STATEMENT OF REPRESENTATIVE FRANCIS E. DORN Mr. DORN. Thank you very much, Senator. I am very happy to e here because my interest in Kings Point goes back to its inception. You know, speaking of Kings Point, and some of the remarks that he previous distinguished Representatives and Senators made, I ould not help but feel that first, of course, the day will come-I hope ot in the too far distant-while he is still on the scene, that there will e out on the campus here a statute erected to the present superntendent of Kings Point and the tremendous work he has done for Kings Point. But I think in the same way, and in the same breath hat Congressman Keogh, when he discussed the great work done -y the former Congressman in this district, Leonard Hall, and the Fork that Gene Keogh has done in behalf of this institution, that they will eventually be regarded as the fathers of it from a political standoint. I cannot overemphasize the great work that Congressman Gene Keogh has done to keep the colors flying over this institution. I regret that yesterday, Mr. Chairman, I was unable to be at the earings at Fort Schuyler. I want to include at the end of my reharks here certain things that I would have said had I been there, but ery pressing Federal business kept me from going to Fort Schuyleresterday. Mr. Chairman, I am very grateful for this opportunity to appear. efore your committee to discuss maritime officer training. I wish most definitely to present my views concerning the United States Merhant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N. Y., and its program. It is my hope that you will accept for the record this statement of my nterest and high regard for the Academy, which in a short span of a ew years has achieved worldwide recognition as, what I believe to -e, the outstanding merchant marine officers' school in the world. oday. Mr. Chairman, my interest in Kings Point goes back to the very beginning of the United States Merchant Marine Cadet Corps in 1938 hen, as a result of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, the country at ong last could look forward to a national academy dedicated to the raining and education of merchant marine officers in much the same manner as our service academies prepare young men for careers in he Armed Forces. The majority of our merchant marine officers had little or no formal raining. Some were graduates of the State maritime schools, which vere and are doing a good job. But I share the general contention hat if America is to be strong on the seas there must be a national cademy. Our merchant marine is a vital national asset essential to ur economy in peace and vital to our national security in war. Kings Point has proved itself to be worth the time, effort, and money it has ost, and as you just pointed out the money that it has cost has been significant compared to the money that we have put in other educa ion. You will find her graduates on the bridges and in the enginerooms of our finest vessels. From my many visits to the Academy I have ained a thorough knowledge of how the school operates. I have seen ts splendid facilities, I have talked with many cadet-midshipmen and members of the staff. One cannot leave Kings Point without having 69557-56-18 sensed the tremendous morale or esprit de corps that makes Kings Point the finest organization of its kind anywhere. I have always been particularly impressed with the curricula of the school and its very effective method of providing practical experien during the year at sea aboard modern merchant marine vessels. T my mind the seamanship skill of Kings Pointers is nothing short of remarkable. I know that they have well underway a program to r habilitate the old sail training vessel tied up in Hague Basin. The cadet-midshipmen, under the supervision of their officers, have scaled, chipped, and releaded the hull from the water line up. Tgallant and topmasts and all yards have been lowered and renewe These are jobs for a true seaman and there are few afloat today tha possess such skills or the initiative to start such a task. I am sure that the survey you are making of merchant marine offi »? training at the four State maritime academies and the United State Merchant Marine Academy will be helpful to the Congress. I hope t will be helpful to those of us who wish to see Kings Point establisasi as a permanent Federal school. It was said centuries ago that "shp are to little purpose without skillful seamen" and we all know that it is certainly true today. Mr. Chairman, the merchant marine officer today to efficiently handle modern vessels with their electronic aids to navigation and the high-pressure steam propulsion plants must be adequately traites. and educated. There is no school in the country that can do this jo better than the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kil Point, here in New York. If I had been at Fort Schuyler yesterday, Mr. Chairman, I won' have commented specifically on a proposed bill that I don't know whether it has come to the attention of your committee but it has co to my attention, with reference to the State academies. I believe that these State academies should, after Kings Point è recognized as a national institution, a permanent national institutio have status under the law so that these State academies should not have to come, hat in hand, to Congress. But along