New Britain herald., 1922-07-20
NORRIS SCORES FORDy OFFER BUT
 HOLDS UP HIS PLANAS IDEAL ONE

congress for a modification of theii leases and the extension of the time
 from bo to l00 years 1T we make a
 100 years lease to Mir. Ford's eornor-
 ation are we not In honor bound te
 make 100 year lease to MT Rocke,
 teler's corporation9 IL cannot be claimed Tn defense that we cannot at-
 ford to do this because of the conn. dence which the American people have in Mir Ford, and the lack Of con- fldence they have in some of his CO., multimillionaires We are not deal ing with men, We are dealing with n corporation al unrestrained and as un- limited and as unregulated as any pi- rate that ever sailed the seas. MT. Ford will have at best but very few years of connection with this corpor- alton, but notwithstanding this fact, why should we be more lenient with a corporation organized by one man than another?"
 The document asserts that Mir Ford Is not claiming many things claimed l in his behalf by many of those who are spreading the wonderful propa- . eanda over the country demanding that Congress shall accept his offer"
 Objects to Propaganda If there were no other reason for rejecting this offer, the document | adds, it ought to be rejected for this one provision alone, and if 1t is ac- cepted with this provision in 1t. then Congress ought to lay down the bars and permit any organization organized by any other person 10 have the same privilege and the same right of lease for 100 years Of complete and unregulated control of power devel- oped from our navigable streams" It is estimated that a total amount paid by the Ford Corporation by amortization during the 100 year per iod would be only 4.36s.39s, and the rate of interest paid by Mir. Ford on the money provided by the treasury is shown to be 279 per cent rather than 4 per cent
 The statement is made that the government cannot afford to enter into the loaning business at the expense of the taxpayers and for the enrich ment of great corporation that un- der the very terms of its offer will be beyond the regulation of either fed eral or state authority"
 The Steam Plant.
 On the question as to whether the steam plant at Gorgas, Alabama, should he included among the pro- perties to be disposed of at Muscle Shoals, the report says, in part:
 Tt is quite apparent that since am- pie power now exists at Muscle Shoals there is no object in the government retaining it's interest in the steam plant at Gorgas. 1t has no connec- tion whatever with the permanent use and operation of the plant at Muscle Shoals \ It would be wise for the government to reclaim that part of the transmission line that runs from Waco Quarry to Muscle Shoals in | order that power may be transmitted | from Muscle Shoals to the Quarry for the operation of the machinery there. | Outside of this, there has been no reason given by anyone why the Cor gas plant should be retained by the government. It ought to sell its in- terest in that plant and it is quite ap- parent that the Alabama Power com pany can afford to pay more for the governments interest in this plant than any other concern, and 1t is inn material whether that part of the contract with the Alabama Power company. proving for a sale to that company. is illegal or not. The gov ernment should make the sale and should insist on securing a fair price for the value of it's interest"
 Ford Or Nothing
 Regarding Senator Norris bill pro- posing government development and operation for the Muscle Shoals pro- jects, the report contains reference to the attitude of senators who, it says. are seemingly determined to turn this property over to Fr Ford or absolutely prevent it's development by anyone" Seven members of the agricultural committee who voted for the favorable report of the Ford offer and opposed a favorable report on the Norris bill are mentioned in this connection. \
 With them" the report says "it seems to be Ford or nothing When we take into consideration the won derful development that it provided in S, 349o (The Norris Bill), part- cularly for the south, it lis difficult to understand how senators from that section can assume such an attitude.
 Boon To tho South.
 Tn this bill there is offered to the country and particularly to the south ern states, the most wonderful plan for the development Of power on the Tennessee river and it's distribution