Evening star., 1925-01-11
VOTE NOW PLANNED
ON NSHOALS TUESDAY
Underwood Confident His Bill
Will PaSS-JoneS Amend
II1ent an Obstacle.

The Underwood Muscle Shoals bill
will engage in a battle for its life
early Shis week when it meets the
Jones amendment to refer the prob
lem IT, a commission.
This amendment, presented by the
Republican whip, is regarded by
Senate leaders as the most serious
obstacle to the measures final pas
sage, and they all admit that the
vot- will be close. A final vote not
latAr than Tuesday is now the aim of
tbs leaders.
Efforts to get a conclusive roll call
yesterday failed and Senator Norris,
Republican, Nebraska, who has led
the fight against the Alabama Sena-
tors bill, blocked attempts by Sena-
tor Curtis, Republican leader, to fix a
time for a vote and to limit debate.
The Nebraska Senator said although
he was ready for a vote he refused to
enter into an agreement, because
something might arise which would
need discussion.
wadsworth Motion Beaten
Another effort will be made tomor-
row to shut off debate and set a
time for vote on the Jones amend
ment. Senator Jones called his
amendment up near the close of yes
terday's session so that 1t would be
on the calendar for consideration
tomorrow.
The Senate rejected the Wadsworth
amendment, which would have turned
the whole question over to a COM
mission with full and final power to
act, by the decisive vote of 65 to D.
Five Republicans supported the
amendment, Senators Bingham, Con-
necticut; Edge, New Jersey; Norbeck,
South Dakota: Pepper, Pennsylvania,
and Wadsworth, New York.
The main objection raised against
the Wadsworth amendment was on
the grounds that 1t gave too much
power to the commission. Senators
favoring a commission have turned to
the Jones amendment, which requires
ratification by Congress before the
commissions findings are placed In
execution.
Curtis States Position.
Senator Curtis said no attempt was
being made to line up Republican
Senators for the Underwood bill, but
that he himself intended to vote for
It, President Coolidge, he said. was
in favor of sending two propositions
to conference, one providing for the
lease of Muscle Shoals and another
for Government operation of the prop
erty until a suitable lease is obtained,
and these two proposals are contained
in the Underwood bill. Once these
proposals are in conference, the leader
said, the conflicting details can be
worked out.
Senator Underwood, Democrat, Ala
bama, declared he believed his bill
would pass the Senate by comfort
able majority" He said his measure
had gained strength since the vote
to accept 1t as a substitute to the
House bill over the Norris measure.
Fight for Jones Bill
Senator Jones asserted he woulG
press his amendment tomorrow, and
since he had not taken q poll of the
Senate he could not predict the ulti-
mate outcome. Opponents of the
Underwood bill stoutly assert that
the Jones amendment will triumph
over the Alabama Democrats measure.
Senator Norris said yesterday that
he had not decided upon his course on
final vote. He declared he was not
favorable to either the Underwood
bill or the Jones amendment, but that
he was through with his fight unless
something else developed.
In presenting his amendment Sena-
tor Wadsworth said he had been con-
vinced by the debate that the Senate
was not q suitable place for drafting
a Muscle Shoals contract. He declared
he favored referring the problem to a
commission, which would be guided
by certain fundamental principles
laid down by the Senate as provided
in his amendment