44 



Dr. Wenk. I absolutely agree. These particular contract studies 

 were discussed with some of the members of the Academy of En- 

 gineering. They felt that this time scale that we have established is 

 rather short for the kind of study that they could undertake. 



Secondly, they thought that each one of these involved a collection 

 of local specialists whereas they are covering a much broader field 

 through their membership. 



Mr. KoGERS. Would you let us know when you make any requests 

 to them or advise the committee on this? I think this would be helpful. 



Dr. Wenk. I would be very pleased to, Mr. Kogers. Perhaps I could 

 submit to you a copy of this letter that we are sending out, together 

 with a list of all of the addressees. 



Mr. Rogers. That would be helpful. 



(The letter mentioned follows :) 



Sample Letter 



Executive Office of the President, 

 National Council on Marine Resources and 



Engineering Development, 

 Washington, September 12, 1961. 

 Mr. Thomas C. Kavanagh, 



Chairman, Council on Ocean Engineering, American Society of Civil Engineers, 

 New York, N.Y. 



Dear Mr. Kavanagh : On behalf of the Vice President and Members of the 

 National Council on Marine Resources and Engineering Development, I should 

 like to bring to your attention a brief report on the status of Council planning, 

 and to indicate how w^elcome any comments or recommendations would be by 

 your committee of the American Society of Civil Engineers. 



As you know, the Marine Resources and Engineering Development Act of 

 1966, PL 89-454, established a major new National policy to intensify the 

 study and effective utilization of the sea. The measure also created a cabinet- 

 level policy planning Council, chaired by the Vice President, to assist the President 

 in carrying out this mandate. 



During its first year of operation, the Council has endeavored to determine 

 how marine science efforts could contribute to national goals ; to provide direc- 

 tion, momentum and coordination of Federal programs in some eleven depart- 

 ments and agencies ; to identify priorities ; and to strengthen cooperation be- 

 tween Federal and non-Federal interests. 



The Council's first assignment was to draft for the President the report on 

 "Marine Science Affairs" which identifies the scoi)e and balance of the entire 

 Federal Government's programs and special initiatives for Fiscal Year 1968. By 

 way of background, I am enclosing a copy of the legislation, of the President's 

 report, and of a recent progress report to the Congress. 



Now the Council faces a new task — to define longer range concepts and goals : 

 to strengthen the core program of existing activities, and to develop new policies 

 and programs that would advance the Nation's progress in marine sciences toward 

 objectives of the organic act. 



We thus want to make sure that Council members and the participating Federal 

 agencies have brought to their attention the best of new ideas and insights as to 

 promising paths of broad technological development and policies that would 

 foster such advances from all interests throughout the country — state and local, 

 industrial, academic and professional. To that end, we look forward to gaining 

 the benefit of guidance from specialists represented by your organization, in 

 relation to the Council's responsibility for developing comprehensive plans for 

 marine science affairs. 



May I suggest that you consider this letter an invitation to communicate views 

 appropriate to our planning this fall for Fiscal Year 1969 — that incidentally will 

 have a significant effect on developments for almost the next two years — but also 

 an open invitation for suggestions in a longer range time scale. 



May I also take this opportunity to say how very important we regard 

 activities of your organization in bringing to its professional members the 



