THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC UNIONS AND CERTAIN ASSOCIATED UNIONS MONDAY, JUNE 7, 1965 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL Washington, D.C. The Subcommittee on International Organizations and Movements met at 10:40 a.m., room 2200, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Dante B. Fascell (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. FASCELL. The subcommittee will come to order. The bill now under consideration is H.R. 8716, which calls for an amendment to the act of August 7, 1935, concerning U.S. contribution to the International Council of Scientific Unions and certain associated unions. (The text of H.R. 8716 follows:) [H.R. 8716, 89th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To amend the Act of Congress approved August 7, 1935 (Public Law 253), as amended, concerning United States contributions to the International Council of Scientific Unions and certain associated unions Be in enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Public Law 253, Seventy-fourth Congress, as amended by Public Law 627, Eighty-fifth Congress, is hereby further amended by striking the words "such annual share, not to exceed $65,000 in any one year," and inserting in lieu thereof the words, "the United States annual share." Mr. FASCELL. Our witnesses this morning are Prof. Harrison Brown, foreign_secretary, National Academy of Sciences;_ accompanied by Mr. Edmund C. Rowan, head of the Section on International Organizations and Programs of the NAS; Mr. Sidney S. Cummins, Office of International Conferences, Bureau of International Organization Affairs; Dr. J. W. Joyce, officer in charge, General Scientific Affairs, International Scientific and Technological Affairs, Department of State; Dr. Edward Wichers, executive secretary, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, NAS-NRC. Gentlemen, come up and join us at the table, please. Professor Brown, I see that you have a rather lengthy statement. Would it be convenient for you to put the entire statement in the record and summarize, as you see fit? Mr. BROWN. May I do that, Mr. Chairman, and perhaps read a few of the more pertinent paragraphs? Mr. FASCELL. Without objection, Professor Brown's statement will be inserted in the record at this point. (The statement follows:) STATEMENT BY HARRISON BROWN BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND MOVEMENTS Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, I would like first to express the appreciation of the officers and members of the National Academy of Sciences for the opportunity to address your committee on the subject of the International Council of Scientific Unions, its constituent unions, and U.S. participation in these bodies. As you may know, the Academy was created in 1864 under a charter from the U.S. Congress with a principal purpose of providing advice to the Government. In the time available to me, I will undertake to describe the nature of the International Council of Scientific Unions, its scientific activities, and the activities of its constituent unions, as well as to discuss the benefits and costs stemming from U.S. participation in these bodies. With respect to the direct antecedents of the ICSU, one can note that the International Association of Geodesy, presently an important component of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics, was established in 1898. Similar organizations founded prior to the First World War suspended their activities during that conflict. In 1918, an Inter-Allied Conference on International Scientific Organizations met in London and adopted a resolution recommending the withdrawal of allied scientists from existing international organizations and the formation of new unions which neutrals would be invited to join. Each of the countries represented at the Conference was requested to establish a central scientific body capable or representing it on the international council. At conferences held in Paris and Brussels in 1918 and 1919, the International Research Council (IRC) was organized, initially embracing three unions, those concerned with astronomy, geophysics, and chemistry. In 1922 and 1925 the International Research Council admitted five more unions devoted to scientific radio, pure and applied physics, biological sciences, geography, and mathematics. During the late 1920's, there was increasing sentiment among the scientists in the unions constituting the IRC to enable their colleagues in the former central power countries of World War I to participate in the work of the scientific unions. This sentiment brought about a reorganization of the IRC in 1931. The individual unions were accorded autonomy and the IRC itself changed its name to the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). From 1931 until the onset of World War II, the scientific unions grew in stature and became recognized as principal vehicles for international cooperation among scientists through the support of a leading scientific body in each country. Shortly after the war, three international scientific unions (crystallography, theoretical and applied mechanics, and history of science) were accorded membership in ICSU. From 1955 through 1961, unions for physiological sciences, biochemistry, and geology were added, bringing the membership to its present total of 14 autonomous international scientific unions. There currently are two unions whose applications for membership are likely to be acted upon favorably in the near future. These relate to nutritional sciences and to biophysics. In addition to its 14 international scientific unions, ICSU also has some 57 socalled national members, each