The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-25
FARMERS INTEREST IN MUSCLE SHOALS SUBJECT OF CRAY
America Will "Ford" Across Her Rubicon, McCoWn De- clareS-0'NeaI Sends
 Message to Farley

Florence, May 24.--In projected
 development of power sites on the
 Tennessee river here, "a modernised and humanized agriculture" were foreseen by Chester H. Gray, chair man of the Muscle Shoals committee of the American Farm Bureau Fed eration. speaking today before the Southern Commercial Congress at Tuscumbia.
 'The American farmer is interested
 In Muscle Shoals primarily as a po
 tential producer of fertilizer" the speaker said, "but agriculturists
 everywhere realize the possible ad-
 vantages in opening the river to nav
 igation and in the application gen.
 orally of electro chemistry to agri-
 culture.
 Muscle Shoals means to the farm
 CTS of America cheaper farm machin-
 cry, cheaper transportation, cheaper automobiles and more convenienccs for the women folk to be secured by
 the general use of electricity and aluminium" continued MT. Gray. He dESeFteu Jnal HI example SnOulQ ne set at Muscle Shoals of what can be done with ydro-electricity when
 applied to the common good.' He predicted that other projects would follow in development
 "The farmers have confidence in Henry Ford" said Mir. Cray. and be- lieve him the man to start forward this Muscle Shoals development. We
 need Muscle Shoals; Muscle Shoals needs Ford"
 After he had declared that "who- ever controls a nations power con trols that nations people," T. c. Mo- Gown. president of the Chamber of Commerce of Fayetteville, Tenn,
 aroused shouts of approval when he continued:
 America today is standing at her
 rubicon. Caesar ferried his We are going to Ford ours" O'Neal Speaks In @ message to the conference, Emmett O'Neal, president of the Mus cle Shoals association, who was ab- | sent by reason of illness, predicted that the overpowering sentiment which now demands acceptance of l the Ford offer will with the weight
 of a mighty juggernault crush 10 powder any selfish corporation or in- l dividual who may attempt to check 1 it's triumphant march toward final victory
 Committees Named | A committee on general informa- | ticn empowered and instructed ito | educate the American public on the
 national importance of the Muscle
 Shoals projects and the necessity cf | their immediate completion." was | adopted at last nights session held at al l. a
 of Luke Lea, c. F. J. Mooney, Robert 1 W. Bangham. Clark Howell, ASo-
 sephus Daniels. Frank N. Julian and Roy Garner.
 A legislative committee empowered l to further the program adopted at
 the conference is composed of Clar.
 ence J. Owens. Hoke Smith and T. R. | Preston.
 Urge Acceptance The conference unanimously hy
 memorial called upon Congress and the President "to end the unprofi- l table and wasteful delay" at Muscle
 Shoals and asked acceptance of the proposal of Henry Ford for lease and purchase of nitrate plants and power 1 sites. The memorial set forth that
 Muscle Shoals should be so de- Iveloped as to secure the greatest good to the nation"
 Improvements at the Port of Mo bile so that it might more properly perform its part in state, coastwise and foreign trade, were indorsed. The memorial adopted last night which calls upon Congress and the
 President for immediate acceptance of the Ford proposal Is to be de- livered by special messenger during
 the week, 1t was announced today
 The conference adjourned at noon