Llais Llafur

I MR. ASQUITH'S PLEDGE TO LABOUR. NO FUTURE EXTENSION OF COMPULSION BILL. We are informed that when he met the Labour members, says the "New Statesman," at the interview with them last week (when, by consent, a verbatim report was taken), the Prime Minister expressed himself against any future extension of the present measure of compulsory military service in terms of unusual significance. Mr Asquith pledged himself, spon- taneously and unequivocally, both against any application of compulsion to married men during the war and against. any continuance of compulsion after the war. He pointed out, we are told, that he naturally could not foresee what the future might seem to require, or a subsequent Parliament might demand. But if any extension of compulsory military service was thus called for, he would 00 no party to it. Those who then wanted it, he declared, must take his place! At the same time he gave very definite assurances, which he repeated no less explicitly to the. House of Com- mons, that the Government would make no attempt to use compulsion to get men for industrial purposes, whether in munition works or other ( necessary industries, for private ern- ployers or for national factories; and that Ministers would do their best to find words to insert in the Bill to pre- elude any possibility either of such use of its powers or of their being held "in terrorem" over the workmen left in industrial employment, The feeling of the Labour members now is that Mr Walter Long has done his best, so far as amendments are concerned, to carry out this under- taking but that, even as the Bill now stands, the danger of its being used to strengthen the disciplinary powers of the employers and his foreman remains real.

CAPTAIN WATTS MORGAN'S APPEAL TO WELSH MINERS I Sir.—Permit me, at the request of many thousands of men who are here in training in North Wales preparing themselves as fast they can go and as- sist their gillant and noble comrades who are already engaged in the var- ious theatres of war, to urge and earnestly pray our "fellow-workmen in the South Wales coalfield in general, and on behalf of myself, those in the Rhondda Valleys in particular, to en- tirely disregard and treat with oon- tempt • the infamous and despicable appeal that is now again made to them by anonymous pamphlets. The men who are promoting "in- dustrial revolution" while the war goes on are the worst possible enemies of the workers. There should be no question of "down tools" or strike till j the war is over. The "collier-soldier in the trenches" and "collier-soldier j in training, now that the pledge is given that the powers will not be used in any industrial strife, are all for the j Military Service Bill. There is no question of principle remaining to argue about. In the eventuality (which, person- ally, I refuse to contemplate or dis- cuss) of our failing to fulfil or pledge to the allies, and to win what must be a glorious victory outright through this war, what would there be left for us to talk or quibble about? Our last remnant of freedom and our price- less traditions as a race would be swept away, and we should be German- ised. The nation, through the Government, must push on with the j work to end the war. Let there be j no betrayal of our brave brothers and our sons who are already in the j trenches. Continue to produce every j ounce of coal that is possible; ppare every available eligible man to get into immediate training for servioe. From here, with confidence we ask j you to resent with indignation the at- tempt that is made to besmirch and throw stigma upon the miners as a class, and we trust that no thoughtless deed will give us cause of bitter re- sent. The oollier has always been fearless. Our courage and sacrifice are now needed unitedly in every direction to overcome the enemies of jI our country.—I am, etc., ] D. WATTS MORGAN, Captain. Kenniil Park Camp. I

MARGARINE EXPERIMENT, INMATES' OBJECTION AT SWAN- I SEA WORKHOUSE A report to be presented to the SWiiii,->ea Board of Guai iiacu by the master of the workhouse and the medi- cal officer as to the experiment of issuing margarine instead of butter to inmates testifies that they are not aware that any inmate has suffered in any way in health. A record had been kefit of those who returned the margarine uneaten during the period of trial, and the number varied from ( ten to fifteen per day out of from 140 to 150 persons. Ail the objectors, ex- cept one, were women. 00

The largest salmon caught by rod and line in tho Wye during the past year was a grand fish of 47J, lbs., which was captured by a gillie.

