Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-06-05
FORD SHOALS OFFER
DRAWS SARCASM IN
COMMITTEE REPORT
Cheap Fertilizer Talk Brand
ed Bunk-Farmers Be-
trayed, Senators Say

WASHINGTON, June 2.-Henry
Ford's Muscle Shoals bid and the at
titude of the administration towards
it are denounced in vigorous terms
IN the majority report Of the senate
agriculture committee, which at the
same time recommends enactment
|sof the amended Norris bill for gov
eminent ownership and supervision.
TIL report, drafted by Senator Nor
ris, Republican, Nebraska, chalc-
man OF the committee, makes re-
peated reference to what it terms
Mr.. Ford's withdrawal as can,
didate for president and his deci'
sion to support President Coolidge
and assails in particular the plan to
replace in the properties the Cor
gas steam plant sold to the Alabama
Power Company for S3,472, 4S1.
= when the sale of the Gorgas
Mt" says the report, twas made
rthe secretary of war, in which
ave said he simply carried ~out
I thy contract made by predecessors,
M. Ford. who was at that time q
candidate for president of the United
States, became exceedingly angry
and condemned the secretary of war,
and through him, the administration
in unmeasured discourteous terms.
VaciIlation Scored
ITO appease his anger, a vacillat-
ing administration publicly announc-
ed that the amount received for the
eGorgas' plant would be credited up
on 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 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,
carried out the idea of the presi-
dent in reference to the sale of the
Gorgas plant and directs the secre-
tary of war to construct a 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 con-
domination and to purchase or con-
denim a right-of-way therefrom to
Muscle Shoals and turn it over to
the Ford corporation.
This additional gift ought to sat
isfy Mr.. Ford and keep him good
natured, at least, until after cleo
tion," 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 1 know,
this is the first time such thiDg
has ever been attempted.
Sheer Gift to Ford
This proposed new plant, like
nection whatever with Muscle
Shoals. It will be. however, q very
VALUABLE acquisition to the Ford cor
poration. 1t will, in effect, make
him gift of a steam power plant
located at the mouth Of a coal mine.
1t ought to go a great way in bring
| ling satisfaction to any person who
possesses a mania for great wealth
and commercial power"
The report points out that the Nor
ris bill gives the secretary of agri.
culture authority to lease nitrate
plant No. 2 to any person or corpora
ton, which, it cites, would include
I Mr.. Ford, for the manufacture of fer
tiliZer and directs that power be sup
piled to operate the plant.
1.-THE secretary Of agriculture, an
! der the terms of the BILL" it declares,
would have authority to make such
q lease, even without charging any
rent for the same. This leaves the
way open for any one to enter the
fertilizer field on terms much more
favorable than it is claimed by any
of the bidders SO far they desire to
i secure"
Propaganda faVoring Ford's bid,
the report states, has been spread
over the country from two quarters
one centering in real estate yspecu-
lation and the other being directed
+ to the farmcrS--1Nho it asserts, have
. been led to believe that definite as.
surance has been given that the
price of fertilizer will be cut in half
if Ford gets Muscle Shoals.
"A Farmers Are Betrayed
Inc Washington representative
kee10ae Of the largest farm organiza-
tons in the United States has been
from the very beginning actively
engaged in spreading this propa.
ganda,' the report alleged, adding
that while drawing salary from
the farmers of America, he is care
fully feeding them deceptive utera.
ture tending to mislead them into
Mr.. Ford's camp"
ut is not known that Mr.. Ford
himself Is a party to this propa-
ganda," it continues. by his ignor-
/ ing the request of committees to
come before them and discuss his
bid he 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 in his name misrepresenta-
tons are being spread over the coun-
try"
A favorite slogan of this propa-
ganda, says the report, is that Mr..
Ford will save the farmers from
the fertilizer trust" although the
Ford Motor company, it asserts. is
now engaged in the fertilizer bust.
ness and the manufacture either
must be part Of the combine and