Pioneer

r" u_ Merthyr Electric Theatre I Week commencing Monday, May 7th. ft CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE FROM 2.30 TILL 10.30 P.M. DAILY. II I 1 Monday Tuesday, and Wednesday- I I ROMEO AND, JULIET. j Shakespeare's Immortal Love Story. I A F<? Film ¡" 7 Pa.rfeaturing THEDA BARA. J   2 THE SURF GIRL—Triangle Comedy. 2 Ll BERTY-Episode 17. 1- Thursday, Friday, and Saturday- 1~ THE TREASURE OF HEAVEN. I An Adaption of MARtECORELLt'S popular Nov?. ? | An All-British Tiger Film in 5 Parts. J I THE WAITERS' BALL-Triangle CJomedy, with "PATTY." j ■ MARY PAGE-Episode 9: The Accusing Eye." I J FREE LIST ENTIRELY SUSPENDED. | 1 Prices as usual-3d., 6d„ and Is. Government Tax Extra. I 2 Children's MatiDee on $aturday at 10.15-1d. only. f r" I' THEATRE ROYAI I T H A RE YR L I AND EMPIRE PALACE9 MERTHYR. I Resident Manager Mr. R. T. REA. | • 6.45 TWICE NIGHTLY. 9. Ij I Week commencing MONDAY, May 7th, 19?7.  ANOTHER SPLENDID TREAT FOR LOVERS OF DRAMA. ) I MR. LEONARD MORTIMER pments his own talented company in the great romantic ■ ? domestic play- I j THE CITY OF SIGHS & TEARS, j I. :I:W Cast, including MR. LEONARD MORTIMER, with Elaborate Scenery. 1- 5 This is a Splendid Drama now playing in W al I- to big houses and should not be missed. 2 POPULAR REDUCED PRICES- I ??-C'rc!e, 1/- Stalls,9d. Pit,6d. Ga!!ery, 3d.?? L- Entertainment Tax Extra. Early Doors to all Parts. n '1 II II The "Ideal" School of Commerce, THE TEMPLE, TRAMROADSIDE, MERTHYR TYDFIL (Near The Palace). Principals-TOM PHILLIPS, F.C.T.S. (Inc., by exam.) and J. J. HUGHES, F.C.T.S. (Inc., by exam.). SUBJECTS: SHORTHAND, BOOK-KEEPING, TYPEWRITING, COMMERCIAL CORRES- PONDENCE & OFFICE ROUTINE, COMMERCIAL ARITHMETIC, Etc. ADVANTAGES: IDEAL CLASSES, IDEAL TEACHERS (Practical commercial men of 80 years' experience, who know the actual needs of the commercial student), "IDEAL" RE- SULTS 37 Successful Students in four months and five Prize Winners. a IDEAL POSTAL COURSES ALL COMMERCIAL SUBJECTS. IDEAL POSTAL COURSE FOR THE SHORTHAND TEACHER'S DIPLOMA. Students can enrol at any time: Prospectus on application to the Secretary. CLASSES HELD on Thursdays and Fridays 7 to 9 o'clock, and Saturday evening 6.30 to 8.30 The action taken by the Joint Board and the "Statement" issued by the Labour Party, which are referred to in the following pages, deserve a reply. Here it is. It is addressed to the entire Labour, Trade Union, and Socialist Organisations of Great Britain. Study it well, and discuss it in your Societies, for the future well-being of the Working-class Movement depends upon your verdict. NOW t?P?dv Price Sixpence Now Ready, p? Free Sevenpeace 'THE TATTOOED MEN,' OR LABOUR LEADERS AND THE WORKERS' MONEY: The full story told by FREDERICK TEMPLE, (Author of Interest, Gold and Banking," War Finance and the Worker," &c.). London: THE COMMONWEALTH PRESS, 118, Cannon Street, E.C. BLANCHARD'S PILLS Are unrivalled for all Irregularities, &c., they speedily affnrd relief and never fail to alleviate all suffering. They supersede Pennyroyal, Pill Cochia, Bitter, Apple, &c. Blanchard's are the best 01 all Pills for Women. Sold in boxes, 1/172. by BOOTS' Branches, and all Chemists, or Sold in boxes, III Y2. post free, same price from LESLIE MARTIN, Limited, Chemists, 34 Dalston Lane, London. Samples and Valuable Booklet sent Free. Penny Stamp. THERE 18 ONLY ONE OINTMENT THAT CURES And this Is supplied by Cbemists and the MANNINA OINTMENT CO., FISHGUARD, And is sold in Three Strengths—1, 2 & 3. For Sale. A Quantity of New & Second-Hand Boots ALS@ CLOGS, Useful for Gardening Prices, 2/- to 2/6 per pair. S. HARRIS, 5 Castle Street, Merthyr. Phone 597. 