The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-03-29
THEY FEAR FORD WILL SUCCEED


 < v ssk------..--.....----- a THEY FEAR FORD WILL SUCCEED Although 1t is becoming the fashion for the adherents of the power trust to speak of the wide support of the Ford offer for Mus cle Shoals as spopular hysteria," it is quite evident that the hysteria is on the other side as the power trust finds its chances of de tfeating Muscle Shoals development grow ing more dim. There is no hysteria in sup. port of the Ford offer, but the shrewdest kind of business sagacity. MT. .Ford's success in carrying through his enterprises is too well attested to be ignored or refuted. Where five years ago there were cornfields, there are now at least three cities that have sprung into populous and thriving existence at the beckoning of Mir. Ford's industrial genius. Those whose living depends wholly Tor in part upon his industries number in the hundreds of thousands more than was the case five years ago.
 The same thing will happen at Muscle Shoals and at the cities within the radius of its power influence. Within three years after Mir. Ford begins his operations, there will be a continuous populous city where now there are three separate communities. There will be thousands where now there are scores, and there will be intense industrial activity, where now there are only great opportunity and great vision on the part of the inhabitants. The development of Mus cle Shoals will not detract from Birming- hams growth and industrial prestige, hut add to it. Birmingham will receive an i'm petus from the greater centralization of in dustrial production in this general territory. The facilities that will be called into being by the greater demand for them, facilities of transportation, of commerce, of port outlet of waterway development, of good roads, and the like, will confer a general benefit throughout Alabama, and will make possible the utilization of resources that now lie dor mant, awaiting the quickening impulse of human genius. It is not question of rivalry between Muscle Shoals and other centers of industry in ther South, but question of CO., ordinate advertisement in every way.
 Another feature that is now sometimes lost sight of is the immense expansion of Alabamas revenues from this new wealth. The question of funds for highways, public education and the other demands and obliga- tions of the government of this commonwealth will be materially answered by this new source of public income. Where the develop ment of Muscle Shoals for the mere nation wide distribution of electric current would not add greatly to Alabama's prosperity or state income, the development of the re- sources of that territory and the establish ment of new and extensive industries of all kinds, will adyance this state at one step as far as it has eyer progressed in an equal period of time.
 The opposition to the Ford offer is not based on fear that Ford will not do what he pledges. It is based on the uncomfortable apprehension that he will accomplish far more than he intimates. The farmers do not perhaps, expect Mir. Ford to produce enough nitrogenous fertilizers to supply the entire country; but the farmers do reasonably ex- pect him to produce nitrates and ammoniates in great quantity at such a reduced price that other fertilizer prices will have to tuni- Fble. That is the real basis of the enmity of those who profess to scoff at the Ford offer It is not that he will not succeed, but that he will succeed only too well. Then, there is the most important objective of all, the objective upon which the original investment in Muscle Shoals was founded. That objec- tive is the preservation of an ample source of munitions and explosives production 5, in the event of another national war emergency. Mir. Ford will do that. Who is there that says he shall not be allowed to do it? And what would be the motive of such a person {?
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