Arizona republican., 1922-02-14
FORD'S AGENT
,DECLARESB|D
FOR MUSCLE.
SHOALS FINAL
Detroit Manufactures Re-
fuses To Modify Original
Offer; To Use Surplus
Power For Auto Plant

WASHINGTON, Feb. 13. - Efforts
OF house military committeeman to
exact a pledge for the manufacture
of fertilizers during the 100-year life
of the proposed contract by Henry
Ford for purchase and lease of the
governments properties at Muscle
Shoals, Ala, failed today.
w. B. Mayo. appearing before the
committee as the personal represen-
tative of Mr.. Ford, declared the De-
troit manufacturer was not willing to
modify his offer in any of its exist
ing provisions unless it was to clari-
fy the language only and not to alter
the plan itself.
Committeeman also, failed In their
attempts during examination of Ma
jor J. IT. Burns, chief of the ammuni-
tion division of the army's ordnance
department, to adjust differences of
opinion between ordnance officers
and those in the judge advocate gen.
erapS department with regard to the
Warrior power plant. Major Burns
insisted throughout an extended in
terrogation that the government was
obligated to sell that property to the
Alabama Power company or remove
it from their grounds. He declared
it could not be sold to Mr.. Ford as a
part OF the Muscle Shoals project
unless the government violated a
contract with the company. Pre-
yiously officers OF the judge advocate
generals department had said the
lcontract was nom enforceable.
Statements by Major Burns that
the Warrior plant was not essential
TO the Ford plan were countered later
hg Mr. Mayo. who declared the power
developed there was needed and Mr..
For1 would demand a. clear title to
that unit as specified in his offer.
This situation was regarded by sew
eral committee members as inter-
posing d difficult obstruction to be
overcome before they could return
the Ford plan to the house for dispo-
sition by that body, while others de-
clared they could see no solution at
all unless the contract with the COM
pany was violated.
Study Other Offers
While the committee worked on the
Ford offer at the capitol, Secretary
Weeks continued study at the war
department. of the other offers he has
On Muscle Shoals.
Mr.. Mayo told the committee Mr.
Ford intended to manufacture fertil-
izer in their finished forms and would
not produce exclusively their nitrate
ingredients He also declared that
more than eight per cent profit would
be imposed and that it was Mr.
Ford's intention to deliver the COM
pleted product direct TO the farmer
preventing their purchase by agencies
which might buy them and possibly
fix the price before they reached the
farmers hands.
Questions by several committeeman
developed that it was Mr.. Ford's in
tention to use all the power developed
by the Warrior projects and other
plants for his own purposes at Muscle
Shoals.
A part OF the power created. it was
explained, would be consumed in the
manufacture Of automobile parts
from raw materials This statement
by the witness revealed for the first
time that 1t was the intention to OPP
crate the Alabama plants in connec-
ton with Mr.. Ford's automobile busi-
ness and was construed as implying
the production of light metals possibly
of aluminium which would enter into
the construction OF automobiles at the
Detroit factory.
The Ford offer was scheduled for
consideration tomorrow by the SEN
ate agriculture committee.
Further examination of Mr.. Mayo
will be conducted by the house com
mittee tomorrow.