Evening star., 1925-03-03
COOLIDGE FAvORS
SHOALS SC0MM|TTEE
Will Name Investigating Body
If Congress Resolution Is
Referred to Him.

President Coolidge will respond
favorably to a resolution of Congress
authorizing the appropriation of a
special commission OF three members
to investigate Muscle Shoals, Ala,
production, on condition that the res
olution Is referred to him after pas
sage by the House and Senate.
With the conference report on the
Underwood leasing bill hoplessly
swamped in the legislative congestion
in the Senate, the House attempted
yesterday to fill the breach by adopt
ing a resolution declaring 1t to be
the sense Of that body that President
Coolidge create Muscle Shoals COM
mission to make recommendations for
disposition of the property.
The resolution does not require
Senate concurrence and is not bind
ing upon the President, who already
had the power to appoint commits
sion to advise on the settlement of
the Muscle Shoals problem. Sponsors
of the resolution explain II was sim
ply a gesture" on the part of the
House.
Give Up Battle.
Managers of the Muscle Shoals
legislation in the Senate have given
up the battle in view of the an
nounced plan of the opposition to fill
buster the conference report. With
only a few hours remaining of this
session of Congress, they claim it
would be folly to attempt to force a
vote on the report. Not only would
the attempt fail, they contend. but
other important legislation would be
crowded out.
The House adopted the resolution
by an overwhelming vote, only three
members voting against 1t. The vote
came after a heated debate during
which it was charged by Representa-
tive Garrett of Tennessee, the Dem
ocratic leader. and others, that
Muscle Shoals legislation has been
defeated at this session by a combi-
nation OF the fertilizer and power
trusts and advocates of Government
operation were charged with un-
consciously aiding the trusts"
stand by La GuardIa-
Opposition to the resolution was
lead by Representative La Guardia,
Republican, New York, who declared
he opposed 1t because the resolution
indorsed private operation of the
property.
Representative Blanton, Democrat,
Texas. made a point of order against
the resolution on the ground that the
House had no right to pass a resolu-
ton of that character without con-
current action by the Senate, but the
Speaker overruled the point of order.
Under the resolution commission
of three would be appointed, consist
Ing or representative of agriculture,
a chemical engineer and "a repre-
sentative citizen familiar with the
Muscle Shoals
The President Is requested to se-
cure through the commission infor-
nation to determine the best, cheap
est and most available means for the
production of nitrates," and to ascer-
tain the most favorable conditions
under which this property may be
leased, primarily to secure nitrates
or fertilizers In time of peace and ex-
plosives in time of war.
The resolution further provides that
1t is the sense of the House that the
value OF the nitrate plants to agri-
culture depends upon the supply of
cheap waterpower from the Wilson
Dam and that as a protection to the
farmers this power shall not be dis
posed Of for other purposes until Con-
gress shall have taken action upon
the recommendations of the Presi-
dent"