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Show -12- it was represented by the State Department to the public as a "model" treaty. At the conclusion of the Hearings in February, 1945, although Senator Downey has suggested numerous reservations to the Committee the majority of the Committee still considered it perfect and voted the treaty out without amendment or reservation. When the debate opened, however, there was such an atmosphere of hostility, and it was so evident that many Senators were opposed to various features of the treaty, that Senator Connally and the State Department felt compelled to initiate or accept a total of eleven reservations, which were, during the debates, worked over by Senators opposing the treaty, to the end that some of them were made more effective. As finally adopted, the reservations are to the following purport: "(a) No commitment for works to be built at the expense of the United States, other than for eight specific items provided for in the treaty, shall be made without the prior approval of Congress. This prevents wholesale commitment for American expenditures by agreement between the two State Departments or the two Boundary Commissioners. "(b) The powers of the Secretary of State, the American Commissioner, and the American Section, or any other officer or employee of the United States, insofar as they affect persons and property in the United States, shall be subject to statutory and constitutional controls. This reservation retains in Congress and in the Courts, control over these officers and goes far to curb their powers, although its precise import is not readily determinable. should substantially assist California in the protection of its interests. "(c) The treaty does not authorize the Secretary, or American Commissioner or American Section, to alter |
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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. |