SEA GRANT COLLEGES 277 



Oceanography is important business — a Government, industry, and academic 

 community constituted by both big business and small business; an exploding 

 new market on a new economic frontier assuring benefits for this great Nation 

 of ours. 



Believing no other frontier offers greater economic return for effort and dollar 

 invested, we have urged constructive deliberation on matters related to ocean- 

 ography, suggesting this will lead to meaningful and purix)seful legislation such 

 as S. 24*39. 



We are encouraged by the expected enactment of Senator Magnuson's bill S. 

 9-M believing this legislation to be an extremely important and significant recog- 

 nition of the opporunities for action in what remains this last frontier for these 

 United States. 



S. 2439 is a much needed companion. Enjoying historical precedence, the sea 

 grant college like its predecessor the land grant college serves two basic and 

 inescapable needs — the assured and increasing return on our ocean investment 

 and a practical and equitable solution to the young men and women of our Nation 

 who with increasing numbers wish to pursue a career in oceanography. As this 

 new community of interest captures the imagination of our young folk, those 

 youngsters in the primary grades, etc., such as Buck Rogers of yesteryear, what 

 more logical step, what more practical solution exists than providing the means 

 whereby the extension of this interest and imagination can be converted into 

 application and working knowledge of a specialized nature. Our Nation will 

 be the richer. 



The following is in part a message we forwarded to the President several 

 months ago. 



"May we now, Mr. President, solicit your aid in achieving 'opportunities for 

 action' in what remains the last frontier for these United States? Your out- 

 standing achievements as a legislator in the early days of aerospace, your pro- 

 found regard for the well-being and defense of your countrymen, your keen 

 foresight and imagination in regard to the future of our great Nation and your 

 deep concern for the peoples of the world prompts this request for action, for 

 increased attention to the seas around us, the inherent values contained therein 

 and the benefits due us all. 



"Expanded exploration, exploitation, such as desalination and increasing uses 

 of the ocean environment have already begun. We are on the threshold of a new 

 and powerful industrial, scientific, and academic era dedicated to this environ- 

 ment. Wider and wider attention is rightfully being given the oceanographic 

 community. Employment opportunities of the first magnitude — the result of new 

 and expanding business and manufacturing enterprise — are here. A new genera- 

 tion of oceanographers, oceanologists and aquanauts is emerging. INIany of the 

 courageous domestic policies and opportunities initiated by your administration 

 can be enhanced by benefits derived from and with the oceanographic community. 

 We submit that no other single field of endeavor can offer such opportunities 

 for a greater return in exchange for practical, economical, and world political 

 considerations." 



Consistent with our remarks, we urge favorable consideration for your bill S. 

 2439 and we offer our wholehearted support. 



You may l>e interested to know that the editors of UnderSea Technology, 

 Mr. Larry L. Booda and Mr. Charles W. Covey, received just recently the Jesse H. 

 Neal Editorial Achievement Award. It was presented in recognition of the most 

 outstanding series of editorials among the Nation's business magazines. The 

 subject matter of the editorials related to our messages to the industry we 

 represent and the Government. 



The forthcoming May issue will contain several references to your bill as well 

 as an article entitled "Sea Grant Colleges" auhored by Dr. John A. Knaus, dean, 

 Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island. 



We look to you and your colleagues for serious consideration in this current 

 "opportunity for action" so important to oceanography as thoughtful consider- 

 ation to the Nation's ocean exploration program is being rendered. 

 Sincerely, 



Charles H. Bussmann, Publisher. 



