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Stoppage aj Aberaman
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Stoppage aj Aberaman SERIOUS SITUATION. Determined Attitude of the Men. Proposed Drastic Action. t The position of affairs at Aberaman is serious I in the extreme, and it is feared that the lock- out which has taken place will bring about very serious results in view of the very deter- mined attitude of the men and their leaders. mined attitude of the men and their leaders. For some time past,, attempts have been made to fix a price-list in the Gcllydsg seam at the Aberaman Colliery, where a new mechanical borer and coal cutter has been introduced; but although the matter has been before the Con- ciliation Board, the men appointed by both sides of that Board to endeavour to effect a settlement have had to report to the Board that they have failed to do so. In consequence, the owners served all the men at the coiliery, numbering some 1,750 to 1,800 with noticea to terminate their contracts on the 28th of Febru, ary. The men brought this question before the Conciliation Board urging that to give notice to all the men at the colliery was a vio- lation of the Conciliation Board agreement, al though they agreed that the owners were quite within their rights in giving notices to the men working in the Geiiydcg seam, in which the dispute existed. The difficulty in the Geilydeg seam id, of course, the greater, as the new coal borer and cutter has been introduced, which makes it difficult to form a fair comparison between the prices offered by the owners and those demand- ed by the men and the prices paid in the ad- joining collieries. Our correspondent was given the following figures bv the committee as those offered by Mr. Cv G. Hann, the general man ager and agent of tho company, as prices on the seam:—When the scam is from 2ft. lOin. to 3ft. thick, Is. 1M. per ton is paid, increasing as the thickness decreases up to ls. 4d. per ton when th-a seam is only 2ft. 2in. thick, and de creases when the thickness of the seam of coal increases to lOd. when the seam is 4ft. thick There was also a condition laid down that tho management had tho power to place either three or too-. men with each machine, but where four nl'e put to work, an adclitionalld. per ton to be paid for the work done. The price V" to cover everything, including cleaning the top which might come down with the coal up to :in., splitting up the coal when necessary, cleaning and placing it in the tramr. But when the top which came down with coal was over 3in. thick, an additional ld. per ton per inch was alloyed up to 9ft. thick, and a penny per inch WM to be allowed for ripping top where that, was necessary to make height. The men, on tho other hand, asked for Is. 8d. per ton, and in support of their contention they say that the ordinary cutting prico in tho Geilydeg seam is 2. 4id. per ton, but of course in those cases the colliers have to do all the boring, etc., to bring down the conl hemseiveo, while at Aberaman that is done by tb., machine the original Mound of dis- put, has, however, been woil-nisrh lost sight ot by the more recen-, developwnt, seeing that the notices terminated on Saturday nighi., and all the men were practically locked out on the Monday morning. Mr. C. 13. Stanton's contention is that the action of the employers in giving notion to all the men was an illegal one, and P violator, of the Sliding Scale agreement-, a.nd ho advised ihe men to present themselves for work on Monday morning, which they did, practically to a man; but there was no work for them, and it is stated that Mr. Stanton and the Aberaman Colliery Lodge Committee will tost this point, in the court. STRONG MEASURES THREATENED. Meanwhile the matter waa placed for discus- sion at the meeting of tho Central Executive Council of the South Wales Miners' Federation which met on Monday last at Cardiff, under the presidency of M W. Abraham (Mabon), M.P., when, according to the official report, the Council unanimously decided to take the strongest measures possible to resist this at- tempt of the Powell Ouffryn Company to util- ise the present depression Ul trado for the pur- pose of enforcing an unfair price list upon the workmen employed in the Geilydeg eeam, and it was decided to call a. special conforence of representatives cf the whole of the lodges of tha Federation at Cardiff on Monday next, to consider the action of this company. Referenoe was also made to the enormous profits that had t been realised by the Powell Duffryn Co. during the past few yeai"3, and the many unfair condi- tions imposed upon their workmen; and the conference will be asked to consider ways and means for meeting what was described as the new form of tyranny initiated at Aberaman. The Council unanimously favoured the sug- gestion that unless the workmen not affected by the Geilydeg seam dispute be allowed to re turn to work, that the Federation members be asked to contribute a levy of 6d. per week, with a view to calling out tho whole of the workmen employed by the Powell Duffryn Co. in support of their victimised fellows at Aberaman. The general secretary was asked to forego for this week his Parliamentary duties in order to pre- pare and issue a manifesto to the workmen upon the situation. MASS MEETING. ) On Tuesday morning a mass meeting of the workmen was held in the New Publio Hall and Theatre. It was, after a division, decided to hold the meeting in camera, and tho Press had to withdraw, but not before it became apparent that a very strong feeling existed against the action of the employers in the matter. Our correspondent, too, learnt that Mr. C. B. Stan- ten (tho miners' agent) was not present, as ho had left earlier in the day for Cardiff, to con- sult Mr. T. Richards, ¡\1.P.. and other members of the Executive as to the drafting of tho manifesto to the various lodges on the subject.. At the close of the meeting, which lasted a. couple of hours, the following official report was given to our representative:—"A vote of thanks was accorded Mr. Withers for the use of the Theatre for the meeting, and the report prepared by Mr. Stanton (which practically was the same as the official report given above") was submitted by Mr. W. B. Jones, one of the checkweighers. After discussion, it was unanimously resolved that all members of the Federation at present working in Aberaman Colliery should discontinue doing after to- day, and that the management be asked to defer the pay until Saturday next, and that the men be allowed during the week to bting out their took. The meeting, in tho strongest terms, condemned the proposed1 terms for the Geilydeg seam, describing them as tyrrannioa\ in the extreme. A vote of confidence in the committee, checkweighers, and the Agent was unanimously passed, and a deputation appointed to sea the management in reference to the, pay. The meeting was adjourned untu 11 o'clock on Wednesday morning." DETERMINED