Evening star., 1921-07-26
Editorial Digest
Ford to the Rescue.

ole Shoals white elephant" of the
governments hands meets with the
approval Of most of the newspapers.
provided a satisfactory agreement can
be made. The southern papers espe-
cially favor the plan. which. they de-
clare, would utilize the great power
dam constructed by the government,
open up navigation and put the unfin-
ished nitrate plant, now a liability, to
work producing fertilizer or explo-
siVes when required. A few objections
are raised by those who think that If
F'ord could run the plant and sell
power and fertilizer at a profit the
government could do the same. but
the majority seem to have more faith
In the automobile makers efficiency
! than in Uncle Sans.
Only few writer's look askance at
the, Ford offer. The Muncie Star Gn-
dependent) is one of them. 1t quotes
the report of the Mississippi Valley
ASSOCIATION, which has reported that
further expenditure Of less than
$2o. 100000" would complete the plant.
which would yield a substantial re-
turn. Says the Star: IF by putting in
S2o.0O0. 600 more. of which only $10.-
ooo,o0O would be appropriated at pres
ent, the government can get a profit
on its S125,0O0.OOO invested, Henry
Ford,s offer 10 take over the entire
$l25'ooo, 600 project for S5.800.O00 and
rental ofQittle more than 1 per cent
does not seem very alluring.
me Chicago Tribune independent
IrepubiicaD is even more suspicious
Of Ford. IF Muscle Shoals is a good
tnins from a commercial standpoint.
why should the government turn it
, oyer to private individual?" it asks.
The Adrian Telegram Gndepend-
enp believes that "the enterprise is
eiii, either worth completing or isn't; it
or 1t won't" II 1t Is worth complet-
ing. 1t concludes. and "if it will pay
profits on s2O.OOo.OOO. then we can
amoh amohd to spend that amount and we
The Ford offer. the Philadelphia
Record independent democratic)
points out, has moved Congress to
realize that there is something in
Muscle Shoals which up until now
has been neglected. owing to stupid.
ignorant and wasteful" partisansnip
The Chattanooga Times independent
democratic) takes a somewhat simi.
lar view. adding that IF Mr.. Fords
ernment will either have to take the
plant and operate it or else let to
private enterprise on better terms
d;a IMAM Ford s" Meanwhile. the Bir-
that the general impression is that
no other candidate can make a more
liberal offer" or "one in which the
people osef generally af hyi Will receive great
While it sounds "quixotic" to the
Baltimore News independently, new
ertheless the plan contains enough
OF possibility to make it interesting"
ana the st. Joseph (Mo) News
Press independently notes that while
the government might do with the
plant what Ford intends to do. "ob-
servation of governmental methods
q n
years" makes it doubt that the
leopard is going to change his spots"
The Buffalo Express independent re-
publican) thinks there is only one
should give the government pause"
and that is the length of time Ford
asks. hundred-year lease. A period
of fifty years. already set by Con-
enough" to the Express.
i, The majority of the newspapers.
however, express their approval of
the plan without such qualifications.
most of them adopting the attitude
expressed by the Philadelphia Bull
letin independent republican,, when
it remarks that if Henry Ford
wants to get the Muscle Shoals
project out of the congressional
trenches" where it has lain for
years. let him try it," While "he
isn't much learned in history and
literature and has some cranky pro-
pensities he would do we'll to dis
card" the Nashville Banner Gnde-
pendent feels that "he has proved
his executive efficiency in conducting
a large industry" and he should be
able to do great DEAL for Muscle
Shoals. The Tennessean Gndepend-
en- democratic) of the same city is
even more enthusiastic, for 1t be-
lieves that Ford's great financial
resources" combined with the al
most unlimited possibilities" in the
great dam/for electric power. cyanide
iplants. and factories. will result in un-
precedented development Of the sur
rounding territory.
\ The Chattanooga News demo
cratic) says that it would not only
be "a splendid thing for the south"
but for the nation as well. senti-
ment in which the Mobile Register
(democratic) concurs. concluding
with the hope that "for the sake of
all concerned the equipment will soon
be in operation"
The Birmingham Age-Herald lin
dependent democratic) considers Ford's
project 1.-The most practical plan yet
offered" and the Hartford Times demo
cratic) credits him with nerve and
liability" which are sure Ito carry him
through"