The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-02-25
SENATOR'S ID @si'
 PERSONAL VISIT
 TOMUSCLE SHOALS
Hot Row Develops Between Representative Miller and Thomas w. Martin at
 Hearing
By Associated Press

Washington, February 24.-Devel- i opments today in connection with the governments proposed disposal of it's properties at Muscle Shoals to | private enterprise included a decision by the Senate to permit it's members to visit the projects in Alabama, the submission by Secretary Weeks to Congress of the offer for completion and operation of the properties made by Frederick E. Engstrum of Will mington, N. C., and the hearing by the House military committee of Thomas w. Martin, president of the Alabama Power, company.
 The Senate approved an expendi- ture of $2,o0o to defray the expenses of senators who desired to make the inspection trip without limiting the number of prospective visitors from its membership. The time for the visit will be determined by the agri- cultural committee when it meets next Tuesday. but is not expected to be until after March 6. due to prior engagements on the part of mum Der of tn committeeman.
 Hot Row Develops
 In the House committee row was precipitated during the examination of Mr. Martin by Representative Mil Ter. republican, Washington, on the contract executed by the Alabama Power company and war department officials by which the Warrior steam plant was constructed for govern ment use during the war. MT. Mar tin had explained that section of the contract under which the power com pany claimed an option permitting it to buy the plant in event is was ever decided to sell the plant and accessories to private interests.
 sIt seems to me-" interjected Mir. Miller, -that the whole busi- ness has been so shaped. en-
 tvined and stitched up that no
 human being could ever come
 into competition with the com
 pany."
 Mir Martin explained that the com pany had been fair at all times, had given the government title to its properties at Muscle Shoals upon which it had invested $500.000 for S1 and stood ready and willing to buy the plant at a flair value" under the option it held. Unless the plant | was sold accordingly, he said, it would have to be removed from the company's property at Warrior, but that was never expected.
 Power Company Played
 A heated colloquy ensued during which the committeeman declared firmly his conviction that the com pany had taken advantage of the government during the exfgenoies of the war" and the contract was the most .unconscionable" he had ever seen signed.
 The power company had strongly resented the Washington members inference. emphstically insisting that the contract was fair and had been executed in that form upon the de- mand of the war department off cials at the time it was drafted. At this point Chairman Kahn intervened and order was restored in the room where the sharp interchanges of the two had precipitated no little con fusion.
 Mir. Miller earlier in the examIna- ton had complained that the War rior plant and the company's proper tieS hao been so ingenlouSly inter- woven that it was impossible for the government to divide it's interests from those of the power company or dispose of them to MT. Ford or any other private interest. His conten- tions had been opposed each time by MT. Martin who said the government was entirely satisfied with the doc ument when it was drawn. and had insisted upon the option, in order 70 assure itself a fair return on invest
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