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lems. I. had the pleasure of being invited to attend one of their hearings 

 in my district during the Labor Day recess. It is tied up with problems 

 arising out of the laws of 50 States. There are knots and this other com- 

 mission is trying to untangle them. You have international problems 

 which are not nearly as difficult in my estimation as those concerning 

 the use of lands for recreation, wilderness areas, or national parks. 



So while you may have difficulties, you still are in the infancy of 

 resolving the international legal problems. 



I just want to conclude by saying that we await the report when 

 it does come. I will be glad to wait 6 months additional and support 

 that if you feel you need the time. We are very anxious to get going 

 •and today, as I said, I think is a milestone to many of us who have 

 waited for years to progress as far as we are now. 



Thank you. 



Dr. Stkatton. Thank you very much. 



Mr. Lennon. Mr. Dow ? 



Mr. Dow. Dr. Stratton, I want to salute you for making a very- 

 splendid presentation. I like particularly the whole tenor of your 

 statement as far as a broad overview of the whole problem of ocean- 

 ography and, thankfully, you and your commission have not been 

 lured into the depths of detail to a point where they have lost the 

 broad picture. I think it good that you have been able to maintain 

 your perspective. 



I have only one question really and that is relating to page 12, your 

 subparagraph : 



What organizational changes and initiatives are necessary to achieve our 

 objectives? 



I rather hope that your commission will make some recommenda- 

 tions so that our Nation will have an organization of a unified sort 

 and a constant review in the future of these oceanographic problems, 

 taking them as a whole, and that we will not lapse back into a frag- 

 mented situation that has obtained for a good many years in the 

 past. 



I would like to have your assurance that the commission would 

 address itself to this concept of a continuing management. 



Also, I would be curious to know. Dr. Stratton, whether any one of 

 the task forces or subdivisions of the commission is working on the 

 organizational problem or whether your whole commission at the 

 end will address itself to that, taking all the parts into consideration 

 before determining the general control for the future. 



Dr. Stratton. If I may respond, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Dow's surmise 

 is exactly right. 



In the first place, we have considered this problem of organizational 

 changes and issues as really the central matter to which we must 

 address ourselves. With respect to an organizational plan, we are by 

 intent of the legislation in a quite different position than the council. 



May I say here that I, too, share the admiration and respect for 

 what the coiincil has achieved, for the leadership and skill and energy 

 of Dr. Wenk. It is incumbent ujDon the commission to insure through 

 its recommendations that the vigor that has been infused into our 

 marine sciences program through the council is preserved. 



As I interpret the legislation, our major purpose is precisely that of 

 bringing to bear our judgment on the problem of management and 



