Grand Forks herald., 1919-12-27
EVENTS or a WEEK.

past week, and the great anniversary
resembled its distinEuished predecss-
aoxs In nanny important fea3urea
There was the usual holiday rush in
the stores and reports from many Cit
les indicate that CHRISTMAS purchas-
inx reached q volume never before
known. Much Of the restraint which
existed during tho war has heen
thrown OF. and there 10 no indica-
tioa that the high cost Of living has
had an appreciable influence on tho
Christmas trade Tho Christmas hol-
1day vas marked by one new feature.
For tho first time in history the coun-
try had q dry Christmas. It is
true that there was some surreptitious
sale, end some consumption Of intox-
icants. But nowhere in the United
States was tho sale Of Intoxicating
beverages permitted by law, and 1t Is
apparent that this fact affected the
procedure Of good many people
who would have obtained liquor If
they could have done so conveniently,
but who were not sufficiently inter-
ested to 80 hunting for it. Generally
there seems to have been marked
decrease in drunkenness.
BY proclamation Issued the day be-
fore Christmas the president issued
the necessary order for the return Of
the railroads and other trnnsporta-
ton systems Of the country to their
owners, the proclamation to take ef-
feet on March I instead Of January
I, the date originally contemplated.
The reason given for tho extension OF
time is that congress- has not yet made
!, provision for the manner in which
tho, transportation business is to be
regulated after its return to private
control. It is hoped that pending leg
1slation for this purpose will be COM
/ pleted before March 1, but II not the
situation seems to be- that the bua-
/ ness will be turned over to be subject
I'm the meantime to such legislation
as now exists.
Tho issuance Of this proclamation
settles the question Of tho retention
Of the railroads by tho government
for q further period, for experimental
or other purposes. Such extension OF
the period Of government operation
has been urged by various persons
!a1ad oeeanfxations committed to the
principle Of pubic ownership, but
tlaese part1sans have Witnessed the
,ahattsrfns OF Whatever hopes they
.antagt1aned.
ThR0 arc now before . conference
oen1n1ittee OF the two houses Of con.
,greas two railroad bills, tho Cum
7nfns and the Esch bill, each origin
.ating IN its appropriate body. botl
providing for the regulation by th'
government Of the railroad business
OF the country. alors lines quito sim
and very dissimilar in others Eacl
house pazsed its own bill w1thou
great dimculty. but the harmonixinl
of the two in committee is recognize,
as . difficult task. It Is to DO ex
pected that the issuance Of the presi
dents proclamation fixing definit
sdats on which the roads will be re
stored. regardless of what action ma;
be talcsn on these bills, will hav
some effect in expediting action.
Coal production throughout tn
country has reached almost norma.
AGost Of the mtners have returned t
work. although local strikes are re
ported hero and there The least sat
isfactory condition was observed i
Kannaa. where a large number Q
miners quit work az protest agains
tl1e Imprisonment OF their presiden
Aaszandcr Howat for contempt Q
court in his failure to observe in goo
zaitf, tbs orders Of Judge Anderson
OF indianapolis. After q heArin
Howa4 was released ON bail on hi
'arssEnent 10 urge upon the minor
in hts Jurisdiction tmmed1ate retur
to work.
Ono iucident during tho wee
winch brought satisfaction to goo
fnany Americans was the departu,
ifrpm New York Of the motley CO
.fAet1on Of - anarchists and other "
Idesfrab11s under orders Of deports
fion- In tho pafty wers Emma Golt
s.7nan xnd A1sEander Berkman, tw
jprokAsa0na1 anarchists whose
i~.H~. q. So rHu&%>a ep<.<A. 1,,,r> 4snu