Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-08
S2,5O0,0OO BRIDE !.
To DEFEAT OFFER !
OF FORD CHARGED
Documents Alleging PROPOSE
ton Are Made Public in
Washington by Federation
Secretary and Manager +

WASHINGTON, April 7. = A.
charge that the Alabama Farm Blu.
reau Federation has been offered a
virtual bride of $2,5OO,OOO If it would
seek to obtain from the government
the leasing of Muscle Shoals Nitrate
Plant No. 2, and thus defeat the
efforts of Henry Ford to obtain the
entire project, was made in docu-
ments made public today by the
American Farm Bureau Federation
here.
In a sworn affidavit, Roy C. Bish-
op, secretary and manager of the
federation, alleged that he had been
approached by General r. e. Stei-
ner, who urged that the Alabama
Federation seek to lease Nitrate
Plant No. 2, to assure a supply Of
fertilizer for the farmers and prom
ised that the company purchasing
the rest Of the project would make
a contribution of $2,500,O0o to the
federation.
Mr.. Bishop then charged that Cen
eral Steiner was a representative Of
the Alabama Power company.
A connection with the Alabama
Power company was denied by Gen.
eral. Steiner, Mr.. Bishop said. !.
Proposal Rejected
General Steiner also promised to
guarantee 100000 horsepower to OPP
crate the nitrate plant, Mr.. Bishop
| alleged.
The whole proposal was promptly
rejected, a statement of Gray Sill
yer, Washington representative Of
the American Farm Bureau Fedora
ton, said. Mr.. Silver presented the
affidavits to the house military COM
mittee.
The statement added that General
Steiner's alleged connection with
the Alabama Power company was
sworn to by the president of the
Alabama League of Women Voters,
and that this connection between
General Steiner and the Alabama
Power company, is further indicated
by the fact that the Alabama Power
| company, in it's proposal to the gov
eminent, offered 100000 horsepower
free to the lessee Of the nitrate
plant.
An affidavit, signed by CASTOR
| Scott, of Montgomery, Ala, also was
presented, IN which he states that
| General Steiner's law partner told
hi mthat General Steiner was rep
| resenting the power company In Ger.
tain matters"
Alleged Proposal !
General Steiner's alleged proposal
| to Bishop, in substance, was as fol-
| lows, Mr.. Scott said in his affidavit:
THE Alabama Farm Bureau fed
| GRAFTON should gain control Of the
nitrate plant number two at Muscle
Shoals, and thus make certain that
the farmers interests in this So
called Muscle Shoals project would
be protected. The generals proposal
involved the securing of the approv-,
al of the plan by Mr.. Gray Silver,
Washington representative Of Amer
lean Farm Bureau federation. The
idea advanced was that if Mr.. Silver
would be no difficulty thereafter in
getting the government to turn
over the nitrate plant number two
to the Alabama Farm Bureau fed s
GRAFTON; and, further, if the Alabama
Farm Bureau federation should se-1
cure the Endorsement of Mr.. Silvery
and therefore the backing of the
American Farm Bureau federation
and the farm bloc, they would have
no difficulty in securing from the
purchasing company a contribution
CT $2,500,000, and in addition to this
a contract for(at least 100, 900 horse
power for their use in the manufac-
ture Of fertilizers. He further point.
ed out that the technical forces,
chemists and others in the United
States department of agriculture
would be at the disposal of the Ala
bama Farm Bureau federation and
that all the necessary research work
would be done by these government
experts, in order to perfect the
processes and to improve upon the
methods now provided for"