40C 



became clear that this would imply recommendations for such massive 

 changes within that department as to be beyond our jurisdiction, for 

 it would be presumptive for us to say that this department or that 

 should be fundamentally reorganized for this purpose. So we ended up 

 by recommending to you what we believe has to be done in the way 

 of bringing together and of giving force and effectiveness. 



I think it is the most important thing that can come out of this 

 whole effort, that we move along those general directions. We are, as 

 you have indicated, conscious of the problems. We recognize that it 

 will take time. We also are reminded that the reason for an independent 

 commission and the instructions that you gave us were precisely 

 that we should look and make our recommendations based on what 

 we thought was best for the country and then we should have to look 

 after the consequences later on. 



I hope that that is implied here. The word, Mr. Mosher, "initially" 

 really applies to this. W e recognize an evolutionary process. We con- 

 template the new administration is going to consider the structure 

 and we do not by this recommendation or proposal want to preclude 

 such kinds of decisions with respect to the oceans. 



Mr. Mosher. That is all. 



Mr. Lennon. Mr. Rogers. 



Mr. Rogers. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Of course, I would hope in continuation of this discussion we are 

 having now that the present powers that died with the end of the last 

 Congress and its law on giving the President the right to reorganize 

 the Government — I would hope that this power will be reestablished 

 and I plan to help in this effort. I hope and I feel sure Congress will 

 give the President the right to reorganize as has been given other 

 Presidents. It would seem to me that if we can go through that 

 process, this would be the most expeditious and efficient way of bring- 

 ing about this reorganization. I think that it would have a tendency 

 to keep infighting down which was brought up through a reorganization 

 plan. 



I think it is well to note, too, that those functions that you have 

 suggested be brought together in NOAA for the most part are under 

 the jurisdiction of this committee. I do not think we will have too 

 much of the committee jurisdiction problem as much as we would 

 have the agency reaction. 



Let me ask this: Did you give any consideration to placing the 

 merchant marine within this agency? 



Dr. Stratton. Mr. Rogers, there was a good deal of discussion 

 about what our responsibilities were and what we should endeavor to 

 do in connection with the merchant marine. I am afraid we backed 

 away on it. It was a matter of time, a recognition of the complexity of 

 many factors, political, labor, and otherwise, and the fact that there 

 were other groups working with them. There were various suggestions 

 made that perhaps at the end we should propose that the merchant 

 marine should be placed in one agency or another, in this one or the 

 Department of Transportation and that we should take a position on 

 that. 



I think the unanimous feeling of the Commission members was, 

 however, at the end, that since we had said we were not prepared to 

 discuss the merchant marine problem basically, it would be presump- 

 tuous to come in with a sort of gratuitous recommendation to be placed 

 in the Department of Transportation or here. 



