Business: Oklahoma Oil

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The Oklahoma State Corporation Commission last week played its part towards restricting the overproduction of crude oil (TIME, July 18) by issuing a temporary order forbidding the drilling in of new oil wells or the shooting* of old ones in certain districts of the state. The peg for the order was the commission's belief that it was empowered to conserve the state's natural resources. Gypsy Oil Co.† considered that peg too frail; protested at once that the order was unconstitutional because it deprived the company of enjoying the fruits of oil production, because it was discriminatory, because it took property without due process of law. The courts may be called to judgment.