The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-17
OUTLOOK FOR MUSCLE SHOALS

Addressing the national convention of
railway and utilities commissioners at De-
trot, President A. G. Patterson of the Ala
bama public service commission stated that
it will be only short time before Congress
disposes of the government plants at Muscle
Shoals. "Never before have we been so GER
tain that Congress will lease Muscle Shoals
to Mr.. Ford as we are today Mr.. Patter.
son declared. His opinion is shared by others
who have followed the controversy in Con-
gress over selling or leasing the hydro
electric power development on the Tennessee
river. 1t is the logical thing to do. The
government will not undertake to operate
the plants and Henry Ford has made the
only offer that can be considered seriously.
II there were no politics involved and no
determination not to let Mr.. Ford develop
new industrial center in the south if 1t can
be prevented, the Detroit manufacturer
would soon be at work at Muscle Shoals.
The campaign carried on in the west, the
middle west and the north has convinced
those sections of the country of the nationa!
Importance Of Muscle Shoals. Mr.. Patterson
says letters are pouring in daily on repre-
sentatives and senators which reveal ma
tion-wide interest in the project. 1t is
mistake to assume that the disposition of
this property is a sectional matter from
which the south will derive all the benefit.
The south will of course profit by increased
power for its industries and the manufacture
of nitrates for the farmers, but the whole
country will share in the advantages. Muscle
Shoals is just as important to the farmers of
the west and middle west as it is to the
southern people. Cheap fertilizers will add
millions of dollars to the nations agricultural
wealth and the expansion Of southern indus
try will be felt from one end of the country
to the other, through increased consumption
of manufactured articles and greater buy
ing power.
The south wants Henry Ford to have
Muscle Shoals because it has confidence in
him and believes that he will do more than
any other man or group of men in America
to make the property useful to the nation. He
is captain of industry whose extraordinary
success leaves no question of his ability. The
same qualities which have made him the lead
ing automobile manufacturer will assure the
development Of Muscle Shoals on large
SCdle 50 IIdL Inc SOutHeTH people ana InS
people of the entire United States will share
in its benefits. Henry Ford does not pose as
a philanthropist, but expects to make fair
profit from the nitrate and power plants.
His reputation for fair dealing and the con-
struetive program he has mapped out for
an industrial empire in the south justify
the belief that Muscle Shoals will rapidly
develop under his management. This public
confidence is remarkable. 1t has been
tremendous factor in bringing pressure to
bear on Congress. No argument advanced
against the Ford offer has been able to shake
it, and it is apparently stronger now than
ever.
There is nowhere else in America such an
opportunity as Muscle Shoals presents. Here
is the nucleus of hydro-eectric power sys-
tenn which would in few years make the
south one Of the greatest industrial centers
In the world. Cheap electricity would be
consumed in thousands of homes, it would
provide power for countless new industries,
and we might hope to see eventually the
Identification of southern railroads. These
considerations have solidified public senlt
ment in favor Of the Ford offer. IN
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