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Show THE WESTERN WEB 69 Millikin repeated, however, that he saw no violation of the law in taking testimony, in establishing a record. Downey submitted to the ruling and announced Cali- fornia would proceed with its case. McFarland left the room in obvious dejection. Al- though California would submit its testimony, there could be no favorable decision by the committee in 1947. In fact, it was highly doubtful that a committee decision could be forthcoming in 1948, the final year of the Eightieth Congress. No one could say when the Reclamation Bureau would make its conclusive report, and after that all seven states of the Colorado River Basin would have ninety days in which to file their comments. The year 1948 would be well along before that happened. Arizona's hopes of getting the Central Arizona Project approved by the Eightieth Congress were crushed. The whole thing would have to be re- started in the Eighty-first Congress, a new bill would have to be introduced, new hearings would have to be held. It was a bleak outlook for Arizona. California was in the position of having to oppose a bill that was, from a legislative standpoint, already dead. Yet, the state's lieutenants on the scene reached the conclusion that some advantage might be gained in countering the record Arizona had made. At least, under the circumstances California would have a dress rehearsal that might well point up any flaws and weak- nesses existing in its arguments. The first California witness was James H. Howard, general counsel of the Metropolitan Water District.* Senator Downey called him to the witness stand on the |