'Phone 597. WILLIAM TRESEDER, Ltd. THE NURSERIES, CARDIFF. WREATHS, CROSSES, CUT -FLOWERS, &c. BEDDING PLANTS. asters, Stocks, Dahlias, Marguerites, Lobelia, &c. Tela TRESEDER, FLORIST, CARDIFF. Bentley's Hall WERTHYR TYDFIL. A GRAND WHIST DRIVE THURSDAY, MAY 10th. Commence 7.30 p.m. Excellent Prizes. ADMISSION SIXPENCE. TO-MORROW MAY BE TOO LATE. Get a Box TO-DAY! Robert Edes, of Weybridge, writes: After I had taken the second two I felt better than I had done for over four years. The pain in my back had entirely gone. Mrs. King, Runwell Road, Wickford, states: Your pills cured me aftei years of pain." Sufferers from Gravel, Lumbago, Pains in the Back, Dropsy, Bright's Disease of the Kidneys, etc., Sciatica, Rheumatism, and Gout, will find a positive cure in Holdroyd's Grawel Pills. Is. 3d., all chemists; post free, Ii stamns.- Gravel Pills. Medical Hall, Cleckheaton. HOLDROYD'S Medical Hall. Cleckheaton,

I KEIR HARDIE MEMORIAL FUND. Collected by David Shankland, Merthyr: David Shankland, 2s. 6d.; Mrs. M. Shankland, 2s. 6d.; Kenneth Shankland, 2s.; Jno. George, 2s.; E. J. Lewis, Is.; Edgar Davies, Is.; Wm. Lewis, Is.; Jno. Jones, 6d.; Thos. S. Thomas, Is.; Jno. Prytherch, 6d.; Thomas 0. Niell, Is.; Jno. Pugh, Is.; Jno. A. Williams, Is.; Dd. Haman, Is.; Geo. Shankland, Is.; Thos. Bowen, 6d.; Jas. Callan, Is.; Frank Davies, Is.; Tudor Evane, 6d.; total, £ 1 28.

Bedlig_Notes. t i: Bedlinog Notes. j Fascination of War." 3 » The summer propaganda of the I.p good he ginning on Tuesday evening, vitb a cellent lecture by Miss Pallister, of BryO on "Fascination of War." The lecture ell ill t held at the Boys' School, Guardian Bolvle io the chair. I ii I

The Theatre Royal. <(JP" It is the first time that I have sect ? ?« Night Side of London," and perhaps ?' well that I waited until I saw it handled ?? capable a company as the T. Watson Mi? ?i.f, that have chosen it for the chief featur<? their programme at the Royal this week- 4' f  Night Side of London," has all the thrills,?? ?rst-dass melo-drama, and like all such P. tift] is a potential bad show as well as a poto"?4 attractive evening. The Watson Mill Co. 9-I' such a splendid reputation on their five vv?A stay here such a short time back, that it is 110' necessary to dwell upon how well Miss j Hall- Davies, and Mr. B. Mervyn and tb clever supporters handle it. It is really Well done, and though I prefer more restrain11 I can strongly recommend this play to all waht to spend a happy evening. It ill b-. re shown on Saturday night. Meanwhile, t'°' jg^W and to-morrow (Friday) the play to be 1),r 0dlp is that exceptionally fine one "The Cig e$\ Maker's Romance," which I am longing done by this company.  Next week Merthyr audiences will be  tained with an unusually fine dramatic pro tion from the pen of Mr. Leonard M?'-jj p? J Mr. Mortimer is well known to Merthyr all ?!? is prompted to return owing to the succ??) attained here last August with his other PØ! "Mother Machree." The play to be no? to oO' formed is one of his very latest and bOt SigDO deavours, and is entitled "The City <? ?- and Tears." Mr. Mortimer himself will P1'-1i$- This piece ha-s already made a great succ?.? ?? South Wales, and, I feel sure, will be iK?{ W predated by Merthyr audiences. There ?  two performances nightly and the prices  as usual. The whole company is a very ,$j one and the play should certainly meet l success here that it certainly deserves.

