The New York herald., 1921-12-06
FORD SHOALS PLAN
BOON TO FARMERS
PhilanthrOpic Monument
Manufacturers Aim
in Alabama.
NITRATES TO BE CHEAP
Economic Benefits of Great
Move to Help Crops
Are Cited.
EDISON BACKS CURRENCY
Attacks Gold and Wants Cur
rency Issued With Dam
as Security.
EDISON BACKS CURRENCY

Special Despatch TO TIE New YORK HERALD
FLORENCE, Ala. Dec. 5.-Henry Ford
made clear to-day that if he takes
over Muscle Shoals he will operate il
in the interest of the farmers Of the
country.
Thomas A. Edison, after his inspec-
tion of the plants. said that there was
no question In his mind that with
Muscle Shoals in operation artificial
fertilizer could be manufactured much
cheaper than it can be produced now
or carried from South America. He
had no figures completed yet, Mr.. Edi-
son said, but he believed the price
could be cut at least one-third.
II am afraid the idea of this de-
velopment of Muscle Shoals is being
thought Of too much in terms Of dol
lars and cents; OF manufacturing and
profits" said Mr. Ford.
What l want is for the average
man, the small farmer and the wage
Garner to visualize what it means to
him. 1t Is no money making matter
to me. I don't want any profit out of
it; don't need any more money. 1t is
a great boon to humanity I hope TO
leave behind me as evidence Of my
desire and effort to make things bet
ter for the people who have not had
the fates smile kindly upon them
just the average folks who find things
are pretty hard along the pathway of
life
.Grcnt Saving to Farmer"
"It means first of all, that the farm
man will benefit most directly. 1t win
mean the saving in labor TO him. an in
crease of production and therefore an
increase of return to him.
"Nitrates for fertilizer are merely
power arrested by these electrical proc
esses and concentrated or fixed In the
form OF crystals.
''If the farmer can buy the power now
going TO waste down the channel Of the
Tennessee River, floating idly out to
sea. put few pounds of that power
under his cotton or corn and realize
more return on one acre than he now
at one-fourth of what he now pays for
nitrate. what has been done?
"He has been saved the labor on three
acres Of which he got comparatively no
return. That same labor expended on
four acres with the use of cheap nitrates
will increase his productive power In
the same ratio, consequently his earning
power and his income and his prosperity.
1t means better homes. more advantages.
better education, more comforts and
easier life and more happiness.
"T'he manufacturing wealth of the
country is vastly less than the agricul-
tural wealth produced from the labora-
tory OF nature and out of the soil each
season Each farmer is really q pro-
ducing chemist, and Mr.. Edison and I
propose to furnish him with raw ma
terials more cheaply, more conveniently
and better.
Little Aid for Agricultural"
THE farmer is manufacturer also.
the same as / am, only he is manufac-
turing the most basic and fundamental
necessities oT human kind. In spite of
his production of the things without
which would come famine. want. woe
and misery he has had less help and
less before him by science or capital
than almost any other class OF people
In the world.
There is not a farm in this whole
country that will not feel the benefit and
the stimulus Of this waste power being
arrested and fixed In nitrate crystals.
again to be transformed into vigorous
plants and abundant fruit II touches
every farm i'm the United States.
This widespread basic prosperity will
give firner foundation for the rest of
our people. Say what you please, the
farmer is the very ground beam OF our
national life. and. next TO hin: in useful
ness the worker in other lines who eX-
changes his strength. skill or knowledge
for daily bread.
"The surplus power after supplying
the farmers with cheap fertilizer will
afford employment for many thousands
OF people. II will turn many wheels now
ron-existcnt II will create new wealth
out Of raw materials and effort and skin,
and I hone. with more equitable adjust
ment OF rewards to those concerned than
generally exists to-day.
''It will enable thousands OF people TO
sell their raw materials. It will afford
facilities to many additional hundreds
TO engage In more Individual efforts at
the production by making power more
easy to obtain and use in the small In
dustries and Will develop initiative and
pioHttiib diohb
featuring lines.
"CoaI Will He Conserved"
IT will enable the conservation OF
our coal resources and the proper utili-
zation of this. our most amazing. potent
gift from nature more heavily laden
with useful socalled products than any
other known Substance. In the utiliza-
tion OF this coal as II should be used
there will be many more factories and
processes affordlng employment to a
huge number OF people.
And I'll &C that as permanent thing.
growing out OF what Is now a waste,
something not of value at ALI but rather
a colossal loss to the people every day
because the people are not receiving the
benefit from IL.
When our Congress considers these
things. will few millions OF permanent
Investment stand in the way and block
The comforting of prosperity on millions
~ our people everywhere In this broad
land, but particularly on the farms and
N the homes OF the earners?
VIII Congress join me In an unselfish
effort 10 serve humanity and make life
more tolerable?
why. the cost of one OF the great
battleships now arranged for would pro-
vide the needed money. Won't Congress
cut off one OF those $40, ,000. 900 engines
OF death, destruction, woe and waste