ERNEST W. MCFARLAND-

BY RAYMOND CARLSON Editor, ARIZONA HIGHWAYS Arizona began 1955 with a new governor-Ernest W. McFarland-one of the most distinguished public servants in the state's history. A Democrat, he succeeds Howard Pyle, Republican.

Governor McFarland was born on a farm near Earlsboro, Oklahoma, October 9, 1894, the son of W. T. and Keziah McFarland, early settlers of the Pottawatomie strip in Oklahoma. Rural Oklahoma in those days, before the era of the gold-flowing oil gushers, demanded of a youth hard work and more hard work. The habits of industry and steadfastness to duty, learned in his early years, have been distinguishing features in the career of Arizona's new governor, a career that began as a school teacher in Oklahoma and extended to two terms as United States Senator from Arizona.

What the McFarland family lacked in worldly goods, they made up in affection and encouragement. When young Ernest decided to acquire an education, his parents helped in every way they could, but the main job ahead was his own. He was graduated from high school and then started out by himself. He attended East Central State Teachers College at Ada, Oklahoma, but after one year was forced to take a teaching job to finance further study.

His first country school experience revealed something of his character. The school where he went to teach was a rural school ruled by husky farm boys of the neighborhood. Two former teachers were forced to leave because they could not cope with their charges. Teacher McFarland, after one short, stormy week, proved he was the boss and for the rest of the year in that classroom the process of teaching and learning was marked with serenity and discipline.

After graduating from teachers college he entered the University of Oklahoma, where he financed his studies doing janitor work, working in a grocery, selling insurance and serving as law librarian. He was graduated from the University with an A. B. degree and shortly thereafter was called to active duty in World War I, serving in the U. S. Navy. When discharged in 1919, he moved to Arizona and for a while worked at the Valley National Bank in Phoenix. It did not take him long to make up his mind that Arizona was to be his permanent home, but first he decided to complete his education. He entered Stanford University, where he received his juris doctor degree in law and master's degree in political science. He was admitted to the bar in 1920 and began his law practice in Casa Grande. His success as an attorney was immediate. With a farm background, he knew the problems of farmers and could speak their language. The bustling farming community of Casa Grande was the perfect place for a young attorney trained as he had been. He served two years as assistant attorney general, gaining a wider knowledge of state problems. He served as county attorney of Pinal County for six years, then established private practice in Florence, the county seat, where he became legal representative of the San Carlos Irrigation and Drainage District. In 1934, he was elected Judge of the Superior Court of Pinal County, a position he had held for six years when he was elected U. S. Senator from Arizona.

As an attorney in Pinal County, county attorney and judge, Lawyer McFarland devoted much time to the study of water law, one of the complex sections of jurisprudence, but of tremendous import where, by irrigation, an agricultural empire was emerging from barren desert lands. In this field he is considered an authority, a fact that will serve him well as governor of a state where water problems are still of paramount importance.

As a member of the United States Senate, this interest in water law and irrigation in its application to Arizona's development resulted in Senator McFarland making a seniority sacrifice almost precedent-making in that body.

Before reorganization in 1947, senators served on five and six committees. A revision of committees and a realignment of membership offered Senator McFarland the choice of retaining membership either on the powerful Banking and Currency Committee or the new Interior and Insular Affairs Committee.

The Arizona senator was in line to become chairman of the Banking and Currency Committee-one of the top assignments in the Congress. His interest in Arizona's future dependence on irrigation pointed toward the importance of reclamation projects, power development, water rights, etc., in the years ahead. This determined his choice. He relinquished his seniority advantage on the Banking and Currency Committee to take a place, at the bottom in seniority, on the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee.

It was a sacrifice that paid out, as far as Arizona was concerned. In his years in Congress, Senator McFarland has sponsored numerous measures of tremendous importance to his state in this field. The recently completed Wellton-Mohawk project, for example, was made possible by a measure fathered by the Arizona senator.

The all-important Central Arizona Project attained national interest and broad support through the battle waged for its passage in the United States Senate by Senator McFarland. In the 81st Congress, the Arizonan steered the measure through lengthy hearings in the committee in which he had membership-Interior and Insular Affairs. Favorably reported with a "do pass" tag, Senator McFarland handled the bill when it reached the Senate floor. It passed by a vote of almost two to one. The same bill, S. 75, holds the unique record of being favorably reported out of the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee in the 82nd Congress with a recommendation for approval without hearings and on the responsibility of Senator McFarland, a member of the committee. Again, he handled the bill on the floor and it was passed a second time-again by a vote of almost two to one. Later it became tied up in the House Committee to which it was referred.

Reclamation, however, was but one of many problems vital to his state and its people in which Senator McFarland had a record of notable achievement. In the field of veteran benefit legislation, he introduced or was co-sponsor of 43 different bills to aid men and women in military service or upon their return to civilian life. His qualities as a legislator were clearly demonstrated as majority leader of the Senate.

Few men know their state and its people as does Senator McFarland. When he first became a candidate for United States Senator in 1940, he began his practice of frequent visits to every section of the state to meet the people and discuss their needs.

In his years in the Senate, he made it a policy to return as frequently to the state as possible and get first-hand knowledge of its needs and the thinking of its people on current problems. At least once each year, he visited each county in the state and conferred on local and national issues.

Governor McFarland's wife was the former Edna E. Smith, Florence high school teacher. They were married when he was Judge in Pinal County. Their daughter, Jewell, is married to Delbert Lewis of Florence. Both are graduates of the University of Arizona.