Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-07-22

nessee River should be leased for |
100 years without regulation and
without restriction"
Pointing out that only i've Of the
16 senator's ON the committee acqui- |
esced In that part Of the report COM |
mending the Norris plan, the report
continues in part:
I'm comparison with its (the Nor-
ris plan) provision regarding fer
tilizer, the Ford offer sinks into alb
solute insignincance. 1t offers the
greatest hope to struggling agricul-
ture. it frankly recognizes that i'm
provements must be made If we
would cheaper the production of
fertilizer. and it provides for the use
of the government property and
funds to make the necessary inves-
tigation for such improvements. In
advocating its passage we hold out
no will-o'-the-wisp to deceive and
mislead the people. We face the
fertilizer proposition without prac-
ticing any deception upon the farm
ers. We believe the extraction OF
nitrogen from the air can be cheap
ened, but we cannot guarantee it.
Fertilizer can be produced at Muscle
Shoals, but if it is cheapened to the
farmer we must have cheap power
and improved processes. Nothing
can be gained by deception. The
desira bility Of cheapening the cost
Of fertilizer 10 conceded by all.
I'VE believe that the government
IL justified not only ~ war meas
ure. but az q peace proposition. to
expend all OF the money that may
be necessary in chemical expert
ments with the view of cheapening
fertilizer. This provision ought to
be hailed with delight. not only by
the farmers, but by all Of the con.
sumers who buy the products OF the
farm. It will develop at Nitrate
Plant No. /. the greatest expert
mental laboratory in the world.
Instead Of turning over the sur
plus power to any one individual or
to one corporation, to be used for
his or it's financial benefit. without
regulation from any source what
ever. it will be able to supply cleo
tricity to the people at large, and
cities and communities, hundreds OF
miles distance from Muscle Shoals
will receive benefits either directly
from this source, or indirectly. by
the cheapening of electricity py
men and corporations who will be
competitors of this governmental
corporation"
The report points out that cleo
tricity developed at Muscle ShoalS
should be furnished to municipall-,
ties at as near cost as possible ana
should be so distributed that all OF
the people. both rich and poor,
would receive a proportionate oene-
fit to the cheapening of electrlcai
energy. That is the idea that the
Norris bill seeks to accomplish, the
report adds
"When the power on the Tennes-
see River is fully developed 1t ought
to be carried to the cities all over
the States of Alabama. LOUISIANA
tennessee. and Kentucky and given
as wide a distribution as possiple
so that all of the people might get
the benefit of the development OF
the property owned by all OF the
people"
Attention is invited to provisions
of the Senate bill directing the sec
rotary of war to construct dams IN
the upper Tennessee River to equal
ize the flow of water throughout the
year and. the report says. more than
doubling the power possibilities at
Muscle Shoals. 1t adds that the gov
eminent is about the only one that
can afford to construct these reser-
voir dams. The storage of waters
in the Tennessee River. the report
claims. would automatically assist to
a great extent in lessening the IAN
ger of overflow on the Ohio and
Mississippi Rivers. thereby offering at
least a partial remedy to food con-
troll conditions.
The only objection made to the
passage of the Norris bill. the report
saws. has been by those who are
opposed to the government engaging
in any kind of business. adding that
"a fair consideration of all the facts
surrounding the Muscle Shoals prop
erty will. we think. convince any
minded investigator that the
government is amply justified in OPP
Grating the governments property at
Muscle Shoals"
The document concludes with a
detailed comparison between fea-
lures of the Ford offer and those
of the Norris bill and emphasizing
what it describes as the greater ad-
vantages the people will obtain from
Muscle Shoals development under
the latter proposal.