that line I hate looked at a proposed substitute bill somewhat with alarm, not because! do not favor many of the proposals in this substitute, but that I thi that it is emphatically necessary to pass the Kings Point bill fire putting first things first. Senator PAYNE. May I say that at least this committee has not ye had anything in the way of a substitute bill submitted to it, to t knowledge. Mr. WEBSTER. No, they have not. Mr. DORN. I am very pleased about that because a certain subs tute that came to my attention had this specific clause in that I a very worried about, and I emphatically am against it, and I w quote: In case vacancies remain after the appointments under the preceding sert have been made the Secretary of Commerce shall fill them by appointments fr qualified candidates from States other than from those States mainta a State nautical school. In other words, if a certain proposed substitute was put into the is it would effectively militate against the States of Maine, Mass setts, New York, and California and hurt the students from there v would want to matriculate at Kings Point. Senator PAYNE. There was some reference made, I believe- Senator PAYNE. Not as a substitute. There was reference made in testimony, I believe, and I canot recall now whether it was Dean Frodin or Admiral Durgin or who it was, somebody made reference to something I can't remember the exact text now without referring to the notes themselves-but it was not submitted other than some reference was made to it in testimony yesterday and I cannot recall now just who it was that made it, tied into the picture. Mr. WEBSTER. Perhaps for the record I could make it clear. At the hearings in Maine, Senator Payne made a request of the Maine Maritime Academy officials and that was reiterated at Massachusetts and also at Fort Schuyler, that the authorities in those schools give a very careful reappraisal of the Kings Point bill, that they recognize that the Kings Point bill was going to pass; that if they had any constructive suggestions for its amendment they submit those constructive suggestions to this subcommittee; that those suggestions, when received by us, would be turned over to the Kings Point authorities for their comments. I think that the proposal, as distinguished from a substitute bill, the proposed amendments which the Fort Schuyler authorities had in mind, and perhaps reduced to writing, are those to which you have just been referring, sir. I am sure you have further comments on those. We, on the staff level, discussed them at some length with members of the faculty here last night. I think that even those that were brought up at Fort Schuyler were in a very tentative stage. Certainly the one that I think you are referring to, as the members of the faculty here were told last night, is not in accordance with the views of the members of the staff of this committee as to what would be in the best interest of the Government. Mr. DORN. Well, I am very happy to hear that, because I don't think that this bill, as it passed the House, should be amended. I do believe Senator PAYNE. Well, only, I think, Congressman, you would say if it can be strengthened? Mr. DORN. If it can be strengthened I am all for it. Senator PAYNE. And my only reason for making those suggestions is because I do want to make it perfectly clear for the record that in the three State academies that I have met with so far and held hearings, on each and every occasion they have had nothing, both from the top officers right down through, nothing but words of praise for Kings Point and the men turned out of Kings Point. There has been nothing of a detrimental nature indicated in any way, shape, or manner. They are just as strong for Kings Point being made a permanent institution as they are in essence that they be permitted to have a definite status in their particular category. So that we are starting off, I think, on a basis where we are pretty well united. I always work on the theory that 2 heads are better than 1. Sometimes I may think that I have a good idea but when somebody else takes a look at it they might come up with something that is a little more constructive than perhaps that which I have developed, and I like constructive criticism. So I did indicate that in looking at that bill and keeping in mind that definitely-in my opinion, now I could be wrong, I am only 1 Member of 96-but it is my personal feeling that the Kings Point bill will definitely pass in this next session at an early date. We want it to be the strongest, most constructive type of legislation that can be developed so that it will not be shot at in years to come. It was with that thought, and only that thought, that I asked for other minds to put to work on the bill and see if they have anything in the way of constructive-not destructive but construc tive suggestions as to how this entire program can be bettered. Mr. DORN. Well, I certainly have to say that I entirely agree with you, Senator, on the comments you have just made. I just want to go a step further, that as a member of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee I do hope that after the Senate passes this bill and it is signed by the President the Merchant Marine Committee of the Senate and the Merchant Marine Committee of the House will take under active consideration a legislative program for the State