Ernest McFarland
Encyclopedia
Ernest William McFarland (October 9, 1894 - June 8, 1984) was an American
politician
and, with Warren Atherton
, is considered one of the "Fathers of the G.I. Bill". He is the only Arizonan to serve in the highest office in all three branches of Arizonan government—two at the state level, one at the federal level. He was a Democratic Senator
from Arizona
from 1941 to 1953 (Majority Leader from 1951 to 1953) before serving as the tenth Governor of Arizona from 1955 to 1959. Finally McFarland sat as Chief Justice on the Arizona Supreme Court
in 1968.
, on October 9, 1894. McFarland attended rural schools and graduated from East Central State Teachers' College
, Ada, Oklahoma
, in 1914 and from the University of Oklahoma
at Norman
, in 1917.
During World War I
, he served in the United States Navy
and nearly died of a bronchial
infection. Following surgery
by Navy surgeons, he was discharged in 1919 and sent to live in a drier climate. Thus, after the war McFarland moved to Phoenix, Arizona
, and was employed as a clerk in a bank. He gathered enough money to pay for tuition and graduated with a law
and political science
degree from Stanford University
in 1921. He moved back to Arizona, passed the bar exam, and commenced practice in Casa Grande
. He soon developed an expertise in agricultural and water-use legislation
, which would suit Arizona well in the future.
of Arizona from 1923 to 1924, county attorney of Pinal County from 1925 to 1930, and judge
of the superior court of Pinal County from 1934 to 1940, McFarland entered the Senate race in 1940. The twenty-eight-year Democratic incumbent, Henry F. Ashurst
, appeared to be unbeatable and did not launch an aggressive campaign to retain his seat. While Ashurst remained in Washington, D.C.
, McFarland canvassed the state, giving speeches on water issues and World War II
in Europe
. By a three-to-one margin, he defeated Ashurst in the primary
and went on to win the general election.
Senator McFarland, along with Senator Hayden, lobbied for the Central Arizona Project (CAP) aimed at providing Arizona's share of the Colorado River to the state. His efforts failed while he was a senator; however, they laid a critical foundation for the eventual passage of the CAP in the late 1960s.
Not forgetting his veteran roots, McFarland became interested in legislation to benefit veteran
s returning from World War II. He outlined his proposals before the American Legion
in a speech in 1943 and worked to create support for his G.I. Bill with veterans' organizations and members of Congress
.
By unanimous votes, the United States Senate
and the House of Representatives
approved the legislation in March and May, respectively and, on June 22, 1944, President Franklin Roosevelt
signed the G.I. Bill into law.
McFarland was easily reelected Senator in 1946 and served as chairman of a Commerce subcommittee where he helped plan a post-war role for the U.S. in international communications and rewrote the Communications Act of 1934
. After Democratic Majority Leader Scott W. Lucas
was defeated in 1950 due to his link with Truman's administration, McFarland's Democratic colleagues chose him as majority leader. He served as Majority Leader for two years. In 1952, he was defeated by Barry Goldwater
in the national Republican landslide that year led by Dwight D. Eisenhower
.
In that same election, the Democrats
lost their majority in the United States Senate
, and it was necessary for them to choose a Minority Leader
. The party chose Lyndon B. Johnson
, of Texas
, as minority leader. Johnson became Majority Leader
in 1955, Vice President of the United States
in 1961, and President of the United States
in 1963. Ironically, when Johnson sought a full term as President in 1964, his Republican
opponent was Barry Goldwater
, the person who had defeated McFarland in the 1952 election, and who had thereby given an indirect assist to Johnson's rise to prominence.
and emphasized education during his two terms in office.
Shortly after he returned from the Senate, he and several friends formed the Arizona Television Company to start a television station
in Phoenix. McFarland had long been intrigued by the still-new medium. In 1955, shortly after he became governor, he opened KTVK
, Phoenix's third television station. He chose the call letters "because TV would be our middle name." KTVK was the ABC
affiliate for much of Arizona until 1995, and then became one of the nation's most successful independent stations. It remained in his family's hands until 1999.
McFarland tried unsuccessfully to unseat Goldwater in 1958. After serving as governor he returned to his law practice and was elected associate justice of the Arizona Supreme Court in 1964. He took part in Miranda v. Arizona
and served as Chief Justice in 1968, thus completing a political "grand slam."
