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Show 42 WAR FOR THE COLORADO RIVER of that interest back from the project, then the tax- payers were stuck with the loss. "The Federal Power Commission," wrote Wallgren to Straus, "has consistently taken the position that the public interest would best be served if the interest com- ponent were returned to the Treasury of the United States rather than diverted for such other purpose." 51 The interest component was the golden egg of the Treasury goose, and the Reclamation Bureau not only didn't intend to kill the goose but didn't intend to give up the egg. The sport of gouging taxpayers was another thing the Bureau didn't intend to abandon, and history was to name an amazing and distinguished roster of persons in public life, including some who took their meals in the White House, who were of the same in- clination. Secretary Chapman and Commissioner Straus sang what turned out to be their swan song in a press release issued January 1, 1953, in which they praised the crsp. 52 The Truman Administration had only nineteen more days in office. Chapman knew at the time that he would soon be an ex-Secretary of the Interior, but Straus still hoped that he might somehow hang onto his job. He gave himself a pat on the back by saying: 53 "For the first time, a complete plan for the conserving and harnessing the waters of this great basin . is available for consideration by the Congress. This planning report was completed after the states involved had agreed among themselves as to how best to ap- portion the available water It was prepared in close |
