lems, the Panel wishes its major recommendations to stand apart from 
those regarding reorganization. However, the Panel assigns a very 
high priority to questions about present administration of the Nation’s 
ocean program. ; 
In the field of education the Panel assigns highest priority to devel- 
oping means by which scientists from a wide variety of fields and insti- 
tutions can be brought into research in the oceans. It is important to 
develop cooperative arrangements between universities throughout the 
country with oceanographic facilities. 
In particular the Panel views its recommendations with regard 
to ship provision (see sec. 10.6) as a major step in furthering the 
goal of effective use of the sea. The heavy overburden of bureaucracy 
associated with ship management deadens the intellectual life of lab- 
oratories and should be lessened. Our solution is to provide block- 
funding for the ships and organize the ships into regional operating 
fleets under “user group” management. 
11.2. OCEAN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN COMPARISON 
WITH OTHER FIELDS 
It is difficult in dealing with such complex subjects as oceanography 
to list priorities within the subject. Even more difficult is the task 
of comparing oceanography with other fields of science and tech- 
nology, although this kind of comparison is essential in developing 
a total national plan. 
Oceanography in the nondefense agencies is characterized by the 
fact that the percentage of total budget devoted to research and de- 
velopment is high; the percentage devoted to basic research is similar- 
ly high. In terms of total expenditures for the national oceanographic 
program, basic research makes up about 10 percent; whereas in other 
fields of science and technology the percentage devoted to basic re- 
search is 10 percent of research and development, rather than of the 
total program. 
We cannot compare oceanography, for example, with the high 
energy physics program, since that program is devoted entirely to 
science and is thus 100 percent basic research. Perhaps a large gov- 
ernmental program most nearly paralleling oceanography is the space 
program, which is something like 90-95 percent research and develop- 
ment and, like oceanography, has a similarily high percentage of basic 
research. 
We believe the present oceanographic program can be justified to 
a large extent on the basis of its contributions to national security 
and to civilian economy. We feel that a much stronger program can 
be developed along the lines outlined in our report and that oceano- 
graphy should receive a higher priority in the national planning than 
it has in the past. For example in any competition for funds with the 
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