There is now a monument at the Arizona State Capitol
honoring him as the "Father of the G.I. Bill." Also, the McFarland State Historic Park
in Florence, Arizona
, contains a preserved courthouse
and other buildings from when Arizona was just a territory in 1878 that McFarland purchased and donated to the Arizona State Parks Board
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and, with Warren Atherton
Warren Atherton
Warren H. Atherton is widely recognized as the "Father of the G.I. Bill", officially known as the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944.-Biography:...
, is considered one of the "Fathers of the G.I. Bill". He is the only Arizonan to serve in the highest office in all three branches of Arizonan government—two at the state level, one at the federal level. He was a Democratic Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
from 1941 to 1953 (Majority Leader from 1951 to 1953) before serving as the tenth Governor of Arizona from 1955 to 1959. Finally McFarland sat as Chief Justice on the Arizona Supreme Court
Arizona Supreme Court
The Arizona Supreme Court is the state supreme court of the U.S. state of Arizona. It consists of a Chief Justice, a Vice Chief Justice, and three associate justices. Each justice is appointed by the governor of Arizona from a list recommended by a bipartisan commission. Justices stand for...
in 1968.
Early life
Born on a farm near Earlsboro, OklahomaEarlsboro, Oklahoma
Earlsboro is a town in Pottawatomie County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 633 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Earlsboro is located at ....
, on October 9, 1894. McFarland attended rural schools and graduated from East Central State Teachers' College
East Central University
East Central University is a four year public university in Ada, Oklahoma, located in the south central region of the state. The university also has courses available in McAlester, Shawnee, Ardmore, and Durant....
, Ada, Oklahoma
Ada, Oklahoma
Ada is a city in and the county seat of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 16,008 at the 2000 census. As of 2009, the city population was estimated at 17,019....
, in 1914 and from the University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
at Norman
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
, in 1917.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and nearly died of a bronchial
Bronchiole
The bronchioles or bronchioli are the first airway branches that no longer contain cartilage or glands in their submucosa. They are branches of the bronchi.The bronchioles terminate by entering the circular sacs called alveoli.- Structure :...
infection. Following surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
by Navy surgeons, he was discharged in 1919 and sent to live in a drier climate. Thus, after the war McFarland moved to Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, and was employed as a clerk in a bank. He gathered enough money to pay for tuition and graduated with a law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
degree from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1921. He moved back to Arizona, passed the bar exam, and commenced practice in Casa Grande
Casa Grande, Arizona
Casa Grande is a city in Pinal County, approximately halfway between Phoenix and Tucson in the U.S. state of Arizona. According to 2010 Census, the population of the city is 48,571...
. He soon developed an expertise in agricultural and water-use legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
, which would suit Arizona well in the future.
Rise to prominence and Senatorship
After serving as the assistant attorney generalAttorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
of Arizona from 1923 to 1924, county attorney of Pinal County from 1925 to 1930, and judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
of the superior court of Pinal County from 1934 to 1940, McFarland entered the Senate race in 1940. The twenty-eight-year Democratic incumbent, Henry F. Ashurst
Henry F. Ashurst
Henry Fountain Ashurst was an American Democratic politician and one of the first two Senators from Arizona. Largely self-educated, he served as a district attorney and member of the Arizona Territorial legislature before fulfilling his childhood ambition of joining the United States Senate...
, appeared to be unbeatable and did not launch an aggressive campaign to retain his seat. While Ashurst remained in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, McFarland canvassed the state, giving speeches on water issues and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. By a three-to-one margin, he defeated Ashurst in the primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
and went on to win the general election.
Senator McFarland, along with Senator Hayden, lobbied for the Central Arizona Project (CAP) aimed at providing Arizona's share of the Colorado River to the state. His efforts failed while he was a senator; however, they laid a critical foundation for the eventual passage of the CAP in the late 1960s.
Not forgetting his veteran roots, McFarland became interested in legislation to benefit veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
s returning from World War II. He outlined his proposals before the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
in a speech in 1943 and worked to create support for his G.I. Bill with veterans' organizations and members of Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
.
By unanimous votes, the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
approved the legislation in March and May, respectively and, on June 22, 1944, President Franklin Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
signed the G.I. Bill into law.
