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Show 214 WAR FOR THE COLORADO RIVER ator, and circulated their results through the mails, would have them in collision with the criminal power of the United States Government" 307 As Downey spoke the chamber was virtually empty. Not even McFarland was on hand at times to hear him- self attacked It was obvious that the Arizona forces were so confident of victory that they were merely standing by while the opponents were politely given time on the floor. Yet, an expenditure of two or more billion dollars was involved. The destruction of laws upon which the Western United States had built to greatness was im- pending. As Senator Knowland declared, interrupting Downey, this was not an issue between California and Arizona, but a national issue, and he demanded a quorum call. When that was done, Knowland took up the matter of a date for the vote on the bill. This was the time of year of the Lincoln Day dinners, and at such times controversial issues are seldom brought up before the Senate. The reason: many senators are away attending the dinners. Certainly, Knowland pointed out, the Central Arizona Project was a controversial measure. Majority Leader Lucas agreed, and said it must be finished before the absences began. Lucas had deceived the opponents of S. 75. Downey and Knowland had been led to believe the Arizona bill would not come up for forty to sixty days, but suddenly Lucas had called it up, and had given the opponents only a week's notice. Obviously he had done this at the insistence of Hayden and McFarland, who, knowing that time was short before the dinner-celebrations began, were seeking to drive the bill to a quick vote. |