COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE JOHN W. FLANNAGAN, JR., Virginia, Chairman HAROLD D. COOLEY, North Carolina GEORGE M. GRANT, Alabama JOSEPH R. FARRINGTON, Hawaii JESÚS T. PIÑERO, Puerto Rico KATHERINE WHEELER, Clerk Col. Charles J. Hubbard_ D. M. Little, Assistant Chief for Technical Services, Weather Bureau_ Col. D. N. Yates, Weather Service, United States Army Air Forces.. III ARCTIC WEATHER REPORTING STATIONS TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1946 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The Committee on Agriculture convened at 10 a. m., January 22, 1946, John W. Flannagan, chairman, presiding. The CHAIRMAN. The committee will come to order. We have before us this morning H. R. 4611, bill instituted by Mrs. Smith of Maine, concerning the establishment of a meteorological observation station in the Arctic region of the Western Hemisphere, and so on. (The above-mentioned bill, H. R. 4611, is as follows:) [H. R. 4611, 79th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL Concerning the establishment of meteorological observation stations in the Arctic region of the Western Hemisphere, for the purpose of improving the weather forecasting service within the United States and on the international air transport routes from the United States Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, in order to improve the weather forecasting service of the United States and to promote safety and efficiency in air navigation to the highest possible degree, the Chief of the Weather Bureau, under the direction of the Secretary of Commerce, shall, in addition to his other functions and duties, take such action as may be necessary to initiate and participate in the development of an international basic meteorological reporting network in the Arctic region of the Western Hemisphere, including the establishment, operation, and maintenance of such station in cooperation with the meteorological services of foreign countries and with persons engaged in air commerce. SEC. 2. There are hereby authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. The CHAIRMAN. Mrs. Smith, I presume you desire to make a statement before we hear from your witnesses. If that is true, we shall be glad to hear from you at this time. Mrs. SMITH. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Last year I introduced a bill, H. R. 4611, calling for the establishment of meteorological observation stations in the Arctic regions of the Western Hemisphere. This proposal is for the purpose of improving the weather forecasting service within the United States and on the international air-transport routes. H. R. 4611, now before your committee, is a companion bill to S. 765, which was introduced by Senator Brewster, of Maine, passed by the Senate with some changes on October 29, 1945, and referred to you. Expert meteorologists have made the following observations with respect to the Arctic areas: 1. Basic weather forces originate in the Arctic areas north of this continent. 2. These forces influence weather movements and conditions within the United States and on the northern air routes. 3. Knowledge of Arctic weather characteristics is essential for more accurate forecasts and long-range predictions. General Henry H. Arnold, the commanding general of the Army Air Forces, recently emphasized the critical importance of these areas to our national security when he stated that the polar regions have been conquered by aviation. The general also cited distances, speeds, new weapons, and new planes to show that attacks will travel this course if there is another war. In addition to the scientific and strategic importance of these areas, their commercial aspects of weather stations in the Artic are evident from the following: 1. Greater accuracy and earlier predictions are of immense value to aviation, agriculture, industry, commerce and many other phases of our national life. 2. Examination of Arctic conditions is a necessary prelude to the development of future great circle transpolar flight routes. The Russians have demonstrated that maintenance of stations in remote Arctic areas is neither unusually dangerous nor unreasonably expensive. They maintain scientific research stations on the most remote islands of the polar sector of Russia. Arctic explorations have been sponsored for over two centuries, largely for the purpose of new discoveries, and we have benefited by them. But we find, with the progress of aviation, that it has ceased to be an isolated portion of the globe. It will in the future become a vital area-will be often and more easily penetrated. Never before has the security of this Nation been so dependent upon scientific research and development. Never before has investment in the field of science been so imperative. Any scientific program for the fuller development of our assets will be incomplete if it does not include Arctic weather research and study. The need for Arctic weather reporting stations, as authorized by these two bills, is inescapable. Mr. Chairman, I urge your favorable consideration of this legislation. I ask that you hear Dr. Reichelderfer, Chief of the Weather Bureau; Dr. Little, Assistant Chief, Technical Services; Col. Donald N. Yates, Chief of the Weather Service, United States Army Air Forces; Capt. Howard T. Orville, Bureau of Aerology; and Col. Charles J. Hubbard, MIT. The CHAIRMAN. I understand a similar bill was introduced in the Senate and has been passed by the Senate with certain amendments. Is that correct? Mrs. SMITH. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Do you remember the nature of those amendments? Mrs. SMITH. Yes. If you will look at my bill, H. R. 4611, I'll read the changes. First, the word "civil" should be inserted between the words "and international" in the fourth line of the preamble. Now follow on to line 8, striking out "to initiate and". On page 2, line 1, strike out "participate". The Senate also added in line 4 of page 2, after the word "such", the word "reporting". The following word "station" was made plural by adding the letter "s". |