The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-17

POWER TRUST AND THE SHOALS
 The subject matter contained in the letter of MT. J. L. Andrews of Sheffield, printed on the first page of the state section of today's Age-Hearld, is of great present interest to the people of Ala bama The impression has been adroitly created in the minds of many that fail ure of the Alabama Power Company to obtain Muscle Shoals would threaten a shortage of power for Alabama and neighboring states. Nothing could be ,. more preposterous, and yet, if the mis- <. information is not combatted, 1t may be honestly believed in many quarters. As Mr. Andrews shows in his letter, MT. Ford will have at least three hundred ! thousand horsepower, over and above his calculable uses in the nitrate and other plants at Muscle Shoals, for distribution within a reasonable radius of Muscle Shoals.
 It is very readily seen that the purpose of the power company to achieve a monopoly of power sources in Alabama is thus revealed more completely than ever. It is also perceived that the pur- pose of the Alabama Power Company is not to conserve this power for the use of industries in Alabama and adjoining states, but to pour it into its super power system for distribution far and wide primarily for the profit of the power trust The fact that the power company has under its control many un- developed sites of vast potentiality, and many sites the full power of which pro- vision has not yet been made to generate, should be sufficient proof that monopo- listic intent is the company's sole purpose in reaching out after this additional re- source. It was because the Alabama Pub lie Service Commission perceived this mo- nopolistic purpose and the additional purpose of thwarting the logical tying-in within Muscle Shoals that it refused to grant the companys application for per mission to develop power at Lock IT on the Warrior. The approximate estimated undeveloped reserve of power on prop critics now owned or controlled in this than 400, ,000 horse power, and may we'll be much more than that.
 Because of the failure of the recent legislature to formulate a wise policy to , restrain the rapacity of the power trust in Alabama, it becomes more than ever necessary for the people of Alabama, and those in charge of the public interest, to be on the alert against fatal involve ment of this states power resources in a vast combine entered into with an eye single to the private profit. The insid- ious attempt of the power trust to throw discredit upon the Ford offer and to give out misleading statements as to its own purposes is to be resisted by all agencies public and private that have the general welfare of this regions com nereial and industrial expansion at heart.
 The Alabama Power Company's pres ent possession of magnificent reserve of water power, which it has shrewdly corraled with a view to its own program of monopoly, is incontestible proof that it does not need Muscle Shoals, now or in the future, and that it's failure to ob- ?, tain the Shoals will result, not in power shortage to this territory, but rather in an industrial stimulus and development of natural resources unequalled any, W here else in this country