Evening star., 1933-07-30

RO5ABLY bill was ever passed BY
Congress and signed by the President
u AGAINST more determined opposition and and
the Muscle Shoals bill.
On May 1s 1898, the vast majority
of the population Of the country was more
concerned over the local base ball returns than
over the news that the bill had been signed
Down in Nashville and Chattanooga there
have been some half hearted celebrations but
the real enthusiasm is found in the barber
shops. post Offices and general stores of the
small towns in the neighborhood Of Muscle
Shoafs-and that enthusiasm has nothing to do
with the major issue involved.
"Well, the bills signed. Reckon the bOon's
coming at last
"Yeh But wish I hadn't let that Yankee
have an option on my field at $780, There's
another fellow offering my sister $70o for
her field that's next to mine.
An old man grins sflrewdly at them. I'm
Just sitting tight Not giving any options
They'll pay q lot more later
A LANKY man who is listening says, you
fellows are lucky. I amt got no Land 70
sell. But reckon they'll put that concrete
road in past our house now and I'm aiming to
u
she can run q hot-dog stand"
tall thin man says with some hope. An
I'm looking for Is job. Think there'n be any7"
Sure Lots Of them," they tell him en-
Enthusiastically. They say thereu sure be loss
OF jobs The boom's coming"
What il the issue in the Muscle Shoals fight,
which those who put the bill through conssdef
q vital importance to every one IN the unsseo
States?
nd
argument with emphasis put at one time on
national defense at another on navigation i'm
proyement at another on flood control At an
other on the production Of cheap fertihzer,
and last and most on power, both those VINO
fought for the bill and those who opposed
have agreed that the issue has always peel
the right Of the Government to produce ant
sell any commodity considered essential to tn
welfare Of all the people.
THE Tennessee River. in which lie muscle
u Shoals is formed by joining Of the French
Broad and Holston Rivers about four miles
above Knoxville Tenn. From Knoxville II
flows southwest into Alabama, west across the
whole northern part Of the State. and then
north across Tennessee and Kentucky to empty
into the Ohio River not far from Cairo, III.
Draining over $40 900 square miles Of land.
some of it quite mountainous, each Spring 1t
develops a dangerous volume Of water which
trickles down to almost nothing In the late
Fall.
For more than 100 years there have been
various projects for improving its pessibAities
OF navigation. These plans have involved
canals for passing around Muscle Shoab. Wnere
the river drops 134 feet in 81 miles. and dams
to control the flow Of the stream. thus avoid
ing the Spring floods and providing for more
water in the total stream bed in the dryer sea-
sons
Two canals went into operation in 1890
In 1915, when the Government began to take
stock Of its resources in case it entered the
World War, it discovered that the country
had almost no supply Of nitrates with which TO
make explosives and fertilizer.
Synthetic processes of nitrate production were
being developed and the Government deeadeo
to prepare at once to use them under ehe
naelo0al defense act.