Llais Llafur

Notice of Removal W. WILLIAMS JEWELLER, &c. Begs to announce that he has REMOVED back to his NEW PREMISES at 29, CASTLE STREET SWANSEA SPECIALITIES 18ct. Gold diamond, Ruby and Sapphire Engagement Rings, 22ct. Gold Wedding Rings, 18ct. Gold Keepers, Gold and Silver Watches. Gymru hoff, dewch at y Cymro- Os am heirdd fodrwyau aur, Oriaduron ac awrleisiau, Gemau a chadwynau claer: Yspectol gelfydd, hin-fynegydd, Gwres-fesurydd, cwmpawd mor, Geir gan Williams, Heol-y-Castell, Trowch i mewn i wel'd ei stor. If. 11 Lacil | The Up-tc-date jj 1 LONDON TAILOR Who serves you  personally and j Cuts All Garments HimseH "J ?' J Specialists in i\ j I MOURNING ORDERS. !tj 222, High Street SWANSEA M

MR. ASQUITH AND THE MINERS. The deputation representing the Miners' Federation of Great Britain, that attended on Mr. Asquith to urge their views on the Minimum Wage Act, did not obtain much satisfaction from the Prime Minister's replies. They requested the inclusion of siirfacemen under the provisions of the Act, the recognition of one week as the period for averaging wages, the increase of rates for all grades by ninepence a day, and asked for housing reform in min- ing districts. On all these points the reply of Mr. Asquith was polite but non-committal. It was plain that the extraordinary pre- judice against inserting figures in the Minimum Wage Act still lingers in his mind, hut he offered no new reason for treating miners differently from judges, Cabinet Ministers, and Mem- bers of Parliament. Nothing could be more weak and trifling than his dismissal of the eiaim to include the surfacemen on the ground that mechanics, stokers, etc., in all factories or other industries would be entitled to make a similar claim. Similarly he might have refused the Minimum Wage Act two years ago, on the ground that the miners were not the only underpaid workers in the country, and to grant them a conces- sion would have laid the Government open to a similar claim from other un- derpaid workers. On the question of housing he gave an indefinite promise to consider the .matter, and declared that the housing on mining districts was a reproach to civilisation. In all mining districts the Liberals have until recently held abso- lute sway in local and national politics, and the admission of the Premier is a very serious reflection on the public spirit of the Liberals engaged in local government. Replying to a suggestion about mak- ing the canals of the country workable Mr. Asquith pointed out that it would ccet twenty millions, whereupon some- one antlv reminded him that the Government did not appear to have much difficulty in finding millions for Dreadnoughts. These evasive and unsatisfactory re- plies of Mr. Asquith point once more the moral to miners that they must send their own men to represent them in Parliament. It is useless—worse than useles. folly-t-o depend on the Liberals, who are far more apt to take the coal owners' view than to regard mining questions from a broad social and humanitarian standpoint. The replies are valuable, too, as in- dicating the kind of arguments fl-tt official Liberalism will put forward noxt year when the period for which the present Act is in force expires. It is a. well-known fact that efforts are V- made to present simultaneously the de- rr>nnd'? of the minors, rail way men, and transport workers, and to back the prrven'nt'on with a joint strike j" nr- Wo aci-'nri as a strike will he y, b i-L n-e'l t, be prepared. It is more than probable that the demands of the miners will be among the first things to be considered by the new Parliament. Now is the time for the leaders to make effective prepara- tions for winning every possible mining constituency at the next election. Every miners' representative returned to the House means one more person on the lfoor of the House to voice the miners' demands, and one more vote to go into the lobby against the Liberal and Tory coalowners' and capitalists' votes. We hope that the South AVales Miners' federation is fully alive to this fact. They should lose no time in appointing, temporarily, at least, a full- time organiser in every constituency. It is not enough for the miners to have their quarrel just: they must be well-armed. —————— <<*<<.——————

