Evening star., 1922-02-16
SEEK.AUTH0R|TY
TO VISIT SHOALS
Senate Committee Would In.
spect Plant in Consider
ing Ford Offer.

the senate Agriculture committee
today asked tho Senate, in a resolu.
ticn, for authority to visit the Mus
Gle Shoals power and nitrate project
in connection with the committees
consideration Of Henry Ford's offer
to lease the properties. The resolu.
tion. which proposed that the whole
committee Of seventeen make the
trip. was referred to the auditing
committee because Of the expsndi-
tufes that would be entaiIed.
Representative Miller, republican.
Washington. told Chairman Kahn Of
the House committee he understood
members of the Senate eommittee
would SO to Alabatna and believed
the House members also should make
the trip.
Il am perfectly willing for the oom-
mittee to decide that question for
itself" Mr.. Kahn said. but hrst let US
,sarn Learn nj, TIre aol ashn'selv what the SEN
The chairman then called :. W.
Worthinston. designated BY Mr.. Ford
% one Of his Representatives,, to tes-
tify. Mr. WorthinEton declared state
witnesses that "Nr. Ford 10 SrSpins
about IN the dark On the Museie 8hoals
question" as Inaccurate.
Acted within Two nsurs.
'Mr. Ford is the most raf,ld fire &C.
ton SORT" the witness said. II car.
ried TO him the ofiginal proposal which
led him to make his offef, and within
two hours after he received It he de-
cided to go to Muscle Shoals ana See
fof himself what there was g It"
possible operation at Muscle Shoals
under regulations Of the federal wa.
ter power oct, Nj. worthinston said
there was nothing In Nj. Ford's plan
that conficted with the act.
many M' sssS !' ID ssas:I sas.I sePssis sss e
booking and accounting not. In very
high esteem. Under the act he would
havs ,. to open = bookkeeping depart
Tee Ihnense for 1eo Years.
Continuing, Mr.. wofthington de-
clarsd Muscle Shoals was "too i'm.
mense" to be developed in 100 years.
And that a.. the possisii,,.ies ,.s Of @ deyeiep.
nss9.ysas s1. sssfe perioa' wss' clear out OF the
The engineer Aiso called attention
to value Of railroad electrihcAtioh and
| declared there was no doubt but
what Mr.. Ford would dsyelop power
for the railroads II his offer was ac-
aThe value Of such = thing" he
said. MS beyond anything that can
| be caiegiated in the interest Of the
Me. worthington said the railfoads
had been successfully electrified and
costs OF operation thereby reduced.
NornadaSle lstvAlry.
pany in the lists OF private eidder1
for the governments properttss 81
Muscle Shoals. Ala, was regarded BY
offictAls here yesterday - ofeeftng
formidable rivalry to Henry Fofd's
proposal now before Congress for
secretary weeks probably viii ex-
pedite delivery Of the new offer to
Congress so that consideration Of the
| Alabama and Ford proposAlt can be
undertaken simultaneously and their
respective merits discussed befors
fnAi action 10 taken on the Muscle
The Alabama company offer IL for
/ purchase Of the Warrior power plant
and transmission line, and lease tot
nifty year, OF the other properties
under provisions Of the federal wa
N Ms%Ssrs soSsn .esi oi tn. hou,. military
| committee invsstixating the Ford
! offer learned with interest OF the
Alabama compAny's proposal but
| said they would not delay action on
that already before them pending 70.
ceipt from the War Secretary OF ths
! other.
| was the duty Of the committee, act.
ing ia behalf Of the governments In.
ttrests, to make . careful study oi
Aii offers alike IN IN effort to Dc.
tArmine which WAo the best from the
governments point Of view.
Chairman Kahn wAs uncertain how
F., long tae t,iltsaey committsa would
continue che heaNugS on Mr.. Fcrd'i
offer.
| to tAstimtny of Gov. Alfred TAyloi
Of TennesaSe. In addition 70 thai
eubmitted by Prof. Milton whitney
chief OF the soils bureau, Department
Of Agriculture. The governor wa
accompanied by . delegation Of Ten
ttessseAf1A for whom he spoke IN
tondefaahAtion Of the Alabama Power
Company, which he declared. VA
opposing the offer Of Mr.. Ford. HI
strongly urged adoption of. tbs De.
tfoit maAY8ac&Hfos'o pfopoeAl ana d.
| eleEs4 - Eessss aempe.ny e ooS.
come IN the stAAe - s14SseeAteG =