NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 323 



I think it is a phrase which is very deceptive, because it is a creation 

 sometimes that is within this phrase. It can be many things with 

 quite different purposes. 



Now, one of the recommendations of the National Academy's ocean- 

 ographic committee of some years ago, which really provided much 

 of the impetus to the present program — was the attention on the neces- 

 sity for ocean wide surveys. 



In their mind, what they did was make recommendations for sys- 

 tematic surveys of the ocean, the ocean bottom and so on, on a world- 

 wide basis. They assumed, and rightly so I 'believe, that this is the 

 foundation for all activity in oceanography. 



This is a survey not directed at a specific purpose, for the same rea- 

 son you just want charts of the United States or maps and so on, it is 

 a service to everyone. This program, I think, has to be distinguished 

 from the survey activity that an oceanographic laboratory might want 

 or be required to make itself with vessels to obtain a solution to a prob- 

 lem or some specific and special aspect of oceanography it is interested 

 in. 



The Navy has surveys whic^h are sometimes much more specific, 

 where the area is determined by some operational need, where the 

 instrumentation or the detail may well be of a classified nature. This 

 Navy effort has to be related to that systematic survey and I think the 

 ICO has tried to provide those answers. These Navy efforts are also 

 called oceanographic surveys. 



I believe the area of systematic open literature worldwide surveys 

 is one where we are deficient. I think we have not kept pace with the 

 projections that, say, the National Academy of Science made. And I 

 would certainly be the first to welcome and support greater activity 

 by the Commerce Department in this area. In fact, I am delighted 

 by Dr. Hollomon's testimony, because I look forward to a substan- 

 tially larger proposition in the 1967 program coming from the Com- 

 merce Department than has come from it in the past. 



Mr. RoGEEs. Now, let me ask two or three questions quickly. 



Does the Commerce Department, for instance, make its budget sug- 

 gestions in the field of oceanography before or after clearing; with 

 ICO? 



Dr. Morse. The general sequence by which the program is con- 

 structed is that the program does not start in the ICO. It starts in 

 the agency. The initiative for programs — the fundamental initiative, 

 of course — comes from the agencies before the position of the agency 

 is frozen. The ICO has a chance to see it and have an impact on it, 

 but 



Mr. EoGEES. But the final determination is in the agency ? 



Dr. Morse. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Rogers. Have you had difficulty with any particular program 

 since your short stay here with the ICO ? 



Dr. Harris. With any particular agency ? 



Mr. Rogers. Yes. In other words, where you felt added emphasis 

 should be placed and that the agency itself did not share that feeling 

 of the ICO? 



Dr. Morse. I personally know only of one where the result was the 

 opposite — that is where I think — I am quite sure that the ICO, by 

 calling the attention of the agency and the Federal Council to a certain 



