Vernon Parish Democrat., 1922-02-09
(FrOm Various Newspapers)

world how to stop war. This. he de-
clares, is the supreme purpose Of his
life.
1t was while the automobile manu-
facturer and Mr.. Edison walked about
over the great water power develop
ment. which the Government built here
during the war, that Mr.. Ford express
ed for the first time what he declares
is his real purpose in seeking to buy
Muscle Shoals from the Government.
The Government, as yet, has not
completed the development. Several
great dams, locks and other works are
to be built To date about $80,OO0,-
900 has been spent on it. According
to Government figures. $30,000,000
more will be required to complete it so
that Mr.. Ford can take it over and
operate it, developing power and man
ufacturing nitrates, aluminium, and 9TH
er activities.
Congress, so far, in keeping with
its policy of economy, has been averse
to raising the $30,000,000 by taxation.
The only apparent alternative is for
the Government to issue 30-year bonds
and sell them to the highest bidder.
IF you take over Muscle Shoals"
Mr.. Ford was asked, what effect will
| it have on your Detroit industries and
on Detroit as a whole?'
Mr.. Ford did not reply for a mo-
ment, and then is was a question.
why do you think | want Muscle
Shoals?" he asked. ''It cant be mon
ey want out of Muscle Shoals. 1t
cant be more business that | want.
We're now turning out more than
million cars year, and we are ready
any time to put out that number of
tractors. So it cans be greater ex-
Pansion of operations that I'm after |
in bidding for Muscle Shoals.
There must be some other reason
and there is. If Detroit, or the South, !
or any other particular locality is ben
Gifted by my taking over Muscle Shoals
-good-that's fine-but it's inciden-
tai. My purpose in taking over Mus
Gle Shoals is not to benefit usA or our
business or Detroit, or any other part
ot the country-my only purpose is to
DO certain thing that will benefit
ne whole world, F.mrI-
In what way9"
Just this way" the manufacturer
as he came to the corner of
great abutment. Pointing his finger
Tor emphasis, he said: IF the Govern
nent accepts my offer for Muscle
Shoals as we have made it and will l.
consider completing the dam according
o financing plan which have in
mind, we can here do an epochal thing
literally, mean it-an epochal
hing. We shall eliminate war from
he world"
But how?" | queried. /:
'HOw2" he asked in return. "Just |;
his way: It's very simple when you
nal we it. The cause of all wars is !
,old. We shall demonstrate to the
world two things-first, the practical !
'ility; second. the desirability, of dis
'lacing gold as the basis of currency
md substituting in its place the worlds &
natural wealth"
| don't quite follow you," ven
ured.
! didn't expect you would" Mr..
'ord came back. Almost everybody .
n the world, except the newspapers, =
ecognize that civilization has entered :.
IN a new era-the newspapers and the =
'ankers. The newspapers don't see
and the International bankers don't
want to see tit would mean chang :
S in world finances and bankers al
7ays oppose changes" :,
i can't see the connection" | said,
between river in Alabama and the y
limination of war q
But there is a connection" Mr.. ~
ord answered. And then, abruptly: n
You don't want war. do you? Of d
curse not. If you ask your neigh i
'or, you'll find he doesn't want war, \
md his neighbor and the family next !,
o him feel the same way. 7
And if you went out and knocked 4
It every door along every street and Q
Dad in the world, you'd find every
rown man and woman in the world n
living the same answer: No, no, God IN
ave US from war Then, if all the e
antilles in the world are opposed to r
var, why, In the name of Heaven, do !
We have wars-did that question ever +
,ccur to you? Well, there's a reason.
here's profit in war. don't mean n