The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-22
MUSCLE SHOALS MADE FOOTBALL
 BY POLITICIANS
(Continued from Page One)

lizer plants. had been evolved; and should be done, there was no legisla- ton on which to base contemplated action. It was necessary as a re- suit, for the President to order an abandonment of all construction. The dam, extended, q mass of jagged stone and concrete. Cne-third across the Tennessee, at the mercy of the current which seemed destined grad ually to wash 1t away. The gigantic nitrate plants were prepared for the | spider and his cobweb.
 In tho meantime, the political com plexion of the country had under gone a change, In the congressional elections of 1918, the republicans se- cured a majority in the House and all but a majority in the Senate. The House majority early In 1919 pre- pared to go into the Muscle Shoals situa ton. That majority held that under pretense of war necessity, democrats had put over "a $100. .000,- 900 steal and had constructed Muscle Shoals whereas in tins of peace their effort so to do had invariably failed" Graham Finds Fault.
 The so-called Graham Investigat- ing committee was raised. It was headed by the member from Illinois of that name whose previous record had been conspccuous for his bitter ness against democrats, southerners, all things democratic and southern, and Muscle Shoals in particular. The country was confronted by the necessity of electing a President the following year. The Graham com mitte was enc of those various com mittees appointed to investigate what democrats had done in fighting to successful issue the greatest war in history. The object was to pre- pare the ground for tho presidential fight, to fill the air with rumors of wild extravagance and actual graft: to make 1t appear that excessive ex penditures due to the necessity of worlds greatest conflict was the re- suit Cf the democratic incompetence and criminal waste.
 The economic situation was fertile soil for the sowing of such seed. The people were never more prosperous, never more rich. But taxes were exceedingly high, and 1t Is a natural racteristis that despite the amount of wealth ono possesses, he
 
 to pay the government Its toll. The people were made to believe that had the democrats proved themselves competent, the war could have been successfully waged, the country could have become even richer than it was, and taxation could have been eliminated from the economic lexi- con. The people are very gullible when 1t pleases them to be. especial ly regarding money matters.
 Prejudice For Campaisn.
 MT. Graham went after Muscle Shoals just as Senator Lodge went after President Wilson's League of Nations, and for the same reason. In both cases. prejudice and suspicion were aroused. and they exerted their effect in the campaign of 1920.
 According to MT. Grahams report. made after various trips tC Ala bama on which much testimony. at great expense. was acquired, every thing connected with Muscle Shoals was unscientific, extravagant, waste full, criminal, and everybody, from Wilson down to the carrier Of con- crete, crooked.
 And finally, Mir. Graham, with a firm assertion of his statesmanship, recommended to Congress that Mus cle Shoals, in its entirety, be aban- dGned. Of the purblind race of mortal men, of which Milton sang, MT. Graham was the most outstand- ins example. On account of his prejudice, political and sectional, he stood against any plan to preserve for the benefit of mankind the won- derful, incomparable possibilities which, at the cost of more than $100, 0,000 900 stood in idleness at Mus cle Shoals.
 Today, four years later, Mir. Ora hams mind has undergone a change He holds that Muscle Shoals Is quite worthy project. and he thinks that Henry Ford should develop 1t. MT. Graham Is a candidate for republi- can leader and four years ago his ambition was running In different direction. That Is all.
 President Submits Plan.
 Despite the prejudice being dis played by republicans, and despite their campaign of neglecting and de- stroying all that had been conceived by democrats. 1t was the bCunden duty of the president to maintain his equilibrium and proceed for the good of the union just as If he as- sured of republican cooperation. Naturally, he concluded that inas- much as Wilson Dam. if completed, would furnish enough energy to move every industrial wheel in the Tennessee Valley. and inasmuch as the nitrate plants, If preserved. would possibly save the nation In the event of another war, and at any rate, would furnish in tim, of peace, fertilizer to the farmers of the coun- try, 1t was the business of the gov ernment to carry out the original program as far as 1t could be carried out.
 He was compelled to como to Con- gross with & plan. An administra- tiCn measure. providing for govern ment ownership and operation, pos sibly by lease. was sent to the mili- tary committee of the Senate, and by that committee was ultimately reported. It was the plan of the ad
 ministration to complete the dam, lease all power In excess of the amount required to operate the ni trate plants to some company spe-
 cializing in electrical energy; and | lease the nitrate plants to manufac-
 turers of fertilizer.
 That plan had the hearty support of the people of the Tennessee Valley, Lines Closely Drawn.
 ] In the meantime. on account of the vast expenditures that had been made on the banks of the Tennessee, and the bitterness of the Graham report. together with the fact that presidential campaign was just ahead, Muscle Shoals had become a highly controversial topic. As was anticipated. the fight in the Senate for and against the administration measure conceived for the preserva- tion of Muscle Shoals properties was one of great strenuosity. It was bitter and sensational. The lines were closely drawn. Senator Under