New Britain herald., 1923-10-13
WEEKS CALLS FORD
 ATTACK RECKLESS
Explains Sale of GOrsas Plant
 and Its Effect

Washington. D, C.. Oct, is.Rfh'
 Muscle Shoals controversy assumed
 major proportions last night nhel Secretary Of War Weeks entered ths lists in behalf of his Administration and charged Henry Ford with making reckless assertions" as to the method whereby the war department disposed of the dorgas steam plant to the Ala hama Power Company.
 Secretary Weeks made his charges After two conferences with President Coolidge, every indication heinz that the latter approved the statement in answer to Mr. Ford mad by Mir Weeks. the full text of which followsi
 'Mr, Ford this morning delivered il personal attack upon me in eonnee- lion with the conduct of the Admin isiraiion in relation to Muscle shoals. His statement Is filled with reckless assertions.
 Tt may be that Mir. Ford. relying as he does upon other persons in the con. duet of so many enterprises, probably Is not himself possessed of the full facts Of tho situation. For the bsenefii of those who do not fully understand the problems involved. l shall briefly review tho subject.
 Purpose of Gorgas Plant
 s"Aluscln Shoals was development for nitrate purposes In the war, which included tho construction of large dam on the Tennessee river. and the construction Of air fixing nitrate plants with large auarrics and, as m adjunct Ca. talu fa In Ia Ia power. pending the completion Of tho waterpowcr plant. A steam plant was erected 90 miles away on the Warrior river. known as the Gorgas plant.
 '''rhe total expenditures on these properties was about sl02 2.000.000. of which less than s5.000.000 was spent upon this isolated and temporary steam plant. The steam plant was erected on the property of tho Ala Dama Power company, which reserved title to the land on agreed conditions with the Wilson administration, for which this administration is not re- sponsibc and which gave to them the right to purchase the Gorgas steam plant.
 The proposal made by Mir. Ford for the purchase of this entire equipment involved the payment by him of.S5,- t0o,000 for the entire plant, including the above isolated and temporary steam plant. It also involved many other conditions with regard to the | completion of the waterpower etc. No | disposal of government property can rightfully be made by an administra- Ia congress, and l, as the responsible of i'cial in this matter, referred Mir. Ford's offer to congress, which has so far not acted upon it.
 Power Company's Oner.
 Tn the meantime the Alabama Power company, under it's rights in the old contract, notified the govern ment that the lands must be vacated oii or before October Is, this year. If offered to pay $3,500,000 for this com E paratively small item of the whole equipment.
 The government had an option to accept this offer, which was the high. est made, or to salvage this plant as second hand machinery and from which they could not have realized more than s1,OOO,oOO. On the other hand, it must be borne in mind that for this single item in the entire equipment the government has secur- ed s3,5o0.000 as against the s5,0oo,- oo offered by Mir. Ford for the entire plant and equipment. { 'At the time of the sale, in de- sire not to disturb the status quo, the administration stated to MT. Ford ; that this amount could be credited on his original offer of S5,000, 900 if it [