The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-01-31
Mr.. Ford and Muscle Shoals

Henry Ford, like one Of James NJ
Barrie's heroines, is zone of those
people around whom legends grow
In Ford's case, as the Spokane
Spokesman Review Und. Rep.) ex.
plains it, it is the legend of success.
Ply it "Mr. Ford has made himself
valuable" and "when he shows inter.
est in an enterprise people begin to
think it has a future"
Therefore his interest in Muscle
Shoals has become a public interest
and his dream Of vast industrial
center in Alabama is greeted by q
warm sympathy in the South that is
finding expression in the demand of
the Southern press that his bid for
Muscle Shoals be accepted. Indeed
the people of the entire country have
"a tremendous stake in the affair."" the
Christian Science Monitor (Boston
1nd.) asserts, and because, as one
writer puts it, the chief output Of
the Muscle Shoals plant at present is
''red tape" the Monitor feels that
"the hazard involved in taking up with
Mr.. Ford's offer is hardly greater that
the hazard involved in not taking
up with it," Because of the Ford
legend of achievement the San An
tonic Light Und) suggests that
what would be great risk on the
part of the government in dealing
with some other man who wanted the
Muscle Shoals property" would be a
safer venture in dealing with Detroit's
industrial giant, for it "would be SIM
ply recognition of a kind of genius
which, although perhaps inexplicable,
has Enthusiastically produced remark
able results in practical affairs"
But the Topeka Capital (Rep.) in
sists that "the bid should be consid-
cred apart from Mr.. Ford himself, on
its practical merits" 1t gives the fol-
lowing general description of the
project and the propositions:
"The government has spent about
S102,000,000 on the Muscle Shoals
project. 1t has created good deal
by this outlay, comprising complete
cynanamidc plant to produce nitrates
cut of air, this plant having been
completed at cost of 60 millions.
About 18 millions were spent in other
construction in connection with this
plant. This is one unit of the pro-
iect. Another is the construction of
dams Of the Tennessee river shoals to
supply water power to run the synan-
amidc plant These dams are uncom-
rletcd, the government having spent
altogether about Is millions on them.
"For the completed 81 million cyna-
namide plant and accessories, Mr..
Ford offers five millions on terms to
be agreed upon. For the dams and
water power he proposes that the gov
ernment go ahead and complete these
works, with the understanding that
the completed works shall be taken to
represent a total cost of 48 millions
In addition the Ford offer is an annual
rental of $1,726,547 for one hundred
years.
What Mr.. Ford proposes to do with
the property if his contract is granted
as outlined by the Arizona Republican
(Phoenix, Ind. Prog.) is to locate IL
the South, for the manufacture of fer.
tilizer and the distribution of water
power
"One of the great industrial center:
of the country. 1t involves the ere
alton a city Of rs miles long, with {
rural background carrying out I
view long advocated by him that th'
families of working men should resid
in communities where the advantage
of rural life would not be entirely los
to them"
1t is the dream "of an industrial EN-
pire in the South" says the Nashville
Tennessean (Ind. Dem.) such a
''many have dreamed before him.
But by awarding him the Muscl
Shoals project" the confidence tina
men have in Henry Ford, "a conf
dence born of achievement, will con
tribute largely" to the realization o
that dream. And the South want
Ford, declares the Nashville Banne
/ (1nd.) because:
"It is known that he has ample cap
ital and demonstrated capacity fo
operating such large enterprise
| Then there is the belief that he wi
bring capital, energy and capacity int
the South that may give this sectio
of the country start toward reach