Dean Inge, the gloomy, of St. Paul's. I thinks that the clergy should not bo concerned with politics, because any average citizen can talk about temper- ance or the housing of the poor of the iniquities of ground landlords. That is true. We have had enough talk about these things: what we need is action. I During the past week Mr. D, A, Thomas has been handing out advice to the miners' leaders, the education- ists, the Syndicalists, and to business men who enter politics. It would be a. good thing if Mr. D. A. Thomas could bring himself to be as liberal in paying wages to the miners at Tony- pany and elsewhere as he is in giving advice to the world in general. The cleverest boy or girl in the ele- mentary school, says Sir James Yoxall, used to be made a pupil teacher, but nowadays goes to a secondary school. and thence into commerce or applied science. That is true of some clever pupils. Sir James, but in the Swansea Valley quite a lot of clever boys from the elementary schools, because their parents are poor, go from the elemen- tary schools into a pair of white duck trousers, and thence into a pit for practising the applied science cf coal cutting.

WHY DON'T YOU DO SO? Hundreds of people suffer from Colds and Coughs, especially Bronchitis, at this time of the year. Howell, Chemist, Ystalyfera, has got THE THING for these sufferers. Now ia your time. Why If Howell says so—it's right Howell specialises in the cure of Bad Legs, especially in the aged. You should never go anywhere but to Howell, Chemist, Ystalyfera. Why ? If Howell says so—it's right! Bring your National Insurance paper to Howell, Chemist, Ystalyfera. Why? If Howell makes up your medicine it will be right. Chwi Ffermwyr y cylchocdd yma, » ofs op?Fy). cidion. mochyn, mm ddafad > g.f £ o;m-h ? Dewch at Howell, Chemist. Vs'aiyfpra. i'w gwellha. Y 'cd(lgjni::h oreu yn unig wneir i fvny ganddo.

