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Show -89- like it, it does not put us in any worse fix than we are in if we do not adopt it. Mr. Johnson. Would we not be, though? Mr. Pittman. I think not, because if the legislatures of the three States adopt it, they could start acting on the 7-State ratification instantly. Mr. Johnson. Here is the difficulty which strikes me in the matter: First of all, we are authorizing the doing of something that already the States have the right to do. Secondly, we are stating the things that the three States are to do, and we are making a sort of Procrustean bed upon which they must [472] lie in the determination of matters that are suggested within this amendment, without any elasticity, without any opportunity to alter phraseology or possibly terms. What is done by the amendment is to put the impress of the Federal Government upon the necessity of agreement, and, if one of the States should not agree, leave that State in a position which would not be particularly enviable. With the distinct understanding that this authorization is one that is after all an authorization that is wholly unnecessary, because the parties may, in any fashion they desire, meet together and contract and subsequently come to Congress for ratification of that contract; that there is no impress of the Congress upon the terms, which might be considered coercive to any one of those States, I am perfectly willing to accept the amendment. Mr. Pittman. There is nothing necessary at all, of course, so far as the adoption of this amendment is concerned, unless the element of time is considered valuable. If it should happen, mind you, that two weeks from now the legislatures of the three States, being in session, should |
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Original book: [State of Arizona, complainant v. State of California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, Coachella Valley County Water District, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, City of Los Angeles, California, City of San Diego, California, and County of San Diego, California, defendants, United States of America, State of Nevada, State of New Mexico, State of Utah, interveners] : California exhibits. |