Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-20
UNDERWOOD BILL
PALES OIL SCANDAL.
SAYS SEN. NORRIS

Shoals bill would make "Teapo'
Dome look like a pinhead," ant
"Doheny and Sinclair look like
pikers," Chairman Norris, of the
senate agricultural committee, tolc
the senate today that enactment OF
the legislation would later become
known as 1.-The rape of the treas
ury"
ooh, President Coolidge" shouted
the Nebraska senator, "how car
you, Just after receiving the vote Of
confidence from the people, offer
this great position to such propo-
sition? At the oars and heading
this great ship straight into Wal!
Street,
The Nebraska senator declared
the "skids had been creased and the
steam roller brought up" to defeat
his own bill, providing government
ownership and operation. The oppo'
sition to his measure, he SAID
planned to turn Muscle Shoals over
to some private corporation.
"Giving President Coolidge credit
for his honesty in every move ne
said, land giving Senator Unoer'
wood the same credit, it seems the
inevitable conclusion will be that II
>this bill is enacted it will be known
as the rape OF the treasury.
) "It will make Teapot Dome look
like a pinhead. 1t will make Do.
henv and Sinclair look like plkers.
Underwood Answers
Senator Underwood, Democrat Al
ALBANIA, charged during Norris
speech that an organized tlhpuster
is being conducted to prevent ACTON
on the Muscle Shoals BILL
Senator Underwood warned TIE
senate that if some bill was not
passed and allowed to go to the house
for passage before March 4, the wa
ter would be allowed to go over the
spillways and property worth S2,Ooo''
900 "would be dead to the world.
"The SENATOR" said Mr.. Under
wood, referring to Senator MOTIFS,
dreams of what might happen and
what has not happened. What sur
prises me is that he has attacked the
president of the United States SO
far as I am aware the president OF
the United States has in no way Vlo-
lated the constitution of the United
States as the senaor has charged
Nor mas he violaed the constitution
in advising the senate on his attl-
tdue on legislation.
81 do not think" said Mr.. Under
wood, there is any danger Of the
people of the future generation CIV
ing away their birthright because
we are going to lease one dam to a
private corporation under terms that
the government is to dictate"
Senator Norris declared there
would be two kinds of corporations
at Muscle Shoals.
Two Corporations
cit will be either a public utility
! corporation, like the Alabama Power
company, or an industrial corpora
ton that would use every kilowat of
power for its own use and make
nCne of it available for distribu-
ton"
He declared the General Electric
company would get the property if
the Alabama Power company OBJ,
tanned it.
/ "You will not cure the evil, sena-
tors, if you provide that this power
will be controlled by state agen-
cies,' he declared.
"It has been the history that pub
lie utilities trusts never sleep, and
in a thousand ways they control
the appointment on commissions of
JNhOSp Wis a orpa9 b1o n
them,'' he said
Senator Norris declared Senator
Underwood Democrat, Alabama, fire.
auently had referred to the Norris
bill as a power bill and the Under
wood bill as fertilizer bill.
He asserted that although the Nor
ris bill provides for more develop
ment of power, "the Coolidge bilr
likewise provides for power develop
ment.
Deprives Power Use
But, he said, the Underwood bill
would deprive the people of the coun-
try of the use of this power in dis
tribution.
He said the Norris bill provided
for fertilizer production after the
necessary product had been pro-
duced for experimentation by the
government.
He declared that if a new fertilizer
process was produced by the govern
ment it would be gwen to the world
for its benefit.
If a private corporation discovers
,,the process, it will have it patented
sand will build UP a great fertilizer
monopoly"
"Why not be honest to the Amer
lean farmer?" Why not tell him the
truth that we do not yet know, but
that we hope to discover the Sc
cret?' he asked.
The senator said Nebraska had a
- lower power rate than Alabama nd
- although both states had public
utilities commission to regulate rates
but the rates came down because a
city built a small electric light plant
to compete with the private corpor-
alton.
He pointed to Cleveland, Ohio, as
another similar illustration.
ut is not fair and it's not con
'ducive to future efficiency of com
mittees of congress to have the work
of our committee condemned at an
outside midnight conference-either
on the Mayflower or elsewhere,
Norris said.
"If the Underwood bill Is adopted,
he added. 'it will be possible for the
lessee to defy every single one of the
state regulatory agencies
Red for Youth
FrockS for the Girl of twelve are