From Labour's Stands point. NOTES OF THE WEEK. SOUTH AFRICAN DESPOTISM o have now become accustomed to the autocratic and high handed man- ner in which the South African Govern- ment quell industrial unrest in that country, and are almost prepared to take the calling out of the military, and the imprisonment of active strike leaders as a matter of course, hut their latest and more daring methods of breaking strikes are well nigh incon- ceivable. The deportation of ten re- sponsible Labour and Trade Union offi- cials on the trumped up charge that they induced men to remain out on strike is a piece of outrageous des- potism reminiscent of Czardom, and it is no surprise to learn that this un- warranted attack on individual liberty is arousing the keenest resentment both in South Africa. and in this country. The leaders were placed on board a steamship last week, and were further insulted by the presence of a strong military escort. It is stated that the boat will not touch land until England is reached, but already active prepara- tions are being made by Labour and Socialist organisations to give the exiled leaders a right hearty welcome to these shores. LABOUR CONFERENCE AND PLURAL VOTiNG I Undoubtedly, the most important matter coming before the Labour party conference at the closing session last week-end was a resolution on Plural Voting. Mr. W. Stephen Sanders, of the Fabian Society, moved a reso- lution requesting the Parliamentary Labour Party to vote against any Plural Voting Bill unless a Government measure enfranchising women had been previously introduced. Mr. Ramsay Maedonald opposed the resolution in a logical, well-reasoned, and effective speech, and urged that the Plural Vot- ing Bill was not realh* a franchise Bill at all; it was a registration Bill. Mr. Keir Hardie supported the reso- lution, but was not very convincing in his appeal to the audience to give it their approval, and Mr. Arthur Hen- derson replied with censiderahle effect to the orevious speaker's remarks. Eventually, the resolution was defeat- ed by 1,850,000 to 89,000. We are glad of this decision, lieliev- ing with Mr. Macdonald and Mr. Hen- derson that Plural Voting has not the remotest connection with women's suff- rage. Tho passing of such a measure would not enfranchise a single addition- al person, man or woman. On the other hand it would lessen the influence of those who now have more than their share of political power. Much as we desire to see adult suffrage, we also desire to see the abolition of plural voting, believing^bat even if the pass- ing of such a measure would strengthen the Liberal cause, it would also assist in the advancement of the Labour and Socialist cause. THE NEW PRESIDENT We have no doubt that the action of the Labour party executive in elect- ing Mr. W. C. Anderson as chairman for the ensuing year will meet with general approval from the rank and file. Mr. Anderson is yet a young man, but he has rendered almost in- valuable service to the movement dur- ing the past ten or fifteen years. En- tering as an official of the Shop Assis- tants' Union, he afterwards became identified with the Independent Labour Party, and as a Socialist propagandist, has played a no unimportant part in the recent development of the move- ment. Mr. Anderson's plucky fight in the Keighley bye-election two years ago will still be remembered by many of our readers. He is an ex-chairman of the I.L.P., and wa.s for some time asso- ciated with the "Labour Leader," the official organ of the party. Since the establishment of the "Dailv Citizen," however. Mr. Anderson has occupied the post of leader writer on that jour- nal. The new chairman of the party is married to Miss Mary MacArthur, the energetic secretary of the Women's Trade Union League, and herself (on- nected with practically every phase of tho Labour and Socialist movement. We trust that Mr. Anderson will have a very happy and successful term of office. YORKSHIRE MINERS AND PARLIAMENT It is gratifying to note that the Yorkshire Miners' Association has realised the imperative necessity of strengthening the Labour foroes at Westminster. It has been announced that in addition to the seats already held by officials of the Association, seven further constituencies are to be contested at the next election, includ- ing Doncaster, Rotherham, Wakefield, Morley, Osgoldcross, Holmfirth and Barnsley. The information is not ex- actly official, but Mr. J. Wadsworth, M.P., secretory, has stated that a ballot taken on the subject has favoured the proposal by a large ma- jority, and it now awaits the confirma- tion of the council. Possibly a countv vote will also have to be taken for con- firmation of the seats selected for at- tack, all of which are now held by Liberals. Everyone will hope that the pro- posed storming of these capitalist cita- dels will prove successful, but it is very earnestly to be hoped that the York- shire Miners' Association will speedily