Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-10-04
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Governor Walton Wins a Blood
less Victory Over Okla
homa Legislators.
TROOPS PREVENT SESSION
Germany surrendering in the Ruhr,
Bavaria RevoIts and Establishes Die
tatorship-War Minister GessIer
Made Dictator of Entire Coun-
try to Meet Crisis.
BY EDWARD W. PIcKARD

SeCROMWELL" WALTON and his
~ troopers won a bloodleSs victory
over the legislators of Oklahoma who
wanted to assemble in special session
for the purpose of investigating what
they term the mistakes and illegal ac-
tiOns of the governor. Sixty-two mem
berS of the lower house attempted to
convene in the state capitol Wednes-
day, and were driven our by the mill
tary. They offered no resistance but
at once prepared petition to the SUI
preme court for a restraining order
prohibiting Adjutant General Mark
ham from interfering with the sessions
OF the legislature. They contended
that they already were legally in ses-
sion. Asked whether he would pre-
vent such action by the Supreme court,
Governor Walton said that would de-
pend on the advice of his lawyers, who
number fourteen. He added that there
was no way by which the governor of
Oklahoma could be removed except by
.ppeal of citizens to federal courts or
TO congress.
On Thursday the governor extended
absolute martial law over Murray
county some of whose citizens had
asked for protection from the Ku Klux
Khan He said martial law in the
state would continue until the khan
gangs and newspapers get off my back
and give me a chance to clean up the
courts and the county from khan influ-
ence."
There wasn't ghost of a show for
the "rebel' legislators. They signed
the call foJ the session and filed it
with the secretary of state and then
proceeded toward the legislative cham
Der. There in front of the doors was
a line of National Guardsmen through
which they could not penetrate. As
ssured Of a quorum, G. S. Brice, speaker
pro TEN, directed the clerk to call the
roll in the lobby. Immediately Colonel
Key, in command of the troops, read
Adjutant General Markham's order di-
recting the members to dispense, and
told the soldiers to start them NOV
ing and keep them moving until they
were outside the capitol. The legis-
Iators later tried to meet in hotel
voom for a conference and found it
guarded by gunner who, the governor
admitted, were on the state pay roll
and working for him.
Campbell Russell, a former state
officer, was arrested for circulating a
cartoon depicting Walton as dictator,
and newspaper photographers who
tried to get pictures of the scenes at
the capitol also were taken into Gus
tody.
1t must not be supposed that Walton
and his immediate supporters are
alone in their fight against the Gin
visible empire in Oklahoma. When
the governor called on the people of
the state to be ready to join the
militia if they were needed to enforce
his orders, it is said $4,000 men vol
unteered for service. Most of the
newspapers are against him because
of what they consider his unwarranted
assumption of dictatorial powers. So
far the national government has taken
no part in the fight, merely sending
the warning that federal buildings
could be used only for federal bust
ness.