Evening star., 1933-01-22
ROOSEVELT BACKS
FEDERAL CONTROL
Of SHOALS PLANT.
Power Program Taking Shape
Calls for Reorganized
Commission.
ASSURES ALABAMANS
he WILL SEEK ACTION
Norris Serves Notice Bill Calling
for U. S. Operation Will Be
Given Special Session.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
MONTGOMERY, Ala, January 21.-
A broad. new power program took
shape today in the conferences between
President ELECT Roosevelt and congress
sional leaders and power experts as he
visited the idle Muscle Shoals, Ala,
project.
The scheme, Of which meager reports
came from the private car Of Mr..
Roosevelt as he travelled over Alabama
to the State Capital, calls for Govern
and reorganization Of the powers and
personnel of the Hoover Power Com
mission.
Montgomery was reached after dark
tonight and just in time for the Presi-
dent-elect to get to the dinner table Of
Gov. Miller at the executive mansion
Later he made an address at the capitol.
In stops en- route here, Mr.. Roose-
welt assured cheering crowds which
met his train at Decatur and Birming-
ham that he intended to get the war
time Muscle Shoals power and nitrate
plant in operation again with the help
OF Congress.
Confers With McNinich.
Among those with whom he con-
ferred on the train was Frank Nc
Ninich of North Carolina, lone Demo-
cratic member of the Power CommiS-
sion. His name Is mentioned as sue
cessor to George Otis Smith, President
Hoover's appointee, as chairman.
Devoting himself entirely to the vital
power issue during the day, Mr.. Roose-
welt gave little more thought to the
war debts and economic conference pro-
gram which he will initiate with Great
Britain early in March.
There is no doubt, however, that in
return for any debt concessions to Euro
pean nations, the Democratic presi-
dent-elect is going to bargain for his
world economic program of money
stabilization and reciprocal tariff agree
mentS.
Gov. Miller and Senators Black and
Bankhead and Representative Hill, all
Alabama Democrats. accompanied Mr..
Roosevelt here.
Given Rousing Reception.
Reaching this city-the first capital
OF the Confederacy-President-elect
Roosevelt was given rousing reception
as he drove to the State capitol amid
crowds that lined the route.
At the capitol Mr.. Roosevelt stood al
most on the spot-"this sacred spot" he
termed it-where Jefferson Davis, the
President of the Confederacy, was in
augurated.
Before a huge throng he spoke Of his
hopes for development Of the Tennessee
valley through broad scheme for pro-
noting the Muscle Shoals plant.
II regard it as all important that this
great plant, lying so many years in idle
ness, be put into operation for two rea-
sons," he said. First, to provide work,
and secondly. for making Muscle Shoals
a part Of greater development that
will take in the entire Tennessee valley
from the mountains OF Virginia to the
coast of the Gulf.
Muscle Shoals gives us an oppor-
tunity to accomplish the great purpose,
to set an example of planning. 1t offers
opportunity for the generations to come
of tying in industry, forestry and flood
prevention, so that we can afford a bet
ter opportunity and place for the mil
lions to live here in the years to come.
A "2ed Letter" Day.
"Today is really a red letter day. I
am convinced by what was seen by
the members of Congress and your
President-elect, that just as soon as
we possibly can, up in Washington. we
are going to start something practical
bic and useful"
It is definitely understood that the
Roosevelt plans for the development
of the Tennessee Valley through Muscle
Shoals contemplate the construction OF
the Cove Greek Dam in the Clinch
River.
This dam is provided for in the
Norris bill vetoed by President Hoover.
Power experts accompanying MI.
Roosevelt consider this dam an "eco--
nomical necessity'-a proposition not
only for flood control but essential to
the vast development plan in the mind
Of Mr.. Roosevelt for this section.
Referring to the days Of the Civil
War, the President-elect said that con-
fict had done more than ANYTHING
else to bind the United States into q
whole"
"Friends and neighbors of Alabama"
he said. II regard it a great privilege
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