The Washington herald., 1922-01-15
TAKE OR LEAVET,
HANGED FICARE,
SAYS HENRY FORD
Raps Secretary Weeks
Delay on the Muscle
Shoals Plan.

~SA1I S4a s@@~ -
Shoals Plan.
Henry Ford, here last night.
struck back vigorously at the forces
which have been seeking to pre-
vent his acquisition OF the great
Muscle Shoals nitrate project
Attacking the fertilizer trust"
the power and chemical interests of
wall street and Secretary. Of War
Weeks, Ford left an implied threat
that he would throw overheard his
offer for the Muscle Shoals plant
a final settlement on the matter
were delayed much longer by "ir-
.eievant questions" and by govern
ment agents "puttering around
After six months Of considera-
ton of our offer. Secretary OF War
Weeks Is still asking what appear
to me as irrelevant questions ann
delaying final settlement OF this
matter said Ford.
Take IL or Lesve TT
I'VE didn't want Muscle shoals
for selfish purposes In the nrst
place. Hanged n wes care very
much whetner or not we get II
now"
snapped ont the words.
a selfish business prpposition--If
was an Industrial philantrophy
which we offered-an offer based
on a desire for great public serv.
ice, he continued.
sAna vo,, can tust $40 that .v.~v
time Secretary of War Weeks gets
points in this proposition, he'll get
political matter to be jockeyed and
Juggled about-why doesn't he take
It or leave It, yes or no, as
he would in a private business
matter?'
Bitterly Attacks Red Tape.
Ford then charged that the in
terests opposed to him have deluged
Congress with lies and misrepresen-
tations on his proposition. and an
nouhced his intention to force them
to prove their statements before
committees of Congress. He was
bitter In his attack on govern
mental red tape and waste. declar-
ing that he was offering the gov
eminent more salvage on Muscle
Shoals than II has obtained from
any, other of its war plants.
The fertilizer trust, the uower
and chemical interests of wall
Street, the money brokers and
every other interest that fears to
have Muscle Shoals developed along
lines that will serve all the people
most. instead of serving the big
seinsh interests of Wall Street, are
deluging Secretary Weeks and
congress with literature that gross
~ misrepresents the facts" he con-
tinued.
Never Needed II.
You know I used to wonder 4.
Few weeks ago why the dickens
was bidding for Muscle shoals. We
have never needed Muscle shoals
always got alonng fine without n.
We finally did bid because, as we
saw u. II gave, US an opportunity
to awaken the whole American peo-
pie TO what they can do IL thew
VIII only study and utilize the
water power possibilities Of the
country. And the more we inyestf-
gated the thing the more we saw
the rotten waste Of Il all-the
waste Of millions. OF dollars raised
by taxing tn . people in letting
Muscle shoals lie there uncompleted
am idle. and greatest of n. as +
see 1t, the waste Of millions on
millions more Of money raised nv
the taxing of people by the govern,
ment's dflatory and Indifferent wav.
and methods OF doing business GEN
orally"
Losing ss.sss.eee Yearly.
Ford said his .offer Of $1,000 ooo
Tor the nitrate plants Is 5.56 per
cent OF their cost or a higher rate
o. return on salvage than on the.
OLD Hickory Powder Plant at Nash
VILE and, the wooden ships Of che
United States Shipping Board. The
return on the powder pant was 4.2s
per cent ana on the wooden ships
said.
BY deayfg acceptance OF his one,
the governDment IL losing s2,se2.-
900 year. Ford said. This "a made
up Of s2,ooo.ooo Ford would pay IN
RENTAL and the balance Is in the
cost of guarding plants that are
idle and useiess," Ford said.
II was pointed but TO Ford that
a booklet published BY the Ma,
tionsl Fertilizer Association. and
circulated among Representatives
and Senators. charges that his offer
amounts to- a subsidy.
subsidy." he exclaimed. "A sub
sidy means getting something from
the government for nothing. we'rs
asking the government for q nickel
Instead we're giving the govern
ment an oner unprecedented for
Its generosity.
General lansing II. Beach. chief
o. the Army Engineers. has shown
Weeks that. during the
Continued On Pno. Fc.- 3