ATTITUDE OF THE MEN. On Wednesday a. mass meeting of the Aber- aman workmen was held in the New Theatre, which was well warmed by tho management, and proved a very pleasing contrast to the Old Plough Tip, where so many mass meetings to discuss various grievances at the Powell Duff. ryn Collieries have been held in tho past. The Chairman having expressed his pleasure that their agent, Mr. C. B. Stanton, was pre- sent to them, called upon the Secretary to read the manifesto issued the previous day by the Executive of the South Wales Miners' Federation, and the clauses therein referring to the possibility of the whple of. the Powell Duffryn workmen being called out, and that an appeal would be made to the Federation of Great Britain, were cheered again and again. Mr. C. B. Stanton congratulated the men upon having a hall of their own to meet in. It was very different from the Old Plough Tip, where in the past, even in the most inclement weather, they had to meet. He was absent from their meeting the previous day, but he was absent in their interest, as he was engaged with his colleagues in- Cardiff in doing some real work on their behalf, and at times it was more important to be doing than talking (hear, hear). However, it was important that the present position should be mada clear to the public and to the tradesmen among them, for though the question was primarily one for the men themselves, all classes were GO independ- ent that the tradesmen especially should under- stand why the men were out. Generally spNa.k- ing, tradesmen only looked at the effect of a. strike on their own business, and no doubt they had often been bawl hit by giving credit to men who had been dishonest enough not to pay them when the strike was over, and ho wanted those to realise that thai struggle had been forced upon them (hear, hear). Athough these industrial struggles were evil, it was better for to have a short, or. if need be. a long battle than to go on under conditions where men woro vicitimised and tyrannised over and underpaid, while the company was piling up I dividends. He was determined that whether that fight was long or short, that t.hey would loave the marks of their teeth, and claws on the other side (cheery. Dealing with tho, circum- stanoes which lod up to the present struggle* he said that the men at. Aberaman were going on quietly, and work had assumed it normal condition, although the men earned but low wag-as. However, in the Gellydeg SEam, the management introduced a new coal-cutting machine, and when went to Mr. George Hann to attempt to fix a price, he said he would give them 10d. or l. a ton. Was that 1 reasonable way to place a proposal befojo thcm?_ In the past they had to submit, to un- fair prioes, like the Is. lid. in the 4ft. team, at » time when the men could not themselves, hut they were not going to do so all along (hear, hear). While the price offered jn the Geilydeg seam was an unreasonable one, he begg-ed Mr. George Hann to give them a month to work oIl, and try to come to terms. 110 also undertook to arrange that the men should thor- oughly test the amount of work that could be Jone, and then fix a price on that, and he pro- mised he would do everything in his power to induce the men during that period to do a. fair lay's work, although he would not agree to Mr. Hann's suggestion to send the committee ro work there, nor to the appointment of time- s^ePSSSjS. .I \4-- minutes they were taking for their meals, or for any other necessities. While the men offer- ed to accept Is. 8d., and gave Mr. Hann to understand that they woro prepared to discuss any figure between the Is. lid. offered by him and that figure, he declined to more, believing t that in those depressed times he had tha whip in hi3 hands and was going to lay it on tlwir shouidev* (ghame). When he asked Mr. Hann 11 to give them a month to try and settle, he said, "Xo, I will give you thre days." SURPRISED THE DEPUTATION. Indeed, he had surprised the deputation by the way in which he begged Mr Hann to them, but it was all unavailing, and ceniuo the men and himself could Dot settle i ch-puts which effected only CO men—roi 1CO as vv-as said in the manifesto, for he found that he had given the figures too high to his colleagues— they had given notice to wellnigh 2,000 people, and hoped by pinching their wives and children to compel them to submit to an unjust price list for the men in the Geilydeg seam. Things, he admitted, looked black, but as stated in the manifesto, similar things had been going on throughout the coalfield, and tho conciliatory attitude of the workmen's representatives had been mistaken for weakness (hear, hear). They were going to ask the conference on Monday to put a stop to such & condition of things, and to pay an increased levy to meet the funds of the employers, and he did not think that a single Federationist would dare to keep his moneys in his pocket when welinigji ten thous- and men throughout the _jv'nole coalfield were out of work. Colliery proprietors on all sides were asking for concessions from the men be- cause their collieries did not pay Let them show them their Ijooks; they were not going to give concessions to those who, in the past, had piled up dividends. An employer in the Swansoa Vallev was candid enough to toll a deputation of workmen that that particular colliery had been in the habit of paying 20 per cent. dividend, and although at the ex- isting wages they could pay 10 per cent, they ,would be bound to get the men to make a con- 'cession so that they could continue to pay 20 per cent., adding. do not run"our collieries for your benefit" (shame). That, was candid, if brutal, and was only another argument for the State ownership of mines—(loud applause)— which would be beneficial to the workmen, the consumers, and the public at lange (loud ap- plause). That would come, but not before many hard and bitter fights had been fought. But such fights would help, and that fight would help to make the people realise that the Socialist idea was tho true one (cheers). He had before told the manager of the Dvllas Col- liery that it was shameful that he held the key of the cupboard of tho men, and ho said the same to Mr. Georgo Hann, and ho was con- vinced that when the call came the half-starved men at Bargoed, as well as those in the other collieries of the Powell Duffryn Company in tha Aberdare Valley, would come out, and the Company would find that they could not do ¡ what they liked. The time had como when they must either hang together or hang singly (laughter). It was most humiliating for him as agent, and their committee, to appear tjp- fore Mr. George Hann. although he now treat- ed them with civility and courtesy,# and he wished the public to realise the position he (Mr. Stanton) and the ijien had been forced into. He looked forward to a day when strikes wero no more, but a court or arbitration—but that was in the future. As the manifesto said, the Council at Cardiff