The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-02-04
F0RD'S OFFER
NOW BEFORE
CONGRESS
Sec. Weeks Transmits
Bid and Contract
For Muscle Shoals
W Without Specific
Recommendation

rress today tho offer and contract
of Henry Ford for the muscle
Shoals properties. The secretary
made no specific recommendations
as TO acceptance or rejection. but
pointed out several changes that
should be made Il the offer were
accented. He said there were 4
number Of advantages to the gov
crnncnt in the present proposals
that were not apparent in the first
offer" made by Mr.. Ford. and con-
Guided by giving it as his opinion
that "if Mr.. Ford's proposal be not
accented. it is my opinion that
Dam No. . (Wilson dam) 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
advantage to the nation Of the en-
ployment CT the large amount OF
labor required in undertaking this
development"
"Inasmuch as l am without au-
thority in law to accept Mr.. Ford
o:.er or dispose Of the property a.
I, whole. either by sale or 10y
lease" Secretary Weeks letter
said. cit is peculiarly the prov
incc of congress to weigh the con-
sidcrations which will pass TO the
respective parties 20 the proposed
arrangement. and 10 determine
whether or not the advantage tc
th" government in having Nitrate
Plant No. maintained in readi.
ness for the manufacture Of cX-
plosives and in actual production Of
fertilizer. together with the inn
provcmcnt to navigation. is Of suf-
ficicnt importance to justify the
proposed departure from tn: pres
ent policy of the law III regard tc
dealing with the WIterpoWcr re.
sources Of the nation, and 10 way
ran; leasing TO Mr.. Ford, govern
ment property for so long . pcrio1
at the rental proposed.
If Mr.. ford's proposal BIC ac-
copied by congress, l suggest thai
there should be certain modi!ica'
tons made TO safeguard the GOV
ernment's interest AS heretofore
stated. there should hc some assur
ance that the contracts made by hi!
proposed company viii! be carried
out.
Il also suggest that the cost o
acquiring the lands and tlowag.
rights necessary for Dam No.
should be included in the sum upo1
which MIR. Ford is to pay i pc
cent interest, as rent.
Il believe it would be better pol
icy to limit the contract to tern
of fifty (50) years TO conform t
the established policy of the feder
al government. as set out in The
waterpower act.
while paragraphs 4 and o
the present proposal provide tha
Mr.. Ford's company is to pay t
the United States annually the sun
of $4,000 on Dam No. and SO,
900 on Dam No. ) foI repairs
maintenance and operation Of III
dams. gates and locks. congress;
may we'll consider whether it would
be more desirable to have Mr.
Ford maintain the property ant
omit those payments.
If Mr. Ford's proposal be no
accepted it is my opinion that Dan
No. 9 (Wilson damn should b'
completed l,y the government ani
that the power requirements FOL
commercial purposes, the benefit
to navigation. us we'll as the pos
siblc needs OF the Sovcrnmcn
would warrant this expenditure. l
this were done The government ma,
itself undertake to sell tho produc
to the best advantage
AT this time when there is {;
large amount OF unemployment i
is not without Importance TO con
slider The advantage to the nation
Of the employment O! the large
amount Of labor required in under
taking this development. /. there.
fore, urge tnat congress give early
consideration to this matter moi
only to settle controvcrted qucs-
ton. but to furnish cmpioymcnt
n q large scale
With The exhibits. engineers
opinions. the Ford contract anG
correspondence bctwcnc Mr.. Ford
and the war department, the docu-
ments sent TO congress made up
wards OF 1000 words. Mr. Weeks
letter of transmittal went into The
history OF the negotiations cXllaus-
lively. "On July s. 1921" he
wrote, lin conscquS,cc OF some nc
sotiations with tho chief Of cngi-
nccrs. United States army, Mr.
Henry Ford presented Il proposal
in writing. in which he flcrcd u
tiXcd annual rental of 600
for Dam No. and its power plant
and appurtcnanccS. installation OF
equipment, capable of producing
100000 horsepower and Il rental
OF $200,y00 10 be paid annually
during the first six years Of the
lease. On proposed Dam No. ::
he offered Il fixed annual rental Of
$3S0.0U0. commencing three years
after. 10000 horsepower should be
developed. and SlGo."0o per anliuIn
for the first three years OF tn"
lease period. Provision was mad"
for certain upkccp charges and