The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-08
TEST VOTES SHOW FORD BILL TO WIN Baker Letter Serves To
 Delay Final Ac- ~ ceptance ALL AMENDMENTS
 KILLED IN HOUSE Victory Of Mckenzie Bill Satur- { day Without Change Is Ap-
 parently Certain VERDICT DELAYED BY
 POWER TRUST TACTICS Burton Of Ohio Lambastes Alabama Concern WitE Yigor
 During Debate
ALL AMENDMENTS
 KILLED IN HOUSE
VERDICT DELAYED BY 5. POWER TRUST TACTICS
lwAsHINGrON BUREAU

WASHINGTON, D. C., March 7.-- An amendment proposed by Represen' tative Theodore E. Burton of Ohio venerable republican leader, which pro vided for ten@e of Muscle Shoals by Henry Ford for 90 instead of 10o years, was voted down this afternoon lS2 to 104.
 That was the test vote. The re.
 suit clearly indicated the eventual victory of the Mckenzie bill, which
 provides for the unequivocal in- <, dorsement of the proposition of the
 Detroit manufacturer.
 .s That the despairing cohorts of the Alabama Power company retained a Sestige of their previous courage throughout today is attributed by Ala bama members to the precipitation by Newton D. Baker, who was Secretary of War in the cabinet of President Will son, of an assault against the Ford of. fer. The criticism of the details of the bid was expressed in the form of let ter addressed to Representative Harry Hull of Iowa, who speaks on the floor for the power company's monopoly bid.
 Hull Makes An Error
 Mir. Hull, on receipt of the communi- cation last night, made the error of be- lieving that it would have effect on the democratic side of the House, which to the man had supported the Ford of fer. While the Baker letter went over the heads of the Ford contingent, it had the effect. of inyigorating the opposition. But for this effect the Ford offer would have been put across today. As it is, certain victory is delayed until tomor. row afternoon.
 Amendmenfs Are flvsrfiddssl s..
 The feature of the day, Of noirse was the overwhelming rejection of pro, posed amendments, either of which, had they been adopted, would have resulted in the defeat of the Ford offer. The first, as has been indicated, was by Mir. Burton. The second was by Represen. tative Williamson of South Dakota, which provided that instead of only a part of the cost of the total investment in Muscle Shoals, Ford would be re quired to pay 4 per cent on the total cost. That proposed amendment was rejected by yive voce vote, the chorus of which wsa so thunderOus that it's au. thor lacked sufficient temerity to ask for count.
 The third amendment was proposed by Mfr. Burton, and provided that in stead of $35,000, Ford would be re- quired to pay the total cost of main. taining the locks and dams. When this amendment was proposed, the hour of was approaching. The House was fever. Mel, FFharA ,oov, ef Inpo hla hiktarnaao because of the tactical means whereby the Alabama Power company's spokes. men delayed the inevitable verdict. q Vote Is Demanded
 There was chorus of "Vote P "Totei "VoteP' Representative E. B. Almon of the Eighth Alabama dis. tRict, wherein is located Muscle Shoals attempted to answer criticism by Bur ton and Williamson. He was prevented from speaking, not by the opposition but by friends of the cause he would lave espOused. Representative Blanton of Texas proposed a substitute for the amendment, and desired to speak. Al. though he is friendly to the Ford prop. osition, his efforts to receive attention could not estop the chorus of ''Vote !' Vote r Vote"
 He was literally booted down by democrats. At that iuncture Represen. tative Mckenzie, despairing of making progress, suggested that the committee rise and the House go into session This was tantamount to motion oi adjournment.
 There was one element of today's de. bate which approached the sensational Representative Finis Garrett of Ten. messee, in closing against the Burton q (csntInusa on Page rws, Column ons)