The Washington times., 1922-06-09
3REPORTS
FILED FOR
LEAS|N G
Of SHOALS
One Would Accept Offer With
out Change, Others Cut Out
Gorgas Steam Plant.
By international New. Service.

BY InternaeonsI News Service.
The House of Representatives
today was requested to accept
Henry Ford's offer to lease the
Government. nitrate and water
power Lprojech at Muscle Shoals,
Ala, in three varying reporss
from the House Military Affa;ss
Committee. xsh
The official majority report and
one of the minority documents
slashed from fheir recommenda-
tions the Goreas plant, which
Ford demanded should be included
II he were to get the project.
The third advocated acceptance of
Ford's offer "on his own terms"
Agree On 100Year Lease.
All three reports. agreeing on the
100-year lease. favored Ford above
all other bidders. including even the
Government itself. A section of the
majority report, to which all mem
bers subscribed, condemned the pro-
posed governmental operation of the
project as "unspeakable folly" and
q disaster to the farmers" All
three specifically approved lease or
sale of the project to private inter
ests and urged the necessity for
favorable action" by the House at
the earliest opportunity.
The three reports are summar-
lied:
Majority report: Acceptance Of
Ford's offer urged on his revised
terms with the Gorgas plant eii,ni.
mated. Signed by eleven members.
minority report. No. 1: Accept
ance Of Ford's offer recommended
with the Gorgas plant included as
Ford demanded. Signed by nino
members. ill.,.
s-Minority report No. .: Accept
ance Of Ford's offer with Gorgas
plant eliminated, but with more
stringent financial terms by which
Ford would be compelled to repay
the Government for expenditures
not provided In his own offer.
Signed by two members.
The majority report, written by
Chairman Kahn Rep) Of California
and Congressman Mckenzie (Rep)
of Illinois, stressed the importance
of having private ingenuity de-
velop the Muscle Shoals project. II
praised lords offer above all others.
declaring Il was ''the only proposal
worthy of consideration"
Eliminate Gorgas Steam Plant.
After due deliberation, your com.
mittee authorised and directed me,
as chairman" read the majority re-
port, which Mckenzie signed In TIE
absence OF Chairman Kahn, ito re-
port to the House this bill, which
embodies the proposal set forth in
the offer of Henry, Ford with one
exception. That exception 10 the
elimination from the proposal of the
Gorgas- Warrior steam plant.
Considering all the facts, how.
ever, and impressed with the pt'in.
ciples Involved, the committee talt
It's position In this respect could not
In all justice be changed, and ac-
cordingly authorized report to the
House recommending acceptance OF
the modified proposal with Gorgas
ellminate0 and the enactment Of tile
necessary Legislation to carry out
such recommendation.
"It r., but fair to say the COM
mite was very evenly divided on
the modification eliminating the
Gorgas Warrior steam plant, and
the views Of this large minority are
likewise made a part Of this re.
port,
Another group OF members felt
that other notifications should be
made In the Ford offer and their
views are likewise made part OF
this report.
'Tbe COMMITTEES was Impressed
with the far.reaching possibilities
for the good Of the nation involved
ls. AA ~
shcsis project by private enter,
prise rather than Government opsr-
sticn. and was further Impressed
with the fart that the subject 70
one q such transcendent import