The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1922-02-28
WOULD MEAN FORD'S SOLE
POSSESSION OF GREATEST
WATER POWER IN SOUTH.
ATTACKS FROM EVERY ANGLE
Demands of Southern People for Ac-
ceptance of Proposal Are Mixed
With Adverse Opinions. Ford Re-
fuses to Give Guarantee.


WASHINGTON, D. C.-Accept-
ance by congress of the offer of Henry
Ford for the purchase and lease of the
government properties at Mussel
Shoals, Alabama, would handicap the
waterpower development of the entire
south and in this respect would be
like removing the vertebrae from
man you expect to get along" Hugh
L. Cooper, consulting engineer to the
government on Mussel Shoals devel-
opment, declared in testifying before
the house military committee, which
is considering the offer.
Mr.. Cooper attacked the offer from
practically every angle and, at one
point, declared it would be a calamity
to remove the super-waterpower prof.
ects OF the south from the field of
public utility for 100 years. He also
presented estimates based upon army
engineer data showing that it would
cost the government $1,275000,000
during the next 100 years in order
that Mr.. Ford may secure sole, un-
regulated possession of the greatest
waterpower the south has"
100-Year Lease Impractical
The maximum time for lease of gov
'ernment lands containing waterpower
possibilities, Mr.. Cooper said, should
be fifty years and only that Tong un-
less the license was made subject to
the regulations of the federal water
power act He opposed the 100-year
period on the ground that it was inn
practical from a business standpoint
and no contract negotiated at this
time could be made applicable to con-
ditions he believed would prevail in
2022.
Mr. Cooper was called by Chairman
Kahn to the witness stand after Theo-
dore Swami, president of the Federal
Phosphorus Company, at Birming-
ham, Ala, had explained the possibili-
ties for extensive chemical operations,
including the manufacture of cheap
fertilizers at Mussel Shoals. The latter
told the committee that his company
had definitely assured the success of
the Mussel Shoals operation by apply
ing satisfactorily new processes in the
Birmingham plant which would be du-
plicated upon a greater scale at Mus
sci Shoals,
]. w. Warrington, representing the
Tennessee River Improvement Asso-
citation, concluded his statement in
support of the Ford offer. He urged
the acceptance of Mr. Ford's plan and
said if the Detroit manufacturer was
given the opportunity at the shoals,
an extensive development of water
he
where he estimated one million horse
power could be produced, would be
possible.
In a Middle.
With testimony before it showing
that the people of the south demand
immediate acceptance by congress of
Ford's offer the great Alabama water
power project and widely diversified,
expressed opinions in favor and in
condemnation OF the Ford proposal,
the house military affairs committee
is admittedly in muddle.
Developments indicated that the dis
closed extent of the project which Ford
proposed to lease from the govern
ment has determined the committee to
demand notifications to the Ford con-
tract before suggesting that congress
approve it.
w. B. Mayo, chief Of Ford's engi-
neers, who has been in Washington
as the Detroit manufacturer spokes-
man, left tonight for Detroit. Capitol
comment held the purpose of his visit
is to put up to Ford demands of some
of the committee that the contract be
to incorporate stronger guar
antees, practically with reference to
the production of fertilizer at Mussel
Shoals.
If Ford will agree to the modifica-
ton OF his contract and guarantee to
fertilizers during the life
of the contract it will have big effect
on the ultimate determination of the
committee on the proposal, it was de-
clared by members.