The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-12-21
Offer of Manufactures Is All
That Has Saved Giant Plants
From Junk Pile, MidWestern
Scion ASSerts-Break With
Nebraska Senator Is Bitter
UNDERWOOD FLAYS G. o. P.
FOR NOT TAKING ACTION
Farmers Demanding Accep-
lance of Detroit Mans Pro-
posal, Agricultural Bloc
Leader Declares in Speech.
No Better Proposition Made
WASHINGTON BUREAU !
THE AGE-HEKALD
Washington. d. O., Dec. 20 ]

NdSninEtOh, IL. W. Dcc. ~
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20. -
field day for Henry Ford in the Sen
atci Taking advantage of an OPP
portunity presented by the filibus-
ter against the administration ship
subsidy bill, Senator Ladd of North
Dakota, in carefully prepared adj
dress, defended the offer of the
Detroit manufacturer for Muscle
Shoals, and declared that but for
that offer the government plants in
north Alabama would today be on
the scrap heap.
Following Laid, Senator Under
wood protested against what he
termed the apparent ignoring of
the situation on the part of the con-
trolling element in Congress" and
declared it "unfair to Ford and to
the American people that a vote on
the issue be longer denied. :"
MIR. Ford, on the invitation Of
the government" said the Alabama
senator, Submitted an offer II
was not and is not for Congress to
amend that offer. 1t is the duty OF
Congress to accept or reject it.
There is no excuse for continued
lack of action"
Agrees With Ladd
Senator Underwood agreed with
Senator Ladd that but for the inter-
position Of Ford, Muscle Shoals
plants would have been tlnked.
Senator HELM, following Under
wood, congratulated Laid on his de-
Tense of Ford and agreed with all
his points and conclusions.
Laid addressed his remarks to the
sneech delivered some days ago by
Senator Norris of Nebraska. Laid
sponsored the minority report OF the
Senate committee on agriculture, and
Norris is the author of the proposed
substitute lnder the terms of which
the plants and waterpower would be
operated by the government.
Conflict Bitter
The conflict in the views OF the
two IS pointed and apparently bitter.
Iadd declared today that the divi-
sion in Congress made it possible
that the plants, after all. would be
scrapped or left a permanent la
bility on the hands of the govern
ment Some days. ago. Norris de-
cIsred that the insistence of the
advocates of the Ford offer made
that possibility. IAN ever present
danger"
LAID took sharp issue with the
statement of Norris that if the farm
ers understood the Ford offer they
would rise en- masse against it.
IF we are to save this great pro-
ject for the people" Ladd exclaimed,
1--WE must accept the Ford offer, the
only offer that has been made that
urfnises any hope. Let not .sena-
tors be deceived. If we are to do
our duty by the great farming tn
terests, we must support the Ford
offer until such time, If that ever
be. when a better proposition Is pro-
vided.
Becomes Sarcastic
..AIr. Ford has offered the govern
ment so much more than any of
those big interests primarily effected
that all they can do is to rear back
or their launches, spou, their high
priced wisdom ard protest. II the
Ford offer is not best for the peo-
Pile of the United States. why do not
the interests propose something that
is better?"
In concluding Senator Ladd sar-
castically referred to this coDtentioa
of Norris that the Ford offer would
create, ''as great a monopoly as the
country had ever known"
Having heard the senator" de-
clared Laid. II was astonished to
learn that he was one of the republic
can senators who voted for the great
est private monopoly that has ever
been granted by any legislative body,
the federal reserve act which gave
to private banking Institutions a
complete monopoly over the issuance
and control of money and credits in
this great nation