Evening star., 1933-12-01
WEATHER BUREAU
BOLSTER|NG URGED
Science Advisory Board Also
Opposes Subordination Un- .
der Transportation.
tcontinued From First Page.)
Weather Bureau, with the single G,

united StG teS more than do all other
Federal services combined, the COM
mittee urges strongly that 1t be retained
and strengthened as q unit under the
Secretary Of Agriculture.
The committee found no excuse for
subordinating the bureau under a
oR portssion. as asn' has been sussested so ns in
some schemes Of Government reorgan-
ization.
Functions Would Multiply.
Adoption and extension of the air
mass analysis method Of weather fore
casting, the committee points out in
its report, calls for a considerable in
crease In the functions Of the bureau.
This method requires knowledge OF
temperatures, humidities and pressures
at high attitudes as well as at the sur
face, but thus far there has been no
systematic attempt to obtain co-or-
dinated reports Of these conditions for
the entire country, so as to make pos
sible q daily map OF the upper air
comparable to the surface charts OF
meteorological conditions now issued by
the Weather Bureau.
It proposes establishment Of a net
work Of approximately rs upper air
stations throughout the country,
through the cooperation Of the Army
and Navy air services and the present
bureau stations. At each station one
airplane or balloon ascension would be
made daily, preferably In the early
morning, and the results Of the ohser-
vations transmitted to Washington,
where the map would be made up.
Daily Charts Are Issued.
At present two master charts Of
meteorological conditions are issued
daily. The committee recommends that
this be increased to four or five. The
best European stations issue from four
to seven. By synchronizing the Ameri-
can charts with the European picture
of the whole meteorological condition
of the Northern Hemisphere could be
obtained, which Is considered essential
for the further perfection OF the upper
air analysis method. More frequent
also are urged.
The committee recommended that
the Weather Bureau be placed in con-
troll Of the various communication sys-
TENS of which 1t makes use, including
the teletype writer system OF the De-
partment Of Commerce IN so Tar as 1t
Is concerned with carrying meteorologi-
cal data. The bureau, 1t Is urged,
should have a complete set-up OF its
own, entirely independent Of any other
Federal establishment.
Another recommendation Is decen-
tralizatien of the general forecast work
of the bureau. Forecasts are now issued
from five centers, for five sections OF
the country. It Is proposed that the
number Of these centers, each In
charge Of q trained meteorologist, be
considerably increased and that they be
moved from locations in large cities
to the airports outside the cities. In
this way, 1t Is stressed, not only Will
Implications be avoided In the acquire.
ment Of upper air data, but more valid
ground observations can be taken
away from the dust and smoke filed
urban atmospheres.
Seek Aid Of Other Nations.
Still another recommendation Is that
there be a extension Of Chronological
research looking toward l0ng-range
forecasting by means Of mathematical
analysis Of the frequency Of recurrence
of air mass conditions. An attempt
is urged to secure the cooperation Of
Canada, Mexico and Russia In securing
daily air mass data.
Establishment Of post graduate train
ing at the Weather Bureau Is urged,
with a sort Of exchange professor
ship with outstanding meteorologists of
foreign stations. Still another recon-
mendation Is for closer contact between
the central Office at Washington and
the various field stations.
The final recommendation Is that
permanent Weather Bureau Committee.
70 icf Of fn11p ar nj 10
most scientists in the United States,
be set up.
The Weather Bureau investigation
constitutes the first major move Of the
new Science Advisory Board. created
activities Of the Government, the ma
ture of whose activities has caused
considerable concern Throughout the
various Federal technical establish.
ments whose personnel have been wor-
ried over earlier threats Of far-reach-
ing curtailment Of activities.
The present report. however, indi-
Gates the new organization is inclined
toward just the opposite policy Of in
creased & activity % and II independence .ls Tor
port, it Is stressed that the total ex-
penditure for the weather forecasting
service, Of untold significance in the
daily life Of every citizen Of the United
States, Is only $3,200000 this year,
while the airmail service alone re-
ceived $15,o00.000 and $6.o00.0oo was
appropriated for the extension and
of airways.
While the recommendations may in
volve some increased cost, the report
points out, increased consolidation and
- k~,s~@
offset fhe ipcreaSe