Evening star., 1933-05-19
EDUCATOR NAMED
TO SHOALS BOARD
Arthur Morgan Had Wide
Experience in Similar.
River Work.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt today named
Arthur Morgan, president of Antioch
College, in Ohio, as chairman Of the
Tennessee Valley authority.
Mr.. Roosevelt, who yesterday signed
the Muscle Shoals bill, regards Morgan
as exceptionally qualified to carry out
the Tennessee Valley program. Nor
gan was in charge Of flood control work
on the Miami River, In Ohio, and has
been associated with similar develop
ments.
He has planned and directed more
than 10 conservation and food control
works, and is we'll acquainted with the
South, having been in charge OF rec
lsmation works such as the $8,000,0 600
project for the st. Francis Valley IN
Arkansas. He was supervising engineer
OF the Government drainage lnVestlga-
tions in 1907-1909.
Visited White House.
Also he has drafted or revised the
drainage codes for 10 or more States.
He has been q frequent visitor at the
White House lately, in connection with
the Shoals project.
Morgan has been president of Antioch
College since 1922.
Hoping to get this program into early
action, Mr.. Roosevelt is looking for the
other two men to comprise the board OF
the Government corporation. More
than $50 names are under consideration.
Meanwhile, q Department of Justice
has been started into
charges that private companies which
have leased Muscle Shoals in recent
years misused and damaged the hydro
electric plant
A fiat denial of the charges was
made today in q telegram to Presi-
dent Roosevelt from Thomas w. Mar
tin, head Of the Alabama Power Co.
He requested that the investigation
provided for in the Tennessee Valley
measure be facilitated to de-
velop facts.
As soon as funds are appropriated,
of a dam at Cove Greek in
the Clinch River in Tennessee will be
started as one Of the first steps in the
Tennessee Valley program.
SpecuIators Warned.
In signing the Muscle Shoals meas
ure, Mr.. Roosevelt warned against land
speculators. The land development
phase of the program is the Presidents
own and If it succeeds in Tennessee he
Intends to extend it to other parts OF
the country.
What Mr.. Roosevelt is striving for
Is the employment of thousands OF idle
men, rehabilitation of agriculture on
.1as ND
of navigation and water
power resources.
An enthusiastic group from Congress
including Senator Norris of Nebraska
and Senators and Representatives from
the Shoals area, applauded vigorously
as the President put his name to the
law. which for a dozen years they had
struggled futilely to enact. Norris said:
1.-THE law marks an epoch IN the
history Of our national life. 1t is a
to the victorious ending Of
q 12-year struggle, waged on behalf
of the common people against the COM
bined forces Of monopoly and human
greed"
The President issued no formal
statement on land speculation, but
made sure that his warning be distri-
buted by the press. The land develop
ment program Is dream OF model
communities, Of industry brought to
the country. of land utilized for its
best purpose, of new forests growing
where ancient ones have been wiped
out, Of streams protected against de-
structive floods, used to their full capa-
city for navigation and generation OF
inexpensive electricity.
Ickes Starts Probe.
The Government Corporation will
operate the Muscle Shoals plant for
the production and sale of power, and
chase transmission lines to carry the
energy to nearby communities for sale
at low rates. The nitrate plant Is to
become an experimental work shop for
OF cheap fertilizer.
The investigation by the Justice De-
partment concerns charges brought to
the President by Secretary Of the In
terror Ickes. After complaints he sent
an Investigator to the Shoals. and the
latter's report was understood to con-
tend that the Alabama Power Co. and
the Tennessee Electric Power Co. had
and destructively used the
Muscle Shoals substation to inter-
change power.
At Birmingham President Martin of
the Alabama company denied anything
irregular had taken place. In WASH
lngton Maj. Gen. Lytle Brown, chief
Of Army engineers, who has had control
Of the plaut. said the same. Neverthe-
less, thorough Federal inquiry Is in
which, 1t appeared likely,
would be directed by Huston Thomp-
son, former chairman Of the Federal
Trade Commission.