The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-02-04
Henry FOrd's Offer For
Muscle Shoals Property
Transmitted to Congress


Washington, Feb. 2.-Secretary Of
War Weeks transmitted to congress
today the offer and contract Of Henry
Ford for the Muscle Shoals proper.
ties. The secretary made no specific
recommendation as to acceptance OF
rejection, but pointed out several
changes that should be made if the Of
fer were accepted He said there
"were number of advantages to the
government in the present proposals
that were not apparent in the first
offer" made by Mr.. Ford and con-
cluded by giving it as his opinion that
eff Mr.. Ford's proposal be not ac-
cepted, it is my opinion that Dam No.
2 Wilson damp should be completed
by the government"
"At this time," Secretary Weeks
wrote, "when there is large amount
of unemployment, it is not without
Importance to consider the advantages
to the nation of the employment of
the large amount of labor required in
undertaking this development"
"Inasmuch as am without author
ity in law to accept Mr.. Ford's offer
or dispose of the property as a whole,
either by sale or by lease" Secretary
Weeks letter said, cit is peculiarly the
province of congress to weigh the
considerations which will pass to the
respective parties to the proposed ar
rangement, and to determine whether
or not the advantage to the govern
ment in having Nitrate Plant No. Q
maintained in readiness for the man
ufacture of explosives and in actual
production of fertilizer, together with
the improvement to navigation, is of
sufficient Importance to justify the
proposed departure from the present
policy Of the law in regard to deal
ing with the waterpower resources of
the nation, andto warrant leasing to
Mr.. Ford, government property for SO
long period at the rental proposed.
"If Mr.. Ford's proposal be accepted
by congress, I suggest that there
should be certain notifications made
to safeguard the governments inter-
est. AS heretofore stated, there
should be some assurance that the
contracts made by his proposed COM
pany will be carried out.
~ also suggest that the cost of
acquiring the lands and flowage rights
necessary for Dam No. 3 should be
included in the sum upon which Mr..
Ford is to pay per cent interest, as
rent.
~ believe it would be better policy
to limit the contract to a term of
fifty (50) years to conform to the es-
tablished policy of the federal govern
ment, as set out in the waterpower
act.
"While paragraphs and of the
present proposal provide that Mr..
Ford's company is to pay to the
United States annually the sum Of
$35, 600 on Dam No. 2 and $4,000 on
Dam No. 8 for repairs, maintenance
and operation Of the dams, gates and
locks, congress may we'll consider
whether it would be more desirable to
have Mr.. Ford maintain the property
and omit these payments.
"If Mr.. Ford's proposal be not ac-
cepted it is my opinion that Dam No.
2 Wilson dam) should be completed
by the government and that the pow
er requirements for commercial pur.
poses, the benefits to navigation, as
we'll as the possible needs of the gov
ernwent would warrant this expendi-
ture. If this were done the govern
ment may itself undertake to sell the
product to the best advantage ="
"At this time when there is large
amount of unemployment it is not
without Importance to consider the
advantage to the nation Of the en-
ployment of the large amount of la
Dor required in undertaking this de-
velopment. 1, therefore, urge that
congress give early consideration to
this matter not only to settle con-
troverted question, but to furnish en-
ployment on a large SCALE"
With the exhibits, engineers opin-
ions, the Ford contract and CORE
spondcnce between Mr.. Ford and the
war department, the documents sent
to congress made upwards Of $4,000
words. Mr.. Weeks letter of trans
initial went into the history of the
negotiations exhaustively. "On July
6, 1921" he wrote, "in consequence of
some negotiations with the chief of
engineers, United States army, Mr.
Henry Ford presented a proposal in
writing, in which he offered a fixed