53 



with you, if you like, to the table there those whom you want to have 

 participate with you in your statement, you may handle it in any way 

 you like. 



STATEMENT OF DR. JULIUS A. STRATTON, FORMER CHAIRMAN, 

 COMMISSION ON MARINE SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND RE- 

 SOURCES, ACCOMPANIED BY FORMER MEMBERS OF THE COMMIS- 

 SION, RICHARD A. GEYER, HEAD, DEPARTMENT OF OCEANOG- 

 RAPHY, TEXAS A. & M. UNIVERSITY; CHARLES F. BAIRD, VICE 

 PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL NICKEL CO.; JAMES A. CRUTCH- 

 FIELD, PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS, UNIVERSITY OF WASHING- 

 TON; JOHN A. KNAUSS, DEAN, GRADUATE SCHOOL OF OCEANOG- 

 RAPHY, UNVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND; JOHN H. PERRY, JR., 

 PRESIDENT, PERRY PUBLICATIONS, INC.; GEORGE E. REEDY, 

 PRESIDENT, STRUTHERS RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CORP.; 

 GEORGE H. SULLIVAN, GENERAL ELECTRIC CO.; AND THE 

 FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAMUEL A. LAWRENCE 



Dr. Stratton. Mr. Chairman, and gentlemen, thank you very much. 

 If it had been at all possible every member of the Commission would 

 have been here this morning. I am gratified and very appreciative that 

 there are eight of us here. 



Would you like me to ask them to rise ? I would like to have them all 

 up here but it is not feasible. 



Mr. Lennon. I see that, but it would be so helpful to have them 

 stand up as you recognize them. 



Dr. Stratton. Dr. Geyer is the vice chairman. 



Mr. Perry— not taking them alphabetically — Dr. Sullivan, Dr. 

 Knauss, from Rhode Island, Mr. Reedy, Professor Crutchfield, from 

 the University of Washington, Mr. Baird, and Dr. Lawrence. 



I believe I have covered them. 



Mr. Lennon. Thank you very much, Doctor. 



Dr. Stratton. With your permission, gentlemen, I had prepared 

 an opening statement to launch the discussion. I will present this first, 

 and then in the question period I would like to call upon my associates 

 here who are particularly informed in one area or another. 



I would like to say, Mr. Chairman, that we are hopeful and confident 

 that the hearings you have plamied for these coming weeks may lead 

 to developments of historic importance for the benefit of our country, 

 and we welcome this opportunity to discuss our findings and conclu- 

 sions. 



As you indicated, Mr. Chairman, the Commission has completed its 

 formal assignment. Our report has been rendered and widely dis- 

 seminated. There has been time for all concerned to examine the text 

 and time to react to our major proposals. 



This report has now been buttressed by an additional 1,100 pages of 

 panel studies, and I recommend these most strongly to those of you 

 who have a concern for specific areas. This is the background, this is 

 the foundation upon which we based our conclusions. 



The report itself, "Our Nation and the Sea," presents an array of 

 recommendations on the tremendously diverse aspects of marine and 



