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Show 228 WAR FOR THE COLORADO RIVER On the next day, September 1, at Peterson's order, the committee met for the purpose of considering any amendments to S. 75 which the members might wish to submit, but that point was not reached. A new and un- expected situation developed. Rep. Redden, a strong supporter of the project, sud- denly moved that all amendments be passed over and that a final vote on the bill be taken. It was apparent that he believed Arizona had enough strength to pass the project out to the House floor.330 The action came as a surprise, but as surprising was Engle's announcement that he would welcome a final vote.331 Engle was even willing to abandon his own amendments. Murdock looked frightened. The truth was that during the past twenty-four hours Engle and Poulson had carefully canvassed the com- mittee, and they had reached a conclusion that they had enough strength to defeat the bill. While admitting that they might be optimistic, they felt that recent develop- ments had brought a majority of the committee members to the California side. They were ready for a showdown. Poulson, however, made it appear that he wasn't as eager for a final vote as was Engle. He reminded the committee that it had never really considered the answers made by Secretary Chapman to the seventeen questions. Angrily, Murdock declared that the answers were written in good English, that every member of the committee had them, and there was no reason for con- sidering them.332 Murdock had heard all he wanted to hear about "lost interest." But Engle continued to press for a final vote, pointing out that Congress was about to take a recess (for Labor |