The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-12-06

Land and ambushed a large German
patrol, killing and wounding number
of men, to even up for the trench raid
in which their comrades suffered.
There was little change in positions
on the west front. The Germans made
repeated and desperate efforts to re-
take Passchendaele ridge, but were
beaten off with severe losses every
time.
Interesting news continued to come
/ from General Allenby in Palestine.
His forces, after taking GAIA, kept
pushing on toward Jerusalem, driving
the Turks and taking large booty from
them. On Wednesday the British were
threatening Hebron and had advanced
along the coast to within few miles
of Jaffa.
Suh~-7rine Campaign Failing.
If the British admiralty figures are
| fair basis for calculation, the Ger
man submarine campaign is declining
rapidly toward utter failure. The
weeks report showed only one large
| British vessel sunk by U-boats, and
the statements from France and Italy
were almost as good. One German
| military expert admits in print that
the U-boat warfare has failed. The
Importance of this development cannot
be overestimated, for if the kaiser
! could have prevented wholly or in large
measure the transportation of supplies
and troops from America to Europe,
he could hardly have been defeated.
If he cannot do, that, as seems true,
the utter collapse of his war on civil
lization is almost in sight.
Notwithstanding the hundreds of in
ventions to combat the submarine, the
well equipped and swift destroyer re-
mains the best weapon against the sub
mersible. OF this type Of boat the al
| lies, and especially America, have Ia
vast number and Japan has a fleet of
capable destroyers operating in the
Mediterranean.
| Mr.. Wilson and Organized Labor.
President Wilson went to Buffalo to
address the annual convention of the
American Federation of Labor, and he
told the delegates forcefully yet tact
fully what he considered the duty, re-
sponsibility and privilege of labor es-
pecially during the continuance of the
war; He earnestly pleaded for the
unhindered maintenance of all proc
esses of labor until Germany has been
defeated, and the first response to that
plea came Tuesday, when the building
trades department of the federation or
dered the discontinuance of all strikes
on government work under its juris-.
| diction. This was excellent so far as
it went, but another big labor trouble
sprang up immediately when the rail-
road brOtherhoods took action that
threatened to tie up traffic unless
higher wages and improved conditions
were granted. Mr.. Wilson again
| jumped into the breach and arranged
| to meet representatives of the brother
hoods on November %, first intimating
strongly that rather than endure
paralysis of traffic in wartime, the gov
eminent would take over the operation
of the railroads.
The labor situation is really very
serious, not only because of strikes,
actual and threatened, but also be-
cause of the great shortage of labor
ing men. In order to get out the mill
tary equipment needed by the United
| States forces in the next II months,
the council of national defense is ar
ranging for the mobilization Of 100000
skilled and unslSilled workmen under
a federal director of labor.
Bakers to Be Licensed.
On Monday the president issued the
formal order directing the licensing of
bakers and of hotels, restaurants and
/ other places that serve bread and
other bakery products of their own
baking. The order goes into effect on
December II, and officials of the food
| administration declare that they will
be able to bring down the price of
bread until 16-ounce loaf will cost
/ but z cents.
Provost Marshal General Crowder
| announced the five classes into which
| 100000 men registered for military
/ ,uty are divided and sent out ques-
/ tionnaire which each man had to fill
out and file to determine in which
class he belongs. The order does not
exempt married men as a class, but
places those with dependent wives and
| children far down on the list of tables.
| Only the men of the first class are
likely TO be called out except in the
! gravest emergency.