DIGGING GRAVE OF THE HUN FAITH. Mr Lloyd George on Allies' Growing Power to Strike. "BUT-IF WE LOST." Is Britain really putting her whole weight into the war? The question has just been put by Mr Ivor Nicholson to Mr Lloyd George during an interview at Walton Heath. Mr Lloyd George replied :— "Britain is preparing to put her whole weight into the war, and Ger- many will feel it in a very short time. "It is an effort such as Britain has never made before—a truly prodigious effort. "Before the war she had the greatest fleet in the world, but now she has one of the greatest armies, and in a very short. time it will be about the best equipped army in the world." Mr Lloyd George spoke of this a.chievement with evident pride. "But that is not all," he added. "A new Britain is now being developed-a new industrial Britain. COUNTRY WILL BE RICHER. i "Under the great pressure of the i war we are increasing and improving and quickening our industrial re- sources to an extent which would have been impossible but for the demands of this conflict. "Let me give you just one example" said the Minister of Munitions. "In the first place, we have introduced scores of millions of pounds' worth of automatic machinery, which will have an enormous effect upon our industries J j when the war is over.. "This country, so far from being im- povetislied, will be richer in every- ■ thing that constitutes real and true wealth. "We shall be a better organised, better equipped, better trained, and, what is more important perhaps, a better disciplined nation. In fact, we shall indeed be a nation and not a congeries of conflicting interests." Mr Nicholson says he reminded Mr J Lloyd George of Mazzini's saying that war is the greatest of crimes when it id not waged for the sake of a great truth to enthrone or a great lie to ) entomb. "Yes," replied Mr Lloyd George, "the Allies are engaged in a mighty effort to dig the grave of that wicked lie that 'might, is right.' and, mark you, we shall not cease to strive to our uttermost until we have dug the grave deep and wide, and can a ban- don our united toil in the firm con- viction that we have insured beyond all possible doubt against its resurrection-" "IF WE WERE DEFEATED?" Asked what would happen if we were defeated, the Minister of Munitions. retorted :— "If the military class in Germany should win their triumph will be per- manent. 'Make no mistake, we should witness the triumph of an ideal; a pernicious ideal, of course, but a potent one. "It is just the old idea of organ- ised force which has been the basis of all military empires. "The Germany of quiet, pacific de- velopment, the improvement in the condition of her people, the Germany that was increasing her democratic vote by millions at each successive election, would vanish from the sight of this generation, and in its place what should be seen?" Mr Lloyd George paused and then j added: "We should see a Germany of triumphant warriors, seeking whom they could devour, looking out for fresh spheres—or shall I say-fresh hemi- spheres to conquer. "If Germany were to win this war, i Europe would be helpless. Let us never forget that indisputable fact. "Russia and France would not be permitted to build up great armies to defend their frontiers; and, of course, the command of the sea would be taken from Great Britain. ———— ————

THE TALL HAT. NOT A NATIONAL COSTUME, BUT  AN IMPORTATION. I ——— I .Delivering an interesting lecture to the Carmarthen Cymmrodorion Society, entitled "Cymru pan oedd Cymro'n Frenin" ("Wales when a Welshman was a King"), Professor ) Timothy Lewis, Aberystwyth, said some writers gave weird pictures in ¡ depicting the life of ancient Wales. The ladies of old Wales nevere wore I the so-called Welsh ha. which nlways struck him as being very much like a haystack or a gasometer in mourning. (Laughter). Those hats were imported into this country from the Lowlands at the beginning of the fifteenth cen- tury, but enterprising tradesmen of re. cent times had tried to make them believe that they were an emblem of Welsh nationality—which was ridicul- ous. Professor J. Oliver Stephens, B.A., B.D. (Presbyterian College, Carmar- then), in moving a vote of thanks to the lecturer, said he agreed that the I hat had never formed a part of the Welsh costume, and this was borne out by Blair Leyton's pictures of Welsh dresses. I

