The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-01-30
Mobile Civic Clubs Favor Ford Bid
 For Shoals

LSaSeu NIre-J-1WO M0Dlle CIVIC clubs. the Civilians and the Lions, to- day adopted resolutions favOring the offer of Henry Ford for Muscle Shoals and ordered copies sent to the House military affairs committee, before which Mayor Taylor appeared Satur- day in opposition to the Ford proposi- ton. to members of the Alabama dele gatiOn in the Senate and House and. to cities in North Alabama.
 The adoption of both resolutions fol- lowed considerable discussion of the action of Mayor Taylor in appearing in Washington against the Ford offer and in favor of that of the power com panies. and the fact that his action had created the impression that the people of Mobile were fighting the Detroit manufacturer the advantages of the Ford offers. The resolutions were adopted in order to correct this im- pression. both at Washington and in Northern Alabama.
 Declare Port Injured The action of Mayor Taylor was also the subject of a statement read into the record at the city commission meeting today by City Commissioner Harry T. Hartwell in which he stated that the Hnauthrized attack on the Ford offer by Mayor Taylor had done our seaport an immeasurable amount of harm, some of which will be irrep- arable."
 MT. Hartwell also read into the rec ord telegrams which he has received and sent relative to the appearance of During the reading of the telegrams the Mobile city official at Washington. Mayor Taylor :.sked Commissioner Hartwell how he knew that his action did not represent the majority of the sentiment of Mobilians. You can go out and see for yourself" was the re- ply of Commissioner Hartwell. In defense of his action Mir. Taylor declared he believed he was right and that he had written a letter to the president of the Mobile Chamber of Commerce asking him to call a meet ing and allow him to appear and state his position. The mayor also declared he was preparing a statement with re- gard to his action.
 Mobile Busy Explaining
 Following the action of Mayor Fay. Tor in attacking the offer of Henry 1 Ford to take over and operate Muscle Shoals. after he voted for a resolution in city commission session approving the bid of the auto manufacturer many Mobilians have started the task of explaining to Alabama and the country that the mayors opinion was not expressive of the sentiment of the Gulf City. It is considered necessar ry Monday for many to reitrrate their position and the position of Mobile because of the connection Mobilians have with North Alabama. where Henry FOrd's bid is said to be almost unanimously approved and where strong support was given for the con stitutional amendment authorizing state credit for the development of the port at Mobile.
 Developments in the campaign to correct the impression, made before the military affairs committee of the United States Senate by the Mobile mayor came fast yesterday. Individuals and organizations recalled that the Mobile mayor had voted sometime ago for the Ford bid and are seeking to let Nortn Alabama know that the port city ia vors the Ford bid.
 Developments in the city were sum- marized IS follows:
 North Alabama Is Stirre, NJ. :. Hansbrough. editor of the Fri NltleS Dally, telegrapnS that the Hay Tor statement has caused profound astOnishment in the Tennessee valley" City Commissioners George Crawford and Harry T. Hartwell reiterated their stand in support of Mir. Ford. Mir. Hartwell telegraphed the military af- fairs committee at Washington that MT. Taylor's opinion did not represent that of the peOlpe of Mobile.
 Mobile members of the house and senate of Alabama said they favored the legislative resolution of last year because it expression the opinion of the majority of Mobile county.
 Hardly had the query of Mir. Hans brought been received than one came from John H. Peach, attorney of Shef. field. supporter of the Ford bid. Peach wanted to know if Mobile had de serted the people,
 Fearful of the effect of the Taylor statement, members of the Mobile dele gatiOn in the legislature issued a joint statement in which they referred to the resolution. passed in the senate and house. favOring the Ford offer. They stated they voted for the resolution be