Mr. BOWLING. Yes; and cooperate through the use of Federal funds. Mr. WHITTEN. Do you know how long the Bureau of Animal Industry has wanted this big plant?

Mr. BOWLING. I do not, but I know that the Department, during the time that Dr. Mohler was head of the Bureau, for years, there was always a very strict agreement that no foot-and-mouth virus should ever be brought in, no research would be done in this country.

Mr. WHITTEN. The reason I asked that question is that the footand-mouth disease work, seems to be used by some folks in the Department to get a big pentagon building for themselves.

I raised the same question when this matter was up before.
Mr. BOWLING. Yes.

Mr. WHITTEN. Is there anything to indicate it is better to bring the disease in yourself than to run the risk of having the disease brought in by outside forces? The point I am making is that the first justification was strictly from the domestic angle, and when that did not work, the effort is to bring it in as a national defense item.

Mr. BOWLING. Our reaction at this time would be that it would be more dangerous to bring the virus in, for the simple reason that this disease is caused by a virus, which is not known, and no one knows the way the disease is transmitted; it is impossible for them to cure the disease, nor do they know all the ways in which it is transmitted.

Mr. WHITTEN. It is something like polio and certain other diseases. They know some ways but do not know all the ways it is transmitted? Mr. BOWLING. That is exactly right. They know some ways but do not know all the ways it spreads. And since they do not know all the ways, how can they possibly know by setting up a laboratory they can keep it under control, when they may have it in a little pilot room or area, the size of this room, and try to transfer the technique to some area covering some several acres on several animals? It is almost impossible, I think, and I do not know how they can do it. And naturally our people are very fearful of what might happen.

Mr. WHITTEN. What about the national defense angle. If a bomb were dropped on this particular spot, might not the disease spread across to the mainland, and therefore the infection would be more wide spread than it might be otherwise?

Mr. BOWLING. It is more dangerous now than ever before.

Mr. WHITTEN. The point I am making is that if you have some of the diseases close to the mainland like this, there is more danger of it being spread around to the area close by.

Mr. BOWLING. Yes. The danger is just increased a hundred fold, and we believe that the thing to do would be to supplement the work that is being done in England, Holland, Switzerland, and Mexico, and if we have friendly relations, with some of the South American countries doing work, and that would be a very small fraction of the cost suggested here.

Mr. WHITTEN. And that is something that would be welcomed, because they already have the disease and are inviting us to participate in the fight against it?

Mr. BOWLING. Yes; and they would certainly appreciate some little help.

Mr. WHITTEN. As well as personnel?

Mr. BOWLING. Yes. These countries have been very friendly, and there is a man on the way from England now to find out something

about how work is being done. It would be much more economical for us to cooperate with them, because they have laboratories at work now. We would not have to wait for 3 years before we can get started. Right now the main thing we want is results; we want to find out how to control it, we want to find out how to prevent it, so our objective is the same as the objective of those in other countries.

Mr. WHITTEN. Any questions, Mr. Stigler?

Mr. STIGLER. Just one question, Mr. Chairman: A moment ago you spoke about contribution to other countries which now have foot and mouth disease. Do you care to suggest the amount that should be contributed, or do you have any plan along that line?

Mr. BOWLING. No, but I would say that four or five million dollars, divided among the English, Dutch, and Swiss laboratories, in addition to what we are putting in Mexico, certainly would be more than adequate, compared to what we would get for what could be done in this manner, since they are already set up to do the work at the present time. All they need is just a way of expanding their present facilities. Mr. STIGLER. That is all.

Mr. WHITTEN. They have been working on this disease since 1800 and they have not found a cure yet. They are still having to follow the practice of eradication, are they not?

Mr. BOWLING. Yes. They have not been able to find a cure for the disease, and when an outbreak occurs they still follow the same type of treatment, the elimination or eradication of the animal.

Mr. WHITTEN. A building especially equipped would not afford any better research opportunity than is presently going on down in Mexico, where the Mexican Government has already put up fine buildings and has them equipped to do the same research job? Mr. BOWLING. Yes.

Mr. WHITTEN. And a $30,000,000 building would not do any more? Mr. BOWLING. And the $30,000,000 estimate was made 2 years ago, and probably would cost $50,000,000 at the present time.

Mr. WHITTEN. Any questions, Mr. Kruse?

Mr. KRUSE. You cannot conceive of any advantage at all that would come from having this laboratory in this country?

Mr. BOWLING. Not from the standpoint of studying the disease, no, I cannot.

Mr. KRUSE. And probably there would be some additional danger? Mr. BOWLING. There would be a great deal of added danger.

Mr. KRUSE. I have no further questions.

Mr. WHITTEN. Mr. Andersen?

Mr. ANDERSEN. Just how far from the mainland is Prudence Island, do you know, Mr. Bowling?

Mr. BOWLING. It lies in the Narragansett Bay. It is about 2 miles across to the mainland.