had been too concilia- tory, and he had warned them that the action they took would be mistaken for weakness, but to-day the Council from tho top to the bottom were determined, and if the employers wished to force the issue then they would have it, and the workmen would put in the first blow (hear, hear). If the conference on Monday would not support the Council then the leaders were pre- pared to tell them it was useless for them to try and lead any longer, and that their Federa- tion was a sham, and had better be given up, and the men keep tho money they paid in their pockets, although they might rely upon it that without a strong organisation they would have very little in their pockets foear, hear). He believed, however, that the men of South Wales only wanted a lead, and that now they had that lead their answer would be unmistakc- able. lie had intended to test the legality of the action of the Company in the law courts, but his colleagues did not see their way clea.r to do and were advised that they could not succeed on those lines, although had he or the men violated the Conciliation Board agreement in the same way they could be had, so there was now no remedy but the drastic one of a. fight, and although that would,6cause them and their families much suffering they would be able to indict somo loes on the Company, and thus touch them in their tender spot (laughter). There would bo, in the future, not many meet- ings nor any appeals to Mr. Hann, but a grim and earnest struggle (loud applause). As Mr. Stanton sat down the Chairman called for more cheers, and these wero given, but Mr. Stanton said, "Keep your cheers until I am in a more difficult position. Until I am in trouble I do not cOJlnt your loyalty by your cheering, but by the way you have stood by me as you did on the Plough Tip" (loud and long-continu- ed applause). HORSES MORE VALUABLE THAN MEN. Coun. T. Bowen, in submitting the report of the deputation that waited on Mr. Hajin, the previous day, in referenoe to tho pay, said that' the Agent erpjressed the opinion of every in- dividual present. He had been wondering while thinking of tho way the Powell Duffryn and other employers .cared nothing for moral responsibility, they cared nothing for human life, but for money and dividend (shame). A horse, indeed, was more-valuable than a human being, for the former ihad to be paid for when it died. He then explained that. Mr. T. L. Da- vies, the manager of the colliery, had agreed to pay on Saturday, the tools to be brought out either Thursday or Friday, but they conld not get any definite reply from him about the house coal nor the hauliers' bonus turn, but he promised to lay both questions before Mr. George Hann. It was then resolved to bring out the tools on Saturday, and to instruct the hauliers to de- mand their money en bloc. A deputation was appointed to attend a. conference at Aberdare that evening to consider the financial position, and Coun. T. Bowen was apointed to attend the conference at Cardiff on Monday. It was also stated that some of the men had paid for I their house coal, which they had not yet had, and it was decided to insist upon the coal be- ing delivered, the men being instructed not to ta £ e back their money, but to get the ooal to which they woro entitled.
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imp, >fI;" J; "u: "1" ;< ;"S- I r;1fj'i.I'< I" "<' a :f; Market Square, || B Merthyr Tydfil, If || Spring, 1909. M S DEAR MADAM,- 'B M May we ask for a moment of your time 1| K while we introduce ourselves? Kg We are aware that to many we need no 11 IS introduction-that stage has been passed long gajt |1 ago to our mutual satisfaction-but there are ||| |H still some who do not know anything about our 11 H capabilities in the direction of securing 11 s Art in the Home. I I To all we say that our Upholstering g ij Department is exceptionally well equipped to B » cater for the re-upholstering, re-covering, polishing, g ■ and general doing up of furniture; the making fl of loose covers for furniture; the supply and IB fl| fitting of blinds, casement curtains, poles, &c.; m. B the re-making of hair mattresses or the supply ||| 8 of new; the planning, altering, and re-making 11 jfljj of carpets, &c. ||? 9| There are many little things that crop up 11 S in every home-they are very annoying at the |g H time—but with the right man called in they can H ■ soon be put right we place the services of the # £ | SB right man at your disposal, and promise you E prompt and careful attention to your commands. B ■ We do not work in a groove, but lay our- Si ■ selves open to meet every requirement. Don't 18 M pass our offer of assistance lightly by-but in || B justice to yourself favour us with your enquiries Sm B when opportunity serves. i| B Yours respectfully, K ) R.T. JONES & CO. | oil }J; 4.1
1> CORRESPONDENCE. I
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1> CORRESPONDENCE. I THE FARMING OF THE DOWLAIS CATHOLIC SCHOOL. 1 Sir.-As your last week's issue contained an aspersion on the characters of the Managers, p4"r and present, of the Dowlais Catholic School —occurring in a letter written by the Mayor— I shall be glad if you will "ive as much promin- ence to my reply as, you gave to the letter The words I take exception to are tho following:— "If, as some of jour members say, we are mak- ing a profit on the schools, it only proves to what extent the schools were farmed before the passing of the Education Act, 1902." A re-, preventative society had written to complain of what they considered to be an injustice, and the Mayor, in replying, thought it befitting his dignity to make an irrelevant and slanderous in- what they considered to be an injustice, and the Mayor, in replying, thought it befitting his dignity to make an irrelevant and slanderous in- sinuation against the priests and others who have occupied the position of Managers. Truly, ti, a pleasant person, this our chief civic function- ary, with manners and jrood taste quite re- markable. Now, to farm a school is an illegal act, and those who do the fanning are rogues and thieves —appropriating to their own use public moneys. Jg that the charge the Mayor wishes to set up? If he will make an explicit statement that the Managers have at any time in the past farmed I th,- Dowlais Catholic Schools, then I will very qui klv tell him, in robust Saxon, what I think cf his veracity, and promptly proceed to prose- cute him for mendacious and malicious libel. We are not much concerned as to what the Mayor or his myrmidons may think or speak of the Managers, but when he qroes the length ■of printing these things over his official sig- nature and thus endeavouring to poison the wells of public opinion, then I will take leave to tell him that he is fightiftg with foul weap- ions and tarnishinr the fair name cf honest men. and I will leave no stone unturned to get a judge of the land to teU him so. So much for fiction. now, then, for Tact. If