OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 245 



Captain Beati-y. No, sir, I believe they should toe the line. 



Chairman Miller, In other words, if you go out and run into one 

 of those severe hurricanes, it is not going to be any easier on a Gov- 

 ernment boat? 



Captain Beatty. The elements respect no one, sir. 



Congressman Oliver. I would like to thank the captain for being 

 here and giving us the benefit of his wide experience. 



Captain Beatty. Thank you, sir. 



Chairman Miller. Who is next ? 



Mr. Donahue. Mr. Chairman, next we would like to present Mr. 

 Austin J. Powers, who was second mate aboard the Albatross III at 

 the time in which the vessel was in commission. 



Chairman Miller. Thank you; will you give your name and ad- 

 dress, Mr. Powers ? 



TESTIMONY OF AUSTIN J. POWERS, OF DOECHESTER, MASS. 



Mr. Powers. My name is Austin Powers; I live at 40 Bellevue 

 Street, Dorchester. 



Chairman Miller. You have heard the testimony of the people who 

 testified before you, you know there is in the record certain documents 

 given us today and find we have others. We are sorry to find that time 

 is running a little short. However, you have heard the testimony 

 and I would like to ask you to just try to give us your own ideas. If 

 you take issue with any of the testimony that you have heard today, 

 we would like to have you tell us that, too. 



Mr. Powers. I would like to go into the labor angle right away. 



Chairman Miller. All right, sir. 



Mr. Powers. I am the original organizer of that lodge. No. 1729. 

 I am the man who organized that union on board the Albatross. We 

 formed the union and got along for about 2 or 3 months, and every- 

 thing was all right, but on the 8th day of August I got a notice that 

 my services were no longer required. That was 3 months after I 

 formed the union. 



Chairman Miller. What year was this ? 



Mr. Powers. In 1956, the year the union was formed. I immediately 

 filed a protest and also Senator Kennedy and Senator Saltonstall, 

 and I contacted Mr. Johnson of the Post Office Department. We went 

 along writing letters back and forth concerning my layoff, but even- 

 tually they did have a hearing on my layoff in Washington. I attended 

 that meeting. They said then my layoff' was due to budgetary rea- 

 sons. That also led up to other men who were laid off at the same 

 time. One went back on later. However, the boat went in drydock 

 in 1956 and while it was in drydock I had to get off. But, before the 

 boat made another trip, they hired two men in the places of the men 

 let go. The reasons for it I don't know. 



I kept on in the argument about it, and in the long run I got back 

 on the boat on the iTth of March 1957. I was put back on orders of 

 Mr. Leffler, Assistant Secretary of the Interior. 



The reasons they gave was budgetary reasons, and they wanted to 

 curtail the operation of the ship. Then they bought a $12,000 piece of 

 junk, which, in my opinion, is the most ridiculous thing you can think 

 of putting on a research boat. They made a few trips, and the scien- 