academe Because I think it is for the best interests of the merchant marine to have not only Kings Point established at long last as a permanent insti tution but that legislative authority be given nationally to the State colleges as they exist today. Mr. WEBSTER. Congressman Dorn, may I ask this question, sir? Ir your experience with the Kings Point bill and with other merchant marine problems in the field of maritime training, is it not true that it is your impression that the sense of the Congress is that Kings Point should be made a permanent institution and that in so doing nothing be done which would derogate from the State academies, if they are found to be performing a valuable service within the funds appr priated by the Congress? Mr. DORN. Well, I would say quite definitely except that I wouldn't put the "if" in there. I would say that the Merchant Marine Comittee of the House felt that very definitely this bill, in passing it, d not affect the State institutions which they felt were doing an equay admirable job with Kings Point; and that they were putting firs things first, making Kings Point a national institution and then intending to turn their light and their efforts on being of assistance ard help to the State academies. They felt that nothing in what they were doing to help Kings Point become a national institution should refle: in any way on any of the State academies. I am sure if there was any thought of that in the minds either of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee of the House of Repre sentatives or of anyone in the House of Representatives, it could never have passed unanimously or have been reported unanimously. Mr. WEBSTER. I think it is helpful for the record to show that Certainly that has been my understanding and impression and I believe the members of the subcommittee with whom I have discussed the problem. Mr. DORN. I noticed as I was sitting here right over the head the chairman is the motto "Acta non verba," I do hope that the Serve follows the motto. Senator PAYNE. We are a little slow sometimes. Thank you ve much, Congressman. Mr. DORN. It is my pleasure, sir. Senator PAYNE. Are there any questions? (There were no questions from members of the staff.) Senator PAYNE. Thank you. The next witness, President P. D. Eddy, president of Adelphi College. President Eddy, we are very happy, indeed, to have you with us this morning. STATEMENT OF P. D. EDDY, PRESIDENT OF ADELPHI COLLEGE, LONG ISLAND, N. Y. Mr. EDDY. I am very happy to come as a neighbor and a friend. I happen to be the president of the oldest liberal-arts college on Long Island, born in Brooklyn as many other Long Islanders were. Adelphi has been in Garden City for some 26 years and I have been associated with it as president-this is my 19th year. I have, therefore, been on the ground as this very spendid institution of higher education has developed over the years. We have met them on the athletic field, sometimes to our defeat and occasionally to theirs. We have entertained their cadets when Adelphi was functioning as a women's college on many social occasions, so that I can say first of all that from the standpoint of the caliber of the men who are attracted here, both intellectually, athletically, and socially, they are of the highest order and I speak from observation and experience. I happen to have been requested by two associates to present for the record letters addressed to the chairman of this committee which I hope will be accepted. The first is from Dr. Ewald B. Nyquist who is the chairman of the commission on institutions of higher education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and the second is from another good friend who is now the president of the Free Europe University in Exile, Dr. Levering Tyson. Dr. Tyson for many years was president of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa., and at the time of the inspection of Kings Point Academy by the Middle States to consider its accreditation he was the president of the association and was on the committee that made the visitation and evaluation. Senator PAYNE. You wish that those two statements be made a part of the record? Mr. EDDY. If we may so request. Senator PAYNE. They may be so made a part of the record. MIDDLE STATES ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS, Hon. WARREN G. MAGNUSON, Chairman, Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee, DEAR SENATOR MAGNUSON: I am advised that your committee is making a thorough study of merchant marine training and education in the United States, including the instruction and operations of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, Long Island, N. Y. The United States Merchant Marine Academy is a member institution of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. This association is 1 of 6 regional accrediting agencies operating in the United States. Our territory includes the State of New York. The United States Merchant Marine Academy has been, since 1949, accredited by, and is, therefore, a member institution of the Middle States Association as a result of a qualitative evaluation by an expert committee consisting of representatives from Middle States institutions. All phases of the Academy were thoroughly reviewed. These areas included the purposes and objectives, the organization and administration; the program in |