increase its costs 

 to the country. 



In his response to Teague's telegram on June 2, 1964, Dr. Eisen- 

 hower neatly sidestepped the issue and suggested that President John- 

 son should convene "leading experts" to reevaluate the program: 



When the Critical Issues Council decided to study the space program, two of its 

 members agreed to form a study group with the understanding that they would be 

 free to consult with leading scientists, engineers, and science administrators, regard- 

 less of their party affiliations. Most of those who were consulted wished not to be 

 identified publicly. The statement issued by the Council represented a consensus of 

 these specialists. 



The members of the Critical Issues Council believe profoundly that the space 

 program should be kept out of partisan politics and a careful reading of its statement 

 will show that K adheres to this view. I believe and am so recommending to him, 

 that President Johnson should bring together leading experts in the held, with no 

 reference to political affiliation of the advisers, and ask these specialists to reevaluate 

 the program, a major portion of which is praised by the Council's statement. 



I realize ihat the responsibility which your committee has in this matter and my 

 hope would be that the judgments of a Presidential advisory group would be presented 

 to your committee in harmony with normal governmental procedures. 



