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Show 216 WAR FOR THE COLORADO RIVER Downey ridiculed the assertions of McFarland that the economy of Arizona would face ruin without S. 75, and presented evidence to refute the claims.309 At the time, Downey again was talking to an almost empty Senate chamber. Knowland again protested, and moved for a quorum call. "I am reminded," said Downey, "that at times the Senate floor would have been a magnificent place for Hamlet to have delivered his soliloquy. He would have been remote and alone. . ." McFarland and Hayden did not even pay Downey the courtesy of listening to him. McFarland appeared and said with sarcasm that he would interrupt Downey, but that the only two senators on the floor were Downey and Knowland from Cali- fornia, and he did not think he could convince them. Politely Downey said that he understood McFarland would be reluctant to defend himself before empty benches. Knowland resumed his opposition following Downey. He also spoke to a chamber in which only two or three Senators sat. The Senate was not considering the Central Arizona Project on merit. The Senate was ignoring the debate. Knowland and Downey had only the satis- faction of knowing that their attack was being recorded, that their words would be permanently preserved. They knew, as well, that they were going to lose the battle. The bulk of Knowland's argument was in regard to the danger of smashing reclamation laws and granting great powers to the group of social planners in the Interior Department. The Central Arizona Project would inaugurate the greatest raid on the Treasury in history, he said, and if it passed every state would have |
