1242 
as the involved government agencies such as ONR, the NSF and BCF. However, 
a great deal is lacking in terms of a really national effort and many opportunities 
have been missed in our failure to capitalize on important ideas that have 
emanated from the community. 
In order to understand this we only have to examine and admire the way the 
AEC has planned, coordinated and executed a truly national program in their 
area of responsibility. My letter is too brief to allow more than a summary 
extraction of the successful elements of the AEC program that are lacking in our 
oceanographic effort. Categorically, these are: 
1. General capital budget. 
2. Advanced specialized engineering. 
8. Special capital budgets (ships and structures). 
4, Manpower needs. 
Among the variety of planning functions that are required I have chosen 
these four because this is where the failures occur and this is just where a 
centralized agency is needed. Before detailing these items, I would like to 
explain how these failures come about. This is best understood via a counter- 
example and that is the operating budget. It has been my experience that a 
good proposal can be funded—if not one year then the next. The various 
agencies at present are geared to examine proposals critically and—if they 
pass—to vigorously prosecute the budget required to support them. This is very 
natural because a good administrator wishes to be associated with good pro- 
grams. However, the same administrator is not likely to act as vigorously for 
capital equipment such as buildings, ships and structures or for such long range, 
non-program associated projects such as specialized engineering. He would 
naturally prefer others to supply this service. If as in the case of the AHC, 
he is part of a specialized agency, he can reasonably expect that bureaucratic 
efforts to obtain the long range benefits will eventually pay off for his own. 
programs. 
I, personally, have been the beneficiary of this kind of excellent planning as a 
section leader in the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory of the AEC. I was im- 
pressed with how facilities which must have been years in the planning became 
available just as we needed them. 
The explanation of the items listed above is as follows: 
1. The capital items referred to here form the normal capital equipment 
of most laboratories, i.e., mass-spectrometers, x-ray analyzers, gas chromato- 
graphs. The development of any national program depends heavily on this in- 
vestment being made regularly. My previous experience indicates that an 
investment of about fifteen per cent of the annual operating budget is required, 
perhaps nearer twenty per cent, to allow for the more rapid depreciation of 
a rapidly developing technology. We are by no means making this kind of 
investment today and because of recent cutbacks, the first effects were felt in 
just this area by the nature of the system. 
2. The major oceanographic centers should have specialized advanced engi- 
neering groups who are funded independently of specific programs but who: 
concentrate on the special developments needed for oceanography in the period 
three to five years ahead. Suggested areas are seagoing computers and com- 
munications, remote power sources for benthic operations, mid-ocean platform 
technology, and so on. The AHC has maintained special groups for high speed 
electronics, accelerator design and special materials from almost its inception. 
3. Ships and special offshore research structures are to oceanography what 
the cyclotron is to nuclear physics and a policy of supplying the ships and 
operating costs to the major centers on a continuing basis is required. Assuming 
100% use is satisfied at such centers, greater freedom from the present patchwork 
support is essential. * 
4. A more rational manpower program is required than the present situation 
provides. I see overstimulation in some areas and underdevelopment in others. A 
Single agency would be in better position to estimate these needs and assign its 
support on a priority basis. 
ft wish to emphasize that I have touched only on those deficiencies that a single 
agency could rectify. I do feel, however, that these are critical and are just the 
ones that have prevented a major national effort from getting underway. I am 
convinced that H.R. 13247 holds the basis for a successful solution to these 
problems. 
Very truly yours, 
WILLIAM A. NIERENBERG. 