make preparation for the best means of assuring victory. As has been pointed out in this column time and again during the past six months, it is per- fectly useless to decide to contest a seat and to rest contented until the election arrives, believing that the fight can be won in two or three brief weeks. Education and organisation are im- perative if success is to be hoed for. In each of the seven constituencies named, the miners should take imme- diate steps for the formation of a strong local Labour party, which should I unite Trade Unionists and Socialists in I one strong fighting organisation. This done and a JLabour campaign carried I through each constituency, and victory is assured. I MR D. A. THOMAS EGOTIST lien, oh, when, will the chairman of the Cambrian Combine develop a little—just a little—common scilse. He continues to make supremely silly speeches which get fully reported, and excite general comment, thinking all the time that he is a very clever fellow, whilst all level-headed people are laugh- ing "up their sleeves" at his acro- batic eloquence. The other evening Mr. Thomas was speaking at Tonypan- dy, and in the course of a perfectly t unconvincing argument that Syndical- ism has been responsible for every con- ceivable ill in the South Wales coal- field, he made an extremely futile at- tempt to show that the workers at the Glamorgan Colliery have to thank the Cambrian Combine for permission to live! Mr. Thomas said that since 1907, the Combine had increased wages at the colliery 25 per cent., although the out- put was not more than 7 per cent. higher, but he failed to give the in- crease in profits, and never referred to the fact that if the 12,700 men had not been employed at the pits, the share- holders would have been minus every penny of their dividend. At the an- nual banquet of the Monmouthshire Officials' Association, this oracle of capitalism paraded his egotism by a repitition of previous intimations re- garding the violent agitator he would be were he a miner. As the ''Daily Citizen" indicates in an open letter published in another page were lie placed in such a position, Mr. Thomas would always be an "agitator in the minority of one," an Ishmael, an antagonist to everything in which D. A. Thomas did not predominate! A MATTER OF HISTORY A meeting of the Cabinet took place on Tuesday, and although the proceed- ings at these assemblies are not made public, it is understood that the prin- ciple business was the final examination and approval of the Navy Estimates for 1914-15. The new estimate provides for four new battleships, and the total figure it is believed is about £ 50,000,000 an increase of nearly £ 4,000,0c0 more than was expended last year. There is also the question of the exceeding of last year's estimates, as well as the increased cost of maintaining the new ships, to consider, so that altogether the increase to be provided for will be over £ 7,000,000. For this wicked and wanton waste of the people's money, we have to thank a First Lord of the Admiralty whose father (Lord Randolph Churchill) resigned his post as Chancellor of the Exchequer rather than undertake to find the wherewithal for increasing the Naval Estimates which, in 1886. totalled not more than £ 30,000,000. Mr. Winston Churchill's pet scheme has now received the formal sanction of members of a Cabinet representing the party labelling itself the upholders of "Peace, Retrenchment, and Re- form." It would be interesting to hear the frank and candid opinion of Lord Randolf on this latest madness of his son, meekly upheld by a crowd of ministers under the domination of the International Armaments Ring! LABOUR'S GREAT ACHIEVEMENT I .? I The result ot the poll in the iNorth West Durham bye-election was de- clared late on Saturday, and with its figures, Labour has every reason to be extremely gratified. Mr. G. H. Stuart, the people's candidate, polled no fewer than 5,026 votes as against 7,241 recorded in favour of Mr. Aneu- rin Williams, the Liberal, and 5,564 in favour of Mr. J. O. Hardic-ker, the < Conservative. Mr. Williams was, of 1 course, elected, and no thoughtful per- son will express surprise. The division has always been 'a Liberal stronghold, and this, together with the fact that Mr. Williams appeared before the elec- tion as a sort of progressive Radical (whatever that may be), were greatly in his favour. But having regard to the fact tha.t this was the first occa- sion on which the seat had been con- tested by a Labour candidate, and that Mr. Stuart had not spent a single day in "nursing" the constituency prior to the declaration of the vacancy, his poll was most satisfactory. The candidate himself, in addressing his supporters, declared that Labour had polled re- markably well, and had paved the way for a future victory. We heartily en- dorse these sentiments. The writing on the wall indicates that the division will be won for Labour at no very distant date. G. A. G.

