The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-09
|. O. p. SENATOR'S
 PREVENT VOTE ON
 CORPORATION PLAN
Underwood Puts Amendment In Civil Sundry Bill to Provide
 10 Millions for Carrying
 on Work at Wilson Dam
Rx Associated Prees

Washington, January S.-Oppositlon by republican senators prevented a vote in the Senate today on the Dill propos- ing a government corporation to take over and operate the nitrate plant at Muscle Shoals. A motion to reeommit the bill to the Senate committee on agriculture for e-drafting was pending when the Senate adjourned until Mon day.
 Senator Leuroot. republican,. Wiscoh- sin who made the motion to recommit the bill. declared that it was in no sense a farmers relief measure, and that it's passage would benefit only the Ala bana Power company, which, he saio' was a corporation owned by persons with headquarters ill Montreal, Canada, and with British interests the largest E stockholders Senator Underwood, democrat, Ala bama declared Senator Lenroots charges were based on nothing but theories and denied that the Ala bama Power company would benefit by the adoption of the measure.
 Supporters of the measure, un-
 der Senator UnderwoOd's leader
 ship, won n preliminary skirmish
 earlier in the afternoon in prevent
 ing adjournment by margin of
 one vote. Senator Underwood also
 put in an amendment to the civil
 sundry appropriation bill which
 came over from the House during
 the dny to provide @1O,OOOOOO Tor
 carrying on the work Of building
 the Wilson dam at Muscle shoals,
 which is designed to furnish power
 to operate the nitrate plant.
 WILLIAMS DENOUNCES RUMORS Denunciation of ''rumors' of "corrup- tion" in connection with the expendi- ture of moneys at Muscle Shoals was made by Senator Williams, democrat Mississippi, during debate on the bill. The Mississippi senator said such charges should be investigated and the guilty parties sent to the penitentiary.
 1T am tired of this attacking the honor and veracity of men unless it be done with reason the Mississippi sen ator asserted.
 Declaring he had "heard a rumor in the cloak room," that $350,000 had been spent for an officers club at Muscle Shoals Senator Williams said he had determined that eff this charge be true some one shall be punished, and if not true, the liar shall be discovered" Re- sferred 10 reports of the Investigating i. vcommittee of the House by Senator Lem lkroot as the basis for the charge, Sem v ator Williams said testimony showed it Twas hotel instead of officers club, which was built at cost of s341 900.
 ''Of course, there was enormous waste and extravagance during the war; hs continued, "but there was no eorrup- tion."
 q IL Muscle Shoals plant as part of the na- tional defense would help to prevent wars, Senator Gronna republican. North Dakota, declared, in support of the pro- posal This was the primary object of the project he said, and the production of fertilizer for agricultural purposes in peace times was a secondary mat ter. He cited the number of farmers organizations which had urged passage of the bill.
 NO INTEREST IN BILLS
 Senator Smith, democrat, South Car olina: Stanley, democrat, Kentucky, and Heflin. democrat, Alabama, joined in defense of the project, which they de- clared would help the farmers
 Senator Lenroot had declared that farmers would not benefit from the bill proposing a federal corporation, and that the Alabama Power company would be the chief beneficiary of the Legislation"
 50 far as I know, the power com pany has no interest in this measure one way or another" said Senator Un- <Nderwood.
 "I'll discuss that in my own way ana VI in my own time' replied Senator Len root.
 '.All I want is for the senator to pre- 2 sent facts Senator Underwood con. tinued.
 All right said Senator Lenroot, Zone of the facts as to the connections .s IT the bill in the section which proposed that the government buy power station from the Alabama company
 Now, I'll say to the senator that tht station he mentions does not belong tt the Alabama Power company" Senator Underwood interrupted. Tt was bull for the government by the power com pany, that's all
 'I'll not yield for more on this" Sena tor Lenroot retorted, flor intend to sa, what is necessary in my own way. IT say this, though, that if I were advisin: the Alabama Power company and con sidering it's relations to this bill, shoul. advise that company's representatives t. stay out of the capitol and not appea anywhere in connection with this bill.'
 NOTHING BUT THEORIES
 The power developed from the dan would go to industrial plants, and not t. the Alabama Power company, said Sena X tor Underwood, adding that there wa N nothing upon which to base such charge ". except theories"
 v Special Interests have been attemptini to get appropriations for the develop mont of Muscle Shoals for their owl benefit ever since he has been in Con gress. Senator Lenroot asserted. He rol the Senate that in 1919 an attempt wa made in the House to get an appropria ton of $1S,0000O0 for the improvement {, Muscle Shoals with the intention to leas it to the American Cyanamid corpora tiur sone of the largest members of the so called fertilizer trust We hear so muc about now.
 Both of the senators from Alabama then members of the House, voted fo the effort. he continued.
 It is now charged that Mir Washburn head of the American Cyanamid corpora tion. member of the so-called "fertilze trust" was fighting the pending bill, h declared
 There is nothing in the bill that rs quifes the corporation to manufactur one ton of fertilizer, or to sell it to th farmers. Senator Ienroot declared th measure is in no sense a farmers relic bill. Under its provisions, with the cor < sent of the Secretary of War, he conttn Al ued. there would be nothing to preveu M the leasing of the corporation for. an n definite perioi to a member or the "ss