Evening star., 1923-10-16
IN TODAY'S SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS

| binding. The opinion of the Judge
advocate has since been confirmed by
the Attorney General.
X r +
After the war the government ceased
to need the munitions works, and cast
about for an opportunity to sell the
plant, as 1T was selling other war
plants AS Secretary Weeks and the
chairman of a House committee said,
the offer from Henry Ford proved to
be "the only offer worth considering
by Congress" Ford stipulated that
his offer was for all and not part OF
the plant.
Mr.. Ford's offer was based on using
the plant to make air nitrates for
commercial fertilizer. Nitrogen is an
element most needed in the soil. He
guaranteed in his proposed contract:
THE annual production of these
| fertilizers shall have a nitrogen con-
| tent OF at least 10000 tons of fixed
nitrogen. which is the present annual
capacity of nitrate plant No. 2"
(That is said to be the equivalent
OF 100000 tons of commercial fer
| tilizer as now marketed.)
He furthermore agreed that the
| than what would give a net profit of
| per cent on actual cost To safe
guard that there should be a board
| of control, consisting of nine men,
bers, two to be named by the COM
pany, the other seven to be named by
the President of the United States
and confirmed by the Senate, out OF q
| list of twenty-one to be'nominated by
| the American Farm Bureau Fedora
tion, the National Grange and the
Cooperative Union of America.
In the sale and distribution of the
fertilizer the board should regulate
the price at which the fertilizer
| should be sold, and determine the
| equitable distribution of the same"
| The latter clause would prevent eX-
portation at the expense of our own
farm needs.
Forth nitrate plant Mr.. Ford pro-
| posed to pay s5,00O,000 in Ave annual
installments. with per cent on de-
| ferred payments; and to pay. also. by
amortization, an additional sinking
| fund estimated at S49,000,00O.
He did not propose to buy the dams.
| but to lease them for 100 years at 4
per cent on the cost of completing
| them, this amount to be wiped out by
| the sinking fund amortization. He
would also maintain depreciation and
| charge of $4,000, and would supply
800 horsepower, free. to operate the
| navigation locks.
He would finish dams Nos. and 8
| at cost. and then pay 4 per cent a
year on their cost for 100 years.
Mr.. Ford agreed to maintain the
entire plant for 100 years against de-
probation, at an estimated average
| cost of $2,450,000 a year, and to hold
| the plant ready at all times to be
turned over to the government, pre-
pared to manufacture munitions of
| war instead of fertilizer.
! Mr.. Ford agreed to organize q COR
poration with a capital of $10.0O0,000
! to carry on the operations, but he
| would not evade his personal re-
| corporation, for the last clause of
| his contract made all obligations
under it binding upon the under
signed, his heirs, representatives. and
assigns"
| Congress adjourned last March 4.
A month later the Alabama Power
| Company notified the Secretary of
| War that the Gorgas Warrior steam
plant must be removed within six
months or the company would exer-
else its fright" to purchase at the
price of $3,50o.000.
1t is alleged that Secretary Weeks
| did not inform Mr.. Ford of this no.
tice until within a few days of the
expiration of the six months. Final
ly the "sale" was made to the Ala
, bama Power Company. in spite of
the adverse opinions of the Judge
advocate and the Attorney General
| as to its legality. That now consti-
tutes the chief contention between
Mr.. Ford and Secretary Weeks.
Ford charges that the manufac-
turers of fertilizer and the Alabama
Power Company are influencing the
Secretary Of War to put obstacles
in the way of acceptance of his offer,
to which Secretary Weeks responds
with explicit denial, and with the
claim that the Gorgas Warrior steam,
plant was not essential to the Ford
| Undertaking.
] lcopyrisht. fe2s by Paul Y. cellins.l 49,.