Mr. ANDERSEN. Just 2 miles from the mainland?

Mr. BOWLING. Yes, that is my understanding of what the map measurement shows. And I might add also that the English leaders believe that the virus can be carried over from the mainland, rather, to the mainland, by birds. They very definitely believe that it can be carried across the channel; about 18 miles across the channel. Mr. ANDERSEN. That is all, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. WHITTEN. Thank you, Mr. Bowling.

Mr. Harmon, is there anything you care to add?

Mr. HARMON. I do not believe I can add anything to what Mr. Bowling has already said.

Mr. WHITTEN. You do not want to invite any laboratory very by?

close Mr. HARMON. No. If we had the virus I know I would run from it. Mr. WHITTEN. That is all, unless there is something you gentlemen have to add.

Mr. HARMON. I have a copy of a resolution passed by the American Guernsey Cattle Club, representing approximately 50,000 Guernsey breeders in the United States, which I would like to leave with the committee.

Mr. WHITTEN. We will be very glad to have it. (The statement referred to follows:)

CHAIRMAN WHITTEN AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE:

Gentlemen, the membership of the American Guernsey Cattle Club, representing approximately 50,000 Guernsey breeders in the United States, at their annual meeting in Oklahoma City on May 10 unanimously passed the following resolution:

"Whereas the Secretary of Agriculture has announced the proposed establishment of a foot and mouth disease laboratory on Prudence Island, off the coast of Rhode Island, and

"Whereas the close proximity of this experimental laboratory to a heavily populated cattle area does cause concern to all breeders of pure-bred cattle, and since the assurance of safety does have limitations, the American Guernsey Cattle Club does wish to go on record as opposing this proposed project, and that a copy of this resolution be sent to Mr. Brannan, Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D. C."

We fully appreciate the need for further research on foot and mouth disease. However, rather than appropriating $30,000,000 for establishing a laboratory only 2 miles from our mainland, we feel that the same research can be accomplished with the expenditure of only a fraction of this amount and not jeopardize the livestock industry, by subsidizing research laboratories with which we are now cooperating in Denmark, Great Britain, Holland, Switzerland, and Mexico. We fear a foot and mouth disease outbreak on our mainland would result from innoculating healthy animals at the proposed laboratory with the virus of foot and mouth disease. Testifying before a congressional committee in 1947, Dr. Bennett Simms, head of the Federal Bureau of Animal Industry, said: "We are not doing any research with the foot and mouth disease. It is so infectious that we have always taken the stand, long before I started working with the Bureau-which I think is a wise stand-that it is too dangerous to work with in this country."

The disease is transmissible to nearly all domestic animals but its ravages are most severe among cattle, sheep, goats, and swine. It spreads like wildfire. Virulent outbreaks of the infection may cost a 30 to 40 percent loss of the infected animals. Many of the other infected animals are in such poor physical condition that it is often not economically advisable to attempt to save them. The nine definite outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in this country have been eradicated by slaughtering all infected animals and all other meat animals and deer in the infected area. There has not been an outbreak in the United States since 1929. You are familiar with our increased everyday travel and tourist transportation since that time. The traffic through the area where the laboratory is proposed is tremendous and an outbreak would no doubt quickly spread over a large area. If an outbreak resulted, we understand that the area within a 50-mile radius would be strictly quarantined. No animal within that area could be moved. All would be killed. No animal would be brought into that area for 6 months after the last animal had been slaughtered. During that period all milk would go down the sewer. Any car leaving the quarantined area would be stopped by road blocks and its occupants would be sprayed or fumigated. We question whether the disease could be kept under complete control in the laboratory. The contention that the infection has not spread from foreign laboratories to adjacent territories would be difficult to substantiate, as nearly every foreign country has periodical outbreaks of the infection. Although a high percentage of the outbreaks in England have been traced directly to imported

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Argentine beef, there are some outbreaks of which the origin has not been determined. It is difficult to state specifically how the disease may be spread.

Prudence Island is only approximately 2 miles from the mainland and is accommodated by a ferry system. In addition to the people making trips to the island, the distance to the island is only a token flight for birds. Naturally it is planned that thorough precautions be taken to control the disease, such as fumigation of persons and their clothes and possessions. Also, while complete plans are offered for the sterilization of products and byproducts leaving the laboratory, there is always a chance of the breakdown of such protective measures or direct violations of the rules. In such a control program the human element is always present. Even considering the rigid requirements it is entirely feasible that an employee may become lax and an outbreak result.

Great Britain used frozen Argentine beef in military camps. In spite of rigid sanitary precautions established to prevent the spread of the virus from the military camps, many recent outbreaks there have been traced back definitely to the military camps.

There has been a misconception that the resistance to this project is among the wealthy residents in this area under consideration, but there are many hundreds of thousands more making their living out of livestock, dairying, beef, and sheep operations that have much more at stake.

