8795 
move them into an operating problem in order to solve that problem, 
with the intent, of course, of putting them back once the problem is 
solved. 
But this temptation exists constantly and if you do not have a very 
strong and vigorous research side management pushing hard all the 
time, there is a tendency to reduce the urgency and reduce the thrust of 
your research program. 
That would concern me. That is why I think you will find that the 
organizations I referred to have restored to moving their research 
people away from or out of the direct operating line. 
Mr. Mosuer. Mr. Chairman, could I pursue this just a little further ? 
T don’t want to take too much time. 
Mr. Lennon. Oh, yes. 
Mr. Mosuer. I have heard it argued that the day-to-day operational 
responsibilities picked up by ESSA actually have suffered since crea- 
tion of ESSA, have suffered to some extent because in the administra- 
tion of ESSA there is too much interest in the scientific aspect. Now 
are you suggesting that there would be a similar fear, if the Coast 
Guard was moved into NOAA, that the top management interest in 
NOAA might be so oriented toward science and technology develop- 
ment that the day-to-day practical operations of the Coast Guard 
would suffer, the matter of buoy tending and that sort of thing? Is that 
your basic argument ? 
Mr. Beces. I think that danger exists; yes, sir. It exists in my mind. 
Mr. Mosuer. Would you specifically cite ESSA as an example of 
this ? 
Mr. Brces. I am not as familiar with the ESSA organization as I 
am with some of the others and I don’t know what the experience in 
this regard has been. However, I think that this kind of a consequence, 
on emphasis on the scientific and engineering side can and does exist. 
Mr. 'Mosuer. Well, now, your statement very properly, I think, em- 
phasized the primary and transcendent interest of the Coast Guard 
in functions that have to do with transportation, the day-to-day job 
that the Coast Guard is doing so well right now, and you seem to sug- 
gest that if it was moved into NOAA that these might suffer and the 
national interest might suffer because they would be separated from 
the integrated transportation interests that were conceived for the 
Department of Transportation. 
However, the concept of NOAA that I assume the Stratton Com- 
mission had was that the Coast Guard has a potential in NOAA that 
goes way beyond its present day-to-day jobs; without hurting its pres- 
ent day-to-day jobs, the Coast Guard could be an augmented and ex- 
panded organization in the uses of the oceans, and that this could be 
done definitely without interfering with its transportation functions 
and its other present day-to-day functions. 
I guess what we have to consider here in the committee are those 
two different concepts of the Coast Guard, whether to emphasize its 
present role or the concept of the Coast Guard as an expanded, more 
dynamic, more interesting, in a way, augmented organization. 
Mr. Chairman, that is all. 
Mr. Lennon. Thank you, Mr. Mosher. Mr. Karth ? 
26-563—70—pt. 224 