1, THE CENTENARY PLEBS." d j ?, tUlfl I The May "Ples," being the 100th & is a ?festival" issue. Messages on of the Plebs League are contributed b Wp' jp Barker, Tom Mann, Geo. Lansbury, Bob??? liams, A. Bellamy, John Bryan (of the ??' Jack Cade (of the Labour Leader "), vv01jeo Newbold, Alex. Gossip, G. D. H. colel ?y Ewer (whose good wishes are ?pressed in verse) and others. Walton Newbold ??_ striking article (illustrated by a map) ? (jJl" I Struggle for Iron Ore," dealing with the ir and iron fields of Lorraine, on the Fr^O ^Gel,, man border. W. W. Craik replies to No. gfi J lett on the subject of Political Action.??p? ? there are other articles on Democrat ? sia," and To Our Critics "-the latter "I p- spoken onslaught on the anti-Marxi?-.? tP? special cover-portrait of Marx lends SP eci-a I ip" teregt to the number, which is obtsi. ll-% ble (?O- post paid) from Secretary, PIebs" ??? 127 Hamlet Gardens, London, W. (

ARE WE DOING YOUR PRINTIN6 We have the most modern equipment, and good work is quickly turned out by rado ) Unionists at reasonable rates. I 1

I Political Notes. .I oY F. W. JOWETT, M.P. It is now generally understood that the visit of Messrs. Thorne, O'Grady and Saunders to Russia has not been a success. The Petrograd correspondent of the "Sunday Times" reported, directly after the so-called delegation arrived in the Russian capital, that Russian Labour was asking why the British Government and not the British Labour parties elected to send these delegates. The British Ambassador at Petro- grad is doing his best to advertise the delega- tion, but the more assiduously he chaperons the trio and the more suspicious becomes the atti- tude of Russian Labour towards them. » Evidently the cool reception given to Messrs. Thorne, O'Grady and Saunders has had its effect on them. Otherwise it would be impossible to explain the declaration made by Mr. Saunders for the British delegates in favour of peace with- out annexations or indemnities. This means, of course, that they have found it impossible to get a hearing for the views they went to press upon the Socialise and Labour men and women of Russia. No annexations—no indemnities, these are the conditions of peace for which alone the makers of the Russian Revolution will be responsible for carrying on the war. Messrs. Thorne and O'Grady have had to recognise this fact and make their speeches fit in with it. I But this clear insistence on the policy of no annexations is not the only lead that the people of Russia is giving to the world just now. They are also applying democratic principles to the Army and Navy amongst other things. Let me give a remarkable illustration of this fact which the capitalist press has failed to mention. I met a Russian sailor last week who was making careful enquiries regarding Labour and Social- ist opinion in this country. Ho paid a visit to the House of Commons and it was there I met him. He had already beerioto the Labour Party and the Fabian Society. A Russian cruiser on which the sailor was serving happened to be in British waters, so the crew held a meeting and passed a resolution requesting the Captain of the cruiser to provide facilities for one of their number to gather information on matters of im- portance to them from Labour and Socialist or- ganisations in this country. It is impossible to think of such proceedings on board a British warship or to imagine the state of mind and temper a British Commander if he were ap- proached with such a request. The appearance of a Russian sailor in the members' lobby led to many enquiries on the part of press representatives, but apparently the nature of his mission was of a sort the-- had no wish to advertise for they made no mention of the result of their enquiries the following day. Like many another story circulated during this war, that of the alleged German Corpst. Factory has done its work of droping more poi- son into the minds of millions of people. Some day, when the smoke of battle has cleared away and men who are now mad come sane once more, many lies now widely believed to be truths will be exposed and laid bare. From the first, the corpse factory story seemed wildly improbable, for no Government involved in this war would risk the spread of indignation among the people on whom it relied for support by allowing the existence of such a concern to be advertised as has been stated in this case. There is no real evidence in support 'of the story, which, in point of fact, rests solely on the disputed translation of a word. Mr. Ronald McNeill has a question down on the order paper the other day asking the Under Sacretary for Foreign Affairs if he would circu- late the corpse factory story in India and else- where. Evidently the question was an incon- venient one for the Minister concerned and it was withdrawn. Mr. Dillon, however, forced the hand of Mr. McNeill by asking why it had been withdrawn. The result of Mr. Dillon's ac- tion was that the question was afterwards put and Lord Robert Cecil was obliged to confess that the