Show BARUGH BARUCH fAVORS ACCEPTANCE Or OF OFFER BY fORD Muscle Shoals Contract Conditioned on Actual Production of Nitrogen Declared to Be Advisable INESTIMABLE VALUE PLACED ON PROJECT Automobile Manufacturers Manufacturer's Proposition Seen as Only One Which Promises Adequate Development WASHINGTON Jan 26 By A A. P P. P.- P. Acceptance of at Henry Fords Ford's offer otter for Muscle Shoals provided d no better offer after Is available and conditioned on the ac actual actual actual ac- ac production of at nitrogen for fertilizer fertilizer fertilizer fer fer- at the rate of tons a year Is recommended In a special specia report made to the American Farm Bureau federation by Bernard M. M Baruch wartime wartime wartime war war- time chairman of ot the war Industries board Mr Baruch's letter incorporating his views addressed to Gray Silver Washington Wash Wash- I ington representative of the Farm Bureau Bureau Bureau Bu Bu- reau federation was taken to the capItol capItol cap cap- Itol ital by federation officials for presentation presentation presentation pre pre- pre pre- to the house agricultural committee and was as follows Pursuant to your our request I am handing you a report on the situation relating to to the development of a ni nitrate nitrate nitrate ni- ni plant at Muscle Shoals This report re report report re- re port was originally prepared several weeks ago and since then has been rechecked rechecked rechecked re- re checked by Its a Leland L. L Summers Summers Sum Sum- I mers than whom I think there is no noman noman noman man better qualified to Judge I WOULD DEVELOP NITROGEN Here Is the way It lies in my mInd It is the evident desire of ot all and all and in that 1 I 1 Include myself to myself to develop at Muscle Muscle- Shoals a new source source of ot nitro nitro- gen This would exclude x lude an any p bids Ids ds or offers which did not carry an obligation obliga obliga- tion to produce and d develop commercially commer er- er daIly a nitrogen process process This can be done in the following I ways ways- I First First By By government development I Except as a last resort I am am op opposed opposed opposed op- op posed to this on account of ot Its Inherent ent cot disadvantages Second Second By By combination of industry Industry Indus Indus- tr try either with government cooperation cooperation cooperation tion or independently Third Third By By the Ford development This apparently Is the only offer that has his come forward so far tar from a private private vate source source promising development along commercial lines If no no nomore more advantageous offer should be made the arguments against awarding the contract contract contract con con- tract to Henry Ford would not b be convincing con con- Without commenting upon the terms of at the contract or considering the adequacy of the price there are are certain modifications or clarifications clarifications' which should be made Among thesis these thes Is the one made made- on the bottom of paget page 8 In the letter from the secretary of iwar I Iwar war document No where the secretary sec sec- f draws attention to the fact that the language contained therein Is sus susceptible of a construction to the sus 1 ef effect effect et- et that Mr Ford is Js p personally bound only to se that his company enters into i i ithe the contracts required to carry out I the terms of ot the proposal All An doubt in regard to o Mr Fords Ford's personal lia liability ha- ha should be remo removed d. d CLARIFICATION NEEDED The most Important thing that ought to be clarified Is Js the following That Mr Ford undertakes to make 40 tons of fixed d nitrogen pe per year an anIf and if he does not make it the property is to revert to the government After all it is the fixing of at the nitrogen rogen which Is the crux of the whole hole contract con con- tract I I Iam am quite quita sure that the contract contract con con- tract means to cover this point but It should be made clear 5 However great the tho pecuniary re rewards rewards re- re wards might be to Mr Ford or to anyone anyone any any- one else who will undertake it there I will be he added a contribution of almost In inestimable value to the future of American agriculture and the safety of ot America in time or war I |