The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-15
TRIBUNE ATTACK ONFORD' SOFTER
 READ BY WEEKS
Chicago Newspaper Opposes Lease of Plant to Man Against Whom It Is
 Very Bitter
By HUGH W. ROBERTS Washington Bureau, The Age-Her


 Washington, October 14.--(Special) The editorial criticism by the Chi Gago Tribune of the James E. Smith indorsement of the Henry Ford offer for the governments properties at Muscle Shoals has reached the desk of John w Weeks, Secretary of War. MT smith was a member of a com mittee appointed by the Mississippi Valley association to investigate the "advisabillty of the government com pleting the project for the best ln- terest of the country" He indorsed the project and then indorsed the Ford offer in a richly italicized pamphlet which might have been written by a Ford agent. and whi oh the Tribune calls Ford propaganda. The Chicago Tribune has long been bitter against Henry Ford. The sec etary knows that 1t is prejudi ced At the same time he has read it's criticism.
 The Tribupe's Argument
 In small part the Tribune says; MT. Smiths propaganda in favor of the Ford offer emphasizes the point of value to the Mississippi valley. lie points out the waterway transporta- lion value of the dam improvements m opening large natural resources to easy development. He points out the value of the fertilizer develop n.ent to the American farmer and the nitrate development for war pur- l poses by citing United States impor- tations of more than s821,00oO0 worth of nitrates from Chile since 1867 All that is true. But by the same token it should be an argu- ment against giving this vast plant to the private control of Ford and | his heirs for 100 years or more. Ford offers to pay S5,00o, 900 for 1 the nitrate plants and steam property which cost the government $S5,000,- | 00O He offers to produce, but gives no guarantee to produce. fertilizer for American farmers Nitrate plant No utilized for this purpose would use only 100, 900 horse power out Of possible $50 900 development. It would thus appear that this propo- sition was seven parts water power to one of fertilizer. And yet he would pay nothing on the water power except 6 per cent on S2s,ooo'- O0O He would pay nothing for the water power itself, and would be | free from all taxes on 1t.
 Cites Graft History
 "The high points in the history or graft throughout the United states lie in the granting of public utill " franchises for periods of from 70 years or more. Scores of municipal 1 itles have had scandals growing out of the sale of such franchises Ana here is what amounts to a franchise b1gger than any municipal franchise ever granted. sought for period or 100 years with privilege of renewal, if should not be granted without guarantee of ample return to the nublic. and then only for a perlou within the law
 The secretary has made no state- ment relative to this criticism lie intimates that he is delayed soleIy through the apparent inability of all err gineers to agree regarding ssNt- mates of cost in completing da at the shoals He knows that the tribune is prejudiced against foru' IT was the Tribune which procured in some mysterious manner, ana pup lished the highly confidential letters of | w. Worthington Muscie shoals advocate, letters when Wn,le containing no reflection against the writer or the project, were on ee count of their relation to personal snd intimate matters, cruelty empar- |