only evidence available in support of the story was that of the newspaper correspon- dent who built up the story on a translation of the word corpse," the accuracy of which is dis- puted. When Mr. Dillon stated that a full de- scription of the processes carried on in the al- leged corpse factory had appeared in German papers and that these descriptions made it clear that only carcases of animals were dealt with there members tried to shout him down. Lord Robert Cecil's part in the proceedings was con- temptible and altogether unworthy of a British Minister. He was anxious to keep the story in circulation, but he dare not say outright that he believed it. The newspapers said it was so, and, if the German Government denied it, he did not know that he had any reason for accept- ing the denial. He stuttered and stammered and prevaricated in his painful effort to avoid oommitting himself to the trurh of the story. It was a most discreditable exhibition of unfair- ness. The Minister of Agriculture in his recet speech in favour of the Corn Production ?? stated that Great Britain could in a few years' time increase the production of food sufficient to provide 82 per cent. of the total food re- quired. This is an important admission, and it shows that the best form of defence for this country is the one advocated by the I.L.P. since its formation, viz., the promotion of agriculture by relieving the nation of the burden of land- lordism and making the welfare of the agTlcul- tural population one of the chief objects of the State. In this connection it is well to point out also that the policy of afforestation which has been the subject of agitation by the I.L.P. from the beginning is also vindicated by present facts. Political leaders are approaching these questions as if they were new. If they will look up I.L.P. literature, however, they will find they have taken up the questions many years after they have been invited to do so.

Outlines of Industrial History I I [CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.] I THE RISE OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIALISM. I Since we have been discussing the machine and the effects of its private ownership, it is only proper that we should turn to a proposed alter- native system, the founders of which for the first time in history laid bare the forces making for the dissolution of the capitalist system. It has been well said that, though the machine has no voice, its victim has one and that this victim-IS forced to cry out in protest and cherish ideas of revolt. Another writer has well described capi- talism as being to the worker a chair with spikes in, which will not allow him to sit content until they are extracted. And thus, in spite of the conservative forces and the power of tradition, the worker will be forced to face things as they are and alter them. "Labour the Atlas of the capitalist system is destined to become its Nemesis." Socialism is a word which came into general use in the third decade of the 9th Century, and it has always been understood to signify a new state of affairs in opposition to capitalism. The adjective "scientific" is used to distinguish this Socialism from the schemes of those Utopians and Idealist Socialists who based their plans for a new state of affairs upon abstract principles rather than upon the logic of the machine and the historical growth of society resulting from the friction between rival classes. Many great thinkers in the past, dissatisfied with the conditions of their times, had drafted out plans for a re-modelling of affairs. Some of them put their plans into practice and experi- mented with communal colonies. Pluto's Re- public," More's "Utopia," Cabet's "Icaria," St. Simon's Industrial System," Fourier's Phalanstery and Robert Owen's New Moral World are the most well-known examples. Scientific Socialism can only be understood by knowing the conditions of its birth and the ex- perience of its founders. At the close of the 18th Century and the beginning of the 19th, society in the two most advanced countries was passing through a change. And this Socialism, fathered by that change, was based not upon ideals, wishes or a subjective change in men's heads but upon the objective processes of society. None of the Utopians saw Socialism as an his- toric necessity or recognised the class struggle in which the workers were the true bearers of progress. The real test of Scientific Socialism is that it explains itself; for its theories clearly same out of the material conditions of the timers. The French Revolution promising the reign of reason had brought the despotism of the fac- tory." The French section of the capitalist class triumphed and the feudal nobility were sent packing. But the proletarian element in the Revolution remained unsatisfied. A new dis- tinct class could be clearly seen for the first time, for whom the Revolution did not go far enough and who in the 19th Century made many revolts against the bourgeoisie. In England, too, a revolution of another