The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-15
EVERY ENERGY ID BE EEXERTED ONFORD0FFER
New Complexion of Congress May Settle Long Fought Is- sue-ReIief From War. rlor Injustice Appears
 To Be Far Off
WASHINGTON BUREAU 1
 THE AGE-HERAED Washington. D. C., April 14

Alabama will nave three major problems before the next session of Ccneress. Two of them are of such Importance that their proper sou- ton will directly and materially af- feet several states other than Ala paIna, and to certain extent, the entire country.
 The senators and representative. who Will speak for Alabama in another session, will bend all their energies in an effort to put across the offer of Henry Ford for Muscle shoals Their second biggest task Will be the securing, by legislation or otherwise. of an equitable di- vision of proceeds accruinY from. joint hauls by railroads and the Narrior river barge line On the success of this attempt will depend the fate of the Warrior river enter true.
 A third major problem rising for solution will be the necessity of deepening the harbor at Mobile. IL has been demonstrated that sporadic dredging has not worked for perma- nent improvement. In the opinion of some of the engineers, the time has come for the government to take hold of the job and complete it. once and for all time.
 During the last session Of Con WAS made in the attempt permanently to settle the Muscle Shoals problem by disposing of the government property there to MT. Ford. It is safe to say that the pro- Ford ad- vocates constituted at least a strong minority in the House, The fact that Muscle Shoals was not brought to 9 vote in the House was due to op- position Of the administration which expressed itself through floor lead CTS. The greatest handicap that Muscle Shoals and Henry Ford faced in the Senate was the oppos- ing attitude of Senator Norris of Nebraska, who was chairman of the committee on agriculture, q pro sressive." and a strong and aggres- sive fighter.
 Outlook More Favorable.
 In the next session, the offer of Henry Ford will still have to over come the opposition of the admin istration. and the strength of Sen ator Norris. The complexion of both house by next December, how ever, will have undergone a change almost startling in its significance There will be fewer "reactonary republicans, those who do the bid ding blindly of the White House There will be more "progressives, D tICse who oftentimes act inedepen-
 
 times in defiance of the White House. There will be many more democrats. and democrats. in the last session, almost to the mar supported the Ford proposition.
 In view of the changes. Ala bamians profess great hope that the Ford offer will be materially strengthened, made so strong that it's success will be certain.
 It is pointed out, further, that ii the farmers, through their represen tatives in Washington, continue az gressively to support the Ford of- fer their effort will be more tell ing than heretofore. For next year will be an election year, and the ceedingly popular with candidates and especially with administrations desiring to continue their sway.
 Senator Norris Attitude.
 It is understood that Senator Nor ris, while admitting the theoretical argument of the Ford advocates re- specting reasons for their greater strength in the next session, adheres to the belief that as the country becomes better "educated" it will be- come strongly opposed to the Ford offer. It is understood, also, that he does not believe that the addition of progressive" republicans will re- dound more to the advantage of the Ford bid than to those who stand with him for government operation
 It Is probable that no result will obtain until after a strenuous battle which will drag out its weary lenstf for several months. It is obvious however, that despite certain handi- caps which are apparent, the Fore advocates are appearing more anc