The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-29
FORD WILL AMEND
 HIS OFFER ID SUIT
 SECRETARY 0F WAR
Washington Lost Its Dignity When the Fat and Freck- led Princess Fatima Wis.,
 its National Capital
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau The Age-HeraId
 500 Davidson Building

Washington, July 2S-( Special. )-- The offer of Henry Ford to acquire Muscle Shoals will be amended to suit the criticism of the Secretary of War, 1t is learned denniteiy
 The Secretary of War does not feel that he can safely guarantee to de- liver to Mir. Ford 6Oo,0oo horse power. MT. Ford simply wants the horse power that the government can de- liver. It will approximate 500, 900. The other objections of the secretary are regarded as minor.
 Secretary Mellon of the treasury department is preparing statement which will show just what Henry Ford will receive for his initial in- vestment of $5,000.000 This state :. ment, it is believed, will indicate that the proposition is so allurlng that ether bidders will hasten to GO thai what they have always intended do- ing-that is. submit their blGs.
 Country for Ford
 The public, it is strongly indicated, Is hopeful that the government will award the properties to Ford. Farm CTS throughout the United States are imploring the government to trade with Ford. They do not seem to care whether or not the investment will prove highly advantageous to Ford. They argue that he alone throughout the United States has proved himself able to manufacture cheaply for the public arc at the same time amass an immeas0rable fortune.
 It is their contention that others could have produced as cheaply as Ford, could have bucked the trusts as Ford has done, could have defied competition as Ford has done, had they given just consideration to the requirements of the people. And yet Ford will acquire a prop erty for s5,000,00o worth many times that amount. He will buy his water power for $2 per thousand horse power whereas it is said that the cheapest in the United States is sold for $27.
 Effect on Politics | The politicians, as was expected. | begin to exercise themselves. They see in Henry Ford man with whom they must reckon, probably in 1924. There is no question but that Ford has obtained wonderful grasp on the imagination of the country. He makes an especially strong appeal to the farmers and the labor unions, | both of which are regarded as inde- 1 pendent.
 l It is pointed out that he gave the farmer a cheap automobile. and will give him cheap tractor; that he has defied the trusts in refusing to price 1 his products in accordance with trust demands: that he has defied Wall street when Wall street declared him "broke;" that he has purchased a railroad and offered Michigan fruit growers cheap railroad rates; and now that he has offered to acquire Muscle Shoals and retail cheap fer tilizer, guaranteeing at the same time 1 to submit to the inspection of repre- sentatives of the farmers organiza- 1 tions.
 Ford to Washington l It is reasonably certain that the | politicians will have much to say be- I fore Muscle Shoals is turned over to Henry Ford. They do not relish the | idea that this man whom they have always regarded as a modern Don | Quixote might lead movement strong enough to toss them from their own citadels.
 I And yet Ford has given no thought | to the presidency, his closest friends | in Washington declare. He simply sees 8 fine proposition for himself in Muscle Shoals, and an opportunity to prevent the wreckage of $100,000,- 900 proposition capable of ines | timably benefiting the country. | MT. Ford and his advisers, now camping in Maryland, will soon be | invited by the Secretary of War to visit Washington and confer regard | ing his offer.
 PRINCESS FATIMA STANDS WARRINGTON ON ITS HEAD