The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-24
WILL LIKELY BE SENT FORD TODAY
 FOR SIGNATURE
Contract Is Definite and Con- plete and Will Become Binding On Approval
 by Congress
By Associsted Press

Washington, January 23.-Legsl officers of the war department com pleted today the final draft of the contract which Secretary Weeks will send to Congress with "comments" attached covering the proposal of Henry Ford for purchase and lease of the government properties at Muscle Shoals.
 Final touches were given the docu- ment after it had been carefully studied by MT. Ford'- representatives here nnd said by them to he very satisfactory presentation Ot the offer.
 It is expected that Secretary Weeks may receive the document tomorrow for MT. Ford's approval and sisna- ture.
 Secretary Weeks said he would not make the contract public until 1t was submitted to Congress for final decis- ion. He planned to send 1t to Con- gress. he added as soon as 1t was re- turned to the war department by MT. Ford.
 The contract was described as con tainlng an accurate description of the property involved in making the pro posal sufficiently clear, definite and complete in it's terms as to become a binding agreement upon approval by Congress. Its purpose, it was ex- plained, was to express the intention of Mir. Ford and not to incorporate the views of the war department which will be given to Congress by Mir. Weeks in another report at the ua hA h q NORTH ENDORSES
 DEMAND OF SOUTH
 Washington, January 23.-The de- lnand from the south. voiced In the national agricultural conference here today by James W. Morton of Athens, Ga, that the government accept Henry Ford offer for Muscle Shoals, was lndorsed by E. B Corn wall of Vermont,
 The acceptance of the Ford offer was one of number of suggestions made by MT. Morton for agricultural relief in the south where he de- clared there Is a general feeling of unrest and uncertainty.f Other sug- gestions included cheaper transporta- tion charges, developed of the St. Lawrence Great Eages waterway projtct easier banking credits Ia reliable system oi crop reports, were suggestions by MT. Morton as rem edies to meet the situation.
 "The government should without further delay" said Mir. Morton, "au- thorize the signing of the Ford con tract for Muscle Shoals. in order that southern agriculture, and I might add American agriculture. would have within our own borders, the source of cheaper fertilizers and make avail C fnr f4ftr at the least cost of service"
 Mir. Morton told the conference that merchants of that section would be unable to meet their obligations, and farmers would be unable to finance the coming years crops unless both were provided some means of llqui- dating or amoritizing their loans
 The 1920 cotton crop cost from 200 to 300 per cent above normal sold for about one-third of the cost of produc- tion, Morton asserted, adding that the small crop of last year, owing to the cotton carried over from the preced- ing season and abnormal times did not bring the cost of production.
 Name IF Committees
 The national agricultural confer ence late today named l major com mittees to handle the problems which will come before them. These com mltlees, m turn, pfoNidcd Tor the di- vision of their work among a number of subcommittees
 The committees. With their chair men, follow:
 Agriculture and price relations, E. B. Cornwall, Vermont
 Agricultural credit and insurance, S. F. Houston, Missouri.
 Transportation, P. J. Waters. Mis- souri.
 Foreign competition and. demands, II. J. Sconce, Illinois.
 Costs, prices and readjustments, H. l.. Russell, Wisconsin.
 Crop and market statistics, O. S. Barrett. Georgia.
 Marketing of farm products. c. H. Powell, California.
 Agricultural research and educa- ton. o. E. Bradfute, Ohio
 National forest policy. Clifford Pin- chot. Pennsylvania.
 National land policies. R. A. Pear son. Iowa.
 Farm population an1 farm homes, S. J. Lowell, New York.
 Co-ordinatlon of state and federal legislation, F. D. Brigham, Vermont