Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-05-23
DEVELOP SHOALS
As AID To PEACE,
HOKE SHIT URGES
Completed Project Would Be
of Untold Benefit to People
of All Times, Georgian
Tells Big Conference

FLORENCE, Ala, May 22.-De-
velopment of Muscle Shoals as orig
inally planned by the government,
would be a great influence to pre-
serve peace" and of untold benefit
to the people at all times, Hoke
Smith. former senator of Georgia,
declared today, addressing the Mus
Gle Shoals conference, under direc.
ton of the Southern Commercial
congress.
"There can not be language with
which to severely censure the sug'
gestion of scrapping Muscle Shoals"
asserted Mr.. Smith. Our Muscle
Shoals plant must be completed to
perform. it's great duty to the ma
>tion," continued the Georgian. ''It
must be kept in shape where the
world will understand the tremen.
dous resource it furnishes to our
country, quickly to produce mum.
lions Of war"
Mr.. Smith decried proposed gov
ernnient operation of the property,
asserting it was never intended by
the trainers of our system of gov
eminent that the nation should
conduct a business.
Having examined all private
proposals for lease and purchase of
the property, Mr.. Smith said he
found in none of them that broad
recognition of the value of the prop.
erty as producer of fertilizers that
is contained in the proposition of
Henry Ford,
Further amendment to the Ford
proposal to perfect the plan of oper-
alton perhaps should be made, the
speaker declared, "but I say with.
out hesitation that I have more con-
fidence in it's successful operation
bringing service to all the people, if
1t is leased to Henry Ford, who is
to be aided in his work by Thomas
A. Edison, than have in any 9TH
er disposition of it.''
The announced intention of the
conference is ito devise ways and
means to expedite action by con-
gress before adjournment" on the
Muscle Shoals question, and to for.
mulate memorial to be addressed
to the American people that .""the
Muscle Shoals fight is not local.
but NATIONAL in it's scope"
The Southern Commercial Con.
gress, having gone on record in
1916 an3 at various meetings since
that time in favor of the develop.
ment of Muscle Shoals, it is now
the contention of its officers, as an
1ounced today, to formulate. and
institute a "plan Of action" intend.
ed to secure federal legislation ITO
guide in the agricultural and indus
trial development that must neces-
sarily follow in the immediate fu-
ture."
Tennessee was leading in number
OF delegates. Nashville was repre-
sented by delegationNthat came by
motor car and train.
Sessions of the conference today
took place in Florence. Follow
ing an inspection of government nj
trate projects and power sites to-
morrow the conference will assemble
in Sheffield. Wednesdays sessions
will take place at Tuscumbia.
Among speakers who held place on
today's program were former Sena-
tor Hoke Smith, of Georgia; former
Senator Luke Lea, of Tennessee, and
Governor ALT Taylor, of Tennessee.
Aside from the official delegates,
various farm and improvement or
CARNATIONS will be represented at
the conference. President Thomas
r. Preston, of Chattanooga, will
preside at all sessions