The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-08-11
ALFALFA BILL
Wins RECRUITS
IN OIL BATTLE
Kansas and Texas Threaten
to Follow 0kIahoma'S
Closing Order.
PRODUCTION INCREASES
Price Still 48 Cents Short of
ST a Barrel Demanded
by Murray.
By United Press

By United Press
OKLAHOMA CITY. Aug. Ire
oruits from all over the southwest
ern oil lands f1ocked today under
the banner of Governor William H.
(Alfalfa Bid Murray in his war to
boost the price of crude oil.
Although no other state actually
had followed Murray's example in
closing down wells under martial
law to stop production and send up
prices, such action actually was
threatened in Kansas and Texas,
and in both those states and Wyo-
ming many new supporters fell in
behind the Murray drive.
Governor Ross Sterling of Texas,
who previously had wired Murray
his congratulations, threatened to
follow the fiery Oklahoman's exam
pie and call out troops to close the
wells in his state, including those
in the east Texas field which glut-
ted the market and was largely re-
sponsible for bringing about the
present situation.
Kansas Voices Threat
In Kansas, Thurman Hill, chair
man of the public service commits
sion, openly threatened to close all
wells unless the purchasers of
crude oil this week extend to pro-
ducers the same consideration they
are granting to producers of Texas
crude. -
Shutdown orders also were con-
sidered in wyoming, but that state
faced an additional problem in that
1t has no control over government
oil lands within its borders.
The department of interior Mon
day denied the request of Acting
Governor A. M Clark that a mini
mum price of ST barrel be set on
government royalty crude oil from
Wyoming fields. With this refusal,
forced closing Of Wyoming's wells
would result in the oil being drained
by the government wells.
In Oklahoma, Governor Murray
gave no indication of allowing the
flush fields to reopen and kept his
soldiers in the fields. Stripper
wells, which would be destroyed if
shut in, were allowed to operate.
Price Is 81 Cents
Despite all this activity, prices
stood at 50 cents, an advance of only
2 cents since Governor Murray
issued his ultimatum that the price
must go to 81 a barrel.
Production throughout the coun-
try also increased, according to the
Oil and Gas Journal. The daily
average for the week ending August
8 was 2,551 ,807 barrels, an increase
of 61,384 barrels, the Journal said.
Governor Sterling's threat that
troops might be called out met with
favor and hundreds of kilograms
from producers and civic organiza-
tons were on his desk urging him to
act.
Sterling's declaration that he
might resort to more drastic
came only two days be-
fore the Texas legislature is sched-
uled to end the special session called
to enact an oil conservation law.
says the legislature failed
utterly to help.
Confers With Guard Chiefs
Sterling conferred Monday night
with Adjutant-G General w. w. Ster-
ling and Lieutenant-Co Colonel H. H.
Carmichael, head of the militia,
about the situation. The officers
told him the troops could be ready
on a days notice.
Thurman's ultimatum to the six
teen largest refineries in Kansas
charged that east Texas producers
are dumping oil into Kansas mar
kets and that shutdown order
would be issued if purchasers al
lowed this Il" continue.