Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-08-04
MINORITY URGE
ACCEPT lance OF
F0RD'S OFFER
Ask That His Muscle Shoals
Proposition Be Accepted
By Government.
tBy The Associated pre.s)

Washington, Aug. 4.-Acceptance of
Henry Ford's offer for purchase and
lease of the governments vast nitrate
and water power projects at Muscle
Shoals, Ala. was urged by Republi-
can and Democratic senators compris-
ing a minority tof the senate agricul-
ture committee in a report submitted
today to the senate. Strong protest
was entered by the senat or against
the acceptance of the government
ownership and operation plan pro-
posed by Senator Norris of Nebraska,
the committees chairman.
The report was presented by Sena-
tor Ladd, Republican. North Dakota,
and was signed by Senators Capper,
Republican, Kansas, and Harrison.
MI -sissippi, Caraway, Ark, Randsdell,
Louisiana, Smith, South Carolina and
Heflin. Ala bama, Democrats. 1t es-
timated that the government has lost
$3,O0O.OO0 at Muscle Shoals since the
arnistice by failure to develop an6
operate the project and declared tn.
quickest way to stop these Losses is. to
accept Henry Ford's offer for the pur-
chase and lease of the government .
Muscle Shoals properties"
Admit Objections.
Certain objections to the Ford Of
fer seem apparent" the report said
but we insist Without fear Of sue
cessful contradiction that none Of the
objections to the Ford offer can be
remedfed or solved by government
ownership and operation-by. the gov
ernment going into the power bus:-
ness or entering the uncharted and
hazardous field of operating nitrate
plants at Muscle Shoals in the produc-
ton Of nitro genous and other. com
mercial fertilizers using electro chem.
ical processes, the commercial success
OF which, Is yet controversial.
For congress to adopt suci: pot.
icy when Henry Ford's offer make:
it unnecessary for the government tt
do so," it continued. would subjcc,
congress. to the just condemnation
and reproach Of all sober minded peo.
ple." -.
The report called attention tc
charges that acceptance of Mr.. Ford.
tender would give him a government
subsidy in the development of power
and the manufacture of fertilizer and
said:
Compared With Ship Subsidy.
IF it is a subsidy. it is noc much
subsidy as is proposed by tn, ad.
ministration in the ship subsidy hill
= The report then cited a cOmpariso.
between the Ladd bill and che pro.
po ed federal relief for\the merchan,
marine, showing that the forme,
called for an expenditure of $4,000.
600 while the latter required an ex.
penditure of s125,00O.o0o.
1t was also urged that .he Ladd
bill would cost the government zap.
proximately nothing" year whilc
the ship subsidy bill" would neccssi
tate an annual expenditure of SAL.
100000.
After reviewing conflicting tes.i.
mony taken by the committee on the
question of how much present fer,
tilizer costs oould be reduced a,
Muscle Shoals. the report asserted
ITO our minds the evidence is con
vincing that there are modern electro.
chemical proce ses which. applied al
Muscle Shoals, will reduce the cost o1
fertilizers, but if there is any doub,
on that score the United States should
stay out of the business"
Little Hope for Farmer.
The report added that from the
present fertilizer industry the farmer
might expect but little in the reduc.
ton of prices
The senator's declared their willing.