Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-08-04
MINORITY URGES
ACCEPTANCE OF
FORD'S OFFER
Report Submitted To Senate To-
day Outlines. Reasons Why
Bill Should Pass

WASHINGTON, August 4.A1By
Associated Press.) -Acceptance u
Henry Ford's offer for purchase AMI
lease of the governments vast nj
trate and water power projects at
Muscle Shoals, Ala, was urged BY
Republican and Democratic senators
comprising a minority of the senate
submitted today to the senate.
Strong protest was entered by the
senators against the acceptance of
the government ownership and opera
tion plan proposed by Senator Nor
ris, of Nebraska, the committees
chairman.
The report was presented BY Sem
ator Ladd, Republican, North Da-
kota, in behalf of the Ford propoll,
ents on the committee whose sigma.
lures were attached. II is estimated
that the government had lost $4,000
600 at Muscle Shoals since the ar
mistice, by failure to develop and
operate the projects, and declared
the quickest way to stop these loss
es is to accept Henry Ford's offer
for the purchase and lease of the
governments Muscle Shoals proper
ties"
Certain objections to the. Ford
offer seem apparent" the report
said, "but We insist without fear of
successful contradiction that none of
the objections to the Ford offer can
,be remedied or solved by goverA-
ment ownership and operation by
the government going into the pow
er business or entering the unchart-
ed and hazardous field of operating
nitrate plants at Muscle Shoals in the
production of nitrogenous and other
commercial fertilizers using electro
chemical processes, the commercial
success of wnich is yet controversial
For congress to adopt such, pol
icy when Henry Ford's offer makes
it unnecessary for the government
to do so,' it continued, would SUBJ
ject congress to the Just condemna-
tion and repfoach of all sober-minded
people"
The belief was expressed that ev-
cry member of the senate would
agree with the committee minority
with reference to the acceptances Of
Mr.. Ford's proposal when they con-
slider the s'present fuel and trans
pertation emergeneies% in the LIGHT
of development of such great lay
dro-electric power as is found 1t
Muscle Shoals, adding that 'is the
only certain and permanent RELIEF
in the future from the present par
alysis of American industry.
The report called attention to
charges that acceptance Of Mr.
Ford's tender would give him GOV
ernment subsidy in the development
of power and the manufacture Of
fertilizer and said:
'It has been claimed that the Ford
offer constitutes a subsidy to-. Mr.
Ford. If it is subsidy, It IS not
such subsidy as is proposed by the
administration in the ship subsidy
bill"
The report then cited coalpari-
son between the Ladd bill and that
proposing federal relief. for the. mer-
chant marine, showing that the for
mer called for an expenditure of
$42, 100000 while the latter requif-
ed an expenditure Of $125,000, 600
In that connection, it was contend
ed, one measure would take the gov
ernment out of the shipping busi-
ness while the other would take it
out of the fertilizer and power bust
ness. 1t was also argued in that
connection that the Ladd bill would
cost the government approximately
nothing" year while the "ship sub
sidy billy would necessitate an an-
nual expenditure of Sal 100000.
''If the Ford proposal is not to b.
supported on the grounds of sub
sidy," the report asked, "how can
the American people support such
subsidy to ship operators as is here