The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-02-25
Hostile Feeling Against
Alabama Power Co.,
Charging 1t With TAX
ing Advantage of Gov
eYnmeat During War

WASHINGTON Feb. 25.-Congress to-
dly was in possession of all the offer9
made by priy;'t,-~nterprises for lease,
purchase completioH and operation cf
the government war projects at
UGiscl Shoals. Ala. Transmission by
-rtrctary Weeks Of the FngStrum pro-
;nstj yesterday to the Senate and
,}ouse was followed by references by
;hc presiding officers of the two hous-
80 u The offer tG the agricultural and
military committees respectively for
consideration in connection with the
rffers made by Henry Ford and the
Alabama Power Company.
While the House committeeman
held no meeting today on the Ford
proposal, they were busily engaged in
summarizing the three weeks of tes-
imony and preparing to begin Tues
day or Wednesday the examination of
the power company's bid. Chairman
Nahn says the last witnesses will be
herd Monday or Tuesday and. the
Naj cleared by the middle of the week
,cr actual work on the Alabama pro-
I"Sal and later the Engstrum offer.
t. was regarded al very Improbable
today that the House committee would
ipin with the senators in any inspec-
lion Of the Mussel Shoals projects
Some members We're anxious when the
committee began it's examination of
The question about three weeks ago
20 visit the ground in Alabama but
have reached the opinion now that a
rip would only delay the inquiry and
lp Ina ft,1 IN, &c.
way to Justify the time or eXpendi-
ture.
II. Dent, former superintendent. of
the committee and now employed as
council for the Alabama Power Com
pany. is scheduled to present the le-
gal arguments Monday in support of
the cOmpany's claim for an option on
the Warrior steam plant. transmission
line and suh-Station, which the COM
pany has declared it will exercise.
The option. if executed, would permit
the power company to purchase those
properties which; in turn have been
declared essential to the operation of
the Mussel Shoals project by Henry
Ford in the event his offer is accepted
by Congress.
One or more committeeman, notably
Representative Miller CRepublican).
Washington, have evidenced feeling
cf hostility against the company and
charged ii with taking advantage of
The government during the war in
ncgotiating contract with optional
clauses with the war department, but
officials OF the company. including
Thomas W. Martin. its president. have
Stnadfastly contended that the agree.
ncnt was fairly made and entirely
satisfactory to the governments Of
fetal when it was executed. They init
mated strongly that no alternative
other than the execution Of the agree
m51t, giving them the right to buy at
fair value prices, would he acceptable.
The II Of the 81 members of the
committee have engaged in law prac-
tire before entering congress and the
majority Of them made no attempt to-
lay to conceal the legal difficulties in
VOWED in an adjustment OF the War
rior plant question, Either the plant
must be removed from the company's
properly or prolonged fight for con-
demnation of the companys interest
az Warrior be initiated in the courts,
hey said, before F0rd's proposal can
be accepted.