190 OCEANOGRAPHY 1961 — PHASE 3 



The primary test for distinction between an earthquake and an 

 explosion, which was proposed in Geneva, simply will not work ; and 

 any experienced explosion seismologists could have told them that in 

 2 minutes, but they did not have the opportunity. We were not aware 

 of the existence of this problem. Nobody asked us. And it does not 

 get blazoned over the newspapers — the details of a technical problem. 

 We did not know about this. 



Now, since that time, when the Government realized, late in 1958, 

 after the Hardtack series of explosions, that they were in very hot 

 water, and later on in 1959, when it was realized there was something 

 they did not perhaps understand about explosion seismology, then 

 began the first inquiries into : What could the geophysical industry 

 do ? And as I say, Charles Bates had a lot to do with that. 



In due course of time, in March of last year, when it was decided 

 that an accelerated program in seismological research was needed, in 

 other words, the beginning of the current expansion of VELA-Uni- 

 f orm, then and only then did the Government finally call on the oil 

 industry for help. 



There was an ad hoc panel of the Federal Council set up to recom- 

 mend a program, consisting of 25 or 30 members, with one representa- 

 tive from the oil industry. I happened to have the honor of being 

 that representative. 



Now, since then, the participation of the oil and geophysical in- 

 dustries has grown. It has not yet reached the level to which we feel 

 it will grow, but it has been growing. And I feel that this is a healthy 

 change in that part of earth science. And we would like to see the 

 same sort of a change going on in oceanography, but it is going tx) 

 take some aggressive work by someone in a Government agency to get 

 this thing going. 



All right. Now, there is another reason, aside from our knowledge 

 of this background of what happened in explosion seismology, for 

 our uneasiness. 



Quite frankly, our contacts with the universities — and we do have 

 many, especially in our attempts to recruit personnel, to follow what 

 they are doing in basic research and so on — our contacts with the uni- 

 versities have not given us confidence in their abilities to handle cer- 

 tain important phases of the oceanographic program, getting back to 

 the proper subject of this meeting. 



Particularly, we feel that they are not best qualified to handle the 

 survey problems, as distinguished from the basic research problems. 

 We do not feel that they are fully qualified to provide the necessary 

 technology, instruments, and that sort of thing, or the business know- 

 how on how to run an efficient operation on a large scale. 



I will have a little bit more on this later on. 



Now, as an example of what I mean on the subject of technology, I 

 would like to quote briefly, if I may, from a statement by Dr. Ewing 

 during the Senate hearings on S. 901. And I should perhaps preface 

 this remark with the statement that I do know Dr. Ewing personally. 

 I have the greatest respect and admiration for him. I think he is one 

 of the most dedicated and most valuable scientists we have in this 

 whole field. However, I do not think this qualifies him as an in- 

 strument expert. 



Let me, if I may, read, here, an excerpt from his testimony. 



