73 



Arctic programs are chiefly the responsibility of the Coast Guard and the De- 

 partment of Defense. The Coast Guard supports Arctic investigations and has 

 international responsibility for the Iceherg Pati'ol in the North Atlantic; Navy 

 submarines and surface craft have also conducted extensive Arctic investigations. 

 Additionally, ESSA operates weather and geophysical observing programs, as 

 well as extensive ocean mapping and charting activities. 



The Commission believes that the civil aspects of polar scientific research and 

 support would henefit from consolidation in a single agency. To achieve the 

 consolidation within NOAA would free NSF from concern with logistic matters 

 and release the Navy from the burden of supporting a civil program. However, 

 it would take time for the Coast Guard to develop the logistic support capability 

 now provided by the Navy in Antarctica, and the Commission does not believe 

 that the consolidation of polar research activities is an immediate need of the same 

 urgency as the other elements of its recommended organization plan. 



Mr. Pelly. Mr. Chairman, I do not want to take so much time, but 

 with your indulgence I am under the impression that one of the criti- 

 cisms directed at this report came from someone in my part of the 

 country, and maybe Dr. Crutchfield would have seen it; in other 

 words, that this was sort of a giveaway of our seabeds to the United 

 jSTations and so forth. 



I am referring to an individual who I think was chairman of the 

 Bar Association Committee on the Law of the Sea at one time, Mr. 

 Edward Allen, a very highly recognized man. 



Would you address yourself to the question of the Continental 

 Shelf and beyond as to any recommendation that you would make for 

 any changes in the ownership of that ? 



Dr. Stratton, Mr. Chairman, in regard to this whole international 

 matter, I would like to make a few comments, and perhaps Dr. Crutch- 

 field will comment. 



If I may make one proposal, there are three key members who 

 worked on the international problem, which is one of the very diffi- 

 cult and controversial points, as you say. Dr. Auerbach, Mr. Blaustein, 

 and Mr. Jaworski couldn't be here today, and I have wondered in 

 the light of the importance of these issues if perhaps at some later 

 hearing they might appear. It is very complex. 



Dr. Crutchfield, would you care to make any comment? 



Dr. Crutchfield. I certainly would not wish to try to answer the 

 question in the detail that Dr. Auerbach, Mr. Blaustein, or Mr. Jawor- 

 ski could. I think the key answer to your question, Mr. Pelly, was 

 developed very well by Dr. Auerbach at a recent meeting of NSIA 

 here in Washington, in which he pointed out that the Commission 

 report does not give away an3rthing in any respect, a living or non- 

 living resource to which we had title. 



Mr. Pelly. There is no such authority to give away an3i;hing, but 

 does it recommend anjrthing which could be interpreted as suggesting 

 and recommending that eventually some plan would be made? 



Dr. Crutchfield. I don't think any such interpretation was in- 

 tended or could be made as the report is written. 



Mr. Pelly. I am glad to know that. I am under the impression 

 myself that under the 1958 convention we are given sovereignty over 

 the Continental Shelf to the 200 meter and beyond where we can ex- 

 ploit it. As far as I know, we already own as far as we can exploit 

 and nobody can take that away from us except by a vote of the House 

 and the Senate. It cannot be done by treaty. Therefore, the Congress 

 can be a watchdog so that no such giveaway would be done without 

 the consent of Congress. 



26-563— 69— pt. 1 6 



