The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-24
WHY HOUSE FAVORED FORD

In another column of this page is printed an editorial from the Columbus (0hio) Eve ming Dispatch in which the writer gives some convincing reasons why, the lower House Iof Congress passed the bill providing for lease of the government property at Muscle Shoals to Henry Ford. The writer takes the logical position that despite long and persistent opposition to the measure by powerful special interests, it was adopted by a large majority on its merits as shown in the discussions, and that the people of the south and west strongly favored it because, among other things they were satisfied that MT. Ford canssnd will so develop and utilize the great latent resources of the Muscle Shoals region oas to afford large benefits to the agricultural interests of the country in time of peace and provide essential needs of the government and the nation in the event of war;.
 There have been flimsy arguments against the Ford lease on the ground that the Ford interests would derive profits from the proj- ect. To be sure they will. Fords remark able record in industrial development was made possible, because his enterprises have been financially profitable. 1.-The can help the agricultural interests of this country by giving them necessary product at reason able price, he, deserves profit and a good one. The difference between the Ford pur- poses and plans and those of his opponents this great industrial opportunity is that MT. Ford will share his profits with the farm CTS and the nation, while his competitive antagonists world retain for themselves the enormous indirect profits which they have made and would continue to derive from the absence of such competition as Mir. Ford would establish.
 The millions of people who would Le protected and aided by Mir. Ford through his development and operation Of Muscle Shoals are not concerned with any legiti- mate profits he may realize from tbis great project. Nor do they begrudge him fair share of profits as result of his industrial genius and enterprise. The real point is, as the editorial referred te sets forth, that the masses in the south and west believe that such profits as Mir. Ford may realize from developing Muscle Shoals would come not out of what they themselves would otherwise possess, but out of new wealth, created by Mir. Ford's operations out of the latent resources of the Muscle Shoals region. And from no other proposition which has been made for the development of Muscle Shoals, they think, is there so much pros pect of q fair share in the active wealth which may be created from these latent re- sources"
 The people are not fooled by so-caled argy- from getting Muscle Shoals. They know that if these interests believed that Mr. Ford
 will not do what he promised to do, the fight against Linn would not have been SD persistent. The farmers of the country sec an opportunity for relief from unreasonable fertilizer prices if Mir. Ford gets Muscle
 Shoals. The interests that are fighting MT
 Ford want to retain their strangle-hold on the farmers and continue thier EIge profits. That is the basis of the fight they are mak-
 ing, and that is why the people are for Ford i;
 that explains the action of the lower House of Congress in passing the Ford lease bill. l =%====..e==s-es@e