The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-27
FINAL VOTE
ON SHOALS
IS ASSURED
Western Senators Back
Underwood In Demand
That Issue Be Settled
ACTION EXPECTED
NEXT WEDNESDAY
Agriculture Committee To
Begin Formulation OF
Its Report Today
SENATE MAJORITY
SEEK END OF ROW
Albanian To Offer Ford
Plan AS Against Fed
eral Operation
ACTION EXPECTED
NEXT WEDNESDAY
SENATE MAJORITY
SEEK END OF ROW
tWashineton Bureau)

'
WASHINGTON, D. c., May 20.
A vote in the Senate on the Henry
Ford offer for Muscle Shoals by
Wednesday Of next week Is regard
ed as highly probable by Senators
Underwood and Helm of Alabama,
Harrison of Mississippi, and Norris
of Nebraska, each Of whom made a
statement today. ID
Senator Norris, to this CORE
spondent, declared with emphasis
that he was anxious that the Mus
Gle Shoals controversy of the gen.
eral conception that he had pur-
posely delayed procedure. Certain
other western senators, including
Mr.. Borah of Idaho, assured Sena-
tor Underwood from the floor that
they entirely agreed with his con-
tention that Muscle Shoals should
be disposed of before adjournment.
With. the testimony Of Major Burns,
government nitrate expert tonight, the
extensive hearings Ealaae 70 M end,
Y0moFfots III q scBisft t<8 NJ Ill zDfhslxa
late report Senator Norris declared
that he would require only two days
to state his case to the Senate. Senator
Heflin said that he would be content
with two hours. Alloting another two
hours to Senator Underwood, and an
hour to each other member of the Sen.
ate who has indicated desire to speak
from the floor, the conclusion is rather
general that the final vote can be had
by Wednesday week.
Indications are that the committee
tomorrow will vote to report the Norris
bill, providing for government operation
at Muscle Shoals. 1t is probable that
the committee, at the instance Of Nor
ris, will attach amendments to the
Ford offer, and permit it to reach the
floor either as a minority report, or
without recommendation. On the floor,
Senator Underwood will offer the Ford
bill as substitute for the Norris bill.
and the latter can succeed only in the
event of the defeat of the former.
Senator Underwood will so advise the
Senate that it will be aware that
Muscle Shoals can be settled this ses-
sion only by the enactment of the Ford
proposal. He said today that if the
Ford proposal is victorious, the end will
have been reached, whereas if the Nor
ris bill wins the Senate and House will
be in irremedial conflict. There is rea-
son to believe that a majority of the
members of the Senate, agitated by the
farmers, are of the opinion that Muscle
Shoals should be settled as quickly as
possible.
The idea that an amendment to the
Ford offer would effectively kill it.
which prevailed in the House, is not so
generally established in the Senate.
Senator Underwood is an exception
when he declares that the Ford offer
cannot be amended. There is report,
to the contrary, that when certain sena-
L., ~ lxa
cue of the Ford advocates to inform the
Senate that the problem is the Senate's.
If amendments are offered and Opposi-
ton decreased, the Ford offer may get
into conference. Three points of dis
agreement may be worked out by con-
ferees, a majority of whom will favor
the Ford offer without amendments.
Senator Underwood, in the Senate to-
day, agreed with the contention of Sena-
tor Borah that irrigation problems
should be settled before adjournment,
and then declared that in justice Muscle
Shoals should be settled before adjourn-
ment. He spoke of the fact that the
south had always helped the west,
whereas the west had never come to the
assistance of the south. He referred
feeIingsly to the domination by western
senator's of q committee which had in
charge the greatest potential blessing
to the south. and the seeming deter
mination of that committee to withhold
action which might bestow that blessing.
Senator Underwood told the Senate that
the first irrigation bill ever enacted was
reported to the House by a committee
which acted by majority Of one, and
that the majority had been made pos
sible by his individual vote.
Senator Underwood said that he did
not threaten, but did appeal, When
Senator Borah and others agreed with
his position and his statement, the last
vestige of the opposition's hope that the
problem would not be settled this ses-
sion disappeared