There is not now one single case of foot-and-mouth disease in the United States. We fully appreciate that further research on this disease should be made, but rather than bringing the live virus to within 2 miles of our mainland we suggest subsidizing laboratories in foreign countries with whom we are already cooperating in research on this disease. We oppose establishment of this laboratory and request that your committee does not approve an appropriation for the establishment of a laboratory for research on foot-and-mouth disease on Prudence Island. After spending millions of dollars to keep the disease out of the United States, millions of dollars warding off its approach from Mexico, we are opposed to the proposal to bring it to within a bird's flight of our mainland. Mr. WHITTEN. Thank you, gentlemen, for appearing on this matter today. Your statements will be given careful attention by the committee in the consideration of this estimate.

Mr. WHITTEN. Gentlemen of the committee, I believe it is appropriate here to mention that the committee has received a large amount of correspondence on this subject during the past several months. With your approval, I would like to insert in the record at this point a list of the individuals and organizations from whom communications have been received.

The following have indicated opposition to the location of this laboratory on or near the mainland of the United States, particularly the State of Rhode Island: American Guernsey Cattle Club, Peterborough, N. H.; Ayrshire Breeders' Association, Brandon, Vt.; AntiPrudence Island Laboratory Association, Providence, R. I.; AntiPrudence Island Committee, Providence, R. I.; Mrs. Annie E. Sawyer, Washington, D. C.; R. S. Bosworth, Jr., Bristol, R. I.; George B. Walker, Stoneville, Miss.; Mrs. John G. Slater, Newport, R. I.; Mrs. William Greenough, Newport, R. I.; Richard Cory, Jamestown, R. I. ; Massachusetts Guernsey Breeders' Association, Boston, Mass.; John Chandler, Massachusetts Department of Agriculture, Boston, Mass.; Carl L. Althands, Cranston, R. I.; Rhode Island State Federation of Women's Clubs, Woonsocket, R. I.; Mrs. Bertha S. Blans, Edgewood, R. I.

Correspondence has been received from the following persons and organizations approving the establishment of this laboratory, either at Prudence Island or in their own area: Newport County Chamber of Commerce, Newport, R. I.; Rhode Island Veterinary Medical Association, Pawtucket, R. I.; Bristol Business Civic Association, Bristol, R. I.; Dr. Samuel D. Clark, Bristol, R. I.; Edmund W. Pardee, mayor, city of Newport, R. I.

FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE RESEARCH LABORATORY

WITNESS

HON. LEVERETT SALTONSTALL, A SENATOR IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS

Mr. WHITTEN. We will be glad to hear at this time from Senator Saltonstall, who is very interested in this matter.

Mr. SALTONSTALL. Mr. Chairman, I wish to thank you and the members of your committee for so courteously granting me a few minutes to make these remarks regarding the proposed establishment of a hoofand-mouth disease laboratory on Prudence Island under the auspices of the United States Department of Agriculture.

Let me say, first of all, that I am quite well acquainted, from firsthand knowledge, with the location and nature of this island. So far as the space available on it is concerned and as regards its nearness to established lines of communication, there is no doubt but that this area offers certain advantages for the purpose intended.

I should like to point out, however, that the very location of the island, in Narragansett Bay and therefore quite close to the shore lines of one of the most densely populated States in the Union, Rhode Island, is the basis for the alarm that has been expressed to me by many of our New England people. Our people, in all the New England States, are concerned about this proposed laboratory on Prudence Island both as residents of the area and, even more specifically, as raisers of milk and beef cattle, particularly dairy animals.

There is very serious doubt in the minds of our New England farmers that experiments designed to bring about the eradication of this dreaded animal disease could be so perfectly controlled within the island's limits as to insure the health and safety of New England cattle. It is worth noting that there are currently in New England 150,311 farms, according to latest census reports, and that the New England area is one of the very few in the Nation where the number of farms has been steadily on the increase. This number of farms is greater than the number in the State of Kansas, one of our great midwestern farm States, and I think it is quite safe to say that on each of these New England farms there is at least one cow, while on a great many of them there are large and highly prized herds which mean much to our New England economy, including individual cattle of great value.

The communications that I have received from New England people on the subject of this proposed laboratory-in the mail, by wire, and over the phone have totaled several hundred. They have come from such organizations as the American Guernsey Cattle Club of Peterboro, N. H.; the Bristol County Farm Bureau, Inc., of North Attleboro, Mass.; the Cape Cod Milk Goat Breeders Association, of East Sandwich, Mass.; the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation; the Rhode Island State Federation of Women's Clubs, the Rhode Island Federation of Republican Women, and a large number of interested and informed individuals who, in overwhelming numbers, have expressed their considered opposition to the establishment of this proposed laboratory on Prudence Island. With the committee's permission, I should like to leave for inclusion in the record of these hearings a listing of the protests I have received within these past few weeks through the mail alone on this subject.