Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-24

COMPROMISE in the matter of the
Muscle Shoals Federal water-poWer plant
on the Tennessee River, suggested by
conferees of Senate and House, has
raised public hopes of ending the pro-
longed deadlock. While opinions appear
to be unchanged as to the principles
involved, much attention is given to the
proposal that the Government sell pow
er at the switchboard, but turn over
the nitrate production to private inter-
ests. :,
most experts" says the indianapolis
News, regard the production OF cleo
tricity as the important work OF the
gigantic dam and structures surrounding
it. The tactics of private power COM
panies in recent years have been SO
widely criticized that the transfer OF
the property to them in the manner
they sought has evoked growing oppo-
sition. Originally popular sentlnent
undoubtedly was largely in favor OF
lease for all the buildings, but the
decade that the controversy has RACED
failed to result in a private oner re-
garded as even approXimattng fairness
to the public. Meanwhile the plant Is
idle for the most part. 1t ought 10 De
made of service, and in whatever final
decisions Congress reaches the sate,
guarding of the peoples interest shou4o
be of paramount consideration.
1.-THE original and confirmed aaVo-
Gates of Government operation OF Lne
plant. on which the United States has
eXnended enormous sums" accord
ing to the Charleston Is. CD Evening
Post. "are, not unnaturally, disposed ID
sniff suspiciously at the so-called COM
promise brought forward by Representa-
tive Reece of Tennessee. 1t looks IKE
the real thing, but how did so dlIlgenI
and doughty an opponent OF the prn-
ciple of Government operation come 10
propose it? The power COM
panieS, of course, are the driving force
of opposition to Government operatlGl'
but they have failed to produce a work
able plan for placing the property unoer
their control with proper accounting 10
the Government, and they nave sue
ceeded by their offensive methods IN
DESTROYING public confidence in thelr
Observation-Disclosures, until it is probable
that nothing short of trial of Govern
n1ent operation of the Muscle Shoals
plant will satisfy popular opinion. Inc
whole thing has become so steepeo III
suspicion that nothing else Will su1Ilce'
even though dangerous experiment III
Socialism may be undeTtaKeh'
Looking forward to the possible sue
cess of the compromise proposal, the
Kansas City Star declares that, in sucn
circumstances, lit is probable that a
question that has been a teaser Tor
Congress throughout a decade Will De
finally settled" The Star adds: IN
that case, no triumph could be claimed
by either the Government or prlVat;
operation advocates. 1t would not %
the first big issue that was enoea
through application OF the compromise
principle" s..,,.-,,, ,,
it is pointed out by the New YORK sun,
sis the real issue at Muscle Shoals, just
as hydroelectric power, not Hood con-
troll, irrigation or navigation OF tne
Colorado River, is the real issue at
Boulder Dam. Although construction
at Muscle Shoals was originally au-
thorized as a war measure for the pro-
duction of nitrates, 1t has now been
found that nitrates probably can be
manufactured more cheaply than by
the use of hydroelectric power. Presi-
dent Coolidge reported this fact to
Congress. But cheaper fertilizer is a
good phrase with which to capture ag-
ricultural support for social1stlc ad-
venture of the Government into private
business. If the Government must be
kept in the hydroelectric business at
Muscle Shoals, the most it ought to be
required to do is to sell power at the
switchboard. 1t should not be required
to construct transmission lines. man
age distribution, collect fees from indi-
vidual consumers and otherwise operate
a business that can be run better and
more economically by private enter
prise" #N
Viewing the battle as one largely Il
two nan. Senator Norris ard Reprs
sen .ative Reece, the Chattanooga NewAl
Eaeers to the former Is one who was