there has been any farming of the schoo! in the past then one of two things must have happened. Either there was falsification or sup- pression of the accounts. Falsification there was none; but I shall be very glad if the Mayor will make the charge in the same explicit way I have suggested, and then I shall grip him with two hands instead of one. Neither was there suppression. Why, every child in the Techoo) knows that before we were taken over the school accounts were annually posted on the school doors. True, they were never up more than two minutes, because the voung vil- lains invariably tore them down to show their opnfidence in the Managers. The accounts from 187U to the time of taking over are extant and accessible. The originals are in my keening, duly audited, passed by the Inspector, anci du- tdicated at Whitehall. Any one who gives reasonable notice may come and inspect and take notes from them. Therefore, to talk about the srhools having beeD farmed, without detec- tion. is to talk ignorant nonsense. I now proceed to turn the tablei and prove that, the boot is on the wrong lee. The sub- joined lists of income and expenditure during a decade of years from 19C0 to 1009, she fivr> first of which were under the old regime and th? ftve last under the Council present some very interesting information. I omit shillings and Dence: ,-n_- Under the Old Managers. Year Income. Expenditure. Loss. £ £ £ 1900 889 "980 91 1901 871 950 59 1902 <0. 928 977 49 1903 941 1056 115 1904 970 1031 61 Under the Council. Year. Income. Expenditure. Profit. £ £ £ 1905 1234 1098 14f 1906 "I ? 1907 ? ? ? 1903 ? ? ? 1909 1 ? ? Here, then, we get down to the bed-rock of thing. and find it to be an historical fact that the only people who have ever farmed the Dow- lais R.L School are tho Merthyr Tydfil Local Education Authority During five years the old Mirugers kept the schools poing with a vary- ing but, always adverse balance In the first year after taking them over, the Council, by pursuing the starvation policy, realised a profit of L145. Of ths sum they had to disgorge elOO bv way of fine to the Board of Education, for having per- sistently neglected to staff the school efficiently. The amount, of course, was cropped from the pranrs, but the money had been earned by the f.chco!. and the me f.hould nave been imposed on the pockets of the unholy triumvirate who hai worked the ipischicf. Now for :1. further point. What has been the inoorn? and expenditure of this school for tho past three years? I have given the figures un- der the old regime, and anyone who wishes may ■rom-t nnd BT-'pin." the details. Why rè<\ the
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Proposed Drastic Action.
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Proposed Drastic Action. A committee of the Executive Council of the South Wales Miners' Federation met on Tues- day at. Cardiff, having been authorised to deal with the attitude taken up by tho Powell Duf- fryn Company. The committee issued the fol- lowing manifesto criticising the attitud^ of the company, and indicating the steps which will be advocated at a conference to be held in Cardiff on Monday next. The following is the text of the manifesto:— Fellow Workmen.—You will have been in. formed of the general conference of represen- tatives of the Federation to be held in Car- diff on Monday next, March 8th. Your Council havo been obliged to adopt*- this course in consequents of the serious ( situation created in the coalfield by the largo number'Of workmen thrown \out employ- ment by the employers taking advantage of the present depression in trade to relieve themselves of their obligations nnder the Conciliation Board agreement by stopping their collieries and trying to enforco reduc- tions in wages, and the stopping of whole col- lieries under the pretext of disputes having I been inquired into by. thè Conciliation Board and failure to apree reported, notwithstanding that the said dispute only affected a small • percentage of the men employed at the col- liery. Your Council have for a long timo endea- Toured to prevent serious strife with the employers by levying the Federation mejnbers in support of the workmen thrown out of em- \1 ployment through these and other causes un- til they are compelled to believe that, their conciliatory attitude has boen regarded by the employers .as an indication of weakness, and they nave been confirmed in this conclu- sion by the tyrannical attempt of the Powell Duffryn Company in locking out nearly 2,000 workmen to try to enforce an unfair price- list upon the workmen of the Geilydeg seam, Aberaman, in which at present only about 100 workmen a.re employed. This action on tho part of tho Powell Duffryn Company, although similar in some respects to what has taken place with ether firms in the coalfield iu a lesser degree, many of them having mado large profits in the past, is the more astound- ing when it is considered, what enormous profits have been realised by the Powell Duf- fryn Company in recent years: We append the published profits realised by this oompanv for the last five years, which are a5 follow:—1904, £243,512; 1905, £164.535; 19C-6, £218,951; 1907, £441,0ó5; 1908, ] £406,319. Making a. total of £1,479.382. Thus it will be seen that the Powell Duf- fryn Company have realised in profits during J the last five years nearly £500,000 more than ] the total capital invested in the concern, and [ yet they are avaricious enough to lock-out j nearly 2,000 of their workmen in order that by the suffering and hunger of their wives and children they may be enabled to enforce conditions upon a. hundred workmen that they object to. Your Council feel that your organisation r will be unworthy of the naTiie of a Trade ï Union that professes to pro.tect its members, if the Powell Duffryn Company are allowed to do this without being opposed to the bitter j end hy the whole of the members of the Fed- 1 oration. j At the conference on Monday next ways a.nd means for doing so will be discussed, 1 and the suggestion considered that the,Fed- 1 eration members rJlall pay a levy to raise 1 funds for calling out the whole of the work- men employed by the Powell Duffryn Com- pany. • We fee! strongly that this, or some simi- 1 larly drastic action, must be taken if we are to continue to exist as an organised body of ] worker?. S £ &towpl £ te Iajipg tbs whole p.5i-, tion before the Miners' Federation of Great Britain. (Signed) W ABRAHAM, President. W. BRACE, Vice-President. ALFI). ONIONS, Gen. TreaSi The manifesto is also signed by the following: D. Watts Morga.n, John Williams, M.P., Ben Davies, C. B. Stanton, Vernon Hartshorn, W. E. Morgan W. Harris G. Barker, James Man< ning, Tom Evans, Tom Harris, John Thomas, Enoch Morrell, Wm. Vyce, John Davies, John Williams, Tom George, Hubert Jenkins, JameS Winstone, W. H. Morgan,, D. Morgan, J. D. Morgan, Tom Lucas, Evan Thomas, Charlet Edwards, ana Thomes Richards, general sea rotary.
