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<br />'. <br /> <br />0025S'~ <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />doctrine by the shocking (to us) decree that downstream states, <br />regions and areas through which rivers having their source in <br />Colorado meandered, have equal rights in point of time with <br />respect to appropriation and beneficial use of such water. <br />Accordingly, Colorado has negotiated and has entered into <br />compacts with respect to a division of the water on all of its <br />interstate streams with all downstream states. These compacts <br />have been ratified by the General Assemblies of the State of <br />Colorado and the states affected downstream and by the Congress <br />of the United States and so enjoy the status of solemn treaties <br />which cannot be set aside except by the unanimous agreement of <br />all parties to them including the Federal Government. <br />With some justification, some of us may reach the conclusion <br />that Congress is too cumbersome or too occupied with politics, or <br />too disinterested, or too ignorant of the people's aspirations or <br />needs in the field of resource development, to be trusted with the <br />prosecution of this tremendously vital program. I cannot agree. <br />It is true that water and related land resources development <br />efforts should be expanded greatly and even doubled or trebled <br />immediately. Perhaps there is some way to convince Congress that <br />action in this field is altogether too slow. Perhaps your Com- <br />mittees and Agencies should carry the torch. Perhaps the various <br />Basin Inter-Agency Committees assembled here can do a better job <br />of prodding than they have indicated heretofore. Whether or not <br />they need a new charter or a new approach or a new realization of <br />their own power, the importance of the task and the responsibility <br />they owe the people and the government, I cannot say. I can only <br />hope. <br /> <br />7 <br />