McFarland was easily reelected Senator in 1946 and served as chairman of a Commerce subcommittee where he helped plan a post-war role for the U.S. in international communications and rewrote the Communications Act of 1934
Communications Act of 1934
The Communications Act of 1934 is a United States federal law, enacted as Public Law Number 416, Act of June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064, by the 73rd Congress, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, codified as Chapter 5 of Title 47 of the United States Code, et seq. The Act replaced the...
. After Democratic Majority Leader Scott W. Lucas
Scott W. Lucas
Scott Wike Lucas was a two-term Democratic United States Senator from Illinois, and the United States Senate Majority Leader from 1948 to 1950....
was defeated in 1950 due to his link with Truman's administration, McFarland's Democratic colleagues chose him as majority leader. He served as Majority Leader for two years. In 1952, he was defeated by Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
in the national Republican landslide that year led by Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
.
In that same election, the Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
lost their majority in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, and it was necessary for them to choose a Minority Leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
. The party chose Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
, of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, as minority leader. Johnson became Majority Leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
in 1955, Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
in 1961, and President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
in 1963. Ironically, when Johnson sought a full term as President in 1964, his Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
opponent was Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater
Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 1964 election. An articulate and charismatic figure during the first half of the 1960s, he was known as "Mr...
, the person who had defeated McFarland in the 1952 election, and who had thereby given an indirect assist to Johnson's rise to prominence.
Governor of Arizona and the return to law
McFarland was elected governor of Arizona in 1954 and reelected in 1956. He worked with members of the Bureau of Reclamation to pick a location for the Glen Canyon DamGlen Canyon Dam
Glen Canyon Dam is a concrete arch dam on the Colorado River in northern Arizona in the United States, just north of Page. The dam was built to provide hydroelectricity and flow regulation from the upper Colorado River Basin to the lower. Its reservoir is called Lake Powell, and is the second...
and emphasized education during his two terms in office.
Shortly after he returned from the Senate, he and several friends formed the Arizona Television Company to start a television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
in Phoenix. McFarland had long been intrigued by the still-new medium. In 1955, shortly after he became governor, he opened KTVK
KTVK
KTVK is a full-service, independent television station in Phoenix, Arizona. It broadcasts in digital on UHF channel 24 from a transmitter located on South Mountain in Phoenix, and can be seen across northern Arizona on a network of nearly two dozen translator stations...
, Phoenix's third television station. He chose the call letters "because TV would be our middle name." KTVK was the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate for much of Arizona until 1995, and then became one of the nation's most successful independent stations. It remained in his family's hands until 1999.
McFarland tried unsuccessfully to unseat Goldwater in 1958. After serving as governor he returned to his law practice and was elected associate justice of the Arizona Supreme Court in 1964. He took part in Miranda v. Arizona
Miranda v. Arizona
Miranda v. Arizona, , was a landmark 5–4 decision of the United States Supreme Court. The Court held that both inculpatory and exculpatory statements made in response to interrogation by a defendant in police custody will be admissible at trial only if the prosecution can show that the defendant...
and served as Chief Justice in 1968, thus completing a political "grand slam."
Later life and death
In his mid-seventies, he served as the director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and president of the Arizona Television Company before dying in Phoenix on June 8, 1984.There is now a monument at the Arizona State Capitol
Arizona State Capitol
The Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, formerly housed the Territorial and State Legislatures, as well as various executive offices...
honoring him as the "Father of the G.I. Bill." Also, the McFarland State Historic Park
McFarland State Historic Park
McFarland State Historic Park is a small historic park located in downtown Florence, Arizona on the corner of Main and Ruggles Streets. The park consists of a preserved courthouse and other buildings dating to the Arizona Territory period. The original structure was built in 1878 with the addition...
in Florence, Arizona
Florence, Arizona
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,054 people, 2,226 households, and 1,540 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,056.2 people per square mile . There were 3,216 housing units at an average density of 387.7 per square mile...
, contains a preserved courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
and other buildings from when Arizona was just a territory in 1878 that McFarland purchased and donated to the Arizona State Parks Board
Arizona State Parks (government)
Arizona State Parks is the governing agency of all Arizona state parks. The agency was created in 1955, following the rapid growth of the post-World War II recreation and tourism industries in the American Southwest...
.
External links
- McFarland State Historic Park
- McFarland Collection of historic documents
- Arizona State Capitol Monument
- Congress Biography
- Biography from the Senate
- Also see McFarland biography by historian James Elton McMillian, Jr., published by Sharlot Hall Museum Press, Prescott, Arizona.