The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-11-19

. MT. Ford, who was called to Wash inston by Secretary Weeks to fur nish first-hand information, con- ferred for about an hour with seers- tary of Commerce Hoover and Major General Beach chief of army engi- neers. Secretary Weeks was to have met with the Detroit manufacturer but was prevented by an attack of indl sestion which confined him to his home the entire day. In informing Secretary Hoover that he would he unable to attend the conference he asked that the discussions today be of a preliminary nature only. Addi- tional conferences are to be held to- morrow, providing MT Weeks can be present The action of the govern ment Nill be made in a report to Con- gress. which must finally pass on any matter involving turning over of the plants to private interests, Govern ment officials, after taday's confer ence, said they see no reason why the report could not be made within a few days. but gave no indication of the nature of the prospective report.
 No Decision
 Prior to the conference. however. it was stated definitely that MT. Weeks had in his own mind reached no de- eision on the offer and would keep his mind open until the conference with Mir. Ford was concluded.
 Secretary Hoover well ns Mir.
 Ford and engineers who sat with
 him In the conference, declined to
 comment on the subjects dIs-
 cussed at today's conference. It
 L-In
 touch with the matter, however.
 that the cost of construction
 work on the Wilson dam figured
 largely in the discussion. Revised
 estimates by army engineers
 place cost nt between $42,OO0,OoO
 and S55.000.0O0, with allowance
 for Improvements In navigation.
 Mir. Ford, in his original offer,
 estimated the cost at s2s.00O, ,OOo.
 and 1t was understood that he
 declined today to change the fig
 ure. The difference between the
 estimates is considered the prfn-
 cicai point in dispute.
 The report to be presented to Con- gress. 1t was explained today. would not necessarily contain recommenda- tions either for the acceptance of Mir. Ford's offer or rejection and might merely present the facts, allowing fi- nal decision to rest with Congress. Although Secretary Hoover Is par ticipa ting in the conferences. and al- though Assistant Secretary Houston of the commerce department has studied the whole question thor oughly, Secretary Weeks, 1t was said. would present the report to Congress on account of the Muscle Shoals pro- jeetion being under the war depart ment
 Visits White House
 Mir. Ford before going to Secretary Hoover's office, visited the White House and spent some time with President Harding. He said the call. however. was merely to pay his re- spects, he and the President having become well acquainted last summer whom the President spent a week. end with the Ford-Edison- Firestone camping party.
 Upon his arrival here early in the day and afterward Mr, Ford displayed remarkable nimbleness In his efforts to dodge photographers and re- porters. After his call on the Pres ident a corps of camera men awaited him a the door of the executive of fices, but MT. Ford gave them the slip by crossing over to the residential portion of the White House and making his exit by a side door
 At the commerce department. where he conferred with Secretary Hoover, MT. Ford stopped his auto- mobile about half block from the entrance, covering the intervening distance on the run After his meet ing with MT. Hoover the automobile manufacturer scooted out of the sscretary's office and down the stairs tp avoid reporters clustered around the elevators. At the front door. however. large crowd had gath cred to see the bidder for Muscle Shoals and his progress to his ma chine was slow. Growing darkness. however. frustrated efforts of the photographers