Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-09-11
SHOALS OWES LIFE
TO FARM BLOC" SENATOR'S

defeated as above stated, and the
Muscle Shoals enterprise, without
name ut that time, was launched NOT
only L.. provide nitrates for time Of
war but also to become available f0r
making of cheap fertilizers in time
Of peace.
Republican Opposition
During the debate on the defense
dill Senator Sterling, Republican.
South Dakota, said in part:
~ voted in favor of the amend.
ment of the senator from Georgia,
Mr.. IIardwick. to strike out that
part of TIE pending amendment re-
latinG 20 the production of nitrates
for fertilizer purposes. | did MOI
think that provision should be in
Guided, but the senate voted to re-
tain it; and WEile ! regret that deci-
sion, yet looking at what l believe to
be the primary purpose of the
amendment (Smith) the manufacture
by the government of nitrateS for
use in the manufacture of explosives
! see no objection on principle to tffs
the main purpose to be affected. If
there is surplus which NAV be
used as fertilizer and in farming
communities anywhere in the United
states, let it be so used and let the
people have any benefit or ADVANTAGE
that may be derived therefrom.
Senator George Sutherland of
Utah, Republican, supported the
HardWicl amendment against ferti
hzer manufacture and denounced as
fraud and a sham" tie entire nro
posal to put the United States |.into
the business of manufacturing nj.
IFateS. Senator Sutherland. now
a justice of the supreme conrt asked
why the farming class sbo',ld Ia
favored at expense Of other classes
establishment of a NITROGEN miami
ne argued, might be wise for. NM,
poses of war but he saw no wo,. ~,
t.tinen. ana IL was plain to him that
eteeH-tWent1eths of the time
,,,o,.l:11 PROVIDED FOR purely a com
HheFclal operation. What riobt houa
60 "a an the people of the United
states Tor the benefit of ono rIae.eo
49, 2Iot'Ht we impose a tax upon
~ f ['l lieIS OF The Rocky mountain
$1,000 farmers OF the Rocky Mountain
,on5 - VINO up to this time do NOT
ltGTo theSe fertilizers. whose soil is
a,ln virgin, for the benefit Of tho
,,, Moi I SOL OF the south or the ONT,
L,olI sui OF some parts of the New
england sectiOn?" NC"
Hardwick's Position
,r'i i 81 ppofI OF his own amendment
t:Izat2 d pant TO manufacture fer
1,,iaI- IN peace time Senator Hard.
friend t 'hat he was as good a
- i ~ or t. farmer as any MAJ
nI, ,ne STATE, but the thing be was
t ~ was any suggestion thot
tne government should go into The
sG1iliess of making fertilizer ara
to,l5G IL TO the farmer. He con
tehoed that this was entirely cutsida
added '4oiiH' lie
l nave moved to strike out the
Illus ana useful in the manufac-
VI Iertlllzers,' because T thin.
t11o governmental activities ought to
coillIlled solely to government
r. poses: nile | am quite willing
|" concede it is legitimate govern.
mental function to provide tho o,,n
p"Wder necessary for our army and
levy III tlme of war, just as we
PROVIDED armOr plate factories for
am not worried about that r d.,
not think it is a legitimate Govern.
mental function to engage in tbo
manufacture of fertilizer and the
sale Of it to the farmers. no ma+ter
now much we love them and no mat.
Ter now often we protest that
We Go" ''''''
Senator Lane, Democrat. Orepon
asked Senator Hardwick if he did
not thlnk 1t would be as useful TO
IHe government to increase the food
supply, IN case of war as it wouL1
De the gunpowder supply?"
How Harris Voted
since the departure from the SEN
ATE OF Senator Hardwick and the
entry therein of Senator William 7.
Harris the Muscle Shoals develop
hent mas been undertaken, and il
now we'll on the way toward com
pletlon. The problem now before
congress is whether this great plant
shau be operated by private capital
uhder lease or sale, maintained bv
the government itself, or 'scrap-
ped. That question was still un.
settled when the past session of con
SresS adjourned in June.
Inc Congressional Record shows
however, that Senator Harris has
consistently voted, as a member Of
the appropriations committee and
senator, to keep the construction of
the plant going. He cast number
of votes on the proposition, one be-
ing a yea vote on amendment MAX
ing appropriation for continuing nj
trate plant at Muscle Shoals, Ala.
bama,' and another being "yea
vote on motion that the senate in
slSt on amendment making appro-
priation to continue work on Muscl.
Shoals" Senator Harris also Vote2
yea in the sixty sixth congress on a
bill ito provide further for the ma
tional defense; to establish a self
sustaining federal agency for the
manufacture, production and deveI=
opment of the products of atmos-
pkeric nitrogen for military, expert
mental, and other purposes: to pro
vide research laboratories and ex
perimental plants for the develop
ment of fixed nitrogen production.
and for other purposes"
Missouri Woman Moves
tn Monnp in Wonod