The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-06-03

3. OLIVER
and power and for commercial and
Industrial uses, and let the powers
on the rivers OF North Carolina be
utilized for tho electro chemical and
metallurgical development of the re-
sources OF North Carolina. How i'm
when we find that the department
of commerce, in reports made by the
bureau of census, show a production
of chemicals and raw metals by the
use of electricity amounting in
value to $5S,1S0,500 in 1921. as COM
pared with the value for the same
products of $29,661,9 in 1914.
In Alabama, compared with this
total. the production of electro chem
ical products by the use Of electricity
Is negligible, except at Admission,
Ala. where sodium phosphate and
calcium phosphates are produced
a very important development in the
ever. is produced at Admission.
Fight Ford Offer.
The Alabama Power company un-
der its policy not only does not de-
velop the electric furnace industry
in Alabama on a large scale. but the
most amazing thing Is that when
Henry Ford, at the invitation of the
government. offers to develop the
most Important branch of tho cleo
tro-chemical industry, namely the
production of fertilizers using cleo
trio methods, the Alabama Power
company fights the acceptance OF his
offer by Congress-even when the
fertilizer bill paid by Alabama farm
o66.10s in 1920. and am informed
that the fertilizer bill for tho crop
year 1929 which Alabama farmers
will pay will probably be in excess
of eighteen million dollars.
Yet, in the face of the fertilizer
bills which Alabama farmers pay.
the power company in the course OF
its announced ideal system" de-
clares that:
TT Is, therefore, a matter OF grave
Importance to every community in
Alabama. and other sections OF the
south and southwest, for a grea.
source of power such as Muscle
Shoals to be withdrawn from the
What public service" can the
power be put to at Muscle Shoals
that will equal the public service OF
Muscle Shoals power in reducing the
cost of fertilizers not only to the
farmers of Alabama and other
southern states, but to all American
farmers?
OF course, nobody in Alabama Will
be unwilling for adjoining states 70
share in Alabama's water power
wealth, and as the water power OF
the Carolinas. Georgia, Tennessee.
Arkansas and Alabama are developed
and interconnected, Alabama will
be ready to exchange freely Its sur
plus with other states; she Will pc
ready to give and take" she VIII
give her share when a power ram
inc comes to sister state, ana re-
ceive her fair portion when she Is
short. out of the great reservoir OF
interconnected power in this group
Of states.
Power And Fertilizer.
When 1t comes, however. to ex-
porting power from Alabama, ex-
porting the wealth of Alabamas
water powers to other states as a
business in a large and permanent
way. then let Alabamas water power
go to her sister states In the form
Of fertilizer; to North Carolina, Tor
example, whose fertilizer bill was
s12.262.53s in 1910 and s4s,796,6s4 IN
1920: South Carolina, too. will need
Alabama's water power shipped 10
her as fertilizer, for her bill was
s15,162,o17 in 1910 and sb2.456; 100
produced with Alabama's water
power at Muscle Shoals, for her fer
tilizer bill was s16,660,149 in 1910
and s46196,434 in 1920.
feel confident that the facts
present to you at some necessary
length will cause you and the pup
lie service commission of the state
to agree with me that the time mas
come for the people OF Alabama TO
recognize the unsoundness OF many
discussions of power service, ana
Particularly the unsoundness Of the
| io1
system" which turns out to be a
foreign policy" for developing and
distributing hydroelectric power de-
veloped in the state. We must 30
back to fundamental facts that are
matters of established and undis-
puted record. -,
The Alabama legislature should
declare the states own water power
policy. but it must be recognized
that no intelligent and settled wa.
by the state until Congress decides
and settles upon the government
\ policy at Muscle Shoals.
Congress. in deciding upon a pol
icy at Muscle Shoals, can be relied
on to include the production of fer
whether Henry Fords offer or some
other or better offer be accepted,
or whether the government itself I'M
dertakes to operate the power and
nitrate plants; that much can Dc
counted on as settled.
This fundamental principle Of leg
islation by Congress was most apt
ly expressed by the American Le-
gion at its New Orleans convention
in October last year when the Legion
/ declared:
mo policy or plan should be ac-
cepted which does not provide for
the operation of said plants in time
of peace and the manufacture of
fertilizer. and the test of acceptance
of any offer should be the amount
of fertilizer proposed to be manufac-
tured."
His Guide In Congress.
/ shall adopt this rule as my guide
in Congress in dealing with Muscle
Shoals legislation, and l hope that
you and the public service commits
| sion, for the present at least, will
adopt a similar principle as your
guide in disposing of all applications
| for water powers in Alabama. Broad
ly stated. this principle is that Ala
bama's water powers shall be de-
veloped by those applicants who will
| agree that at least part of the
power and the most economical
power shall serve the farmers of
the state in producing fertilizers