Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-25

DETROIT. Mich August 24.-Who
puts up the money and what profit they
make on investments to develop the
Nations power resources are the small
est factors In the problem of industrial
Ing to Henry Ford.
1.-THE critics of the link-up of the
electrical power plants will get educated
II they just go on criticizing.s Mr.. Ford
said. THAT Is the principle value OF
criticism now-it educates the critics.
"Of course, big undertakings like the
development of the Nations resources
capital. in turn. is usually the posses
sion of men who are accustomed to do
big things And equally of course, the
purpose Of these big projects and big
investments is 70 make money. But
what Of that?
THE promoters get little money.
but the power plants remain for public
through thousands of populous centerS
which need just this power to further
industrial projects.
What I regard as important is not
the profit that comes to the promoters
which Is comparatively small, but the
profits which accrue to the public at
large from any increase Of our ma
tional wealth.
who will develop power sites and
build power plants and organize the
distribution of power If big capital
does not do it? Even large cities have
found that 1t takes more than NUM-
cipal election to initiate power produce
ton.
Need Capital and Experience.
"These things require capital and ex-
perience and in the United States the
conditions of putting these under State
or National direction have not been very
favorable. Political action is always
more potent to hinder development or
to prohibit wrong practice than it is to
encourage original development
Power, power plants all over this
country. utilizing natural resources
coal, oil. gas, water flow wherever pos
Sible to give the people the fluid energy
that can be used in all types OF indus
try-that is Q great need. We need a
network of these, all connected, with
some central vision of what this coun-
try needs and can use.
"You can't get industrial production
on a large scale without the most EN-
cient kind of power as the first link in
the prosperity chain.
The critics speak of power trust
and predict high rates for power If
monopolies are allowed to 60 ahead in
power production and distribution. Well.
I am speaking of power not of
trust If by power trust" they mean
a linking-up of national power sources
that is what is coming. If by power
trust they mean highbinders who can
seize the sources of power and then
hold up the people who must use it.
that is not possible except on the theory
that we are back in the dark ages OF
business.
Power Will Remain.
'What I am sure Of is that whatever
the motive Of the people who develop
the power, whether 1t is profits or ma
tional service, when they are past and
gone the country will still have the
power development. They can't take it
with them.
"A few Of the original promoters and
producers always do make money out
Of improvements. What of that? The
question is, How much does the country
make out of It?
Suppose no one to date had ever
made money out Of power. What would
it mean? It would mean that the coun-
try would have lost much more. In
every kind of development the people
can use, the country itself is always the
greatest gamer. And In every faindrance
Of such development the country Is
always the greatest loser.
Some large concerns can afford eco
nomically to produce their own power.
because they can use the by-products.
Of coal combustion, but even many Of
these prefer to tap onto system at
fair price to get the power they need,
and all they need to go ahead with
their manufacturing and transportation
processes.
Power production is business by
itself. 1t belongs to specialists. Most
businesses would be glad to drop the
manufacture of power and confine
themselves to the manufacture Of their
own special commodity. If they have
that privilege, something fine has been
done for the economic condition of the
country
But. Mr.. Ford. What assurance is
there that any monopoly-call it super
power-will continue to give electrical
power to small industries at a fair
price,"
THE assurance that big business
ADVERTISEMENT.