encouraged to run for Arizona Attorney General. Realizing that he lacked the resources for a statewide campaign, he did not run for those offices. During the Senate election of 1940, McFarland counted on voters in Phoenix and Tucson to oppose any candidate from the other city. He toured the state and reacquainted himself to various political leaders he had met during his time on the bench, but he waited to announce his intentions to run. McFarland's late entry did not hurt him as he won the primary by nearly two-to-one and defeated the incumbent, Henry F. Ashurst. He went on to win the general election and took office in January 1941. His initial committee assignments were to Indian Affairs, Interstate Commerce, Irrigation and Reclamation, Judiciary, and Pensions. Shortly after arriving in the Senate, Senator Gerald Nye convinced the Senate to create a committee looking into use of propaganda by the radio and motion picture industries. Senator Burton K. Wheeler recommended McFarland be placed on Nye's committee under the assumption the freshman senator "would keep his mouth shut." Instead of remaining silent, McFarland became an outspoken critic of the committee and pointed out many accusations against films were being made by individuals who had not seen any of the films in question. McFarland gained national attention for his actions on the committee, with most of the nation viewing him favorably. As a member of the Communications subcommittee, McFarland was involved in hearings dealing with the impact of developments in airmail, radio, telephones, and teletypes to the nation's telegraph services. The US telegraph market was dominated by Postal Telegraph and Western Union. Postal had been borrowing money from the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to maintain its infrastructure even though it was becoming obvious that Postal would be unable to pay back the loans. Those dealings with the FCC led McFarland to develop an interest in communications. McFarland's experience in World War I led him to take an interest in the welfare of the troops during World War II. Arguing that many members of the military had left jobs, families, and schools to fight during the war, McFarland sponsored the GI Bill as a means to assisting soldiers and sailors as they transitioned back into civilian life. McFarland was re-elected to the Senate in 1946 and received an honorary L.L.D. from the University of Arizona in 1950. In 1950, the Democratic membership of the