Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-31

Amusement is found by the greater
part Of the country in the battle which
has been fought over the toll and free
bridges spanning the Red River on the
boundary between Texas and Oklahoma.
The heated exchanges between Gov.
Alfalfa Bill" Murray of Oklahoma and
Millionaire Ross Sterling, Governor Of
cepted as form of hot-weather enter
tainment.
In reply to its own query, when is
a bridge that spans a river located be-
tween two States, not bridge?" the
Rock Island Argus finds that the an
swer is, when the Governors of the
two States get to Scrapping about it
one blocking an approach while the
other approach is kept open by tother
Governor" The Rocheser Times-Union
recalls that Texas and Oklahoma have
been at war off and on mostly on) ever
since the Comanche Indians used to slip
over the border from the Oklahoma
reservation and steal longhorn steers
and liquor and shoot up the country
side generally. The last war;" con-
tinues that paper, was over the bound
airy, Oklahoma claiming that the old
bed Of Red River was the boundary.
which would give Oklahoma millions OF
dollars income from new oil fields.
haven't forgot who won it." In re-
viewing the latest controversy, the
Times Union AYERS that Gov. Alfalfa
Bill is ready to fight at the drop OF
the hat, Texans preferred, pointing
out that his opponent just now is a
millionaire oil magnate of Texas"
THE battle breaks into the news as
something reminiscent OF older days,
states the Oakland Tribune, advising
l.. to- i,1ta Nf
travel to be gained by partiansh1p With
either side" and that what Oklahoma
should do is to call upon the League Of
Nations to settle the ISSUE" The CO.
lumbus Ohio State Journal thinks that
Oklahoma and Texas, instead of spend
ing taxpayers dollars in needless con-
troverSy-engaging men, tractors and
State police-woulo do better to divert
the money and buy the bridges, then
throw them open to the public"
X \
"Gov. Murray attempted" according
to the San Francisco Chronicle, Ito
bridges without getting the wise of Gov.
Ross Sterling of Texas. This point in
the battle will probably inspire an
Oklahoma bard to sing:
"'But at Alfalfa's challenge
A Sullen murmur ran,
Mingled of wrath and shame and dread
Along the Texan van.
"Gov. Sterling ordered out the Rangers
and defied Gov. Murray to come across.
Some future Texas poet with therefore
sing:
with weeping and with laughter
Still Is the story told;
How well Ross Sterling kept the bridge
In the brave days of DID,
Doubtless the owners of the toll
bridges" concludes the Fort Worth
Star Telegram, were possessed of some
rights in the premises, else the Federal
Court would not have recognized their
plea for an injunction. Those rights
should have been well established by
| the Texas State Highway Commission
when it constructed its highways to the
banks Of the Red River and joined the
Federal Government and the State OF
Oklahoma in the construction of bridges
that must be of interstate concern by
their very natures. They have no pos
sible value other than that OF being q
lconnecting link between States-a dis
| tinctly Federal function by legal eStab-
lishment and interstate commerce prac-
| tice. When Federal Court grants an
I Injunction in the midst Of such complies
premises, 1t may safely be taken fol-
afanted that all those conflicting in
terests have been recognized as ex-
istent."
%,%s+ +
It is suspected by the Akron Beacon
| Journal that the two State executives
were more intent upon framing sham
battle that would distract attention OF
their constituents from Europe's trou-
bles and thdr own l0-cent oil and IS
cent wheat than to come really to grips