Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-21
Muscle Shoals.

| FOr years the 1urtnef QeVelOpment Oh
the Muscle Shoals power and nitrate
project has been held up while pro-
ponents of Government operation and
supporters of private operation have
| struggled for supremacy in Congress
Many proposals have been made in con
nection with the project, including that
submitted by Henry Ford. All have
been rejected, and now at length an
| other Muscle Shoals bill has been
agreed to in conference between the
two houses OF Congress and the
House yesterday by vote Of 2l6 to 153
accepted the conference report The
Senate is expected to take similar ac-
ton. The supporters OF Government
ownership and operation have won the
victory in the so-called compromise
agreement between the two schools of
thought.
The bill as adjusted in conference
provides for Government operation of
the power plant and for the construc-
ton at Government expense Of trans
mission lines into the States to which
the power may properly be sent. The
fertilizer plant the bill states. may be
leased by the President to private in
terests. However. If no lease is made
within twelve months after the law be-
comes effective, then the Government is
to go ahead and operate the fertilizer
plant.
Opponents of the measure as it
comes from the Conference Committee
insist that it is socialistic; that it puts
the Government into business in COM
petition with private enterprise. The
supporters Of the measure, on the other
hand, deny that 1t is socialistic, claim
that it guards the interests of the Gov
eminent and the people in this natural
resource, and that it keeps the power
development out of the hands CT the
power trust" and gives the users of
power and light better break +"
Furthermore, they insist that TIE terms
for leasing the nitrate or fertilizer plant
are liberal and that the President
should have no difficulty in finding
lessees for the plant. thereby eliminat
ing the possibility Of having the Gov
eminent engage In the manufacture
and sale Of nitrates and fertilizer ma
terial with private manufacturers.
President Hoover will have to de-
termine whether the bill Is violative Of
the principles in which he believes and
whether 1t is in the public interest to
approve CT disappr3ve the measure
Several years ago q measure sponsored
by Senator Norris Of Nebraska for
straightout Government operation was
put through Congress and 1t was sent
at the close OF Congress to Presi-
dent Coolidge. who killed it by a pocket
veto. President Hoover in the present
instance would be able to follow the
same course as his predecessor and
pocket the bill. letting it die. Fer the
bill ncw cannot reach him in time tC
compel the Chief Executive to sign II
or return 1t TO Congress with his veto,
which might be overridden. The ten
day period will not expire until after
the Congress has adjourned March T.
for Sundays are not counted.
No intimation has yet come from
the White House regarding the course
which President Hoover will follow
One prediction is that he will send
the bill back to the Congress with q
veto message and that the Congress
will not be able to pass 1t over his
veto. The vote in the House yester-
day is indicative that it cannot be pu,
through II the President disspproyes
the bill, for more than one-third OF
the membership of the House voted
against the conference report. II thu
President follows this course, he will
pass on TO the next Congress the Gle
struggle over Muscle Shoals legisla-
ton, which has been going on for more
| than a decade.