The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-24
ELEVENTH-HOlR ATTACK MADE
 ON FORD OFFER
Mayor Taylor Of Mobile Recently Discredited
 In City's Poll
fwAsHINGTON BURRAU,s ,

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 3-Aiay or k. V. Taylor of Mobile, who some time ago startled Alabamians by appearing before the house committee on military affairs, advocating the "monopoly" of fer of the Alabama Power company and opposing the Henry Ford offer for Muscle Shoals, has taken into question the recent assertion of Senator Pat Harrison of Mississippi that the Detroit manufacturer would distribute surplus energy to be generated on the banks of the Tennessee.
 Senator Harrison today, when inter- viewed, admitted that he has received communication from Mir. Taylor and resented above. He declined ; However, to make public the letter, inasmuch as in his opinion it was of q confidential nature. The Mississippi senator will reply, but declared that he would prefer the entire correspondence to be made public by MT. Taylor. .s,
 The senator will admit that W. B. Mayo, one of Ford's representatives, when testifying before the military af- fairs committee, did intimate that gen.
  CT was not contained in the scheme of his employer, but the senator will call to the attention of Mir Taylor a sub sequent statement of Ford's in which it was plainly asserted that any energy generated in excess of his immediate re- quirements would be disseminated in response to demand. Complaint Inspired By Power Trust
 Senator Harrison has been given as- surance and has so informed some of his constituents in Mississippi that the complaint quite recently expressed re- garding Fords alleged intention of con- tining all Muscle Shoals current to Muscle Shoals territory, was inspired by the Alabama Power company for ob- vious effect. The fact that recent voting contest, conducted by the Mor bile Register, revealed that MT. Taylor to no possible extent spoke for the people of Mobile or Alabama, has been learned generally in Washington, and Mir. Taylor's argument in favor of the power trust and the arguments of other eleventh-hour spokesmen against the Ford offer have been completely dis counted.
 Representative William B. Oliver of the Sixth Alabama district, the most aggressive Ford advocate in the house, stated this afternoon that there would be no excuse for republican leaders were they on any pretext to violate their promise to consider Muscle Shoals im- mediately after the tax reduction bill is disposed of Tuesday.
 Wants Shoals Offer Voted On
 'The supporters of the bonus must first bring their bill out of commit tee," he said, land that will require several days, in all probability. If the Ford offer is given right of way it can be voted on, in my opinion, before the proposed bonus legislation can reach the floor.
 T think officers of the American le- zion, in view of the circumstances, will not insist on the displacement of the Muscle Shoals measure.
 There has been discussion of the illeged necessity of considering the navy deficiency bill before tackling Muscle Shoals or the bonus. There is no such necessity. The bill involves no new propositions and simply provides for the maintenance of the navy. For its passage there is no pressure"
 MT. Oliver anticipates that the Ala bama Power company and it's friends in the House will resort to every expe- dient for delay, but that they will score no success. He believes the Ford bill will be rapidly enacted,