1> CORRESPONDENCE. I
Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu
figures under Council regime an impenetrable I secrot It is a mere beating of the air for the Mayor to flourish an Eldorado picture of the money at present paid to the teachers. We are quite aware we are better off than we were —legislation has done that for us, not the Coun- cil. What the public want is to see, not one side of the account, but both, and both together. They tell us that money is spent, but we want to know where it comes from. What are the grants? How many and how much are they? In the year 1905 they jumped up over £ 250. How much have they increased in the inter- vening years? The Council receive a lump um of many thousands under the head of aid and special grants. How is this money allocated? Does our school receive its due proportion or does it receive more? If only the first, then un- doubtedly we are on the rates. If the second (and thia is quite within the discretion cif the Council) then, hey presto! we are off the rates, and thue, by a juggling fictionj we are hoisted and lowered to suit the exigencies of the situation. In conclusion, sir, in order that the above numerous interrogations may have an answer, I will make the Council a sporting offer. If they will appoint, ma half-an-hour to examine their school accounts for the past four years. with Coun. Simons to aid and abet me, then they may come in force with the whole galaxy of financial talent at their disposal, to examine mine. with liberty to carry off all "farmed pro- duce" they can lay hands on. The stock at. present consists of a healthy and growing over- draft on Lloyds Bank, and if the Mayor and his merry rron will do me the kindness to annex this, vv hti,en, I will wish them joy of their bargain, and bid them good-bye without a pang.—I am, sir, vours faithfullv. R. M. CANON LT7CAN. St. Ilhyd's, Dotvlais, 3rd March, 1909. WHAT DO CATHOLICS WANT? Sir --Permit me to reply to Mr. Mansfield's postscript, which appeared in your last issue, and which was intended as a reply to my let- ter of the week before. In the first place, the statement is made that I have taken up a posi- tion that has nothing whatever to do with their eate. I beg to differ from him, for the position that I have taken up is an accurate one, so far as the question of Trade Unionism and the so-called Voluntary School teachers is concern ed. for we cannot allow one section of a Trades Union to have privileges which are denied to the other members in general, as it is the essence of Trade Unionism that each one shall have equal opportunities to obtain work, and the abolition of all tests which are not neces- sary for the proper discharge of those duties, and an equity of conditions. I do not know whether the N. U.T. have been converted to those principles yet; if they have, then we can all say with the poet, "There's a good time coming." I am, indeed, extremely sorry if I have made such an egregious mistake in writ- ing about Catholic schools, when I did not, even know what Catholio schools were, es- pecially when I could so easily find out; but your correspondent has kindly informed me what. Catholics mean by Catholic schools, and having assimilated that information, t.he egreg- iousness of the mistake is not manifest to your humb'e servant. Whether it is that I am ob- +ii.or obyhnate I know not, but tliw is the information: "A Catholic school is not called a Cafho'ic ehool because a number of religious fact;><, or dogmas which Catholics believe are taucrht in it." Now that is what I would ca.11 a Catholic school, and a school where the tenets of the Church, of England were taught, I would call it an Anglican school, just the same as Baptists denote their colleges because their crerd and tenets are taught thare. But your correspondent states that "a Catholic school is Catholic because the spirit of the school is Catholic, the surroundings Catholic, the atmosphere generally intensely Catholic, and go the conditions which Catholio parents demand are fulfilled." Quite so: I agree with him, but he is not quite fair when he divide,, the superstructure from the foundations, for all the?e attributes are an adjunct of the teaching of the creed and dogmas of the Catholic re- li!r' on. After the assimilation of these creeds and dogmas, the effloresce of th^ Catholic faith i apparent, and the Catholic spirit ;s produced and anything contrary or detrimental to that faith and spirit- is not allowed in or taught in the school. Thus the I'lU-round;ng!' are Catholic, and can anyone wonder that un- der such conditions thf atmosphere is gener- ally intensely Catholic? The egregiousness of my mi«tafce is not quite so apparent after all, but :tit! that may be due to my crass ignor- ance. Your correspondent complains about- my com- parison of the men in the mines, and men o.n<l women who teach in schooils. I r-liOTi!<? Hko him to look over that analogy again, for it. is a correct one: and explains th» position lurid- ly. His comparison of the Workmen'? Pick Fund and the blast furnar-emen and trailer- men is rather ot novol one to come from that nuarter, csnec>a!ly when the claim is set fc-ri-b that, that, is their ca.se. I may aJ?o Ray that :t is the case for me to araruo 11 nan. "No con- trol no cash" is well illustrated now by a pro- tagonist of the Voluntary school system, and can lie complain when others follow his esram- o!e by trying to get representation with taxa- tion ? If these so-called Voluntary schools are to be maintained out of publio money, they must be managed by n'il>li<;lv elected tnen and women, and resnonsible to the community for their eood management. That is a condhVon which JOUI correspondent do^s not require; be .r. p, simply wants the rates that the Catholics pay, and no others. Now that sounds very plaus- ible, but it is not feasible, for all rates are the property of the community, and as such are public money, and must be used under public management. The law of the land pays that every child must rcceive an elementary educa- tion, and the of imparting that education is a charge upon the community. If those are educated up to certain points, so that they are I enabled to their examinations, the commu- nity is subsidised so much per head out of the National purse (still public money). But the ¡ law does not state that the child must be given a religious education, for the State realises that it cannot meddle in religious affairs. It has realised that it is absoluteilj nectary to educate the children so that they wil become good citizens of the