60 EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMMITTEE ON OCEANOGRAPHY 



oceanographers to give a final look at this program, and to make sure 

 that all of the national interests, both within Government and from 

 without Government, have been given consideration. 



Now, as I understand it, this is a committee to advise the President's 

 Science Adviser on what he might recommend the Federal Council 

 do with this program when it comes in to them. So, in a sense, it is 

 an independent review that the Federal Council has by another group 

 on how this works. 



Now, this is a rather brief review. As I remember, it takes about 

 a week. They draw in top scientists in oceanography from various 

 institutions, and they ask us to critically review the program much 

 like you are critically reviewing our program. 



Mr. Bauer. Well, do you know the composition of the Committee? 



Mr. McKernan. Yes; I am not sure I can remember all of them. 



Mr. Bauer. Would you supply it for the record? 



Mr. McKernan. I would be glad to. 



Mr. Bauer. Now does this Committee review the budget recom- 

 mendations of ICO? 



Mr. McKernan. Yes. 



Mr. Bauer. And the members of this Committee are recipients of 

 the moneys that are in the budget? 



Mr. McKernan. No; not necessarily. 



Mr. Bauer. Well, Dr. Ewing is. 



Mr. McKernan. Well, Dr. Ewing may have some contracts, but 

 I am quite certain you will find 



Mr. Bauer. How about the other members? 



Mr. McKernan. I am quite certain you will find that for example 

 in our own budget, none of the people that reviewed this program are 

 recipients of any of our funds. 



Mr. Bauer. Anyone from Woods Hole on the Committee? 



Mr. McKernan. I think so. 



Mr. Bauer. Isn't it true that you have a contract with Woods Hole 

 for the sum of $28,000 for oceanographic research? 



Mr. McKernan. I would have to check, but I don't believe that 

 anvone from Woods Hole was on this last year. Art? Dr. Maxwell 

 I believe Dr. Carritt, from MIT. Dr. Carritt from MIT was on this 

 committee. 



Mr. Bauer. Well, the point that I am raising is, Isn't it possible 

 that if the program were reviewed by the benefactors of the program 

 it could create a conflict of interest? 



Mr. McKernan. I think this is possible. I would hope, of course, 

 that this weren't so. It would be impossible within the United States 

 to get eminent oceanographers who were not directly or indirectly 

 supported in one way or another by contracts of the Government, be- 

 cause this is the way much of the very expensive ship operations is 

 derived at the present time, from contracts with Government. 



By the way, I agree this is a disadvantage. I don't right offhand 

 see how you overcome it. 



Mr. Bauer. Doesn't industry have competent oceanographers 

 working for them? 



Mr. McKernan. Of course, quite a lot of the industry has con- 

 tracts with the Government, too. 



Mr. Bauer. In the field of oceanography? 



