New-York tribune., 1922-06-11
Muscle Shoals Is Locally
A Big Political Issue

Muscle Shoals has been so long before Con
rress and has been so frequently reported
upon. debated assaied and praised thst Ns
merits and demerits are pretty generaAy
known throughout the country. We all are
avare that a million horsepower is gong 70
waste because Of the failure Of the govern
mont 70 complete It's unfinished projects on the
Tennessee River. We are told Of the benefit
20 the farmer Of what NJ. Ford motives arc
this, that and something else
But those who have not come in close contact
with the people Of the South in the last SIX
months will be unable to realize the depth OF
feeling throughout that section regarding
Henry Ford and Muscle Shosls. Il has De
come impossible for any politician even 70
think Of being successful unless he comes out
in the strongest terms for Mr.. Fords oner.
Muscle Shoals is becoming a campaign issue
and NAV have even more bearing in the next
few months.
Muscle Shoals" seems likely 10 become the
Democratic rallying cry. Just two years ago
fhe G.. o. ?. had made dent IN the Soho
South via Tennessee Republicans were jubi-
liant; they were confident that they could ex-
pand the wedge so suspiciously started ano
really break the sectional solidarity. In Ten
nessee they elected Governor, gave major
itv 70 Mr.. Harding and sent five out OF the
Ton Representatives 10 Washington That was
unheard Of: but two Congressman were nor
mally Republican-they hailed from the union
districts Of East Tennessee, the districts IN
which Andrew Johnson, Parson Brownlow and
Horace Maynard had labored SO valiantly
against secession Here, at one fell swoop,
the proportion was increased from fifth TO
half. Democrats were aghast. In other South
ern states Democratic n,ajorities were cut TO
The bone.
To-day the prospect is that, unless the Ford
offer is accepted, Tennessee will return to her
normal proportions, elect Democratic Cover
nor and trim her Republican Representatives
10 two. The long and tortuous course Of the
offer in Congress has irritated and oslllu-
stoned the popular mind. A general feeling
exists that the Ford offer is being obstructed
DELAYED and smothered because its acceptance
will aid the South ard injure the vested in
t.rests" Of the North and East. If Congress
does reject the Ford proposal Republican
chances hereabouts have gone glimmering FOR
another decade at least, in the general opinion.
Mass meetings have been hard 70 assemble
in the last two years in the South. The people
have been tired Of propaganda and speeches.
But it has been illuminating in the last few
months 70 note the miraculous way in which
men gathered together TO hear the Ford OFFER
= lauded and upheld.
! recent gathering was called at Chatta-
a nooga rather Unexpectedly and without much
previous publicity. The speakers were mainly
local and the reluctance Of the people to come
10 hear local speakers time after time Is well
known. Yet $500 men, women and children
gathered in an old Billy Sunday tabernacle
and listened three hours 70 The most involved
and technical discussions Of the advantages OF
Henry Ford's offer over that Of the Alabama
Power Company. Every time Ford's name
was mentioned the crowd would raise the roof.
And the people who made up the crowd
that was the most interesting phase Of the
whole thing. They were not the upper crust"
many Of these gentry fear wages will be
raised by Fords advent and are opposed TO
him. Fully half Of the men there were in
overalls-mechanics locomotive engineers, day
laborers, many gray-hared men, women with
children tugging at their aprons. IL was
real mass meeting, gathering Of the workers
from the highways and bywsys, brought to-
eether by the magic words, 1--WE Want Ford
at Muscle Shoals
Any politician who had 10 face such body,
with his party having been responsible either
for refusing Ford's offer or delaying its ac-
ceptance until after the adjournment of Con-
gress, would be lost. Many lifelong Repub-
licans Of this region announce disgustedy
that they are through; they cannot stomach
the Muscle Shoals treatment.