Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-01-14
FORD s MUSCLE
SHOALS BID To
CO To CONGRESS
LaWmaking Body Will Be
Asked to Make Final De-
Cision; Two Other Pro-
pOSaIS May Be Submitted
.nr The Assoclated Press.l

Washington, jan l3,--Henry
Fords offer for purchase and lease
of the governments nitrate and
water power projects at Muscle
Shoals, Ala, will be referred to
congress for final decision, it was
announced today at the conclusion
of conferences between govern
ment officials and Mr.. Ford. Ac-
companying the Ford proposal
when it is transmitted, Secretary
Weeks said, probably would be the
two offers received from Frederick
L. Nostrum of Wilmington, N. c.,
and C. c. Tinker of San Francisco.
The decision to forward the
three offers to the legislative
branch of the government, it was
stated, was reached after consid-
Grafton of the question by eXecu-
tive officials lasting more than six
months. 1t was said the depart.
ment officers lacked authority to
take final action and were COM
PEELED to refer the Muscle Shoals
offer to congress.
Actual transmission of the pro-
posals was not expected for at least
two weeks. 1t was explained that
the Ford proposal first would be
drafted in contract form by law
officers of the war department and
be submitted to congress.
While the legal departments are
working on the contract form, it
was said, Secretary Weeks would
prepare report for congress con-
tanning Comments for their in
formation.
What my comments are" the
secretary said, will appear when
senG the offer to congress, which
Will De as soon as the papers are
prepared"
Some officials said they believed
1t would require a week to prepare
the contract and probably another
week or more to obtain the sigma
ture of Mr.. Ford Tho contract
will be sent to Mr. Ford when it is
drafted.
Secretary Weeks tonight said he
was disappointed in that Mr.. Ford
declined to agreed to certain mod
lIlcations OF his plans which were
held desirable by his conferees. One
of these was known to be that af-
fecting the reduction of the 100
year lease period. The principal
modification agreed to by Mr..
FORD was that guaranteeing pay
ment annually of 4 per cent in
terest on the cost of construction
of daris Nos. and 3. regardless of
the cost, whereas at first he offered
interest only on $4,000, 900.
lt was explained that Mr. Ford s
refusal to accept the modification
proposed for reduction of the 100
year term probably would give con-
gress an added task in connection
with It's consideration of the offer
Existing laws regulating lease of
properties possessed b. the federal
government, it was explained, limit
the period OF maximum lease to
less than n century and congress
probably would have to modify the
statutes in event it decided to ac-
cept the Ford proposal.
Mr.. Ford, however was said to
be unwilling to agree to shorter
time rs the financial investment he
would make would involve a great
or amount of money than he was
prepared to spend under any time
period less than 100 years.
Several members of both the
house and senate made no effort
tonight to disguise their fears that
both houses of congress would be
divided on the question. While the
contract will be urged for accept
ance by many members from the
south whose constituencies are
known to favor the Ford proposal.
il was anticipated that no small
number from other sections of the
country would oppose its accept
ance.