The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-01
INGALLS, WIRES HE ss
 SPOKE OWN VIEv
In Message To The AgeHao President Says He Has N
 Apologies To Make
DIRECTORS ARE SILENT
 AND HOPE FOR PEI T
Some Of Members Sen . Think More Study ShoaA
 Be Given Ford Bid


 Definitely split over the Questioe = disposing of Muscle shoals to Hon5y Ford or others, members of the Cho11e Der of Commerce Thursday had rvaek a staes of acute and taciturn di1peQ sion among themselves as on aftefIDo1t Z dent of the organization. to the HolG1 military affairs committee Tueodar, l61 nouncing the Ford bid.
 Mfr. Ingalls,. asked by The AeeAl llx aid by wire Thursday for . stats1nGnI on his stand in the matter, roplieN IT. New York that he had no inteutIcr M implying before the committea 4h1& 65 represented the Chamber of CommG hut said he expressed the writtsn V1 < of the Alabama Manufncturefs Gi citation, and had no apolo9ioo I1 make" His telegram follows:
 Mir. InsalIs' Telegram.
 Replying to your wire. I app&4to6 before the military affair." commit16e as manufactures. was rsQueSf&1 by the Manufacturers associetlou C express their written views, whteh did. When I took the stand wne 6k rected to tell my name and all my c11I4 nections,. which I did. but did not r>n- rtHfuL tnht ! nau Deeu 9oNk 0x <U4 Chamber Of Commerce.
 Tn fact, specifically nsrtipee that the chamber had never taken 615 official action or interest in this QSeS- ton except at one time to commend Secretary Weeks for carrying onf. <hk governments obligation to sell tho H6i- gas plant. My testimony and ar1{< ments throughout were intended Co t1 my personal views and for which [ make no apologies. M
 The Birmingham district should N | permitted to share In the great vo1ume of electrical energy developed at Mu1c[6 | Shoals, sfiS this ehu be- kion< x w i1 =5 through public utility which ouSfc 1o lunder tho direct sud absoIlffe4 " I asi1 BuperYisi0n pf fIe federa1 R1Y1{11< n,eiit afid fIie public service tonaifit3lon Of cnr state"
 How Members Arc Diyidsd
 Inc members of the Chamber ok Cn1s- merce were effectively and perfnansn<lf split along three clear lines: A large section announced that tAey would support Henry Ford's bid for operation of the power site to the full extent of their powers, believing it t6 be to the best interests of the state of Alabama and to the national welfare. A section, speaking with guarded rSti- cenee. declared for other Interests ns opposed to the Ford offer. 2 A third division announced that the matter was not one to be approached lightly; that the matter was one of mn tional moment. and affecting the future of Alabama to too great An extent to act rashly. Its spokesman asserted that after q careful study q the two con tracts--that of Ford and another in- terest---the award should 20 to the he<- ter one, regardless of political favof No Reflection On TngaIIs The action of ths board of direefors Tuesday in repndiating the statemert that Mir. Ingalls, represented the .ch14ass Der of Commerce iR hier teHtimoriy <see declared Thursday to have intended is1 reflection 0n Mir. Ingalls, or his opinion. Whether or not the Chamber of Com nerce men agree with the president wss not implied in tieir statement published In The Age-Herald of Thursday morn ing. they said.
 There is nothing in the conatitnfiofi and by-laws of the organization regard ing the extent to which the views of the directors are supposed to represent the views of the members 0. IL. Bunn, secretary-manager, asserted. The cus4 tom has been to refer to the membexs by referendum vote any important matter of policy on which it Is desited for the Chamber of Commerce to 60 on record.
 'sThe board of directors ia u6rrs- sentative body; 1t Is composed of members of the Chamber of Cornnnefcs representing every business classifica- tion, wholesale. retail, merchants, man ufacturers, professional men and others. It is not the function of the directors to put the Chamber of Commerce. on, record in matters affecting general policy. The boards business is exeeu- tive, to direct the operation of ths Chamber of Commerce and see that it functions properly. And the directors. are answerable to the general members ship"
 Citizens Give Views Discussing the subject from 6 purely personal standpoint, Dr. K. F. Love lady, a member of the Chamber of Com merce, and former president of the rs- tail druggists section, said that he had always been and always would be im favor of leasing Muscle Shoals to Henry tcsntlnvsd on Page Iss. Column Thsss)