The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-29
SHOALS DEBATE DRAWS NEAR

With the prospect of Muscle Shoals debate in the house next week, and with the. an- nouncement of perfected process of fixation of nitrogen. the outlook for early develop. ment of the great project becomes brighter than, ever. The debate in the house will center about the Ford offer, the feasibility of which is enhanced by the greater certainty of success of the nitrogen-fixing processes which the Muscle Shoals plants were spe. officially designed to follow. To be sure, there has beeen little apprehension that Mir. Ford would be unable to do what he promises to do. but the discovery of a more efficient catalysis, or breaking up of -theair process, defeats one major argument that has been used against the Ford offer, As chemists known. the great expense in the process has attached to the breaking up of the nitrogen molecules, or atoms. as the latter-day physics is disintegrated, the unattached electrons are supposed to rush inadly about seeking new combinations, and the chemist merely sup plies the materials with which he desires the nitrogen to enter into association. He is careful to select materials that will result in water-soluble combinations. in order that tre nitrogen may be made available as a plant food, inasmuch as all field crops take their food from the ground in water solution. Of these combinations nitrate of soda is the most readily soluble, with sulphate of am monia following as a close second.
 .. fn- nitrogen-fixing process has taken place in government laboratories, for that obviates any rival claim to the cyanamid patents un- der which it has been thought that Mir. Ford would operate. It is recalled that the fer tilizer trust was responsible for much propa- ganda to the effect that the Ford plan was impracticable with the "old.fashiened" plants at Muscle Shoals, but it has appeared pass ing strange that the fertilizer trust should show so much agitation and concern over the prospective defeat of possible rival That the propasanda was insincere was proved to the general satisfaction when, later certain fertilizer interests offered to do at Muscle Shoals substantially what they had previously said MT. Ford could not do. It is noted that the clamor about the impracti cability of thesgovernnent plants has sud denly and mystSriously died away before such new proposals for nitrate manufacture
 It may be that the fact that government chemists have evolved the improved process of nitrogen fixation will lend some impetus to the Norris plan for government operation of the Muscle Shoals project, but it is not believed that the plan will receive material support. The people of the United States are not in favor of government operation of industry. except in cases where: it is .,in- 'avoidable. Even in tie case of +the water ways and the merchant; fleet, the ultimate plan is to turn these enterprises over to pri- vate operation and control. Private opera. tion and administration, under the regula- tory supervision of the government, hate come to be the accepted policy with respect to those public services entering intimately and importantly into our private and public affairs as a nation.
 The long fight for utilization in the widest manner of the potentialitles inherent in the
 ihoals and it's contiguous territory is nearing it's climax. There is indication that the pop ular will and not the counsels of monopoly will be the controlling factor in the final decision. There is the legitimate public hope that such decision will not be subjected to still further postponement.