nation, able to take part in industry, commerce, and the fine nrts, and to conduct themselves as human beinss. so that Society as a whole will be protected from the outrages of uneducated beings. For these purpose? the nation taxes itself, and empowers I the various communities to levy rates on all householders, irresoective of the fact of rLpir being Catholics. Nonconformists. Anglicans, or "Nothingarians" I am not so sure that your correspondent does not want more than the rates paid by the Catholics. He would still want the Government grants, and how will he know that he does not receive some Anglican, "Nothingarian. or Nonconformist taxes? How could he discriminate between them? I shall be much obliged if he will let- me know. In the issue of the week before last I asked your correspondent a question. He replies by ask- ing me—a nice way of answering—how can I justify the condition of the staffing of the Dow- lais R.O. School? I don't attempt to justify the state of affiirs which exists there, but con- demn them and blame those who aro responsi- ble for such mismanagement. If thov cannot manage them better, they should mako way and leave others to do so.—Yours, etc.. J. E. Dowlais. COUNTY COUNCIL TECHNICAL CLASSES CERTIFICATES. Sir,—I attendee, the meeting at the Council Chamber, Town Hall, for the distribution of certificates to the students of the Technical Classes of the Session 1907-08 on February 25th last, and found tho whole affair distinctly dis- ) pleasing. First of all, certificates were given to the successful students from a list of names alphabetically arranged, without any mention being made of the subjects in which the various scholars had achieved success. Secondly, I find that the shorthand speed certificates did not contain the different rates of speed tried by the many phonographers, which rendered those certificates practically valueless to the holders, for in that particular item lies the chief interest to everyone concerned in the clerical r1 part- ment of commercial life. Thirdly, Mr. \V. L. Daniel and others had no right to attribute to the efforts of Mr. Isaac Williams (organizer of the Technical Classes for the Session 1908-09) the great educational results of the previous winter, thus practically ignoring tho work of the whole of the teachers engaged at Evening Technical Classes during the period referred to.—Yours respectfully, EVAN JOHN. Pentrebach, Feb. 23tL 1909. TARIFF "RE¥0fLi" OR "TARIFF" REVIVAL? Sir,—Tho political party that is seeking to change the fiscal policy of this country has ob- tained a tactical advantage by the assumption of the title "Tariff Reformers," for the implica. tion that the word "reform" carries with it is i hat of improvement. This tactical advantage has been, in my judgment, considerably increaa- d by the acquiescence of their opponents in the title so assumed. I believe that the Free Trade party has made a serious mistake in allowing to remain unchallenged the claim of the new Protectionist* to appear in the political world as "reformers"; and the mistake, though qualified, has not been quite neutralised by sometimes placing the designation in inverted commas. But even now it is not 000 late for them to make their protest by adopting some other description of those who wish to bring about once more the conditions that obtained in the "hungry forties." The names I suggest for the policy which we oppose, and for the supporters of that policy, are respectively, "Tariff Revival" and "Tariff Revivers." It is, however, not likely that those names will be generally adopted by the Free Trade Party unless the whole of the Free Trade press simultaneously begins to make use of them. I am, therefore, sending this letter to editors of F1." Trade papers throughout the country, with the suggestion that from this date I these new names shall be adopted as some in- dication that we, on our aide of the fiscal con- troversv, at any rate, do not regard the present ) proposals as being in the direction of reform, but. rather, as being a revival of an old dia- credited policy which was long ago tried and found wanting.—I a.m. Sir. vours. etc., HERBERT M. THOMPSON. 1 Whitley Batch, Llandaff, March 1st, 1909. t ♦ 4 THE FRENCH TARIFF. Sir,—There is a lot of excitement in this country over tho proposed increase in French tariffs. Our manufacturers are aware that an increase in French tariffs will mean that we increase in French tariffs will mean that we shall do a smaller export trade with France. Why not consider our honw trade from a simi- lar standpoint? If we put a duty on foreign manufactured articles, we should encourage our home industries and lessen unemployment in this country.—Yours truly, B. I LIGHTING THE MERTHYR WORKHOUSE AND INFIRMARY. Sir,—I noticed, when reading the "Merthyr Express" the other day, that the Guardians had received a letter from the Ga.s Company point- ing out soma interesting questions in respect of the proposed improvement to the lighting of tho Workhouse and the new Infirmary, to which I should like to offer a humble criticism. Amongst other things, a challenge given to the Traction Company is mentioned. So far so good, but let us pause and consider for the moment the progress made all over the country during the last three years. If gas is cheaper, why are Osra.m and other electric lamps and itssf-allations still in such great demand? and why are "all the supply companies, large or small, London and provinciaj, rapidly extend- ing their business in the faco of such a formid- able challenge? But is it after all so much a question as to whotber gas is cheaper than elec- 1 trioity, or electricity cheaper than gas? What are the majority of the other similar institutions doing, and what do they say? What they invariably say bears out the follow- ing point-:—Steady illumination and better maintained candle power (if results are taken after three weeks' burning); cleanliness, which is the point which seems to be predominant in large buildings where the question of saving is being considered; healthiness, which no man with a gram of science in him can deny; last, but not least, convenience. The saving is not, in my opinion, light for light. This is surely an exploded idea, and M. sruming that the challenge, were accepted and electricity knocked out, things are no "forra. der," because the points I have previously men- tioned have still to be considered and digested, and the latter process, I am afraid, would take rather a long time, M this subject would weigh heavy.