Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-18
COMMITTEE STILL IN AIR
AS TO MUSCLE SHOALS
House Military Affairs Body
Gives No lntimation of
Accord.
CONSIDERS FOUR PROPOSALS
strong Sentiment Prevails Ford Must
Eliminate GorEnE Plant From List
Of Properties lie Would Leave or
Purchnse.
my Associated PreEs.l

WASH1NGTON. April l7.-Mem-
hers or the House Military Commit
toe concluded today their nrst ex-
change OF Individual opinions on the
four private proposals for develop
ing the governments projects Mt
Muscle shoals. Ala. and adjourned
until Wednesday. Al taat time. II
was announced by Chairman Kahn.
tn" committee VIII begin boiling
down testimony heard during the
investigation of the Offers to reach
the outstanding features OF each pro-
rosnl to be considered as part OF
the report to he drafted for the
House.
Sentiment among committeeman.
II was said. had not yet reached tho
stage OF concrctcncss whore any OF
tho existing proposals had received
preferential consideration.
Unable 10 Predict Decision.
While hopeful that the nnal en-
"a constructive program for de-
veiopment of Muscle shoals to the
House would receive the fun ap-
prevail OF the twenty-one members
on tho committee. Chairman Kahn
said he was unable to predict what
the nnal decision would be or which
OF tho existing offers now under
consideration would be recommends
cd In whole or In part
1t is too early to predict what ac-
ton tho committee will recommend
to Congress. he said.
Members who ATTENDED the cSccu-
tive committee sessions while the
exchange of the opinions was in prog
rcss said today tho INDICATIONS were
that important notifications in the
existing offers probably would be in
sisted upon by the committee before
It submitted a report to the House.
None OF the proposals. it was eX
planned. was entirely acceptable to
the committee. If the opinions al
ready voiced by tho members could
he accepted as rejecting the attitude
OF the twcnty-onc members.
Seek to Eliminate GorEnS rlnnt.
a strong insistence prevailed amon,:
the committeeman that the proposal
Of Henry Ford should he modified so
as To eliminate the steam plant at
Gorgas from the properties he pro-
poses to purchase and lease II was
said. Another point in that offer not
altogether satisfactory. according to
some mcmbcrs. was the year
lease period. \ reduction Ia NIFTY
years was preferred by several mem
bcrs.
After the boiling down" Of evil
dence has been completed in tho COM
mittcc, it is probable that Chairman
Kahn Will request the creation OF n
subcommittee, with himself excluded.
for working out the details of the
report.
Would Recall Ench niddcr.
The present plan Involves the re-
calling OF each of tho bidder. by the
has completed the report.
1t would serve no purpose" Mr..
Kahn said. Ito make report TO the
House which is not acceptable to
those who have made the offers. We
want them TO appear and approve the
report before IL is submitted"
The Senate Agriculture Committee
held its first actual examination to-
day OF the offers pending before II for
Investigation. Thomas w Martin.
president Of the Alabama Power Com
pany. was called and presented the
offer made by tho power company for
it's development of the power projects
in tho Muscle Shoals territory.
After session OF one hour and a
half. the committee adjourned to CON
tinuc its study of the power COM
pany's proposal tomorrow Mr.. Mar
tin was able to make little progrcss
In the time allowed today. and IL was
estimated that he would continue on
the stand several days to complete
his statement unless the committee
extended Its sessions to the after
noon.