Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-02-09
WEEKS ANNOUNCES !
TWO MORE OFFERS !
FORMUSCLE SHOALS
Declares Ford Said Tie
Wouldn't Manufacture
Fertilizer at Loss and Is
"Groping in the Dark"

WASHINGTON, Feb. S.--Secre-
tary Weeks, appearing today as
the first witness in the hearing be-
fore the house committee@on milf
tary affairs into the offer of Henry
Ford to purchase and operate the
Muscle Shoals tAlabama) nitrate
project, announced that he expects
ed to forward "two other offers for
Muscle Shoals" to congress before
the end of the week.
The secretary did not identify the
additional offers to which he re-
ferred, and gave no details as to
their scope. Chairman Kahn. who
presided at the hearing, said that
until the proposals were presented
the committee would coleine its in
quiry to that of Mr.. Ford. who has
been invited to appear.
The military committee will ex-
pedite it's consideration of the Ala
bama power and nitrate project. Mr..
Kahn said, expressing the opinion
that the hearings would be con-
c1uded within a week.
Secretary Weeks then proceeded.
He described fully the negotiations
from their inception, covering =
period of more than six months. Mr.
Ford's agreement to pay per cent
on the total cost of construction ON
the dams, he said, was a distinct I'M
crease in the value Of his ,proposi
tion.
FavOrs Fertilizer Guarantee
One of the offers to be sent to
congress. Secretary Weeks said, was
''verbal statement from another
responsible company" which offered
to complete the Wilson dam at its
own expense. No written offer had
been made, he added, but his belief
was that one probably would be.
Referring to the manufacture OF
fertilizer by the Muscle Shoals
plant, Mr.. Weeks said he believed
"Mr. Ford was very largely cropping
in the dark"
"The interest in this matter" he
continued, ''iS due to the large NUM-
Der of people who believe they win
get cheap fertilizers,
The secretary said Mr.. Ford had
told him in conversations that ne
would not continue over a given
period Of years to manufacture fer
tilizer or do so at all at loss.
'T think there should be a forfeit
imposed, Mr.. Weeks declared. ''to
apply in the event the manufacture
of this commodity is stopped. II
that happens a great many people
would be disappointed"
In replying to Chairman Kahn,
Mr.. Weeks said Mr.. Ford had made
the statement that he would not
make fertilizer at loss during an
Interview with him on October IL.
The secretary said it was his opin-
ion that it was as important to have
interest paid the government for
money it would spend to obtain land
and fiowage rights under the con-
tract as it was to have interest paid
on money required ITO complete the
dams.
"It is estimated by army en-
gineers," he explained, that $4,000
900 will be required to acquire ths
land and rights INVOLVED"
Fayors 59.Kear Lease
Answering questions from Mr..
Kahn, Secretary Weeks said the
government had spent $87 ,000,O00 on
the nitrate plants, for which Mr..
Ford offers s5,000,0 00."
The secretary said fifty-year
lease would be "a much wiser poll
cy'' than one for one hundred years,
offered by Mr.. Ford, because '.alI
kinds of things can happen in hum
bred years."
Representative Mckenzie, Of ILL.,
nois, asked if the 100 years were re-
died to fifty whether it would me-
cessitate negotiating new offer.
at would unless Mr.. Ford agreed
to it," Mr.. Weeks answered, lit
would change the figuring on the
amortization plan but / do not be-
lieve it would mean a redrafting Of
the whole offer"
In reply to another question, the
secretary asserted Mr.. Ford had IN
sisted on the s5,OO0,000 figure as his
price offer for the nitrate plants.
Some opposition was expressed by
the war secretary against any az.
tempt on the part of the government
"to enter into the manufacture or
fertilizer" :.
"If the property were mine" ne
continued, 81 would, however, in
sist upon a guarantee for fertilizer
for the life of the contract"
The Wilson dam could be COM
pleted by the government, the sec
rotary said, without taking a dollar
from the treasury.
Bonds could be issued" he said.
adding that power is being carried
from that region as far as North
Carolina now, and is readily sold.
There is need for it."
Representative Hull, Iowa, want
ed to know if the secretary favored
fixing the amount of capital the
Ford holding company should have.
''I think that it might be WISE"
declared Mr.. Weeks.
Answering other questions by
Representative Kearns. of Ohio, the
war secretary explained that the
total cost of the Muscle Shoals
properties had been between $102,-
100000 and $105,O00, 900 and. If the
Ford offer was accepted by congress
additional expenses thus incurred
would bring the total cost to $780,
600 900.
Says His Fits Were Cured
after suffering FRI fits 90 years.
DIV. Peterson, Elburn, ILL.,, was re-
stored to health hv the wonderful