sort was taking place. The rapid introduction of machinofac- ture revolutionised the old methods of produc- tion and caused immense misery among the working class, making it feel and express its antagonism to the capitalist here also. To ex- plain these new social facts, new theories were required, and these theories were expressd most clearly by Marx and Engels, the acknowledges (- founders of Scientific Socialism. These, men, hap- pening to be born in Germany, their theories are sometimes dismissed as being foreign and Ger- man by people (e-g., the Fabians) who claim t& have distinctly distinctly British (!) economic theories. As if there was anything national about a scientific theory or as if Socialism was determined by geography. The foolishness of the objection becomes more apparent when it is realised that the forty years of research em- bodied in Capital were spent in England, the classic land of capitalism. Owing to Germany's then backward state, the conclusions could never have been arrived at there. Marx was born in 1818 at Treves. He studied law history and philosophy at the Bonn and Ber- lin universities. His Radical opinions spoiled his chance of appointment as lecturer on philosophy at the former, and he became editor of the "Rhenish Gazette" in 1842. This being sup- pressed, he went to Paris in 1843. Here he met I Proudhon and Heine, and began his famous col- laboration with Frederick Engels, which lasted beyond his death in 1883. Being expelled from I ranee, he resided in Brussels. With Engels he produced in 1848 the famous Communist Mani- festo. After the failure of the uprisings in the same year, he finally settled in London in 1849. Engels (1820-95) was the son of a wealthy cot- ton spinner and destined for a commercial career. But he too became interested in philo- sophy and contributed to the Rhenish Gazette." In 1842 he came to Manchester and became connected with the Owenite and Chartist movements. After 1844 he and Marx were in constant touch with each other and their work became inseparable. Though Engels with be- coming humility always gave Marx the chief credit as the following passage written by him at the death of Marx shows: "I cannot grasp the thought that this genius should have ceased to fertilize with his powerful thoughts the prole- tarian movement of both worlds Whatever we all are, we are through him; and whatever the movement of to-day is, it is through his theore- tical and practical work; without him we should still be stuck in the mire of confusion." Alone, either of these men would have made a mark. Combined, they left behind them works whose true insight and value have not yet been fully appreciated. The poverty and sorrows of Marx, of his family and of his fellow exiles, his activities in the formation of the first" International "-for neither Marx nor Engels were closet philosophers —his herculean theoretic labours, his disdain of popularity, his hatred of phrasemongery and his many other distinguishing traits might be profitaoly followed up by the student i• n Jt1 he graphies which exist. Because, as Wilhebl Wi? necht put it, To-day Marx's UapIta -j,'? nates social and political science like L'?a* r?P' works in the science of natural history. ?,. there is no thinking proletarian in all the coo? tries of the globe who does not know that bbis, Capital is an armoury filled with iit4i weapons that, wielded by the proletary ^jj! ensure its emancipation." t The same writer in the same book IK ar1 Biographical Memoirs," wrote "On ?C/ap ? he was at work forty years—and how rl 9)11 work! Only a Marx can work so. An ?j? not exaggerating when I say: the wOrst day labourer in Germany has receive i?y, wages in forty years than Marx did for a ,Iarli as an honorary fee for one of the two ? ,,test I scientific creations of the century. The one is represented by Darwin's works. d cøJI Science' is not a market value. All we expect that human society would Pay deilotJ cent price for the execution of its own warrant? etj}0 Liebnecht for twelve years shared Marx s, in London, and the following is a glimp Of DOW they spent their time:—" About this they spent their t i me:— ? About this  0 magmficent reading-room of the British ?j with its inexhaustible treasures of books, a ?. been built—and thither, where he I?s??", 3 eel, tain time every day, Marx drove us. To leo?$1 To learn! This was the categorical DnP? .? he frequently he frequently enough loudly shouted to ?_ ?e ? it also was expressed by his exanip,l?l, sole aspect of thi? forever strenuously ??* ?n? mind." ? [Here he mentions the wild plans and  other fugitives, and in contrast to this he 1^sj: "We were sitting in the ]3r' ?3$ Museum and trying to educate ourselves 3 Ila to prepare arms and ammunition for the bat Of the future. bit<), ? Sometimes we would not have had ? ^0 'I but that would not prevent our going Museum—there were at least comfortable  to sit down on, and in winter a cheering Warp,tb —which were missing at home, if one ha? gj\ 1 house or home at all. [TO BE CONTINUED, J