The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-11
Republican Leader in House
 Killed Air-Nitrate Section of Hay Bill
NOW WANT PROBE OF
 AN ALLEGED LOBBY
Demand by House Republicans That Investigation Be Ordered and All Lobbyists Included Is Re-
 garded as Significant
By HUGH w. ROBERTS

is much perturbed because certain mem bers of Congress would put the govern ment into the business of procuring, for use in the manufacture of explosives and fertilizers, atmospheric nitrogen
 Representative Mann of Illinois. repub- lican floor leader, threw the solid re- publican column against the air nitrate section of the Hay military bill and achieved it's destruction. Representative Madden of Illinois, in view of the air ni- trate agitation in the Senate, has intro duced resolution calling for an Investi- gation of the activity of the duPont Powder company and the Alabama Power company. Senator Sherman of Illinois has prepared a resolution to the same practical effect.
 Senator Underwood, as is recalled, charged that lobbyists representing pow der companies contributed to the defeat of the air nitrate section of the Hay bill. The demand of the House republicans, who defeated that section that investiga- ton be ordered and that all lobbyists be included as subjects for investigation, is regarded as significant.
 MUSCLE SHOALS FIGURES
 The Madden resolution is in the hands of the rules committee and may never be brought forth. However it is one of the most interesting documents filed this session. It contains many errors of a technical nature, such as it's state- nent that Senator Underwood alleged inn proper motives to the duPont company, that Washburn is president of the Amer ican Cyanide company, and that Worth ington is president of the Alabama Power company, but it's object is clear and un- mistaklable.
 In the entire controversy Muscle Shoals, to great extent, figures, although no Muscle Shoals proposition is or has been before this Congress. Senator Underwood has repeatedly called attention to that fact, and has repeatedly stated that he is indifferent as to what course of in- vestigation is pursued.
 His proposed amendment to the Sem ate military bill provides simply for the appointment of a corps of engineers for the purpose of Investigating under the direction of the Secretary of War of all processes for filching atmospheric nitro gen and all available water power sites and reporting back to Congress recom- mendations to the end that the govern inent may be adequately prepared to pro- cure a limitless source of high explosives.
 THE MADDEN PAPER
 There is, however, evidently in the opinion of Mir. Madden, a ''nigger in the woodpile' His resolution follows:
 "Wheresa, on April 8, 1916, senator of the United States charged the duPont Powder company with using improper methods to defeat section S2 of the Hay army bill on the floor of the House; and,
 .sWher eas, the same senator named as representative of the DuPont Powder company, who did the alleged improper lobbying two men, Charles B. Lano1s ana Hugh l.. Cooper; and.
 'sWhereas, it is said that a large lobby has been maintained for months in Wash ington in an effort to persuade the House to approve section S2, which was stricken from the Hay bill; and,
 A SERIOUS CHARGE
 seWheras, it is said that among those who are in the lobby favoring adoption of section 82 or some other similar sec tion are Frank s. Washburn. president of the American Cyanide company, and J. w. Worthington, president of the Ala tama Power company and others; and,
 ssWhereas, it has been asserted in the daily press that these men, through the influence of senators, persuaded the army engineers to allot $150,000 to make borings at Muscle Shoals on the Tennessee river in order to ascertain whether the river bottom would hold up dam such as they needed for their proposed project. notwithstanding the fact that Congress formally rejected such a proposition in the last session and there was no au- thority for said borings to be made un- der the terms of any appropriation act: and.
 .sWhereas, it has also been charged that in case section S2 had been adopted by the House and approved by the Senate, the American Cyanide company and the Alabama Power company would have been the real beneficiaries; and
 'sWhereas, it is fact that the army engineers have already expressed their opinion that in case the government builds a nitrate plant it should be located at Muscle Shoals, on the Tennessee river; and
 ENGINEERS IN TROUBLE \ 'sWhereas, the army engineers urged the government to go into partnership with the Muscle Shoals people in com mittee document. numbered 20. Sixty-third Congress; and
 'Whereas, the army engineers also urged the government, as its part of the contract, to appropriate more than $1S.- 600 600 for the work; and
 'sWhereas, if the government does build a nitrate plant at Muscle Shoals 1t will be compelled to deal with the Alabama Power company and the American Cyna- hide company, which have interlocking directorates; and
 Whereas. the men who are now lobby ing in behalf of Muscle Shoals have stead fly attempted to conceal the fact that they are working in behalf of the Amer ican Cynaide company and the Alabama Power company, the latter of which Is just about to attempt to float $100. 900. 900 in bonds; and
 Whereas, these men have asserted that their efforts have been devoted simply toward obtaining for the government a plant to manufacture nitrate for use as fertilizer in time of peace and explosives in times of war: and
 AFTER THE LOBBYISTS
 s'Whereas. the HouAe resents the insin- uation that 1t yielded to improper influ- ences in defeating the Muscle Shoals prop osition; therefore, be it