Evening star., 1924-12-14

of a great corporation interest, when
I was putting the product Of my own
district In my own State on the free
list?" he asked.
Not that I was discriminating
against them, but knew they did not
need a tariff" he added.
Reiterating that he had never had
any connection with the Alabama
Power Co. either as a stockholder or
an Individual" Senator Underwood
charged that these men who are be-
hind the power trust which wants
this power are trying to connect me
and my bill with that interest to de-
feat my bill by a damnable lie."
Denies Implications.
"The editorial" Senator Underwood
said, challenges the bill as steal.
There are just two parts to the bill.
One provides that under the limita-
tion a lease must contain clause
that compels the making OF 10000
tons of nitrogen, and a requisite
amount of fertilizer to consume 1t, for
national defense, and that the con-
tract shall, not be for less than per
cent on the cost Of the dam.
''The President of the United
States" he continued. through his
Secretary of War, has the right and
power, under this bill. to make any
kind of a lease he desires. 1 ask any
man who challenges that statement
to do SO now"
He read further from the editorial:
president Coolidge cannot afford
and does not want Teapot Dome
scandal in his administration. He is
being offered a greater scandal in
this proposal of Senator Oscar I'm
derwood."
Calls Article \ Lie.
Mark the lie that lay in the mouth
of the writer of the article in this
paper" Senator Underwood exclaim ed.
when he wrote those words, trying
to hitch this matter up with a scandal
such as the Teapot Dome scandal,
when there is a Limitation on the
power of the President. requiring
him to make the lease with a provi-
sion for the production of nitrogen.
Otherwise he can make the lease as
he desires"
This adroit editor" the Alabama
| Senator continued, tries to placate
the President in his opening words
by saying he Is a wise, courageous
and patriotic leader as he is. and
then saying that because I put in the
hands of that wise, courageous and
patriotic leader the power to make a
lease to dispose OF the property,
there Is a greater scandal than the
Teapot Dome"
Senator Underwood read as follows
from the editorial:
"The interests behind the Under
wood bill are perfectly obvious. 1t
| would be wrong to give Muscle
Shoals power away to a private
power corporation under any condi-
tions. 1t is a crime to give 1t away
| for such a miserable pittance as a
4 per cent rental-not 4. per cent on
the entire $135, .080. but 4 per cent
| only on the $4,000, 900 that the VIII
son dam cost"
Minimum Rental Fixed
The Alabama Senator declared that
| the rental In the bill was made low
| to try to Induce some citizen like
Henry Ford to make nitrogen, for
national defense and fertilizer for
farmers. He explained that his bill
| fixed the minimum rental, and not
| the maximum. and that the Presi-
dent, "if he can And a bidder who
! will do the work, can charge him
| twice or three times or four times
the minimum price as fixed in the
bill"
"If there is any purpose in putting
this provision in the BILL" he said
"it Is for the purpose of seeing that
the power is. not given away en-.
tirely."
Referring to the, editorial writer
Senator Underwood declare Listen
to where he pleads guilty to the IN.
fiuence Of the power trust himself
II do not know whether those infiu.
ences were gold. dinners or personal
influence, but here Is his plea OF
guilt: @
proposition he quoted,
mark you. my bill is not purely 8
power proposition" Senator Under.
| wood said. my bill is a national
defense and fertiliser proposition.
Charges Confession Of InAueAce.
"He comes down to his confession
when he says, Muscle Shoals is pure
ly a power proposition, and all tall
OF making cheap fertilizer for th,
farmers is pure buncombe, and thu
Underwood bill advocates know IT,
'T do not know It." the Alabam:
Senator continued. "The efforts
have made In that direction are ear
most and honest, and hope they will
be successful. But do know tina
when this paper published that arti
Gle and said that the Muscle Shoals
development Ii q pure power PROPOSE.
ton It admitted that II had accepted
. brief from the power companies
Of America to try to kill my bill.
THAT is all there IL to It," he de
clared. "They want to wipe out fer
tiiiser, they want to wipe out ma
ttional defense; and then allow som,
Ipower company that II probabl.
within their own trust to absorb al
the power of the Tennessee River"