Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1917-12-15

oers from among the employed Of concerns. against
wh'ch strikes had been declared. The court held that
acuSltles OF this class were illegal. and that, under the
stated conditions, they amounted to conspiracies to In
Jure other persons. Six of the judges joined in this de-
cision. with Justices Brandeis, Holmes and Clark dis
senting.
. =
In the Idaho prohibition case the court held that
a citizen has no right to have in his possession intoxi-
eating liquors if the state in which he lives has laws to
the contrary. This establishes the legal right of a state
to enact laws banishing from its territory liquors of
any Kind kept for any purpose.
Two tax cases Of considerable interest were decided.
In an Iowa case there was questioned the right of the
state to levy an inheritance tax against alien non-resi-
dents of 20 per cent when a tax of only 5 per cent is
levied against residents. The court decided that the
state has that right. In a Texas case the state is pro-
hlbited from levying a special tax against outside cor
poratons doing business in the state.
While no great victories have been gained in the
war area by either party, the week has not been a sat
isractory one from the standpoint Of the allies. or the
ground which the British gained from the Germans by
General byng in their great drive toward Cambria the
Germans hold all that they regained in their vigorous
counter stroke, and in a few localities they have bet
tered their positions slightly. In Italy battle after bat
tie has been fought, unless we consider the fighting
AS one continuous battle. and, while the Italians have
prevented any great advance into their territory, it is
the Teutons who have been on the offensive.
. .
SO far as the operations on the western front and
on N ltallan line are concerned, the Germans and their
ahles have been on the aggressive during the week, and
the best that the allies have been able to do is to hold
their own, or nearly so. With this reversal of the rela-
tive positions of the two parties there has been a sud
den increase of submarine activity, and the effect Of this
is shown in the sudden increase in the number of sink
ings. interpretations Of all this are numerous, about
the most usual being that presented by Lloyd George in
a Friday address in which he stated his conviction that
the Germans had determined on a supreme effort in the
hope of winning success before American re~inforcements
in large numbers arrived on the scene.
.
The steps toward an armistice with Russia continue,
with the prospect that discussions looking toward a def
mite peace will be undertaken with the Bolsheviki. The
conditions have made it possible for the Germans to
withdraw immense numbers of men and guns from the
Russian front, and these arc undoubtedly being con-
centrated on the other fronts. A hopeful feature is the
stubborn resistance of the Italians. which, it is hoped,
Will hold the Germans and Austrians until severe winter
weather makes further progress through the mountains
impossible. On the west front the Germans are be-
leved to be planning their greatest stroke Of the war.
and to be feeling out the situation with their artillery
in order to discover the place where they may land their
blow with the greatest effect. -
In Russia civil war is rapidly developing. Kornil-
off and kaledines have had several brushes with the
Bolsheviki, with indecisive results so far as the dis
patches indicate. Speculation on the Russian situation
at this time appears to be futile.
The city of Jerusalem has been evacuated by the
Turks and occupied by the British under General Allen
by. The British flag flies over the citadel, and the
French and Italian flags float over the offices Of their
respective governments. The capture of Jerusalem places
in the hands Of Christian powers after Mosenns, with
only brief Interruptions. of 1900 years. The taking of
the city brings to an end the attempt Of the Turks and
their German allies to seize the Sue7 canal and take
possession of Egypt. With the British operating far
to the north of Bagdad, and also in possession Of all
southern Palestine it will take a much stronger force
than the enemy is thought likely to have at his com
mand in that part Of the world to make any material
Roadway toward the realization Of the dream Of a Cert
n an empire in the near east.
The twin cities have bVn agitated by the prospect
Of the entire suspension Of their local transportation by
a strike Of union labor throughout the two cities in
sympathy with striking street railway men who were
ordered to discontinue the wearing of the union button
by the safety commission. Secretary Baker sent word
that his department was willing to investigate the sit
uation, whereupon Governor Burnquist expressed will
ingness to have the war department look into the sit
uation informally, but he made it very plain that he
considered the matter settled. In the meantime the
sympathetic strike appears to have dwindled, and the
conditions are reported to be approaching the normal.