Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-12-28
HARRISON UPHOLDS
! SHOALS MEASURE
Favors Private Operation, He
Says, in Advocating Under
wood Bill.

Stressing the Importance to the peo-
pie generally and to the farmers In
particular of the development of the
Muscle Shoals plant for the fixation
of atmospheric nitrogen, Senator Pat
Harrison of Mississippi, in a state
ment last night, urged the passage of
the Underwood BILL now before the
Senate.
Senator Harrison declared that
Americas world supremacy as an
industrial nation is based upon the
enterprise of our private citizens"
He said that while he would far
rather have the Government operate
this great plant than have it lie idle,
he believed the better way would be
to have it operated by private citi-
zens.
at has frequently been said that
Muscle Shoals is nothing but a wa
terpower proposition" said Senator
Harrison. This position has been
taken by the great Eastern interests
and their bond brokers. One of their
representatives frankly complained
in a public statement that as TO the
fertilizer end of the Muscle Shoals
problem, ii has been given an undue
Importance and has had a disturb
ing influence on the entire discus
sion.
Figures Compared.
4,
that the Governments Muscle Shoals
investment, dedicated primarily to the
production of nitrates for explosives
in time of war and for fertilizers in
time of peace. amounts to fully $50
100000, while it's Muscle Shoals in
Nestment for water power purposes
is but $45,000,000, ii becomes evident
that those who seek to belittle the
Importance Of fertilizer production at
Muscle Shoals are not supported by
the facts.
1T has been claimed that we do
not know enough about making
nitrates from the air in this country
TO make better and cheaper fertilizers
at Muscle Shoals and that these
acid and potash in concentrated form
could not compete with the natural
nitrates from Chile.
No one is in better position to
know what the effect of such an en-
ierprise would be than those who
are now in the business. The Chilean
Nitrate Producers Association is a
worldwide monopoly with agents in
every civilized country. They well
know that Germany has made her
self independent of them, for Ger
many with her war-built air nitrate
plants no longer is one of their Gus
toners. They know what the air
nitrate business is doing in France,
for their exports of Chilean nitrates
to France are decreasing every year,
and the time will soon be at hand
when France, too. will be independ-
ent of Chile.
The opposition may shout Tt can't
be DONE but those who are in the
business know only too well that
any such statement is mere deception
and falsehood.
Rigid Restrictions.
The Underwood bill seeks to pro-
vide private operation under public
regulation and rigid restrictions.
The conditions are many, yet rea-
sonable, and give the Secretary of
war, with the approval of the Presi-
dent, every opportunity to protect
the public interest to whatever ex-
tent, in addition to those directed in
the legislation, they consider neces-
Sary; and If no private concern is
willing to undertake these opera
tons and guarantee the operation of
niHate plant No. at full capacity
in the manufacture of fertilizers,
with profits limited to 8 per cent,
then the proposal provides for the
operation of the plant by a Govern
ment corporation with 100000 900 of
capital under terms which will re-
turn to the Government $30,9oo,o 900
moro than would have been paid
oven under the Ford proposal and
the Ford offer was the only one
under which the operation Of the
nitrate plant at full capacity was
definitely agreed to and the opera
ton carried on at private and not
public expense
The assurance that fertilizers
viii be manufactured under the I'm
derwood proposal Is found in the
fact that the Underwood proposition
contains the very same wording that
THE party to which l owe al
legiance does not today control this
Government. The legislation to be
adopted by this Congress must be ap-
proved by the President Of the United
states.
Calvin Coolidge's thumbs are down
against the operation of Muscle
Shoals by the Government. He be-
lieves first, that 1t should be sold or
leased. and that only in the event
that policy cannot be pursued, then
and then only, Muscle Shoals shall be
operated by the Government
I'm view of the conditions there
fore, existing In the Congress, 1t Is
the height of folly for representa-
tives from the South, and especially
that part of the South in which
Muscle Shoals is located, to hope to
pass any legislation that proposed to
have these properties operated by the
Government"