Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-09-11
Records of Senator Harris
and Ex-Governor Hard
wick on Great Southern
Enterprise Are, Reviewed .
Atlanta journal News Sureau,
408 Evans Building.
RN VH9GOD0nE TILLER

40S Evans building.
RN ViEOD0HE TILLER
/ WASHINGTON, Sept. S.-The
disposition of Muscle Shoals having
become an issue in the senatorial
| campaign in Georgia, and in other
| campaigns, probably it is pertinent
| briefly to sketch what it is all about
and the parts played by the two
| senatorial candidates in Georgia in
| the controversy.
While Senator Thomas w. Hard
| wick was in the senate there was
| no direct votes on Muscle Shoals
because that great project had NOT
| been started. However, in 1910,
| there was provision in the national
| defense act for establishment of a
/ nitrogen plant for use in time Of
war and for use also in time of
neacp. The issue then was Wheth-
! err this should be a plant essentially
! for military purposes or plant to
be used in times of peace for the
production of fertilizer and electric
| power.
Senator Hardwicll opposed any in
cursion of the government into the
| business of the making of fertilizer.
The debates of that period show
| that he denounced as "socialistic'
| all proposals to have the govern
| ment make fertilizer for sale at cost
| or near cost to the American farm
ers. He claimed that he was a gOop
| friend of the farmer but the adj
vocacy of government manufaeturl
! of fertilizer represented a false
friendship and class legislation.
Senator Harris Position
Therefore. Senator Hardwick OF
fered an amendment proposing that
there be stricken from the pending
bill for bIishment of a nitrogen
plant. for manufacture of war eX-
pIosives; "a stipulation that the gov
eminent plant should also be "use-
full in the manufacture of fertilizers.
The Hardwick amendment was de
feated by a vote of AZ to "a and
the bill as finally approved contem-
plated not only a great plant Tor
the manufacture of explosives but
also the use of nitrogen in the man
ufdcture of fertilizer.
Senator William j. Harris was not
a member of the senate when the
national defense act of 1915 was I'M
der consideration. However, in the
present Georgia campaign the line
of cleavage as to Muscle Shoals
seems to have been well drawn. In
cidentalIy, it must be remembered
that the governments investment at
Muscle Shoals is now Approximately
one hundred millions and when that
hydrO-electric, war munitions ana
fertilizer plant is finally completed
if is estimated that it's cost Will have
become about S165, 900 900.
Members of the farm bloc" in
congress, to which Senator Harris
belongs, have claimed that had 1t
not been for the farm bloc" the
Muscle Shoals enterprise would have
been ''scrapped" long ago. AS it
there was a squabble between Sena-
capital, the bid of a com binatlon OF
southern power companies, and 9th
er bids, or whether it will decree
that the government itself shall COM
plete the plant and enter into the
business of making fertilizers ana
hydro-electric power-and war NUM-
lions when necessary.
1.-The senator from Georgia, Mr..
Hardwick, proposes to amend the
amendment of the senator from
South Carolina, Mr.. Smith, by strlk-
ing out on page two of the printed
amendment line II, the words land
useful in tie manufacture of ferti-
lizers."
After the amendment was offered
is today congress is still to deter
mine whether it will accept the
Henry Ford bid for a lease of 100
years, the Elon r. Hooker bid for
a cooperative arrangements be-
tween the government and private
If Muscle Shoals cannot be leased
advantageously then Senator Harris
thinks the government should oper-
ate the plant rather than sacrifice it.
He would have the government re-
tain and salvage the plant, upon
which it has spent so much money,
rather than give it up even though
the war is long over
1t is assumed in Washington that
former Senator Hardwick stands as
he did in 1916; that is, against the
government manufacture of fertilizer
even for TIE benefit of the farmer.
His position then was that the fed
eral government should confine it.
self to the business of governing"
Debate i'm Senate
Here are a few extracts from the
senate debates of the 1916 period:
tor HardWick and Senator Smith, of
South Carolina, regarding the right
of the floor, during which Senator
Hardwick, of Georgia, said that he
did not intend to discuss the Ques-
ton at all but that Smiths observa-
tons made it necessary. He added:
TT ere is nothing like what the
senator suggests necessarily involved
in this proposition at all and if the
senator South Carolina) will not
strip it of its socialistic features he
will get it overwhelmingly beaten in
the senate"
Senator Smith, South Carolina, de-
Tending the proposal of fertilizer
manufacture for the farmers, retort-
ed that:
Il am not concerned about, whether
the question may seem Socialistic or
whether it may seem populistic. The
main thing [ am concerned about is
how we can best provide for that
great class of people who bear the
burden of this government"
The debate went on for sometime
and in the end the Hardwick amend.
ment to the Smith. amendment con-
corning plant TO take into account
the manufacture of fertilizers was