of which is a leading national scientific institution, preferably nongovernmental, which can broadly represent scientists in a country or other geographic area. The individual scientific unions also have these nations! members which may be either the same scientific institutions holding membership in ICSU or others. The number of national members for the unions varies from 26 in the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics to 68 in the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics. We might also note that some of the unions are umbrella organizations covering several semiautonomous subsidiaries. For example, the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics itself embraces seven international associations related to geodesy, seismology, meteorology, geomagnetism, oceanography, hydrology, and volcanology. I should like now to outline briefly for you the principal functions of the unions constituting ICSU. As these unions have operated over the years, it has become evident that their principal activities fall into four primary categories. The first of these is the organization and coordination of scientific meetings. The first scientific meetings were held to permit personal contact among scientists and to facilitate the exchange of information, as well as to foster dissemination of the methods and results of the work carried out in their respective countries. As the numbers and frequency of these sessions increased, scientific unions bad as one of their earliest objectives the coordination of international scientific meetings to avoid unintentional duplication. Indeed, almost without exception, the scientific congresses predated formation of the unions themselves. However, it was realized that some mechanism was needed to insure continuity of planning and cooperation from one congress to the next. In organizing such meetings, the scientists who make up these nongovernmental scientific unions decide what aspect of their discipline can best benefit from the stimulation and cross-fertilization of thought which occurs at congresses, symposia and colloquia. Face-toface exchange of scientific thoughts, comparison of hypotheses, and explanation, and in many cases criticism, of experimental results long have been recognized as essential to the innovative and creative progress of science. A second major activity of the unions is the establishment of agreed standards, units, and nomenclature, which are obviously fundamental for meaningful international communication, cooperation, and comparison of results. For example, the chemistry union is concerned with both academic and industrial aspects of chemistry for which international agreement or uniform practice is desirable. The union has issued, among others, a manual of Physico-Chemical Symbols and Terminology, manuals on nomenclature of inorganic chemistry, and has calculated new tables for atomic weights in cooperation with the physics union. The unions concerned with the life sciences and geological sciences also have many similar programs. The orderly and rapid dissemination of new scientific information may be considered as the third fundamental objective of the international scientific unions. This is achieved not only through large congresses and the many specialized colloquia and symposia, but through the extensive publication programs of the unions. Most of the unions publish regular bulletins containing news of the union, such as the newsletter of the International Geographical Union which has a circulation of over 7,000 copies. In addition there are many purely scientific publications, such as the Monographs of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics. The same union issues a chronicle which contains short notes on scientific meetings, or outlines various research projects going on in the field, as well as all types of international geophysical activities, or prints the papers and resulting discussions of a symposium or other meeting. A fourth and more recent addition to the list of important activities of the international scientific unions is the international collaborative program. Stimulated by the highly successful International Geophysical Year (IGY), scientists continue international collaboration in oceanography, antarctic research, and space research. We currently are in the midst of the International Quiet Sun Year which began formal operation on January 1, 1965. In addition, planning is underway for an Upper Mantle Project, an international program in atmospheric sciences complementary to that of the World Meteorological Organization, and an International Program in Water Research. Although global synoptic observations generally are unnecessary for biological studies, biologists have encountered several problems which can benefit substantially from an international collaborative effort. Recognizing the increasing requirements of the world's growing population, biologists are outlining an international biological program which is designed to establish the biological basis of productivity of terrestrial, fresh water and marine communities, as well as human adaptability to changing conditions and the management of biological resources. Most of these collaborative programs are interdisciplinary as well as international in character. Therefore, ICSU provides a natural aegis for these activities in that its members are both international scientific unions in individual disciplines, and national scientific institutions in various countries. I should also inject a word about developing countries. Although newly developing countries clearly need existing technology, they also aspire to competence in science