Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-12-13
SENATE To KEEP
SHOALS |Ss||F Up
UNTIL D|sPOsEDOF

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10.-The SEN
ate agreed unanimously today TO
hold the Muscle Shoals issue before
the senate until disposed ana allow
consideration Of the Isle OF Pines
treaty to follow Immediately.
Consideration of amendments TO
the Underwood bill again was
M order in the senate today win
leaders expressing hope of speeding
progress OF the measure to pefllnt
/, final vote before the end or the
week
The first amendment to the Under
wood bill, now under consideration
before the senate today, was one OF
fered by Senator Mcclellan, Whlch
would authorize the secretary OF war
TO regulate rate charges on power
produced II Muscle Shoals.
The amendment was voted uoWh
by a viva voce vote.
Chairman Norris, Of the senate
AGRICULTURAL committee. declared
that, although he opposed the IN
derwood bill, if it is to be adopted,
he wished to present an amendment
10 make it less harmful than 1t
is. ~
His amendment would strike out
from Section the fertilizer Prov
sion of the bill the words, as Iar
as it is practicable to do so, IN lhe
manufacture of commerclal ierli
lizers." The bill as it stands ne
said, would give the lessee an OPP
portunity to stop making tertlllzei
if he had demonstrated us manu-
facture was not practical.
The amendment also would strlhe
out of the provision the WORDS ac-
cording to demand" Senator NOT
ris said his amendment was heCe9
sarv to clarity the bills intent. Inc
senate must decide, he asserteo, II
it wishes to require the production
of fertilizer at Muscle Shoals Wheth
or or not it is manufactured at
loss Of profit
Senator Underwood, IN opPooil5
the Norris amendment, deClaleu t,te
chief aim Of his bill was lor tilT
nroduction of powder for natlondl
defense and cheap fertilizer I5r the
farmer if it can be produced anu
he would not consent 70 tying tiis
lessee's hands as the Norris amend
ment would do.
Underwood Compromises
reached a compromise on the floor
on the Norris amendment ana ny
unanimous consent Section of the
Underwood bill was amended py
striking out of the provision of the
fertilizer clause the words: AS lar
as it is practical to do'' and the
words according to demand IAls
would make the section provide that
nitrogen not NEEDED for natlonal de-
tense be used lin the manufacture
of commercial fertilizer.
Senator Underwood introduced an
to his bill which he sald
had been suggested by the chief OF
engineers. The amendment would
authorize the secretary of war to
complete 1.-The necessary approach
to locks in Dam No. 2.
1t was adopted by unanimous con-
sent Another amendment intro
duced by Senator Underwood would
require that future funds Tor the
maintenance of Muscle Shoals come
out of appropriations for rivers ana
harbors.
Chairman Wadsworth, of the NH
itary affairs committee. declared he
saw no reason for changing the sys-
tenn of appropriations.
Senator Underwood replied the
was not his own, adding
that ''it came from the govern
ment," but he approved the gov
ernment's suggestion.
Would Finish Dam Now
Senator Norris declared that Dam
No. l should be constructed now
while the government has its ma
chinery and men on the scene. lie
explained that the dam was neces-
sary solely for navigation but if it
was not built to enable boats to get
over the shoals below Dam No. ,, or
all Of the improvement made by
Dam No. 2 and No. 3 would be use
less from a navigation standpoint.
Senator Mcclellan Democrat, Ten
nessee. charged that the Alabama
company could lease Muscle Shoals
under the Underwood bill on better
terms than the power company itself
has offered.
ut would be infinitely better" the
Tennessee senator declared, ito &C
cept the bid of the Alabama Power
company
Il do not believe from the past
performances of the Alabama Pow
er company that they would reduce
either the price of power or FER
tilizer if they got the Muscle Shoals
property.
Having so far turned back all at
tacks on the bill by obtaining the
rejection of amendments which he
opposed, Senator Underwood, Demo-
crat, of Alabama, its author, at the
same time has been supported by
the adoption without a record vote
o: all amendments he favored
Some opponents of the Underwood
bill Joined with its supporters today
ir predicting passage of the meas
ire this week and Senator Under
wood himself expressed optimism
over the outlook.
Congressional leaders. however,
see little prospect of final enactment
OF Muscle Shoals legislation until
we'll after the first of the year Its
Passage by the senate, they point
out, would send it to the house,
where. if reported out after refer
ence to a committee, it probably
would carry amendments which. if
adopted by the house. would result
in its being sent to conference. Both
bodies then would have to adopt the
conference report.
Chairman Norris, of the senate
agriculture committee. plans to
make final effort to block passage
Of the Underwood measure. which he
steadfastlv opposed by introducins
q new Muscle Shoals bill as an
amendment to the Underwood bill