The Union daily times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1918-current, 1922-02-14
FORD PLAN NOT
TO BE MODIFIED

Washington, Feb. 13.-Eforts OF
house military committeeman to ex
act pledge for the manufacture ot
fertilizers during the 100 year life Of
the proposed contract by Henry Fore
for purchase and lease of the govern.
ment properties at Muscle Shoals,
Ala, failed today. w. B. Mayo, ap-
pearing before the committee as the
personal representative of MIR. Ford
declared the Detroit manufacturer
was not willing to modify his offer
in any of its provisions unles it was
to clarity language only and not alter
the plan itself.
Committeeman also failed in their
attempts during examination of Mai.
j. II. Burns, chief of the ammunition
division of the army's ordnance de-
partment, to adjust differences of
opinion between ordnance officers and
those in the judge advocate generals
department with regard to the War
rior power plant. Major Burns in
sisted throughout an extended inter-
rogation 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 con-
tract with the company.
Previously officers Of the Judge ad-
vocate generals department had said
the contract was non-enforceable.
Statements by Major Burns that
the Warrior plant was not essential
to the Ford plan were countered later
by Mr.. Mayo, who declared the pow
er development there was needed and
Mr.. Ford would demand clear title
to that unit as specified in his of
fer. This situation was regarded by
several committee members as inter-
posing a difficult obstruction to be
overcome before they could return
the Ford plan to the house for dis
position by that body while others
declared they could see no solution
at all unless the contract with the
company was violated.
While the committee worked on
the Ford offer at the capitol, Secre-
tary Weeks continued study at the
war department of the other offers
he has on Muscle Shoals. He notified
Frederick Engstrum Of Wilmington,
N. c., that he would give him hear
ing Wednesday, after which he would
submit his offer to congress-. The
secretary has stated that the Eng
strum proposal as amended appeared
''to be better" than it was as origin
ally submitted.
Mr.. Mayo told the committee Mr..
Ford intended to manufacture fer
tilizers in their finished forms and
would not produce exclusively their
nitrate ingredients. He also declar-
ed that not more than 8 per cent
profit would be imposed. and that it
was Mr.. Ford's intention to deliver
the complete 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 committee
men developed that it was Mr.. Ford's
intention to use all the power de-
veloped by the water projects and
other plants for his purposes at Mus
Gle Shoals.
1t was not the intention, Mr.. Mayo
stated, to establish a power selling
company to compete with CONNER
cial companies.
A part of the power created, it was
explained, would be consumed in the
manufacture of Automobile parts
from raw materials" This state
ment by the witness revealed for the
first time that it was the intention to
operate the Alabama plants in con-
nection with Mr.. Ford's automobile
business and was construed as i'm
plying the production Of light metals,
possibly of aluminium which would
enter into construction of automo-
biles at the Detroit factory.
The Ford offer was scheduled for
consideration tomorrow by the SEN
ate agriculture committee. That
body probably will decide upon pro-
gram of hearings of it's own. Many
requests to be heard already have
been received by the committee from
interested persons and commercial
concerns related to power develop
ments as well as agricultural organi-
zations.
Further examination Of Mr.. Mayo
will be conducted by the house COM
mittee tomorrow.