Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1924-06-02
.DEN0UNCE BID
Of HENRY FORD
The Majority Report Attacks
Muscle Shoals Offer and
Attitude of Administration

WASHINGTON June 2.-Henry
Ford's Muscle Shoals bid and the
attitude of the administration to-
wards it are denounced in vigorous
terms in the majority report Of the
senate agriculture committee. which
at the same time recommen nds enact
ment of the amended Norris bill
for government ownership and su-
pervision.
The report drafted by Senator
Norris. Republican. Nebraska. chair
man of the committee. makes re-
peated reference to what it terms
Mr.. Ford's withdrawal as a candi-
dat for president and his decision
to support President Coolidge and
assails In particular the plan to re-
place in the properties the Gorgas
steam plant sold to the Alabama
Power Company for $3,472,4S7.
"When the sale of the Gorgas
plant, says the report. twas made
by the secretary of war. ip which
have said he simply carried out the
contract made by his predecessor
Mr.. Ford who was at that time a
candidate for President of the
United States. became exceedingly
| angry and condemned the secretary
| of war. and through him the ad'
ministration. in un.neasured terms.
! ITO appease his anger. vacillat
ling administration publicly an,
nounced that the amount received
for the Gorgas plan would be cred
tied upon the five million dollars
which Mr. Ford agreed to pay for
| Muscle Shoals. in case his bid was
accepted by congress.
This kindly favor. perhaps SUI
perinduced by other considerations,
so pleased Mr.. Ford that his anger
at the administration was not only
turned into love and admiration. but
he became so violently friendly that
he himself withdrew as a candidate
for president and announced his sup
port of the executive who had made
such a liberal concession"
The House bill. the report says
carries out the idea of the President
in reference to the sale of the Cor
gas plant and directs the secretary
of war to construct steam power
plant of 10000 horsepower on the
Warrior river. on which the Gorgas
plant is situated. upon land to be
obtained by purchase or condemna-
tion and to purchase Or condemn a
right of way therefrom to Muscle
Shoals and turn it over to the Ford
corporation.
This additional gift ought to
satisfy MI Ford and keep him good
natured at least until after election,
the report adds mo one has ever
offered an excuse for directing the
secretary OF war to condemn private
property and pay for it out of public
funds, in order to turn it over to a
| private corporation to be used for
the sole benefit of that corporation
AS far as | know. this is the first
time such thing has ever been
attempted.
ut is not known that Mr.. Ford
himself is a part of this propa.
! ganda," it continues, "by his ignorins
| the request of committees to come
before them and discuss his bid hi
has made it impossible for anyone
to question him regarding any of the
| questions involved. But it would
seem that man of his prominence
ought not to stand idly by while il
his name Misrepresentation are be
ing spread over the country"
A favorite slogan of this propa
| ganda, says the report, is that Mr.
Ford will save the farmers from the
fertilizer trust" although the Fort
Motor Company, it asserts, is now
engaged in the fertilizer business ant
the manufacturer either must be "a
part of the com mbine and following il
their wake, or he must be in a posi-
ton already to break it down b,
competition"
The report sets forth that the Nor.
ris bill contemplates the distribution
| of all power not needed for fertilizer
| production and would give the gov.
| ernment an important key to a gian
power system that could cover the
| entire south, thus. it declares. pre-
venting power monopoly. Fertilizer
it adds, would be produced either
! by the Department of Agriculture oil
/ private lessee under the super
vision of the department, and power
production and distribution would bt
administered by a federal power
corporation" which would use as
operating capital, in addition to sun
obtained from the Alabama Power
Company for the Gorgas plant, ac'
cumulating earnings sufficient tc
bring the earnings up to $25,000, 900
The sum of $1,500,0 900 would be
appropriated for the fertilizer bust
ness, and, along with numerous other
clauses dealing with competition OF
the properties, construction work and
experimental activities, provision is
made for the manufacture of ex-
plosives for use of the army and
navy.