New Britain herald., 1922-08-04
Says Agreement to Propo. sition Would Help Solve Fuel Problems.

Washington, Aug. 4 (By the Asso
 oiated Press) of Henr, Ford's offer for purchase and lease O.
 the governments vast nitrate anc
 water power projects at Muscle Shoals
 Ala, was urged by republican ant
 democratic senators comprising a min
 ority Of the senate agriculture com
 mittee in report submitted today tc
 the senate. Strong protest was en
 tered by the senators against the ac. ceptance of the government ownership and operation plan proposed by Sen. ator Norris, of Nebraska, the commit. tees chairman.
 Government Loses s3,OOOOOO.
 The report was presented by Sena. tor Ladd, republican, North Dakota in behalf of the Ford proponents or the committee whose signatures were attached. It estimated that the gov ernment had lost s3,00o,000 at Muscle shoals since the Armistice by failure to develop and operate the project and declared the quickets way to stop these losses is to accept Henry Ford's offer for the purchase and
 lease of the governments Muscle Shoals properties"
 Certain objections to the Ford ot- fer seem apparent" the report said, but we insist without fear of success full contradiction that none of the ob- jections to the Ford offer can be rem edied or solved by government owner ship and operation--by the govern ment going into the power business or entering the uncharted and haz- ardous field of operating nitrate plants | at Muscle Shoals in the production of !nitrogenous and other commercial Fertilizers using electro chemical processes, the commercial success of which is yet controversial.
 Would Open Way For Criticism. For congress to adopt such pol icy when Henry Ford's offer makes it unnecessary for the government to do so," 1t continued, would subject con- gress to the just condemnation and reproach of all sober minded peo- pie"
 The belief was expressed that every member d the senate would agree with the committee minority with ref erence to the acceptance of MT Fords proposal when they consider the present fuel and transportation emergencies" in the light of develop ment of such great hydro-electric power as it found at Muscle Shoals" adding that it lis the only rtoi nd ept jnf iyo he future from the present paralysis of American industry"
 The report called attention to charges that acceptance of Mir Fords tender would give him a government subsidy in the development of power and the manufacture of fertilizer and said:
 Compared to Ship Subsidy Bill.
 Tt has been claimed that the Ford offer constitutes subsidy to Mir Ford. If 1t is a subsidy, 1t is not such a subsidy as is proposed by the ad ministration in the ship subsidy bill"
 The report then cited comparison between the Ladd bill and that pro- posing federal relief for the merchant marine, showing that the former called for an expenditure of SAP, ,000,- 900 while the latter required an ex- penditure of $125, 100000.
 In that connection, 1t was contend ed, one measure would take the gov ernment out of the shipping business while the other would take it out of ! the fertilizer and power business. It | was also argued in that connection | that the Ladd bill would cost the gov approximately nothing a year while the ship subsidy bill'' would necessitate an annual expendi- .ure s41, 100000.
 May Solve Power Troubles.
 If the Ford proposal is not to be on the grounds of subsidy" he report asked, how can the Am- erican people support such subsidy 70 ship operators as is her proposed ?"
 Referring to the relationship claim ed between Muscle Shoals develop