Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-06-05
BOTH HOUSES VOTE
To ADJOURN SESSION
ON NEXT SATURDAY
Ford Shoals Supporters, Fill
ing Minority Report, Fight
To Get Roll Call

by the senate, by vote of 80 to 90.
Republican and Democratic party
leaders joined in getting final approx
al for the adjournment plan, despite
the protests of the La Toilette group
of insurgents and others who Want-
ed to delay action until there was
definite assurance that farm relief,
railroad and reclamation legislation
could be passed.
Just before final action Senator
La Follette's proposal for a recess
of month instead of final adjourn
ment was voted down, 36 to 81, and
proposal by Senator Frazier, Re-
publican, North Dakota, to delay
the adjournment date until June 21s
was defeated. 35 to So.
Senator La Toilette, Immediately
after the vote, gave notice that as
representative of one of the states
in the area of agricultural depression
he felt it his duty ito object from
this time to any legislation which
does not have as it's purposes the.
relief of the farmer"
Thirty-four Republicans and nine
teen democrats, including the titular
leaders of both parties, voted for adj
journment. The opposition was COM
posed of IA Republicans, 20 Demo-
Gratis and two Farmer-Labor sena-
tors.
Twice today Senator Underwood,
Democrat, Alabama, failed to obtain
unanimous consent to bring UP the
Muscle Shoals bill and there is dam
ger of the bill being crowded out in
the legislative jam before adjourn.
ment.
Advocates of farm legislation each
time blocked the attempt, Senator
Brookhart, Republican, Iowa, and
Senator La Toilette, Republican,
Wisconsin, objecting.
Senator Underwood is expected,
probably today, to force vote on
the question whether the Muscle
Shoals bill will be taken up.
The public interest would be served
best by acceptance of Ford's of
nents have exaggerated objections
to the manufacturer bid, the mi@
nority report of the senate agricul1
ture committee, presented today, de.
clared.
The report was signed by Sena
tors Ladd, Republican,, North Da.
way, Arkansas; Harrison, MISSISSIPPI
pi; Heflin, Alabama, Democrats.
"The Ford offer,," the report said,
most savage attacks we have evee
seen jim any legislation. These att
lacks have not been Of a charactef
calculated to lead to a calm and log.
ical decision. They have been .exl
aggerated statements as to the
amount of power involved, while tho
power necessary for the manufacl
ture Of fertilizer has been grossly
underestimate.
Statements which grotesquelY
distort the picture have been made
without fear of contradiction bel
cause Of the technical differences ina
volved in stating the real factst
These imprisoned exaggerationa
have tended to lead up away FROM
the actual facts and to appeal I'd
our prejudices rather than to sug.
gest constructively as to how thd
great benefits admittedly possible al
Muscle Shoals can be best made
available to this nation.''
Pledges to Farmers
THE government owes it to tha
farmers to produce cheap fertilizer
at Muscle Shoals" the report del
clared, adding that when congresa
authorized the construction of Mus3
Gle Shoals it was made clear that
the peace-time purpose Of the enter4
prise was the production of feri
tilizers. ut was due to the farms
ers that the original legislation was
passed. 1t was pledge to the
farmers that Muscle Shoals should
be operated primarily for the rroi
duction of cheaper and better fers
tilizers.
Have the farmers hoped in vain4
The experts before the committed
unanimously declared that they
have not, for all agree that under
business-lille management such aa
may be reasonably expected with
competent private operation at Iusi
Gle Shoals such as is to be had
under the Ford plan, the cost Of
fertilizers to the farmers can be re.
duced by oneshalf."
"Of all the bidders for Muscle
Shoals" the report asserted, "only
one, Ford, has undertaken to carry
out the purposes of congress at his
own expense. 1t was his bid which
originally redeemed Muscle Shoals
from the program of dismantlement
and destruction which had already
begun when bids were requested by
the government on April 2. 1921.
ut was his bid that gave the Lid
to the representations Of the group
of power companies dominated by
Wall street who, when asked to bid.
declared that the project was With
out merit and should be abandoned
by the government and that the
great Wilson dam should not bd
completed-that neither private nor
government capital should be in1
vested in its completion.
Ran Trusts to Cover
at was his bid that carried cona
Sternation to the group of fertilizer
companies who, with one accord, de,
clined to make an offer when ear.
nestly besought by DR.. A. G.. Glas@
gov to undertake the operation ct
the nitrate plants, rent free, until
they should earn per cent on
whatever investment was necessary
for their operation, thereafter div
Viding additional profits evenly with
the government.
"These are the interests which,
like the power companies, now heartt
lily indorse Chairman Norris bill.
They see real danger in Ford com!
petition, but in the cahirman's povt
erty-stricken government corpora4
ton, they see nothing to fear"
The report declared it would be
folly for the government to cd
into the fertilizer business at Mus.
Gle Shoals. Those favoring Govern.
ment operation do a grave injus.
tice to the cause when they urge
that this course be followed at Mus.
Gle Shoals" the report added.
IF they were proposing that thd
government should go into the shoe
manufacturing business. for exam.
CONTINUED ON PAGE z. Column 81