and participation in the mainstream of international scientific affairs. Reciprocally, the cooperation of the newly emerging countries is necessary for the success of many of ICSU's global scientific programs such as the international biological program. As a consequence, ICSU recently recognized a responsibility to assist the development of science in these new countries. This assistance can take on many forms: provision of scientific journals and reference material, advice on structuring research and educational institutions, and help in research on particular problems. For example, the dams now being constructed on several large African rivers will produce huge manmade lakes which can be of increased practical value to African countries if some of the scientific problems caused by flooding vast areas can be solved. ICSU currently is assisting the U.N. Special Fund in the study of these lakes. ICSU, its member unions, and various committees provide advisory services on a wide range of subjects to various U.N. agencies including the International Telecommunications Union, the World Meteorological Organization, UNESCO, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Health Organization. Now it may be useful to examine the administrative and organizational structure of the unions in ICSU, as well as ICSU itself. Rather than describing the structure of each of the 14 autonomous scientific unions, I think it would be better to generalize although you should bear in mind that in some cases there will be exceptions to the rule. Each union has a democratic foundation in that ultimate authority for each rests in a general assembly, consisting of a specified number of voting delegates from national members, i.e., from a scientific institution in each country. Typically, the general assembly meets every third year. According to the written statutes of each union, the general assembly makes the principal managerial decisions concerning the future of the organization. It elects the officers, considers financial reports, and authorizes changes in statutes. The general assembly determines which scientific activities should be inaugurated or discontinued, which fields should be the subjects of symposia, in which countries the next general assembly and congress should be held, etc. The general assembly usually elects a council, bureau, or executive committee to conduct the union's business between the general assemblies. It is the responsibility of the institutional member in each country to see that its delegates get to the general assembly, this not being a financial responsibility of the international union itself. Those few scientists who are elected as officers of the international union customarily travel at the expense of the union to the meetings of the executive committee which are typically held once a year. The union also establishes commissions for particular scientific purposes. For example, the International Union of Crystallography has working commissions on crystallographic teaching, electron diffraction, crystallographic computing, structure reports, nomenclature, etc. The Year Book of the International Council of Scientific Unions (1965) lists all of these commissions, sections, and divisions of the unions constituting ICSU. The organization of ICSU itself also is democratic in character, involving proposals, discussion, with issues finally decided by majority vote. As may be seen on the chart which I have brought with me, the general assembly of ICSU is composed of representatives of the member scientific unions as well as the representatives of national members, i.e., scientific institutions in various countries. The statutes of ICSU are contained in the ICSU Year Book (1965) beginning on page 53. Until 1963, the general assembly of ICSU met every third year. However, at the general assembly of ICSU which was held in Vienna during November 1963, it was decided to have ICSU's general assembly meet approximately every 2 years in order that ICSU might respond more quickly to changing situations in world science. Since 1946 general assemblies of ICSU have been held in London, Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Oslo, Washington, and Vienna. The next general assembly will be held in Bombay in January 1966. As in the case of the individual unions, the general assembly of ICSU decides upon the scientific programs which it will pursue. These decisions are of substantial importance to the United States and other scientifically advanced countries and increasingly so to the developing countries. Between general assemblies, the business of ICSU is entrusted to an executive committee composed of a representative of each of the 14 constituent unions, of 10 representatives of the national members and of the president, past president, secretary-general, and Treasurer. Two of the union representatives are elected vice presidents as are 2 of the 10 representatives of national members. As required by the statutes, the executive committee is elected by the general assembly. The composition of the executive committee is indicated in full on page 10 of the 1965 ICSU Year Book. The statutes of ICSU provide that the principal executive power rests in the hands of the president, who is currently Prof. H. W. Thompson of Oxford University. It will be seen from the chart which I have brought with me that the ICSU mechanism for planning and coordinating its various scientific programs is a scientific committee which has represented in its membership scientists from the various unions as well as the various countries which might be expected to participate. It may be worth noting that ICSU does not have a committee