The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-02
WILLING
TO TRUST FORD,
SAYS FINANCIER
We Want To Be Ham
strung Says Cummins
In Reply TO Pinchot
ATTITUDE OF STATE
MISSTATED, IS CLAIM
Tennessee Manufacturers
Are Neutral, Says
Stahlman

WASHINGTON. May MAJOR e.
B. Stahlman, publisher of The Nash
ville Banner, resuming his testimony
today before the Henate agricultural
committee on Muscle Shoals, said testi-
mony given by other Tennessee wit
nesses did not represent the true senti-
ment in the state. He said one Of them,
Dan McGugin, had conducted pro-
paganda against the Ford bid. Me-
Gugin, he said, did not state '.fairly"
the Tennessee attitude on the Ford bid.
'The arguments made before the
House committee BY Mr.. McGugin and
his associate, Mr.. Wilkins of Tulla-
homa, Tenn. went uncontradicted by
any one from our section, but regardless
of that the House committee ignored
their testimony and voted favorably on
the Ford propositions" Stahlman OBJ
served.
"Propaganda instead Of being in
augurated by MFR. Ford was organized
by the power companies and Mr.. Nc
Gugin acted as their agent" he said.
ION or about the first of January
the president of the Tennessee Manu-
facturers association, of which Mr.. Nc
Gugin is general counsel. appointed a
committee to go into the Muscle Shoals
situation. A meeting was called by
the association, and / learned that Mr..
Edgerton, president of the association,
had been on an Eastern trip and re-
turned with the notion that 1t would be
dangerous to have Ford's bid accepted,
feeling it would harustring the South"
Did Not Oppose Bid
4 The meeting Df the Tennessee Name
facfuFers association did mott give OPP
position 10 the Ford bid, but favored
bringing Muscle Ehoals nndef the fed
eral waterpower act, he asserted,
Stahlman said he did not favor plac-
ing Muscle Shoals under the federal
waterpower act, as this would limit
Fords bid to 80 years and Ford would
turn II down.
He said the Tennessee Manufacturers
association did not indorse the power
companies bid.
Il am trying to impress upon you
the adroit methods these gentlemen
McGugin and his associates-used in
GtAb Nv AhhptCoS tHO RuDllS AHdt tuSy
represent the Tennessee Manufacturers
association" he declared. He said
they used elaborate means in an. at
tempt to convert the Tennessee Manu-
facturers association to their way of
thinking. but they had not succeeded"
Stahlman read letter from the Ten
nessee Farm Bureau Federation dated
March /, 1924. addressed to Represen-
tative Davis of Tennessee, saying the
farmers favored the Ford bid and that
McGugin had offered to have the Ten
nessee Manufacturers association pay
the railroad fare to Washington of a
delegation of farmers belonging to the
Farm Bureau.
Stahlman said he presented the letter
ITO show the widespread propaganda
spread by McGugin..
Acted As II aTnspired'
He said McGugin had gone to Ala
bama and acted like one INSPIRED from
above to save the country"
Senator Harrison, democrat, AIissis-
sissippi, said he was very anxious to
have the bill voted on In the Senate be-
fore adjournment Of Congress and sug-
gested the propaganda investigation be
deferred.
"The Muscle Shoals association.
created for development of Muscle
Shoals, was organized in 1916 as
result of a meeting at Nashville Of peo-
fCOnkinued nm PAGE Twoi