Show I OBSERVATION for J New economic history was wrItten written writ wrIt- ten In Washington this week when the United States senate senat b by 48 to 2 23 25 went on record In favor tavor c cf ci so government govern govern- em eminent ment operation o of the Muscle Shoals power powel plant It represents something some some- something thing thinS more more than a personal triumph for Senator George W. W Norris Republican Re Re- p publican Progressive o of Nebraska who almost single handed has b e b battling the interests Interest to which he heI I a ah attributes a a. plot pit to grab the h hydroelectric resources of ot the nation na nation na- na t tion ion tion i- i S S S ViI the senate has done doie and what hilt the house may do i is s to blaze t the he trail trull for tor countrywide govern go ment mont operation of power If the l lower ower branch of congress concurs i In n the Muscle l Shoals action of ut the s senate enate the day would h when other mighty power throughout hout the country would bo be blo brought under federal maintenance I In n other words government op operation operation opera opera- ra- ra tion Uon at Muscle 1 Shoals would be followed fol tol- oh- oh l lowed owed by government operation of ot power production in the tho B canyon along the St. St L Lawrence wrence river nver in th the vast Columbia river basin in Oregon and the northwest and in numerous other l lesions e I ns of ot the tile Union Unton S S S Senator Charles s L. L McNary Republican Re Re- publican Oregon chairman of the senate committee on on agriculture said to this writer rite r that the country countr cannot over the possibilities ties of ot the tIle Muscle sele Shoals vote Its Ita a real landmark Senator McNary declares It has put the senate m te o of the United States State unequivocally on record in favor of tire basic principle 1 pie for tor which 3 ins has been stand- stand l ting ing That principle is the conten coaten- tion that the federal gOV government c can n Jf it Wants furnish electric power to the consumer at nt prices and under conditions more moro favorable favorable favor favor- able than are arenow now obtainable at the hands bands e of t private corporations If It the senate vot vote leads eventually lo to lo q actual government government operation ot of Muscle Shoals Shoals' under satisfactory conditions It must Inevitably mean an that the experiment there theo Initiated will will-be be e duplicated elsewhere wherever ever er Utere Is Ig inder power now federal federal federal fed fed- eral supervision that could be brought ht under federal operation For the moment the significant I thing thin Is t that at the senate has approved approved ap ap- ap- ap proved Ir in iq principle principle- that for tor which Norris has hns been fighting It is an event erit of ot Importance S S 5 The NorrIs resolution O. O Kd by the s senate nate provides for 1010 government government operation of Muscle Shoals as a nitrate te plant In tn time of war and as as' as asa a a. fertilizer facto factory y and rind power p wor production pro pro- ro- ro plant In time of ot p peace ace What the Nebraskan Iras lius always had primarily and almost exclusively In mind during his long iong struggle for tor l Shoals IS la tho the ordinary household of el electric pow power r. r He wants to enable I the average burner of Incandescent lamps a and d the average user of ot elec dc- in any limited quantity to get his juice at lower rates than tl-an are arc now available Norris thinks that can be done don not only throughout through- through i out the tho region that Muscle Shoals hoal w would serve but In J any oth other r region lon where power could be put to work under government operation S S The Nebraska pr i u s himself for the long ong l ole I Shoals campaign by h id ha-id lt work and 1 hard study Ho lie visited Ca Canada Canad 11 ada periodically cally to learn at first hand ham handoC 1 of oC the operation of ot government t pe power V r In the tilO province of Ontario He lIe has pored over chemistry bu books He has made himself an expert ii Inthe in intire the tire purely financial in side of hy hydro hydroelectric ro electric power power- production Unceasingly i 3 h has s insisted that emt hi his hir S way was blocked by tl the e power powe r trust It Ittis fas his resolution to In Investigate in- in investigate that alleged octopus upon which Ute tIle federal trade commission acted two or three or-three three years ago finally final thial ly Ii reporting that there is no pows power r trust In th tho sense Norris claimed S S 5 Not ot the least of ot tho the tho victories victorie which lids bs friends attribute t to Norris Nor Nor- ils ris in the Muscle Shoals fight vs vas as LS his successful opposition to Henr Henry lords ambition to secure p ision of tho great war built plant it of the south Ford would have ob ol obtained ob- ob I- I tamed for his private use and gal galm n roundly e of t hydroelectric Le horsepower at Muscle Shoals had tl the ue bill which Norris fought ever bEcome be become become be- be come law v. The Nebraskan Is equa equally equal equal- 1 ly opposed to tire UTO Willis Mad en i bill providing for fur transfer ot Muscle Shoals to the American dean d comI company ny whereby by that corporation n would eventually V ent Jally come Into control ii on Its n own account of ot som some 1000 0 iiA A horsepower 1 j S Cop Copyright rIght 1923 |