Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-03-14
ASSERTS MUSCLE SHOALS
PROJECT IMPRACT|CABLE
Former Il. S. Chemist Saws
Ford or Others Would
Lose Last Penny,
CONDEMNS c,.>AM,p PROCESS
Charles l.. Parsons In TcstifyinS lie
fore House Committee. RECON-
mcnd> Alabama Plnnt He Held for
EWcrgrnc. Ir by Government.
n Nssociatod Pressl

WASHlNGTCN. March II. Charles
l." Parsons consulting chemist and
former technical adviser to tho gov
ornmcn, on nitrate axat!on. testified
today before the House Military Com
mittcc tina, Henry Ford. any other
person. or company would lose their
last penny" before they ever produced
commercial fertilizer at nitrate plant
No. >, at Muscle Shoals. Ala The
plant. which has cost tho government
about SGg.oOO.ooO. the witness said
was designed to bc operated only by
the cyananid process OF nitrate nxa-
tion. an obsolete method, and was
worthless as a fertilizer producer.
Condemns Process
Tho cyauamil process was con-
dcmued by Mr. Parsons az obsolete
ana economically impossible. having
heen superseded. ne declared. by tin.
Habcr improved methods Il was his
conviction. he added. that the MuIcle
Shoals plant could not be rcdcsicuod
io produce commercial fertilizers.
This Judgment was based. he ex-
pla!ncd on a thorough investigation
Of the cyauamid plants in Europe.
many of which were being closed
down by bankrupt operators. while
others alrWdy had gone out Of bust
ness because they could not compete
with cstahiishme using the Haher
improvements.
As to tho future use OF the pIant
at Muscle Shoals, Mr.. Parsons recon
mcndcd that it bc kept in a stand 10y
condition FOR emergency use I'm war
time. and declared that was its only
present value in so far as it's worth
as fertilizer factory was concerned
contrary 10 reports. Mr.. Parsons
declared. nitrate plant NO. / designed
l" operate oy the Haber process had
heen successful experiment and
could be altered for 100000 or
Sl.hoo,poo. and used successfully in
inc production Of niirates and fer
tilizer compounds. Mr.. Ford's whole,
iortun. would be dissipatcd, IN. Wit
ness added, if he attempted tn manu-
faciurc fertilizers "a, plan, 40 . al
" ir"ht. applying the cyanamid PRO
-'e>S or any other Ia which the es,ab-
!iShin"n' might bc converted.
Method. Are Different.
"' 'Nanamid and Halter methods
N'f- 50 dircrent. Nj Parsons ok
H."ih'a, that il would be inpossihlc
ever O. amply the latter to plan, M
'H2-i removing Il from the
Va he opnion Of the witness
..'@- ''L .aaiNia-=i Of company would
-'7; FERTILIZER production on
10. sr5e by leasing plan.
re ---st ne committee TO
Wa NJ Ford would pro
81 : ca=aptr :erIil.I.rs for the farm
.eieTe S"nErtss accepted the p-o-
nosal for prrchsse and lease Of tho
NAA'l.- Shos : properties. or that Of
#ry ether bidder uho cont.mnia,ed
S1ppist"E the nations agricultural
gr"dS with cheaper soil foods pro.
oHgru at The sfs. .o0c plant
tnaiTrnan Kahn announced 2. the
trAc'ls'on a: the Investigation today
'hai the committee would adiourn
S"oJec; % call :or5 its next mee,iny
on the Muscle Shoals question Hc
expected 10 hear only two NOR. VIII
n"Ssss, ne said. before the hearings
We're closed and the committee rs
gan preparation Of It's report or. tn.
proposals II has been STUDYING
SECRETARY Mellon l. expected To he
the next w.tu.ss before the commit
toe, hut h" mad not minated when
ne would he prepared TO TESTIFY Tho
second and last witness on the lis,
!, was said. would be representa-,
tive OF the Department OF Justice.
possibly Attorney General Dauchern
or one az his dst,aiautsi.