The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-06-21
FOURTH REPORT OXFORD SHOALS
 BID A REFUSAL
Kearns' Report With 8 Sigma lures Attacking Ford Offer Is Greater Divergence
 From Disposal
By Associated Psss

Washington, June 20.-Eight re- publican members of the House mili- tary committee today signed a re- port, submitted to the House by Rep resentative Kearns of Ohio, denounc- ing Henry Ford's offer to purchase and lease the governments projects at Muscle Shoals, Ala. Their action increased to four the number of re- ports emanating from the committee and marked another division of opin- ion among the 2I members over the question of Muscle Shoals disposi- ton.
 The eight members were Repre- sentatives Kearns, Ohio; Morin. Crago and Ransley, Pennsylvania; Crow ther, New York; Hill, Maryland; Parker, New Jersey and Frothing ham, Massachusetts.
 Ford Scattering Propaganda
 None of the signatories to the new report was willing for Congress to accept the Ford offer either as recommended recently by the so- called majority views presented by Acting Chairman Mckenzie, or by those who indorsed the report writ ten by Representative Wright, demo- crat. Georgia, asking the acceptance Of Mir Ford's proposals uncondition- ally. The third opinion drafted by Representative Parker.s republican, New Jersey and indorsed by Repre- sentative Buckingham, republican, Massachusetts, both of whom signed the Kearns document today. was in effect merged with the new report that the Kearns report stressed the importance of getting Ito the coun try a clear, fair and unbiased state ment of facts concerning the Ford proposal. declared that wicked" and "paldp propa gandists were scat tering propaganda throughout the country that is often void of truth and attacked the Ford offer in a way that left none of It's provisions free from hcstile criticism.
 Power Company Scores
 At the same tirne. ths report
 asserted that the AIabnna Power
 company, which submitted an
 offer to develop the power pro- tecte at Muscle shoals. had .'ni- WMyN 0EMlt NMhNtf Wst1 AF1 HFFIs ernment,s and wnn offering Szs- 100000 for its interests In the steam plant nt lsorkas in nddi- ton to the terms of the contract executed with the war depart-
 ment when the plant wss
 erected.
 In another part the report. sum marfzed the cost prices of the pro- iects which Mir. Ford would pur- chase for s5,0o0, 900. A total expen- diture of ss5,343.2ss was claimed on the Waco inquiry, the Gorgas steam plant and nitrate plants Nos. l and z while the amount offered was heie to be wholly inadequate.
 Attack 1OO-Year Lease
 Among the other provisions of the Ford offer which we're attacked by the report were those proposing q lease of the water power projects for 100 years. that fixing the terms of the amortization plan for repay tnp the government for building dnms 2 and 8. that offering bb,o0C annually to the government for maintenance and repair of dams. tha' providing for the manufacture oi fertilizers during the 100 year lease and the failure of the Detroit manu- facturer to agree to pay interest on the SIT 1000. 900 already spent on the Wilson Dam.
 Lengthy legislation of each oi these features of the Ford ofiei were contained in the report which pointed out the belief that the tax payers of the country would revoi, if Congress accepted the offer ano voted appropriations totaling soV'' 900, 900 to carry out It's terms.
 A tabuiation of the entire cost te the taxpayers of the United Statei of the Muscle Shoals project up t' inc present time," also was pre- sented. showing a total of $167,163,- 2se. including siaa2o.ooo for interest on new money required at dams