40 OCEAN SCIENCES AND NATIONAL SECURITY 



presented by the United States and the other by the U.S.S.R. Four 

 additional members will be chosen in equal numbers from lists pre- 

 pared by these two Vice Presidents. From this experience, it is clear 

 that the U.S.S.R. was able to utilize its stature in space research to 

 insist on (in this case proportionate) membership in international 

 scientific organizations. Should the U.S.S.R. develop similarly in 

 the ocean sciences, world leadership which now resides in the United 

 States may well migrate to the Soviets, with consequent loss in 

 prestige in the scientific community. 



An early opportunity to foster such international projects, in this 

 instance in the Indian Ocean, has been proposed under the auspices 

 of SCOR. 



International cooperative attacks on little-known oceanic areas will stimulate 

 oceanographic activities in the surrounding countries and so accelerate the in- 

 crease of our knowledge. An example is the plan for a combined assault on the 

 Indian Ocean, the largest unexplored area on Earth, by the Special Committee 

 on Oceanic Research of the International Council of Scientific Unions. This 

 area is of particular interest to physical oceanographers because seasonal re- 

 versals in wind direction, that are not known elsewhere, provide opportunity 

 for studying the transient state in the wind driven currents. In this program, 

 scientists from the Northern Hemisphere and scientists and students from 

 the bordering countries could take part cooperatively in a series of simultaneous 

 expeditions. Thus, the expeditions not only would serve their primary purpose 

 of exploration but also would have a lasting effect in encouraging and develop- 

 ing the marine sciences and fisheries in those countries. It is estimated that 

 at least 16 ships from 11 different countries could be enlisted.^* 



The vSCOR program tentatively includes participation by Australia, 

 Denmark, France, Germany, United Kingdom, India, Japan, Union of 

 South Africa, United States, and U.S.S.R. Some of the costs are ex- 

 pected to be borne directly by participating nations, some to be 

 solicited from international agencies and private foundations. At the 

 present time, those planning the International Indian Ocean Expedi- 

 tion are hoping for equal contributions from the U.S.A. and the 

 U.S.S.R. which would represent roughly 80 percent of the total cost. 

 Detailed plans are to be discussed at the SCOR meeting in Copen- 

 hagen, July 9-20, 1960. 



Expeditions of all types incidentally provide a new means of "show- 

 ing the flag," and the traditional appearance of naval vessels as a 

 symbol of strength and good will may find effective supplementation. 



The importance of U.S. participation in international programs 

 was also recently discussed by Dr. Roger Revelle, Director of Scripps 

 Institution of Oceanography: 



No one nation can find out unaided all that it needs to know about the oceans. 

 International cooperation in the study of the seas is essential, just as it has 

 proven essential in studying the atmosphere and the stars. The United States 

 has an unparalleled opportunity to exert world scientific leadership in developing 

 this cooperation. Both before and during the International Geophysical Year, 

 American oceanographers played an important role as scientists in planning 

 and carrying out the initial steps in international cooperative oceanography. 

 They were backed with funds appropriated for the IGY by Congress. New 

 opportunities are now arising and these will also require funding. To prepare 

 for these opportunities, action by government agencies is now needed. 



An intergovernmental conference has been called by UNESCO for next July in 

 Copenhagen. At this conference it is hoped that interested governments will be 

 able to work out ways in which they can cooperate effectively in charting the 

 fioor of the sea, measuring its properties, and the movements of its waters, 

 and in surveying the seas' living resources. I recently attended the preparatory 

 meeting for this conference in Paris as one of four United States delegates. 



» NASCO Report, Chapter 10, op. cit., pp. 1-2. 



