Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-04

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OF our institutions, Of our Govern.
ment, and of our country II the pre-
occupation of its officials is to be no
longer the promotion of justice and
equal opportunity, but is to be de-
voted to barter In the markets. That
is not liberalism, y is degeneration.
Cites History of Project.
This proposal can be effectively
opposed upon other and perhaps
narrower grounds. The establish
ment of q Federal-operated power
business and fertilizer factory in the
Tennessee Valley means Federal
control from Washington with all
the viclssitudes of national politics
and the tyrannieS of remote bu-
reaucracy imposed upon the people
of that valley without voice by them
IN their own resources, the over
riding of State and local govern
ment, the undermining OF State and
local responsibility. The very his
years should be a complete demon
Stration of the ineptness of the Fed
eral Government to administer such
enterprise and of the penalties
which the local community suffers
under 1t.
This bill distinctly proposes to
enter the field of powers reserved to
the States. It would deprive the
adjacent States Of the right to con-
troll rates for this power and would
deprive them of taxes on property
within their borders and would In
wade and weaken the authority OF
local government.
Aside from the wider issues in
volved the immediate effect of this
legislation would be that 40 other
development of power could take
place on the Tennessee River with
the Government in that field. That
river contains two or three millions
of potential horsepower, but the
threat of the subsection of that area
to a competition which 'Irnder this
bill carries no responsibility to earn
interest on the investment or taxes
will either destroy the possibility Of
private development of the great re-
sources of the river or alternately
impose the extension Of this devel-
opment upon the Federal Govern
ment. It would appear that this lat
ter is the course desired by many
many other objections which can be
raised to this bill, Of lesser import
ance, but in themselves warranty
for its disapproval.
Offers Suggestion for Use.
It must be understood that these
criticisms are directed to the project
as set up in this bill; they are not
faI kA "a VNneefhflttiAa q
project denuded of uneconomic and
unsound provisions nor is it a reflec-
ton upon the value Of these re-
sources.
sympathize greatly with the de-
sire of the people of Tennessee and
Alabama to see this great asset
turned to practical use. It can be
SO turned and to their benefit.
am loath to leave a subject Of this
character without a suggestion for
solution. Congress has been thwarted
for 10 years in finding solution, by
rivalry Of private interests and by
the determination of certain groups
to commit the Federal Government
to Government ownership and opera
ton of power.
The real development Of the re-
sources and the industries Of the
Tennessee Valley can only be &C
complished by the people in that
valley themselves. Muscle Shoals
can only be administered by the
people upon the ground, responsible
to their own communities, directing
them solely for the benefit Of their
communities and not for purposes
of pursuit Of social theories or ma
tional politics. Any other course
deprives them of liberty.
would therefore suggest that the
States of Alabama and Tennessee
which are the ones primarily con-
cerned should set up commission
of their own representatives together
with a representative from the ma
tional farm organizations and the
Corps Of Army Engineers: that there
be vested in that commission fun
authority to lease the plants at
Muscle Shoals in the interest Of the
local community and agriculture gen.
orally. 1t could lease the nitrate
plants to the advantage of agricul-
ture. The power plant Is today
penseS. Such q commission could
increase this margin without fur
ther capital outlay and should be re-
quired to use all such margins for
the benefit of agriculture.
The Federal Government should,
as in the case of Boulder Canyon,
construct Cove Greek Dam as q
regulatory measure for the food pro-
lection of the Tennessee Valley and
the development Of its water re-
sources, but on Nthe same basis as
those imposed at Boulder Canyon
that is, that construction should
be undertaken at such time as the
proposed commission is able to Sc
cure contracts for use Of the in
creased water supply to power users
or the lease of the power produced
as a by-product from such dam on
terms that will return to the Gov
eminent interest upon its outlay
with amortization. On this basis
the Federal Government will have
co-operated to place the question
into the hands of the people pri-
marily concerned. They can lease
as their wisdom dictates and for
the industries that they deem best in
their own interest. 1t would get
war relic out of politics and into the