The Princeton union., 1922-07-27
NEWS SUMMARY
OF THE CAPITAL
Majority of Agriculture Committee
Votes to Reject FOrd's Offer
for Muscle Shoals.
OPPOSE HIGH WOOL DUTY
National Emergency Declared; Inter
state Commerce Commission
Assumes Control.

Assumes Control.
Henry Ford's offer for the power
and nitrate plants at Muscle Shoals,
Ala., was bitterly attacked by Senator
G. w. Norris (rep. Neb.) in speech
in the senate last Thursday, after
which he advocated his plan for gov
ernment operation of the wartime
projects. The Nebraska senator de-
clared that if congress accepts the
Ford offer the taxpayers of the ma
ton will lose in the 100-year-lease
period 100000, or more than
half of Americas cost in the world
war. Senator Norris stated propa-
ganda had been carried on to mislead
the people in regard to- Ford's offer
and that there was no truth in the as
sertions that he had guaranteed to
reduce the cost Of the fertilizer by
one-half or that he could furnish the
consumers with electricity at a re-
duced price. Senator Norris declared
the mighty power of the Muscle
Shoals would be devoted entirely to
the use of the great corporation which
Mr.. Ford would organize. Vigorous
objections were also raised to Ford's
insistence that the lease be granted
for a period Of 100 years.
The soldiers bonus bill cannot be
passed in the senate over President
Harding's veto, according to claims
made by some senators who are can
vassing the situation to ascertain the
outcome in the event the executive
refuses to accept the bill in it's present
form. The canvass, it is stated, dis
closed 80 senators who will vote to
sustain a presidential veto. That
three additional senators who will join
them can be found is the expectation
of this group. If 33 senator's vote to
sustain veto it will be impossible to
obtain the necessary two-thirds to
pass the bill The president has not
discussed the bonus situation recently
with the senators, and until the pend
ing coal and railroad strikes are out
of the way there is no expectation Of
his doing so.
Secretary Mellon will announce this
week the governments program to
take care of financial obligations due
August 1. On that date about $685.
10000 Of treasury certificates ma
ture. At the same time the treasury
is expected to take the first step in
it's program for refunding about $4,-
500,O00,000 of the nations short
dated debt maturing during the pres
ent fiscal year. 1t is understood the
treasury plans to begin as quickly as
possible to spread these issues in
longer maturities.
Steps to establish a irrational posi-
tion of readiness" for the army as
development of the national military
policy are forecast in memorandum
recently submitted by General PERISH
ing to Secretary Weeks and made pub
lie today at the war department. De-
tails are not disclosed. The general
nature of the project, however, con-
templates assignment of national
guard divisions to specific defensive
positions on coasts and borders to
which they would be rushed in event
Of war. General Pershing lays stress
on the assertion that the "system of
training young men" ultimately to
replace the present war trained Of
ficers, perpetuating the supply of
necessary officer personnel, is vital
factor in the whole subject.
In order to comply with the request
of congress that the army officers
corps be reduced to 10000 by January
1, it will be necessary to eliminate or
denote about $500 officers. The
board of general officers appointed to
do the "plucking" held it's first meet
ing Tuesday.
Claims of clothing manufacturers
that the proposed duty OF 60 per cent
on coarse wool will mean substantial
increase in the cost of clothing are
justified in the opinion Of some of the
senators. Supporters of high duties
on wool were plainly worried by the
attack from within republican ranks,
being fearful that many of the eastern
republican senators will join in a move
to limit the rates on the new wool.
President Harding, on the recon-
mendation of Colonel Charles R.
Forbes, director of the veterans bu-
reau, has selected the site at st. Cloud
on which the hospital for veterans suf-
fering from mental disorders will be
erected. The plant decided upon by
the hospital board and Mr.. Forbes pro-
vides for a hospital to accommodate
only $50 patients instead of 500 as
originally announced. The cost of the
hospital will be about 81, 100000. The
site contains 280 acres and is located
between two and three miles from the
city proper. The city will be required
to extend it's sewer and water sys-
TENS to the hospital site and it also
will be obliged to build roads, and
pavements to the hospital grounds.
President Harding has been de-
voting himself chiefly to a study of