AZ vs. CA:13 California Exhibits, Vol. XIII; Nos. 1800-1842; 1901-1906; 2000-2044

page 66

I say to them in all seriousness that if the arrangement I have proposed, whereby the two States will assume equally the burden of supplying any deficiency of water that may be occasioned by treaty with Mexico, may be entered into, if the two States will agree to do that, if the State of California will surrender to the State of Arizona any claim or demand upon the waters of the Gila River which that State can not use under this project, then in my judgment ratification of the Colorado River compact may be assured and development may proceed. May I inquire of either one of the Senators from California what fault they find with the plan I have outlined ? .... [466] Mr. Johnson. The Senator from Arizona is asking, in effect, sir, that the Colorado River compact be amended. I stand by that statement because it is entirely accurate. That would be the effect of the Senator's amendment if adopted, that the Colorado River compact shall be amended. No one here ought to wish that to be done, and when the definition is made by the compact itself as to what the Colorado River system means, we ought not to be required here to take as a condition precedent to legislation by the Congress of the United States another definition entirely. That in reality and in effect is what is sought by the amendment that is submitted by the Senator from Arizona. There is, however, another thing in this amendment, too. It sounds well; how fair it is smilingly to say to us, "Why, we will divide this water into two parts, and each of us will bear a like burden." It is all well enough to say that the Gila River is this and the Gila River is