a7 
- “The conduct of oceanographic research on a large scale is rela- 
tively young in both the Soviet Union and the United States. In the 
United States, oceanography underwent very rapid growth during the 
Second World War when the Government and the scientific commun- 
ity suddenly realized that nature is often a limiting factor in the effec- 
tiveness of new devices designed for use in the ocean. .. . 
The Soviet Union began its major oceanographic expansion in the 
1950’s, around the same time they pushed ahead with the development 
of a major worldwide fishing capability and a large merchant marine. 
Evidence indicates that the United States was the world’s leader 
in oceanography (measure in terms of inputs: ships and scientific 
personnel) until the early 1960’s, when the Russian program of expan- 
sion was well underway.” (Franssen, pp. 545-546.) 
15. How relevant are the impressive Soviet ocean’s policy and ad- 
ministrative charges to the United States? 
‘““. . . Soviet successes should not imply a need for restructuring 
U.S. ocean policy along Soviet lines. Aside from the basic commitment 
to a unified ocean policy, made at the highest level in Soviet Govern- 
ment and the Communist Party, there is little organizationally worth. 
borrowing from this system. 
Soviet oceans policy and administration is formally centralized and 
unified. In fact, however, the various compound elements operate 
fairly independently of each other, often in competition. If the top 
leadership choose they could direct a unified administration. This 
would require Party intervention at all levels and might be more 
costly in loss of technical efficiency than perceived gains in unified 
policy. Were U.S. policy unified or even organized at the top, ocean 
policy guidelines could be established as a basis around which techni- 
cal consensus could be reached. No need for direct political interven- 
tion in each technical sphere would be required. The point is that 
the American system has the capability for more effective coordination 
and performance. What is needed is some oceans policy apparatus 
at the top, and further coordination of those scattered civilian ocean 
activities which logically belong in a single agency or department.” 
(Franssen, pp. 627-628.) 
