The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1922-01-12

The newspapers, the magazine
and even the Pathe screen news hav
given much attention to Henri
: Ford's offer to lease from the gov
eminent the mammoth Muscle Shoal
power project with the provision tina
the government finish the great dan
and certain other essential construc
ton. To complete this work woult
require $30,000,0 900, and Mr.. Fore
has a plan for raising the funds.
Thomas A. Edison, the inventor
accompanied Mr.. Ford on an inspec
ton of the plant and was interview
ed on his opinion of Ford's idea. In
voicing his thorough endorsement OF
the plan, he says he believes it is
something the people should take
up and think about" To give our
readers a chance to do this, the in
terviey, printed in the New York
Times of Dec. g., 1921, is reprinted
here. The interview follows:
The Ford party's last day in the
Muscle Shoals district was one of
great activity. Mr.. Ford, Edsel Ford
arn Mr.. ! dison were ready at s
o'clock and were taken across the
river to Sheffield for an inspection of
the great nitrate plants there. 1ney
were accompanied by q committee
from the local Chamber of CONNER
ce and a number of army officials.
AS the party went through the plant
Mr.. Edison detailed the process OF
manufacture. He was immensely
pleased with the great plant and said
he would like to wander through it
at night. At this plant the Govern
ment tried to develop nitrates from
the air by a German method known
the Haber process. 1t failed. Mr..
Edison offered several suggestions
for making the process a success, but
the plant is not running they can
not be tried out now.
Coming back to Florence the way
led past several schools. School had
been dismissed and the children were
all on the lawns to see Ford and
Edison.
Mr.. Edison will go with the party
Detroit and from there will be
aiken home to Orange, N. j., in Mr..
private car. Within the next
week Mr.. Ford will make his final
'eport to Secretary of War Weeks.
There will be no change in the offer
made several months ago. 1t is ex-
'ected that Secretary Weeks will not
ubmit the mater to Congress until
fter Christmas. Mr.. Ford says
hat if Congress gives him a lease
f the property about two years will
e required to complete the dam
power house and that, then, the
he great industries now idle will be {
ct in operation. I
Mr.. Edison reiterated his belief |
expressed yesterday, that it was q
God plan and that if one the cur '
ancy method is tried in raising G
loney for public improvements, the I
will never go back to the I
ond method. 1
Mani IL pCtICCIlJ (lCdl Sila 4 Al
Of advocating any changes in banks :
i'd banking" said Mr.. Edison. "The a
anks are mighty good things. They !,
e essential to the commerce of the q
1t is the money broker, the 9
oney %profteer, the private banker, I
at l oppose. They gain their pow n
through a fictitious and false value a
ven to gold. =
"Gold is a relic of julius Caesar n
I'd interest is an invention of satan" .
Edison continued. "Gold is in l
.insically of less utility than most Z
etals. The probable reason why it :
retained as the basis of money is :
at it is Easy to control. And 1t is :
e control of money that constitutes =
e money question. 1t is the control
money that is the root of all evil ~
How can this system be improved o
changed?" Mr.. Edison was asked.
''It can come about in several ways IS
d one way would be to produce so e. :,
lch gold that it's psychological hold u
,uld be broken. If we all had CT
mes in our back yards or if synthe- 9,
gold could be made and sold for =.
4 cents a pound you would soon VI
: gold disappear as the basis of y
,ney. And we are nearing just
only a few days ago a scientist ~
veloped that lead, one of the basic -
.tals, and heretofore reckoned as ::
element by itself, is actually a y
npound. We do not know how far al
are from finding that gold, too, is ~
compound. All the wealth in the = =
rid, according to our present STAN =
rds, may be rendered worthless by =
discovery that gold a be made a
lthetically. ;"
''In that LAST people could no long
have confidence in it. Money -
yht to he nlentiful and gold is not