GWAUNCAEGURWEN DEATH OF OLD RESIDENT We regret to record the death, which occurred on Thursday morning, of Mrs. Ann Ja.mes, wife of Mr John James .(Gore-to), after a brief illness. Deceased, who had reached the ripe age of nearly 80 years, had resided all her life at G.C.G., a.nd was the only daughter of the late Jonah Harries, Cwmbach. Some months ago we gave an account of Mr and Mrs. James' golden wedding, and her death removes perhaps the eldest in- habitant of the district. There are seven children of the union, the most widely known being Mr John J. James, check- weigher, Cwmgors.

I Gwili, of the Gwynfryn Academy. and Mr. Lewis Thomas, Ammanford, are among the contributors to our na- tional magazine, "Y Geninen" for January. A —

.m.ni..3=..3=.i..m.i..=..=..3.=..2..i.. I Great Stock Sale I | AT • S♦  o.. = lI s<i ► EDWARDS'l  + wag "VV AF a=Li -b   oo ? NOW jPJPOC?DjT? ? aSmo ? whole So The whole of the Stock "in-Trade of t Mr. E. S. CHAPPELL, t Mr. E. S. CHAPPELL, ? CASTLE ST., SWANSEA, ♦ ♦ = 5 amounting to nearly &1.000, together with ♦§ a London Maker's Stock of Household and § ? Fancy Linens, offered at somewhere near S HALF Factory Prices. |  g ♦ 83 g Everyone visiting the Sale this week may i rely on securing Wonderful Bargains. ä   _—1! ,m,,?. .m,u.u.?-?————  ——  f E DWARDp"STO^ES^ ¡  ??LaM AOF W AROMK*W ?Nm? STORES i oo STORES  Oxford Street i I SS llwansea ♦«Q*«oo ? ?BMt and F'ark ?roet tMy VV Mi-EL??ML S S  ? H .3..g.gg..g..gg..gg.gg..g.g.. THE PLAYHOUSE YSTALYFERA NIGHTLY AT 7.45. Friday & Saturday, Feb. 6th & 7th— Great Picture Programme Including the Star FiJm- A Daughter of the Underworld And SEVEN other I First-Class Attractions. Don't Forget fix Plapbouse! 3 Changes Weekly Children's Matinee every PPIIC Saturday at 3 p m. I PRICES FLOOR 6d.; BALCONY, 3d. (be Coliseum, YSTALYFERA. NIGHTLY AT 7-45. pictures. Pictures Fine Programme of ALL THE LATEST AND MOST UP-TO-DATE PICTURE GEMS This Week-end. Star Film- THE CONVENT 6ATE Next Week, Selkirk's Magnificent Spectacular Display- The Clans of Bonnie Scotland Introducing a host of local Children. Oouitts' Circuit.

BOTHAISM. RESOLUTION OF PROTEST BY 700,000 MINERS. The immediate recall of Lord Glad- stone, Govej-nor-Genera! of S. Africa," was demanded in a resolution passed unanimously by the Executive Com- mittee of the Miners' federation of Great Britain, representing over 700,000 workers, at a meeting in West- minster Palace Hotel, London. Mr. R. Smillie, who presided, pro-posed the ,re- solution, which was as follows:— "That this Executive Committee of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain protests against the action of the Government in South Africa in declar- ing martial law and inerfering with the rights of free citizens in a perfect- ly peaceable, legitimate Labour move- ment, and in deporting the Trade Union leaders and we call upon the Imperial Government to take steps at once to render such a state of matters impos- sible in the future; further, we demand the immediate recall of Lord Glad- stone, as we believe that he is largely responsible for the present staf0 ""of matters.

—————— 1 >>■ » W. A. WILLIAMS. Phrenologist, can be consulted daily at the Victoria ArrAde (near the W-rlw-t), Swansea. RHIWFAWR Swansea Valley. I EISTEDDFOD GADEIRIOL FLYNYDDOL Dydd Sadwrn, Mehefin 27,1914 Arweinydd: Y Prif-Athraw Lewis, M.A., Aberhon- ddu. Beirniaid-Y Gerddoriaeth D. Christmas Williams, Ysw., Mus.Bac. Merthvr Tydfil; E. T. Davies, Ysw., F.R.C.O., Merthyr Tydfil. Beirniaid yr Amrvwiaeth: Parch Ben Davies, Pantteg; a'r Prif-Athraw Lewis, M.A., Aberhonddu. Cor Meibion, "Castilla" (Protheroe, 225 Cor Cymysg, "My love is like a red, red Rose" (Emlyn Evans), 215. Cor Plant, "Hosanna" (D W Rowlands, F.T.S.C.), £ 5. Wythawd, "Blodeuyn Bach" (Gwilym Gwent), L3. Unawdau, 21s. plant, 10s.6c. pianoforte 21s. and 10s.6d. Pryddest "Cymhellion yr Uchelf-eydd" Telyneg, Englyn, Ad- rod diadau, etc., etc. Rhagleni yn barod eanol Chwefror. ABRAHAM REES, Ysg. Y LLE GOREU YN NGHYMRU AM LVY t ClHyA ASU T CYMREIG NE SEISNIG YDYW MAELFA Morgan a Higgs 18, Heathfield Street, Abertawe ILLUMINATED ADDRESSES A SPECIALITY. Designed and prepared by the best Artist in Swansea.. Do not forget our Tea Rooms, upstair* above the Shop. MORGAN & HIGGS THE BOOKSELLERS, 18, Heathiiield Street, Swansea