New Britain herald., 1927-12-09
THE COOLIDGE PLAN
 FOR Mt SCIE SHOALS

Nothing in the recent message ot President Coolidge more adequately displayed his reasoning than the short paragraph with which he dis missed the vital issue regarding Muscle Shoals.
 The past year, he said, saw changes take place in the Muscle Shoals problem, explaining that ni- trates can now be produced at less cost than by the use of hydro electric power. The nitrate plants at the Shoals, therefore, are of little value" and "can probably be dis posed Of within two years The oxi- dation part of the plants, however, can be retained indefinitely"
 This leaves this project most
 ly concerned with power. lt
 should. nevertheless, continue to
 be dedicated to agriculture. II
 is probable that this desire can
 be best served by disposing of
 the plant and applying the
 revenues received from 1t to
 research for methods of more
 economical production Of cen-
 tralized fertilizer and to demon-
 strations and other methods of
 stimulating it's use on the farm"
 This Is the attitude of those who have favored leasing the power plant, The power company repre- sentativcs in and out of Congress have all along stressed the use Of the plant for the manufacture Of fertilizers, or devoted in any other possible way to the interests Of agriculture" So far as the power available was concerned, however, it should be left 10 the great and efficient power companies to handle thus has been the argument.
 The advocates of permanent gov ernment ownership have insisted from the first that the vast plant was primarily a power project and it's value as an agricultural eXperi- mcnt station was negligible.
 Coolidge favors the agricultural experiment station and would let the power get to the control of the power magnates.
 What will actually happen is still in the future-and it might be de scribed as near future consider ing that Senator Norris. the embat. tied independent from Nebraska has bill ready for a general gov, ernment power plan. The inde, pendent progressive group in Con- gress will back it, and no one claims they haven't considerable of the power that doesn't originate at a power plant.
 This plan would include perma- nent government operation ot Muscle Shoals, the Boulder Dan power project. power facilities at the St. Lawrence waterway. and would provide for federal regulation of in tcrstatc transmission of electrica energy. Government operation o power generating units that mjgil be erected in connection with rc.5"r voirs and dams proposed in the Mis- sissippi flood control project doubt less will bn included in the indcpend ent plan.
 T. will be remembered that durin, the last congress a special commit ice was created upon rccommenla tion oi the President, and thlS com mittee examined all bids for Muscl Shoals. The committee advised tha ] he property bo leased for so year to the Muscle Shoals Fertilizer com pany and tho Muscle Shoals Powe ] Distributing company, representa- 13 southern public utility corpor ations. This sounded sweet, bu when the committee bill vas calle up in the Senate il Was referred t tho committee on agriculture 10 further study by a vote Of 49 10 B
 The next vote, in the roth Con gress, probably will not be SO cloet