The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-10-09
BY GEORGE b. ROSCOE
United Pfess stan Correspondent

OKLAHOMA CITY, oct. o.
Cartoonists and writer's viewing
Governor William H. alfalfa Bid
Murray Of Oklahoma from afar have
pictured him as a somewhat conf
cal demagog with no gifts save an
ability to chew tobacco and wear
handle-bar mustaches.
But even Bills worst enemies in
Oklahoma dismiss that idea sadly.
Don't get the idea he's nick
numbskull elected by accident and
using his Office as a circus" said a
prominent attorney recently in an
interview. Champ Clark called
him the nations greatest consti-
tutional lawyer and one Of the
worlds finest parliamentarians."
Right now, summary, drastic &C
ton is Murray's answer to the
economic crisis. The whole nation
has marveled at the audacity with
which Murray filings orders and en-
forces them.
Down Came Rates
Soon after he took office he
launched a barrage Of invectives at
the utilities. He demanded that the
rates be reduced. He engaged an
attorney to file an antitrust suit
and seek receivership Of the Okla
homa Natural Gas Corporation. The
company compromised, agreeing TO
reduce rates to a maximum OF 40
cents a thousand cubic feet.
He served notice on bread makers
and ice manufacturers to come
down to the working mans level.
Bread dropped quickly to five cents.
They wanted none Of Alfalfa Bill.
Down on Red river, the boundary
line with Texas, a battle had been
raging for years. The state con-
structed expensive bridges paral-
leling toll structures, at three
points. Bridge operators had re-
strained free bridge traffic by led
eral court injunctions.
Injunction is Dissolved
Murray called up the bridge oper-
ators and told them he wa opening
the free bridges. In a few hours,
OkIahomans saw the khaki-clad
national guardsmen grimly patrol
ing the bridges, blocking toll struc-
lures and keeping free bridges open
despite the detail of Texas rangers
assigned to uphold the court order.
Alfalfa Bill snatched his usual
lunch of three minute eggs, milk
and spinach, grabbed his old horse
pistol and dashed to the war zone.
The bridges we're kept open. The
federal court injunction was dis
solved.
Murray returned to find old men
clamoring for aid against the mar
ket-wrecking flood of surplus oil.
Prices had dropped to five and ten
cents a. barrel. Bill served notice
on the major oil purchasers to pay
81 a barrel.
The oil moguls chuckled.
zone Dollar a Barrel"
Bills bluffing," they broadcast.
At noon, Aug. 4, Bill called out
the militia and locked the Okla
homa oil fields.
"One dollar a barrel" said Bill,
"let's co.
Prices doubled and trebled as the
crude oil famine spread. Bill was
adamant.
Then the Phillips Petroleum Com
pany posted the 81 price. Others
Joined. But Bill is keeping his fin
gers on the oil wells. Everybody
get together and decide on 81 a
barrel" he said, Then We'll open"
Assumes Job Lead
The oil task still unfinished, Muir
ray assumed the lead in unemploy-
ment activities.
Men who eat must work" he said
and issued a call for meeting of
Mississippi Valley states represent
atives at Memphis, Aug. "a. The
meeting led to a second call for a
meeting at st. Louis, Sept. IS.
Murray was invited to be the
principal speaker at the Chicago
Federation of Labor's golden jubi-
lee Labor DAY.
He told $4,000 listeners in Sol
diers' Field that Wall Street was
a vicious gambling den" that,
dread, butter, and beans is the
war cry of the people" and that
prohibition is no question as long
as the working man can not get
the money to buy a drink"
That's Alfalfa Bill.