The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-05-16
DEMAND SHOALS DECISION


 Senators Shields and Heflin very properly call for showdown on the Muscle Shoals project. They convincinsly charge delib- crate policy of delay of the Ford offer in committee. They demand that this offer be transmitted to the senate for action. Chair man Norris denies that there is any delib- crate policy of delay in committee, and de- clares that the majority of the committee is in favor of his plan for government opera tion. That being the case, why does he not test the relative strength of the two plans on the floor of congress? The answer is that, in spite of the denial, there is calculated de- lay, a delay which serves no good public pur- pose.
 serve? Do they make one hair white or black, except the hair of a. long suffering people who would like to see this matter dis posed of? What has been the character of the great bulk of the testimony? It has been of little contributing significance to the knowledge of Muscle Shoals and its relation to the general welfare. Rather, it has been wearisome routine of partisan representa- tion by those personally interested for or against one or more offers. The recent wit nesses have for the most part been special pleaders and not experts unbiased by per sonal or pecunary considerations. A court would not hang q man on such testimony as is being used to cruelty Muscle Shoals, and yet there is far more intense human con tent in the Muscle Shoals project than in the life of any one man. The lives, prosperity and happiness of thousands are involved.
 Muscle Shoals is not indispensable to the program of those who advocate a gigantic super-power system embracing the entire country with interlocking connections. That program, if it is finally deemed wise and practicable, can be carried out regardless of what is done with Muscle Shoals. It is some what ludicrous to find such lamentations in behalf of Muscle Shoals power when such a multitude of power sites lie idle and neg lected, or, as in the case of several sites partly developed in Alabama, not yet com pletely utilized. The power companies have an abundance of power to supply their pres ent demands. If they had not, they would promptly make the expansions necessary to supply such demands. Besides, there is no good reason for believing that the surplus power from the Shoals will not be marketed, either directly or through the interlocking systems, even if Henry Ford should get the project. Ford has said that he will sell sur plus power. It is far more reasonable to suppose he would than that he wouldn't In- deed, he is noted for just that faculty of per hitting nothing to so to waste. However that may be-, the country is prop erly resentful of the blocking of this tre- mendouS enterprise by handful of wilful men. For blocked it is, no matter how spe- ciously Chairman Norris and his associates may argue to the contrary There is no ade- quate reason why the committee should not, without further delay, report both the Ford offer and the Norris plan of government op- eration, if it be true that 6 majority of the committee really favors the Norris plan. The hearings lead nowhere except to confusion. A vote in the senate will decide whether the Ford offer Is to win or lose. If it accepts the offer, the matter is ended. If it rejects the offer, then the question is simplified by it's elimination from the field. But for the present obstructive tactics there is no valid excuse or apology.
 s. It behooves the senators from the South to unite definitely to expedite the Muscle Shoals decision. Senators Shields and Heflin have declared that they will oppose adjourn ment until the question does come before the senate. They should be joined in this atti- tude by, many other senators regardless of their stand on the Ford offer. A project of great magnitude is at stake, and the realiza- tion of great dream of empire is in pros pect. To continue the present committee is like playing dOminoes while city is destroyed. The people demand that the matter be settled by congress, and not by a minority which appears to have little real nation of the magnitude of the enterprise with which it dallies.
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