The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-02-21

Ira seSSiOn or the legislature a bill the gist of which wes contained in the first section. as follows:
 In order to encourage the com plotion and development of hydro electric power at or near Muscle Shoals and it's employment in indus try within the State of Alabama. and in order to conserve the interests of the State of Alabama and its citi- 1ens in the premises the Governor IS hereby authorized and directed. in person or through such agents, coun- sci or agencies as he may designate l or employ, as far as practicable to heep advised and in touch with ali i pending and proposed negotiations and transactions before the Federal authorities and all proposed legisia- ton by the Congress of the United states, relating to the completion, development or disposition of such i power and the plants for the genera | lion thereof and related property or 1 to the operation or use thereof and l 10 encourage the prompt completion or such plants and the lease or other disposition thereof on terms that are reasonable and consistent With the i rights of the State of Alabama and the best interest of it's citizens.
 The purpose of the bill was mis- construed, some newspapers going So Tar as to intimate that it's purpose was to foster the interests of inc Ala oama Power company. The iegisla- tors from the Tennessee valley seemed to fear that Mir. Ford might be frightened off and the assurance ol cooperation by the state with MT Ford and the government did no. ailay tneir fears and after the in troductlon of resolution which met with the same cool reception the matter was dropped.
 Asked To Take Hand
 Now since the Alabama Power company has submitted it's offer re quests and resolutions are pouring in calling upon me to take a hand in the matter with respect to the pending otiers, especially those of Mir. Ford and the power company
 | have not been idle, although working through a committee com posed of the following citizens affthe lstate; Messrs. c. w. Ashcraft. Flor encei E. w. Barrett, Birmingham Sidney J. Bowie, Birmingham; Charles Il. Allen, Montgomery; Joseph Brad , ley Huntsville; George c. Crawford, i Birmingham; B. B. Conner. Birning- ! ham, Dr. George Fl. Denny. Tusca- loosa; Victor H. Hanson. Birming- ham; George W. Jones, Montgomery Judge T. c. Mcclellan, Montgomery Frank Harvey Miller, Montgomery 1 Hugh Morrow, Birmingham; Gen. R. i F. Steiner, Montgomery; Frederick l. l Thompson, Mobile; Jack Thorington, Montgomery.
 This committee was appointed Au- gust 26, 1921, at the suggestion ot the chamber of commerce of Mont gomery to cooperate with similar committees so appointed from other | states, to go to Washington at the expense of the commercial organiza- ! tions of their respective states to use their best efforts to the end that the two dams and Muscle Shoals water plant are completed and de- veloped to their fullest capacity, and to ascertain the best method by which this can and should be done, and to i use their influence with the Presi- dent of the United States the mem 1 bers of his cabinet and the members of Congress to bring about the best ] proposition for the development ot this stupendous enterprise from an agricultural standpoint and from the standpoint of national defense
 1 That committee IS free to use it's own judgment on all questions al issue without regard to the views ot myself or any one else.
 However, since lhere is to be strong competition between bidders, ] feel impelled to express my per sonal views:
 Gives Personal Views
 "First--I favor the acceptance by the United States of the offer ot Henry Ford, provided the rights oi the state are safe-guarded as sug- | ok tr, tax and to prevent monopoly. l would like to see the offer more explicit in it's terms concerning the manufac- ture of fertilizers. That. however, while desirable is not absolutely es- ! sential because l am satisfied that MT. Ford will go as far in that direc- tion as any other bidder
 "Second-I oppose the acceptance of the offer of the Alabama Power company, however favorable it may be to the United States government as measured in dollars and cents. It would mean the cre&tion in Alabama of monopoly so gigantic and so powerful that in time to come the very life blood of the state and it's people could be squeezed out at its
 will. It would be an unspeakable icalamity
 As the representative of the peo- pie of Alabama I protest against this
 monstrous imposition that is threat
 ened by the coupling up of all the water powers of the state in one huge
 monopoly. I call upon and insist that our senators and representatives n Congress use their all and every hon.
 orable means to prevent this com
 bination and furthermore, l protest to the Congress of the United States
 and to the President of the United lStates against this threatened imposi-
 tion on this people.
 Ford should Amend offer
 But. though opposed to the trans
 fer of Muscle Shoals to the Alabam;
 Power company, fairness requires mt
 to express the opinion publicly tha
 MT. Ford's offer should be so amend
 ed as to release the Gorgas stean lplant on the Warrior rivef and tha
 this plant should be sold by the gov
 ernment to the Alabama Power com
 pany.
 We are told that the Alabam;
 Power company owned the site ol
 which the Gorgas plant is located
 that it owned the coal mines iron
 which fuel is now obtained for tn
 operation of the Gorgas plant, am that there now exists an agreemen in writing between the federal gov ernment and the Alabama Power com
 pany whereby the Alabama Powe
 company obligated itself to purchas (Continued on Last Page)