Victory in Tennessee President Roosevelt and his New Deal have,
somewhat unexpectedly, escaped a further blow from the Supreme Court. The decision, indeed, only confirms the Tennessee Valley Authority's 'right to sell electric Power from the Wilson Datil at Muscle Shoals :. and the Wilson Dam was begun during the Great War, under the President's right to promote navigation or assist national- defence. But the Chief Justice's judgement has been taken to imply confirmation of the Tennessee .ValleY Authority's right to build and sell power from five. further dams. Such an assumption may be unjustifiable, but for the moment the decision has elevated supporters of the President and depressed_ the Wall Street speculators who rejoice at his every reverse: The decision seems to have rested upon the President's right to promote navigation and "defence, and the TennesSee Valley AuthoritY's right to sell " surplus " power in *a " reasonable market:" It is ironical that only such grounds could be held to justify. the President's* attempt to rescue from social and economic decay entire societies • in the Tennessee Valley. and elsewhere. The enterprise, incidentally, enables the Government to check the prices charged by Public Utility electric-supply corporations..
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