Evening star., 1933-01-31
m'KE[LAR TELLS,
Of MUSCLE SHOALS
Forum Speaker Says Long,
Standing Norris Plan Will
Be Given Approval.

Legislation, long sponsored by Sen
ator Norris, Republican. OF Nebraska,
for Government operation OF Muscle
Shoals unquestionably will be passed
by the next Congress" Senator Nc
Kellar, Democrat, OF Tennessee. de-
National Radio Forum, arranged by
The Star, and broadcast over a coast
forecast network Of the National
Broadcasting Co.
Senator McKellar sketched the his
tory Of the celebrated project, which
was launched as war undertaking,
and told of the plans of its hackers for
further development. now seen assured
through the support Of President-elect
Roosevelt.
Explaining that it would cut in half
the cost of electricity in the area 1t will
supply. Senator McKellar said that it
will be one Of the greatest aids to the
people Of the Tennessee Valley and to
the vicinity OF that valley that could
ut ought to make the Tennessee
Valley one Of the greatest manufactur-
ing centers In the country. It will
benefit all the people," he said.
BY going into the manufacture Of
fertilizer there, incalculable benefit also
Will be obtained for farmers, the
speaker said.~-
Text of Address.
The text of Senator McKellar,s ad-
dress follows:
Ladies and gentlemen: I have been
asked by The Star to tell you some
thing about Muscle Shoals. The falls
known as Muscle Shoals are on the
Tennessee River. They are situated in
the northwest corner Of the State Of
Alabama. The streams which form the
Tennessee River take their rise in Vir-
ginia and in North Carolina. The two
principal streams are the Holston and
the French Broad, the Holston rising
IN Virginia and the French Broad in
North Carolina When these and other
rivers meet, just north of Knoxville,
Tenn, they form what is called the
Tennessee River. The Tennessee River
flows in southerly direction to Chat
tanooga, and then the river bends to
the westward, dips down into the State
of Alabama and runs through the
northern portion of that State, and
just beyond Muscle Shoals takes a
northwesterly course. running all the
through Kentucky and empties into the
Ohio River
THE river Is nearly thousand miles
long and runs through a rich valley.
It was never navigable for any great
distance because of the many shoals or
rapids therein. Between Knoxville and
Chattanooga there are some nine 6is-
tinct rapids, making nine power sites.
In Alabama there are three distinct
rapids, the principal one being at Mus
Gle Shoals.
1.-The river is navigable after it leaves
Muscle Shoals for distance of some
$50 miles through the State Of Ten
nessee, but just as it reaches the Ken
tucky line there is another fall and
rapids, and consequently power site.
In 1916 war was raging in Europe
and the United States was threatened
At that time I was a member of the
House of Representatives from the
Memphis district. After talking with
Representative Oscar Underwood Of
Alabama I intro cduced an amendment
in the Committee on Military Affairs
appropriating sufficient money to be
spent at Muscle Shoals in building
dam. with the purpose Of esta ablishing Q
great power plant there for the manu-
facture of nitrates from the air, to be
used in time of war and for fertilizers
In time of peace.
nitrates from the air was because our
country at the time was practically en-
tirely dependent upon Chile for nitrates,
and in case of war, of course, that
source of nitratas might be closed to us,
and it was essential for us to be able
to make all of the explosives necessary.
Oregon Site Proposed.
This was the purpose of the bill.
The bill went to the House, where the
provision was stricken out, and in lieu
{ha 70 hat xS>
President was authorized to select a
site. As remember, this followed bill
offered by Senator Smith Of South
Carolina. AS recall, Senator Cham
berlain Of oregon was at the time
chairman Of the Senate Committee on
Military Affairs, and he had a wonder
full site in Oregon that he thought
ought to be used. President Wilson was
given the authority to make the selec-
ton, as I have stated, and afterward
selected Muscle Shoals, and the dam
was built there by the Federal Govern
ment.
This dam cost about the sum of
$500, 900, 900, and the nitrate plant that
Improvements In connection Herewith
cost the Government during the war
about $93,000,000 more-in all about
$150,000,000. The plant was not COM
plete when the war closed, and many
members Of Congress wanted to aban-
don it at that time, some Senators argu-
ing that it was throwing good money
after bad to complete the plant.
Rented Plant to Power Firm.
About that time Henry Ford made
an offer for the plant, which many of
us desired to accept, thinking that he
VvOr11d ocfah hliSh Croaf nnonnfo rf11r{v1o
industry in and around the plant. The
acceptance of this offer was delayed by
the Congress and later on Mr.. Ford
withdrew it. However. one effect of Mr..
Fords offer was that the Congress COM
pleted the plant.
: About that time there was change
Of administration. and when the new
administration came in, notwithstand-
ing the fact that the original law under
which the plant was established pro-
hibited the Government from using it
In connection with any power company,
the then administration rented the plant
to the Alabama Power Co. for COM
paratively nothing, and 1t has been
used by the Alabama Power Go. ever
since for its own purposes, the Govern
ment getting little out Of It.
While the Government gets little out
of it, the Alabama Power Co. and other
bower companies interested With it
have sought by every means within their
power to prevent the Government from
operating the plant itself. One of the
results of this policy is seen In the
prices charged for current:
I For instance, the Alabama Power
Go. pays to the Government about one
fifth of cent per kilowatt for what
bower it actually uses. If 1t does not
heed the power, the water goes over the
dam and is lost for all time. While the
alabama Power Co. pays only one-f1fth
of a cent for the current. 1t sells 1t,
some of 1t within hundred yards Of
the place itself. for IL cents q kilowatt.
! Many bills were offered for the dis
position of the plant. The late Senator
Underwood actively fought for what was