The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-12-10
Industrial Possibilities
in Muscle Shoals Proposal

has been volunteered TO tranSmute the
relatively untouched natural resources
Of the south into the gold Of solid
achievement. The creative genius OF
Thomas Edison UNDERWRITERS the eolos-
sal material assets Of the other high
adventurer"
We are not acquainted with the min
utiae of detail involved in the Ford
offer for Muscle Shoals. Mr.. Ford has
usually been most liberal in his BUSH
ness offers and has not been inclined
to Maggie over few dollars. We are,
on the other hand, most intimately ad-
vised as to the repeated efforts of more
or less responsible people, some styling
themselves experts, to deride and be-
little the whole Muscle Shoals develop
meat. The public over and over again
was given to understand that the ap-
preparations for Muscle Shoals repre-
scented nothing more than a bold raid
on the treasury, that it never could
and never should be made to amount to
anything; that, at best, 1t was but junk
and that the government would be
lucky If it got back any part. at all of
the millions it had expended. But no
sooner did Mr.. Ford suggest that If
the property was worthless to the gov
eminent, it was worth a great many
millions to him, which he was prepared
to pay, than a great cry Of protest rose
to high heaven. We believe that it
will require considerable more logic
and considerably better arithmetic
than have yet appeared, to convince
the people of the United States that
the government, in any fairness what
ever. either to itself or to the taxpay-
ers. can decline the Ford proposal.
1t may be argued with power that it
would be of advantage to the whole
United States, and not to the south
only, were Mr.. Ford permitted to un-
dertake his plans, even if he were not
in a position to pay in cash a single
penny for the Muscle Shoals property.
He is prepared to undertake a develop
ment which is incompatible in its mag
nitude. He plans in miilions-not in
millions of dollars but in millions of
men-work for million men. He
visions an industrial creation which
would appear TO be absurd We're it not
for the fact that accomplishments al
most equally great he has already
achieved. If he is able to get but half
of the million horsepower he hopes to
obtain and is able, therefore, to give
employment to but half million men,
still that in itself would be an achieve
ment to amaze and educate the world.
Mr.. Ford intimates that as a result
of his operations at Muscle Shoals he
will be able to revolutionize agriculture
in the South. He. foreshadows the up
building of variety of manufacturing
enterprises, including production of
aluminium on a huge scale, and prom
Uses to upbuild in the environs OF the
ower-deveIopment an industrial area
that, if his plans are carried out, would
quite obviously rival any similar area
in any other place on the face Of the
earth.
Mr.. Ford intimates that there is
much he can teach the south to the
south's great benefit. We do not
doubt it. He has taught the north and
the industry of the whole world many
things. His peculiarities are various.
His ignorance on some subjects is as
founding. But in the balance scales
his eccentricities are as nothing COM
pared with the things he is able to
The world is interested in
his merits, not his dement's.
THE future belongs TO the south. 1t
is not remarkable that a man OF Mr..
Ford's magnitude has foreseen it.
Power is the open sesame In modern
white coal is power.
The Southern Power company has Just
announced that 1t will begin the con-
struction at once of two great new
plants, in the Carolinas.
one at Great Falls, with a maximum
capacity of 10000 horse power: the
other at Mountain Island on the Ca
tawba. river, with maximum capacity
Of $4,000 horse power. Southern rivers,
year-round reservoirs of perpetual |
power, are being harnessed up. in in
creasing number and volume. The ex-
ample Of what has been done, when /
accentuated by the enormous project I
Of Ford at Muscle Shoals, win not only 1
induce other developments in all parts |
Of the South, but, as with the power /
Of a vast magnet, will draw to the |
south innumerable manufacturing |
plants OF all sorts.
The whole south ought to get be- |
hind Mr.. Ford, and Mr.. Edison with |
him. and assist to the uttermost TO see /
that he gets Muscle Shoals. The in I
yestment win be worth incomparably /
more under private than under public
ownership, and worth incomparably
more under the Ford direction, we be- (
Iieve, than under any other direction. ]
While we believe that Mr.. Ford is
fundamentally wrong in a number OF /
the things he does and says, there is /
none who can challenge the actually |
Of his achievements. A man who |
dreams dreams, he has the ability and |
The resources to make them real The I
coming Of Ford TO q south, with the /
vast enterprise he co.. templates. would 1
me an infinitely more in the immediate /
Industrial development Of the south |
than any thing else that can possibly |
happen. It would be an event Of world 1
-enown. and in its influence on opin- |
lon. on faith in the south and as a
n fxv.Y411rz n u-raa Far effort on the ray-T I