—Yours faithfully, A RATEPAYER. March 1st, 1509. NORTH GLAMORGAN ORCHESTRAL I SOCIETY'S CONCERT. Sir,—I was greatly surprised, on reading I the criticism of the concert given by the North Glamorrran Orchestral Society, and have come to the conclusion that it is unjust and, what is more, untrue. I was said to have played "Frulings Erwachen" (' Spring's Awakening"), "Lied ohn Worte" (song without words), by Emile Bach. Such wae not the case. I played for the second tims only in England, a ''Re- verie," written expressly for the horn by the I celebrated Russian composer, Alexandre Glaz- ounow. Such an elaborate solo, comprising as it did t.hre-3 cctavea, and also including the mated horn, could not possibly have suggested itself to our worthy critic as a "Song without words," a.nd especially by Emile Bacn. How- ever, of this nothing more need bo said, but a litt-o explanation might have Vxxm offered, had our critic thought it necessary, from our worthy I conductor, and would have enabled my receiv- ing the proper criticism due. It has {riven me great pleasure to tabs part at this Society's concerts, and I can conscientiously say that what has been dono reflects the greatest credit on all concerned, more especially our taknted conductor, whom, I am sru-e, we all feel justly proud of. We are aware that Sir Alexander Mackenzie. Sir Frederick Bridge, and others have said repeatedly that we are very much behind in our orchestral music, but such a criticism of so young a. society cannot poesibly art as a stimulant to the cause. It is not my wish to oontinue this controversy, but I should be most happy to meet our worthy critic at your offices or anywhere he may suggest, when, perhaps, I might convince him as to the truth of my remarks.—I am. Sir, vours faithfullv. RALPH LIVESEY. 4, Manvers Place, Bath, March 2nd, 1909. PUBLICATIONS FOR THE FREE LIBRARIES. Sir,—With reference to tho letter in your last week's issue ansnt the above, and over the signature of Basil G. Jones, I am afraid your young correspondent forgets, or is. per- haps, too young to realise the faot that the Free Library is purely a social institution, c.nd not intend'ed as th* rendezvous for aoquiring technical knowledge. If our young friend wants text-book knowledge, let him seek it in the proper quarters. The Free Library is an institution for intellectual recreation and not technical instruction. The selection of publica- tion* for tho desks of tlio Library must be left, to the discretion of the committee, otherwise we i shall soon have all the patrons of the numerous prints of questionable standard, for the benefit of its voracious readers, asking for the same favour as Basil G. Jones. PRO BONO PUBLICO. THE CORPORATION AND CYFARTHFA PARK. Sir,—Before the Corporation will finally ooni- pl-ste the gurcbaae 9f tLe Qyfar&fa Caetle acd .4. P' Park, I wish to draw the attention of the out- lying districts to the fact that this park will bo the only park for the Borough—tho ex- Mayor having told the Government Inspector that t-he schemes for the other park- were to be abandoned if tho Corporation succeeded in obtaining the sanction of tho Local Govern- nient Board to the purchase of Cyfarthfa Park. Besides, we havs independent testimony that the ex-Mayor oniy expressed the views of the Public Works Committee. In the "Western Mail," Oct. 22nd, 1903, the following item an- peared under the title of "The High Price of Land" was atated at the MerthjT Public Works Committee on Wednesday that for c, site for a recreation ground at Pant Dawlai", Mr. Ed. Davies, J.P., £6e0 per acre for land, and Messrs. Guest, Keen, and Nottlefolds asked a ground rent of 2d. per yard. It was decided to offer Mr. Davies £ 100 per acre, and to try to get a reduction in the price quoted by the company. The terms offered by the owners of land at Troedyrhiw and Aberfan, which it wis proposed to convert into recreation grounds, were regarded by the committee'as too pro- hibitive to be entertained, and these schemes were shelved, the Mayor observing that they should wait until the new Land Act of the Government was passed, bscauso it would be folly to go to arbitration and have to pay ex- orbitant sums." One thing is perfectly certain that after the Corporation will squander £ 20,000 on the Ca^tla and Park, in addition to the One thing is perfectly certain that after the Corporation will squander £20,000 on the Cvf8.rthfa and Park, in addition to the £18000 purchase money, the ratepayers will nnver permit the outlying districts'to have If they want parks at Dowlais, Trc- harris, Merthyr Vale, and Troedyrhiw, now i-3 their tune to wake up.—-Yours truly, T. J. RICE. THE EIGHT HOURS DAY AND THE PRESENT REDUCTION. Sir,—Baing a constant reader of your valu- able paper and a member of the South Wales Miners Federation, I should like verv much • to express my opinion on tho Eight Hoursjjfco l and the present reduction. -M'irst, I think Tuiit I, the reduction was not duo :om by the sell- ing price of coal. Lord St.. Aldwyn said there was not much margin foi the Hecision that ho had given that day, but on thi whole the facts warranted it. Now, what are these facts? We as miners ought to know them. Were these facts owing to the slackness of trade in the steel and iron trades, that the price of coal went up so high that they could not keep those trades going? If that was so, why did not out employers keep the price of coal at the sixty per cent, above the, standard, instead of run- ning it up thirty or forty per cent. above the sixty per cent.? Now, because it just touched a. small margin of the sixty per cent, they claimed a depression in trade. When they were pocketing thirty or forty per cent., there was no talk about depression in trade. If they k.apt the price of coal at tho sixty per cent., we should have a longer life of good wages. Let us claim a fai- ballot through South Wales before we go in for any negotia- tions. Now that the eight hours per day is coming into force, I suppose the masters intend asking for another reduction, as far as I can under- j stand from the last meeting When his Lord- ship gave his decision in favour of the owners the chairman said they might call on him again I at the end of three months. That doss not look very brisrht for us and the eight per day. but the young people should look aftei their own interests. There will be a n-ew agree ment drawn up again, very likely for the worst- In the last agreement that we had. they fixed our standard 3d. higher than they ought to. Taire, the alteration in our sliding soale in 1892. As far as I remember, instead of having 10 oer cent, on the selling price of coal, we had only 8? per cent., and were glad to work on those terms. Then, again, take 1398. When the audit showed 5 per cent. ad'/aiioe. we came out on strike for five months, after which we wont to work with the loss of Mabop's Day, which was a crreater loss to us as mineri than 10 per cent. in wages. So every alteration has been a. loss to us as workmen. Go back thirty years, and there has been nothing got in new agree I ni!en«' j^le beneflts receive remind ros of the Prodigal Son, who jftcr spend'nn his sub- stance had to return to his father who reoeiv-ed him with a joyous weVome and om.ojo. I hope that we shall hoar music before it becomes a strike.