Evening star., 1924-12-08
ACCEPTS CHANGES
IN SHOALS BILL
Underwood Presents Amend.
ments Proposed by Weeks.
Early Action Seen.

Amendments meeting the ma jor OBJ
jections raised by Secretary Weeks to
the Underwood Muscle Shoals bills
were offered today in the Senate by
the author Of that measure, Senator
Underwood, Democrat, Alabama
With the more important of the ad-
ministration'e objections to the bill
thus removed, leaders on both sides
in the Senate are hopeful Of an early
vote.
One amendment extends the time for
the leasing of the plant by the war
Secretary from next July 1 to next
September I. Another changes the re-
quirements as TO the production of
nitrate for fertilizer SO that instead
Of 10000 tons the first year there
would be 10000 tons in the third year.
Cuts Fertilizer Requirements.
Senator Underwood explained that
fertilizer plant would have to be
constructed, and that in the usual
course this would require two years.
In the fourth year the lessee would
be required to turn out 10000 tons of
nitrate. in the fifth year $4,000 and
thereafter 10000 tons annually.
To meet another major objection by
Secretary Weeks, the Alabama Sem
ator offered an amendment under
which the Government would guar
antee the interest and principal of
the bonds issued in the event of de-
fault by the lessee.
AS to the objection that the cyani-
rnide process could not be used by
the lessee. Senator Underwood said
the Judge advocate general of the
Army had settled that question with
reference to the Ford bid, holding
that the contract of the Government
with the American Cyanimide Co. pro-
vided for use of the patients by either
the Government or a lessee.
After discussing all of the War
Department amendments, the Ala
bama Senator introduced his bill as
an amendment to the Norris bill,
which was an amendment to the
House bill. This will bring the
Underwood bill to a vote before the
Norris bill.
Hoped For Coolidge Support.
Senators favoring the bill had hop
ed President Coolidge would 20
the length of formally indorsinR IL
In policy IN an open letter to Senate
leaders, but instead Mr.. Coolidge
communicated his views to Senator
Underwood in person, and decided to
send no formal communication on the
subject at present.
Meantfme, however, Chairman Nor
ris of the agriculture committee,
which has had the Muscle Shoals
question under consideration, had be-
fore him report from the War De-
partment embodying the views of
Army engineers on the Underwood
bill. The report approved the measure
in part. but suggested q number of
changes.
Hope to End ProbIem.
Some of the Senate leaders were
disappointed at the Presidents deci-
sion not to write letter indorsine
the Underwood bill. but they had not
lost hope that the proposal of the
Alabama Senator would be acceptable
at the White House and would bring
to q solution one of the most trouble
some questions with which Congress
has had to deal in recent years
| Mr.. Coolidge gave his opinions tc
Senator Underwood in considerable
detail during an over-Sunday cruise
on the Mayfiower. The party re.
| turned to Washington this morning
/ and, although White House official.
refused to reveal the President's pre-.
else position, and Mr.. Underwood
| likewise held in confidence the view!
expressed to him by the Chief Elk.
ecutive, there was no outward evil
dence that the conference had de.
| veioped serious obstacles to passag,
i of the bill.