on publicity. As a result, relatively few people are aware of ICSU although many are aware of the International Geophysical Year, the Committee on Space Research, and ICSU's research in oceanography and the Antarctic. We now should turn to the finances of ICSU and its constituent unions and the U.S. dues subscription to them, which will be one of the principal interests of the committee. On the assumption that it is preferable to let the figures speak for themselves, I have attached three financial charts as annexes to my report to your committee. Annex No. 1 is a statement of the actual U.S. dues payments to ICSU and its constituent unions for the years indicated, through 1964. Indication of the financial support by other member countries is made for the years 1956 through 1963. As the financial reports for 1964 have not been received, the table shows only the U.S. dues payments for that year. It should be noted also that the dues payment actually made to the Chemistry Union for 1964 was $10,000 because payment of $25,000 would have exceeded the current legislative ceiling of $65,000 established in 1958. For the year 1965, the amounts payable by the United States are indicated although actual payment for calendar year 1965 can only be made after the beginning of fiscal year 1966. I believe that it is worth noting that for the period 1956-62 the United States has paid on the average 13 percent of the total dues to ICSU and its constituent unions. I understand that the U.S. dues contribution to the United Nations and its various agencies generally exceeds 30 percent and to the Organization of American States and its agencies is about 66 percent. Putting it another way, each dollar in dues which the United States pays to ICSU is matched by $6 in dues from other countries, whereas each dollar which we pay to the United Nations complex is matched by approximately $2 from other countries. Annex No. 2 is a graph showing the payment of U.S. dues to ICSU and the unions for the period 1952-64 together with a projection based upon this experience, from 1965-75. The chart shows that U.S. dues payments in 1952 began to exceed the ceiling established by the Congress in 1935. Increases until 1956 were gradual, when with the beginning of active planning for the International Geophysical Year, ICSU increased its dues. Since that period, domestic and international scientific activity has steadily expanded. The dues to ICSU and the unions reflect this increased activity. It can be seen that the dues for 1963 were just below the existing ceiling of $65,000 and that in 1964 the dues payable exceeded the present ceiling. The projection of this graph over the next decade indicates that the $100,000 level would be reached in 1968 and in 1975 the dues assessment would approximate $140,000. While it is impossible to predict with precision the increased costs of scientific activities of ICSU and its 14 separate unions, I believe that the rate of growth shown by the graph is expected and justified. With respect to the finances of ICSU itself as distinct from its constituent bodies, I am pleased to provide a copy of ICSU's financial statement for the year ending December 31, 1963. I understand that the auditors currently are making their annual examination of ICSU's accounts and therefore we expect to receive the financial statements for 1964 within the near future. Pages 3 and 5 of the financial statement for 1963 are reproduced as annex No. 3 to show the overall balance sheet and income and expenditures of ICSU for 1963. I would be pleased to attempt to answer any questions which the committee may have, but I first would like to make a few comments. None of the chief scientific officers of ICSU or any of its constituent unions is remunerated for his time and services. As can be seen from annex No. 3, showing the expenditures for 1963, staff salaries come to $35,626. This small paid secretariat lends minimal administrative support to a wide range of scientific activities conducted by large numbers of scientists who are not compensated for their services. If ICSU and its unions are to be criticized from an administrative point of view, it is my belief that they provide inadequate administrative support for the size and complexity of the international activities they undertake. example, among the unions themselves only the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry has a small paid secretariat. The secretary general of the International Scientific Radio Union receives partial compensation for his serv For ices. A few of the unions hire the part-time services of a clerical secretary. However, most of the unions do not even enjoy this minimal administrative assistance. One of our principal objectives at the Academy, and one which I believe is shared by colleagues in the Department of State, is to encourage each of the international scientific unions to establish a minimally adequate administrative secretariat. Earlier I mentioned by name some of the international cooperative scientific programs planned and coordinated by ICSU and its unions. I believe that it is important for us to realize that one of the restraints on the planning of these international programs is the lack of funds. The international biological program probably would have been ready to launch this year instead of in 1967, if $30,000 to $40,000 had been available for planning purposes a few years ago. To a less extent, this can also be said with respect to the international program on atmospheric sciences. Because of a lack of funds, ICSU was not in a position to send a team to Africa for a study of the large manmade lakes but, after a period of 49-135-65- 2 |