Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-26

.OAls AS AAontS WASAo <0e HISuSn' arc pOun0l0S naf0s ana
ae Germans are making the most Of the excellent. de-
snsivs character OF thet ground to delay the American
rogreAL Progress through. the broken and wooded
ountry has accordingly been slow. but progress has been
1ade every day. and everything that has been gained
as, been held. y s@ % @
AZ II to hasten the anticipated decision Of Austria to
sithdraw from the war bsfors the empire goes utterly
. pieces, the Italians have begun a new offensive: in the
aountainous district between the Piave and the Breuta,
nd good progress was reported in the early stages Of
he operation. In the Balkan district the Allies have
made excellent, progress; having reached the Danube at
me point. thus restoring in a measure the contact with
1umania which was broken when the Central armies
'verran What country. Rumania is said to he ready to
'esume her cooperation with the Allies as soon as It il
physically possible for her to do so. s3A.
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Turkey is expected to capitulate at any hour, as she
faces utter humiliation if she attempts to continue in the
/ var much longer. In the Mesopotamian region the Brit
-sh have advanced far, to the north, and General Allenby
is continuing his remarkable advance %northward from
Damascus. Whether these two forces expect a junction
somewhere in1the neshborhood Of Aleppo or continue to
act separately, the communications of all the Turkish
forces in that region with Constantinople are doomed.
1t appears to be generally believed that the only thing
which has delayed the Turkish offer to surrender is the
kpresence In the Black sea of that part Of the Russian
fleet which was surrendered to Germany, and which is
now held as a menace against Turkey in case she with
draws from the German combination.
Austria, it is clear. is on the verge of dissolution.
The tender of the emperor Of autonomy to- the various
peoples. and his offer Of a federated government do not
appear to have checked in any measure the demand for
peace with the Allies. or the clamoring for entire indie
|pendence 81 Czecho-slovaks Jugo-slav and Eungarians,
while the Germans of Austria appear to be left without
friends or prospects. The impression is current that
Austria will presently withdraw from the war on sub
stantially the terms which were given to Bulgaria, namely,
disarmament. discontinuance of communication with
Germany, and the use Of her territory as may be desired
by the Allies for operations against Germany. Certainly
no arrangement will be made which will impose a barrier
in the way of Allied approach to Germany's back door,
. .
Two items of war and preparedness legislation have
come to notice during the week, both of great importance.
The military deficiency bill, carrying appropriations of
six billion dollars, .has passed the senate, and now goes
to conference. Plans have been submitted in congress
for a three-year naval building program involving the
construction of 15s vessels and the expenditure 9 of
5000. 600, 900. '"
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The political world has been set agog on the event
of the fall elections by a statement from President Will
son urging the voters of the nation to return Democratic
maJOrltleS TO DOLn mouse and senate on the ground that
failure to do so would Be interpreted both>at home and
abroad as a reputation Of his policy and leadership in
the conduct of the war, and by a spirited reply from
Republican leaders in congress together with the Re-
publican congressional committee pointing to the fact
that more whole-hearted support has been given. to. the
vigorous prosecution of the war by Republicans than by
Democrats.
Admitting, as the president does, that partisanship
should have no place in the conduct of the war, and that
Republicans in and out Of congress are fully as loyal
as their political opponents, President Wilson. in pre-
icipitating what is certain to become a most bitter contro-
versy within the time that must elapse before election,
seems to have done more to inject the spirit of partisan
ship into the situation than could have been doneas
quickly by any other living man.
ss
In ordinary times, the president says, he would not
have spoken as he has done. but these are not ordinary
times. They are not. And that fact has been so thor
oughly recognized by men whom he now repudiates and
asks to have discarded that forsaking all thought of per-
sonal or partisan advantage, they have. by the aid Of
their own votes, forced through congress every important
war measure that has been urged by the president and
finally adopted. and have>Aone so over the heads and
against the opposition of the men of the presidents
own party whom he now demands shall again be given
votes Of approval by the people.