318 



So, all I can say is tliat I heartily subscribe to the recommendations 

 of the Commission. I believe we might find after the agency is set up 

 that there are other agencies that might be transferred to it in addition 

 to the ones that have been recommended. The time is ripe for this coun- 

 try to realize the potential of the ocean. 



We are conducting right at this moment tremendously important 

 experiments in space and costly experiments in space that will expand 

 our knowledge and bring great prestige to this country. But, believe 

 me, the problems we face in feeding the people, the growing population 

 of not only this country but the world, the problems we face in mining 

 and the potential of exploiting the ocean bottoms, will make the space 

 effort look almost offhand rather than as exciting as it appears today. 



There is a tremendous potential that needs to be realized. I don't 

 believe we are ever going to really get an effective and expanded pro- 

 gram in oceanography going until this committee pushes hard for the 

 recommendations of the Commission. 



Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to testify. 



Mr. Hathaway. Thank you. We appreciate your statement. 



Do you think we can look forward to getting a statement of support 

 from the administration in the near future with respect to establish- 

 ment of this agency ? 



Mr. Wilson. I would hope so. I think it's incumbent on all of you 

 as individual members and this committe as a body to convince the 

 Vice President and the President of the importance of early action. 

 I am not talking out of school, I am sure, in saying that at a leadership 

 meeting at the White House a few weeks ago, the Vice President told 

 the President and all of us that he felt the Commission's recommenda- 

 tions were sound and that this was the type of program the Nixon 

 administration should get its full resources behind. No action was 

 taken by the leadership at that time. This was merely a statement by 

 the Vice President, and I am not trying to put words in his mouth. 

 I think he is being properly cautious in making public statements as 

 to what the plans are of this administration. IBut I have personally 

 gone to the White House in a special appointment_ with the Vice 

 President and urged him to use his full salesmanship and his full 

 talents in trying to get this Commission report adopted and a reorga- 

 nization plan underway. While he didn't commit himself positively 

 to me, there is no question of his interest. I am confident you are .going 

 to see the Nixon administration come in with a recommendation to 

 adopt the report of the Commission. 



Mr. Hathaway. Very good. We are glad to hear that because, as 

 you well know, coming "from a coastal State, this committee has a very 

 small constituency and we don't get much public pressureto install 

 a new agency and the recommendation of the administration would 

 carry considerable weight and help considerably to get this going. 



Mr. Wilson. I don't know about your constituency, but I live on 

 the sea coast. I remember one time we had some problems with beach 

 erosion. So we called a meeting of all the Members who were con- 

 cerned about beach erosion and it seemed to me that about half the 

 House of Representatives showed up. 



I didn't realize there were so many Congressman who represent 

 areas adjacent to the oceans or the Great Lakes. I said one time only 

 "the oceans" and Mr. Mosher chided me for not pointing out that he 