—Yours truly, FEDERATIONIST. l WELSH DISESTABLISHMENT. Sir,—In your issue of the 20th ult appeared a letter under the above heading lamenting its practical shelving, and pleading for renewed activnty in its interests. Kindly allow me to deal with a few points of that letter, summar- lsed as follow(1) Your correspondent states that Disestablishment emphaticaliv pro. mised at the last Generai Elation as a step to ultimate "religious equality' both in Eng- land and Scotland; while, as a. matter of fact, an analysis of the election addresses showo that with the exception of h. D. Lloyd George not a single member or the present Ministry mentioned the subject, either direct- ly or indirectly, whilst ten English and fifteen Welsh members specifically referred to ) DmestablishnK in their election 6<ldLi>3«^sGfi. "Chinese Slavery" and Fiscal questions were rather more the issues; Disestablishment was certainly not one. By "religions equality," I presumo he means Disestablishment. Surely, he knows that Presbyteri&nism is the establish- ed religion of Scotland. Does his "Free" Church conscience object to this also? (2) He also says that State supremacy in matters of religious faith and practice cannot be justified either by geogr^Dhical boundary or numerical majority. I have never heard of anyone arguinjg in favour of the State recog- nition of religion from either of those standi points. The principle of subjection to the supremacy and supervision of the State is the same with the so-called "Fnee Churches" as the Established Church. The fact is there is no getting away from the State or its Jawis in matters of religion, whether we are "Free' or "Established." (3) He then piously points out the importance of "religions equality" as affecting the unity and growth of Christendom, and adds: "Every political measure of Social reform and the ad- vance of the nation is held in abeyance bv the perpetual alliance of State religionists with one political party." In other words, he would have us believe that were the Church disestablished, religious peace, unity and con- ) cord would prevail. This argument, in my opinion, is a false one, as evidenced by the case of Ireland, where Disestablishment has pro- duced, instead of peace and unity, increased bitterness. Also, he would have as believe that non-established religionists hold the monopoly of desire for social reform. This is indeed a piece of characteristic "Free" Church bigotry. And were it the fact—which it is not—that the "State religionists" are In "perpetual alliance with one political party," have they not equal rights with the "Free' Churches in the matter of political selection ? And if their influence is as he states, what is the matter with the muoh-vAunted "Free" Church Government majority? And mirely your correspondent would not deny the alliance of the "Free" Churches with a political party? If so, let him read what the Rev. Thomas Law, General Secretary of the National "Free" Church Council, said to a "Daiiy Chronicle" interviewer on August 27th, 1903: —"He had been in close and constant associa- tion with the official Whips of the Liberal I Pa.rty with reference to the selection of candi- dates. I am able toxsay," he added, "on the best authority, that candidates have now been found for most of the constituencies throughout the country. We must return a. sufficient number of Nonconformists to dominate the Liberal Party." Again, the "Methodist Times" for March 16th, 1905. stated:—"It is frankly admitted that the Free Church Cbun- cil is in a sense a political organisation; that it is a fighting wing of the Liberal party." CI) He then very kindly stylos these State religionists a great and sacred body of Christ ians," but because of its "State bondage" re- mains the hostage and the leverage of every confederacy that seekB to sacrifice the national interest to its own selfish aims"; and concludes by urging "professing Christians to awaken I to their higheist political responsibility." I have yet to learn what he means by "State bon- dage. For a oertainty tho Church parson and layman enjoy as much freedom at least as these of the "Free" Churches. And if the Church does suffer in this respect at all, it is chiefly through the obstructionist policy of political Nonconformists, who prefer that- the Church should suffer disabilities in order that they may exploit them to her disadvantage. It certainly ill becomes your correspondent— evidently a political Nonconformist—to charge the Church with being a political lever, in face I of the fact that at the last General Ejection the leaders of the Free Church Council scoured the country in motor cars, doing political or- ganisation, and wera publicly thanked by the late Premier for their "valuable help." If we apply the term" "leverage" and "confederacy" to the Free Church Council and the Apolitical Nonconformists, we shall strike the root cause ¡ of the attitude of the Labour party on tho Ad- dress debate in the House last week, when they resolutely proclaimed for sociai and eco- nomic reforms. "We are not going to vraste our time on Disestablishment and education wrangles. We are just wasting our time here if wo are going to talk about such insignificant subjects. Let us di-cuss more vital topics II or go out and shake the dust of tho paüo off our feet." Theee were some of the statements made. What does Disestablishment represent ] to t.he unemployed? What f-olaoe is to be found during a period of industrial depression in the ejection of a parson from his school at, the <!e- I mand of the prosperous. weM-fed. middle-ch'*? J Nonconformist? This was the nature of the challenge thrown at the Government and at the House of Commons by the Labour party, and I it represents correct,Iv the feeling of the massec, it represents oprredJy the feeling of the massec, of this country.—I am. voun; truly. j LABOUR CHURCHMAN, j Beaufort. t