The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-05
SHOALS OFFER
 UP FOR DEBATE
(contInusd from Page ons)

the right of way was presented by Rep resentative Bankhead, Alabama, a dem- ocratic member of rules committee. He argued vigorously for an opportunity for the House to vote on the proposi- tion and warmly commended the Ford offer. Representative Almon, democrat, Alabama, in whose district Muscle Shoals is located, also made a strong appeal for the Ford bid.
 Representative Almon declared that although the price received was impor- tant, the manufacture of cheap fer tilizer was the impelling consideration. He said the farmers of the county favor SAe. Ford proposal "as shown by their endorsements through their organiza- tions."
 ''They >kp6w they have been paying two prices for very inferior grade of fertilizer" the Alabama representa- tive said, adding: Their representa- tives have gone to Muscle Shoals and made a careful study and have with out a dissenting voice recommended and now are urging the acceptance of the Ford offer
 Henry Ford is one rich man who has made his fortune by selling the products of his factories cheaper than any other manufacturer and at the same time paying his labor more wages than any one else. If this bill be- comes a law he will not only reduce the price of the farmers fertilizer one half, but says he will sell to the farmer a truck, tractor and an auto mobile for $1,0O0 or less.
 T appeal to my colleagues from every section of our country to protect the south from the water power mo- nopoly. The water power trust owns and controls practically all of the water power sites in the south and the southeastern states except Muscle Shoals, and they are here and have been for long while, with their paid lobby to get their greedy and monopolistic Acfetahes on Muscle Shoals"
 During the exchange which preceded the adoHtion of the resolution by viva vocN vote, Mir. Hill launched hls attack against the Ford bid, receiving support ffPm Representative Kearns, re- publican, Ohio, who later again took the floor tS assail the proposition of the Detroit manufacturer.
 In the face of this onslaught Repre- sentative Schall, republican, Minnesota, who is blind, rose in his place to de- clare briefly tat farmers favored &C., ceptance of the Ford bid because it would assure them cheap fertilizer and that in his opinion that was sufficient reason for him to support the McKen- zie bill.
 Opening debate today MT. Mckenzie warned against adoption of amend ments, declaring it was up to congress either to reject or accept the Ford bid as submitted.
 When Henry Ford's proposal was LAE~ r. Kenzie said, the judge advocate gen eral took part in the preparation of the offer ''and saw to it that the in- terests of the government were safe guarded in all particulars"
 Lauds FOrd's Honesty
 "The very fact" Mir. Mckenzie continued, that Mir. Ford worked in cooperation with representatives of the legal arm of the military establishment made it evident that he had no inten- tion of taking advantage of the govern ment in any way. To call such a pro- posal a subsidy, to my mind, is to ignore it's terms and refuse to see the plain facts in the case"
 Mir. Mckenzie said since the friends of the power companies have come forward with their latest bid "the ma jority report no longer represents the situation" adding:
 Tn the light of their most recent effort, it is evident that in fifty years the return to the government under the power company's offer will be about $14G,000,000. or an average return per annum of $2.915,000. while under the Ford offer the total returns for 100 years are about $345, 100000, an aver age of $3,450,000 per year-so that there is an annual financial gain by accepting the Ford offer, not of $235,- 900 yer year as stated in the majority report, but of $525 ,000 per year. Please notice that we do not compare the totals in these two offers, but we com pare the average annual return under the two offers, which we believe, un- der the circumstances, is the only fair way of making the comparison"
 Hull Explains Objection
 Mir. Hull in opposing acceptance of the Ford offer declared the Detroit manufacturer was not bound to the government in the contract. and under tic McKinzie bill did not agree to do anything but accept the $S0.000,000 you are going 10 give him." Through out his speech. SIr. Hull was inter- rupted both by suggestions from the opponents of the Ford offer and Ques- !