Evening star., 1922-07-16
SENATE TO FIGHT
IT OUT ON SHOALS
What to DO With Govern
iment's s1o6, 900, 600 Plant
:" s7 to Be Decided on Floor.
TWO PROJECTS COMING UP
Minority Reports of Committee
That Rejected Ford Offer
Il. Awaited.

Disposal of the governments Slo6.-
0oO. 900 nitrate and power projects al
Muscle Shoals, Ala, has been ieft lor
decision on the floor of the Senate
The Senate committee on asricul-
ture has passed the buck aiter
months of hearings, personal inspec-
rion of the gigantic development and
strenuous committee controversy fHe
committee yesterday refused to report
favorably any plan for development
and decided to put the problem up I'd
the Senate for decision in open ses-
sion.
Each and every proposal submitted
to the committee, including those OF
Henry Ford the Alabama Power
company and that of Chairman Nor
ris of the committee for government
ownership and operation were re-
iected by a majority of the commit
tee.
Henry Ford's tender came the near
est to receiving a favorable report
IL was rejected. 9 to I. while the NOR
ris proposal was voted down, 10 ..
The other offers were disposed OF
without a record vote.
Mfnorities to Report.
The plans of Senator Norris and Mr..
Ford. however. will be submitted to
the Senate by their proponents IN the
form of minority recommenoatlons
from the committee. Senator Norris
will make report urging acceptanGG,e
of the government ownership Dill,
while Senator Ladd, republican. Nortn
Dakota. will present the bill he mas
already introduced providing Tor UT,
conditional acceptance OF the Foru
offer.
Failure of the committee to favor
ably report one OF the proposals was
interpreted by some Senate leaders as
tending to bear out their predictions
that the Senate would not take nnal
action before adjournment or TINS
Congress. Had the committee ap-
proved one ef the plans and ma
jority of it's members supported IT for
early consideration in the Senate, II
was said. there would have been more
reason to expect the Senate to act
quickly.
Senators Norris and Ladd said they
would offer their reports at an early
date. Senator Norris expected to con-
clude work on his draft tomorrow
and Senator Ladd said the prepara-
tion of his report would require only
a few days. 1t was suggested that
both opinions would be placed be-
fore the Senate for it's information
next week and made available Tor
publication at the same time.
"FcrttIi.er Trust Victory"
The committees action was dis
cussed briefly in the Senate later by
Senator Caraway, democrat. Arkansas.
who declared that through the COM
mittee's votes the fertilizer trust
had won, although the committee was
presumed to be sympathetic to the
needs of the farmer"
"It was determined by a very mar
row margin to permit the fertilizer
trust for years TO come to take its
toll" said Senator Caraway. THE
farmer has been robbed and to a
certain extent the charges are passed
on to the consumer. There was not a
man, woman or child but what was
affected by our action today. The
committee decided to do nothing on
every offer that had any reasonable
chance"
Senator Caraway also criticized the
committees action in allowing Soma
tor Page to vote by proxy. He de-
clared "a certain senator" had tele-
graphed a refusal of a proxy q few
days ago. stating that he did not
know enough about the matter to
have his vote cast either way, and
yet today tine proxy was voted
against the Ford proposition.