The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-11
Favors Development by Ma ton of Sources of Latent
 Water Power
DEEP INTEREST IN
 MUSCLE SHOALS
Situation Explained in Detail by Del egates From Counties of North Ala bama-Does Not Indorse Any of
 Projects Placed Before Him
By HUGH W. ROBERTS

Washington. December 10.-(Spe- cia1. )-LindIey M. Garrison, Secretary of War, without indorsing either of the several projects presented to Con- gress, declared today in favor of the development by the nation of sources of latent water power in order that in the emergency of war the United States would be independent of Chile.
 This afternoon, an hour following the final session of the National Rivers and Harbors congress, the Secretary of War conferred with the delegation from Alabama and Tennessee representing the Tennessee Improvement associa- tion. Secretary Garrison having de- clared 1t necessary that the United States take steps to secure commercial independence of Chile, made no effort to conceal his deep interest in the Muscle Shoals project. The electrically manipulated map, in which is shown the river and the shoals impediment to navigation, was carefully studied. Other maps Illustrating the possibil- tiles accentuating the preparedness programme received his rapt atten- tion
 DELEGATES PRESENTED
 The secretary was escorted to the headquarters of the Alabama delega- tion by Senator Bankhead, Senator Un- derwood and Congressman Almon. Each of 30 delegates was presented in turn, and the secretary displayed the keen est interest in each of them. He very frankly stated that he was delighted in that an opportunity was presented him to make a study from striking illustrations of one of the greatest problems confronting the government today.
 When the situation was explained in detail by the senators, the congress men and delegates from the counties sof north Alabama chiefly 10 be anne- sited by the sharnessing of the Shoals, he left apparently deeply impressed. He thanked the Alabamians for hav- ing brought the Tennessee river to Washington inasmuch as through in- advertence he had lost an opportunity to go to the river last March.
 The secretary's official indorsement of the development of water power for the manufacture of fertilizer and high explosives was couched in the follow ing language.
 Neither in my judgment, is there an appreciation of the full extent and variety of the uses to which such power can be and in other countries is being put. The misconception is general that the great est. if not the sole, use of such power |. T .4!.t.. I utilities. But modern science has achieved use for hydro-electric energy which should now cause the subject to occupy a place of prime importance in our pres ent conditions; because, at once, and so happily, it can be made to contribute to meet our necessities in widely different fields-our agricultural and general indus trial development and our national de- fense.
 GETTING OUT NITROGEN
 'I refer to the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen through the use of the electric furnace, a method of supplying that es- perimental stage and through the en- oouragement of proper laws, has become firmly established as a practical industry in other lands. Such a use requires large quantities of cheap power. which can be found only in the use of water power. Every man knows that nitrogen is an ingredient of commercial fertilizer, but 1t is much less universally known that nitrogen is an indispensable element of all military explosives and is, therefore, an essential munition of war.
 Military effectiveness requires ample quantities of the element, and the proper appreciation of national security behooves us to make provision for an adequate sup ply in time of war Our only present source Of supply Is the natural nitrate beds of Chile, which in time of war might be shut off from us. Obviously in the matter of munitions. especially where the source is limited and localized we should neglect no provision so easily available as this to make the country self-sustaining Plants producing nitrogen for industrial purposes in time of peace would be d great national asset in view of their avail ability to supply us with the necessary nitrogen in time of war
 Grey and Kitchener