I THE COMPULSION BILL. HUGE MAJORITY FOR THIRD READING. SIMONITES FORCE A DIVJSON. I I The Military Service (No. 2) Bill was read a third time in the House i of Commons on Monday night by a majority of 347, the figures being as folloms:- i For the third reading 383 Against 36 The anouncement. ot the ngures was received by a crowded House in silence. Mr Mildmay warned the opponents of the Bill that every vote given against the third reading would con- tribute a little more h?Ip to Ger- many, and that our men at the front, who were in good fettle, were looking for encouragement and support to the passing of this measure. Sir John Simon repeated his objec- tions to the Bill, and, though he ad- mitted that fair criticisms had been fairly met, he disappointed the House by refraining from advising his friends not to divide against the thir reading. Whatever may be the explanation, when other members on both side of the House had failed to make them- selves heard over the clamour of con- versation and cries for the division, Mr Thomas, the radlwaymen's member, had an excellent audience for his im- passioned protest against the Bill. The appropriate response to this was mare by Mr Bonar Law in a calm and measured reminder of the conditions of the time, and a suggestion to Mr Thomas and the other opponents of the Bill to consider what would become of their ideals if we failed to beat the Germans. It was a masterly winding up speech, tending to bring all sec- tions together in the one national pur- j pose. A division, however, was forced and the third reading was carried, as stated above. The minority comprised 30 Liberals. five Labour and one Independent Nationalist. ——————. .———————

DRYN COLLIERY STOPPAGE j WORKMEN AGREE TO PAY 9103 DAMAGES AND COSTS. I Richard Evans and a number of other colliers employed at the Bryn Navigation Colliery, near Port Talbot, were charged at Aberavon on Monday on remand with a breach of contract, and causing a stoppage of the colliery. Mr T. W. Tounson (Messrs. C. and W Kenshole, Aberdare), appearing for the colliery proprietors (Messrs. Bald- j wins, Limited), said that the case had previously been adjourned for a. fort- night on the application of defendant (Richard Evans) for the purpose of pro- curing legal representation. j Since the adjournment, however, wiser counsels had prevailed, and all the workmen responsible for the stop- page had agreed to pay £ 103 damages and costs, the workmen also undertook in the future to loyally carry out the terms of their contract and so avoid any trouble. With this undertaking, he asked for the oases to be further adjourned for four weeks to give the defendants time to carry out their agreement. [ This was agreed to. ————— —————

TTr*; BR-ISTOL CONFERENCE HOW SWANSEA LABOUR DELE- GATES WILL ACT. i The agenda. of the fifteenth annual conference of tho Labour party was discussed at the annual meeting of the Swansea Labour Association, and the following resolution passed as instruc- tions to the delegates representing the; Swansea Association:-— To vote for ->Iution approving the Parliamentary n.smiting campaign, to support any resolution disapproving of the action of Labour M.P.'s in joining the Coalition Government without consent of the rank and file; and to vote against any measure of compulsory military or industrial service. Resolutions dealing with Trade Un- J ion affiliations, Welsh Advisory Coun- cil, peace terms and foreign policy were discussed, and the delegates advised as to action. j

————— COLLIERY CRAFTSMEN. JOINT BOARD CONSIDERS SOUTH WALES DISPUTE. Arising out of the inclusion of the colliery enginemen, stokers, and crafts men, who are members of the Miners' Federation in the :ew general wage- rate agreement a .int sub-committee has been appointed to deal with these workmen, as disi' nguished from those i who are members of the Enginemen and Craftsmen's Association. The first meeting of this committee was held at Cardiff on Monday, when several matters were dealt with in- cluding local disputes and proposals by the workmen's representativies for im- proved rates to certain classes.

In the pa-st three weeks 1,300 cases of measles have been reported in Binning- ham; 428 of these were new cases last week. v

MERTHYR M.P. AND THE CHAIR- ABUSING PARLIAMENTARY TANGLE. The Parliamentary sketch writer of the "Sunday Chronicle'' says:—Mr C. B. Stanton, the "refreshing breeze" from South Wales, has still to be broken in, and is abvoiusly impatient of the process. He learned the other day that the first essential when a member desires to speak is to address the Chair correctly. Seated at the far end of the Cham- ber during Committee some remarks of Mr Thomas moved him a state of con- siderable agitation. Jumping up ex- citedly he sought to catch the chair- man's eye. "Mr Wilkins, Mr Wilkins," he cried. Now the chairman of Committees is a most precise gentleman, and the very letter of House of Commons dig- nity. His name, moreover, is not Wilkins, but Whitley. It was too much to expect that he would con- sent to recognise himself under an ap- pellation which might belong to any- body. and about which there is -an ir- resistibly comic ring. Half the comic butlers of the stage have, one feels sure, been called Wilkins. So Mr Stanton tried again. This time he made it "Wilkie, with no more success. Then. he made it White- ley, which was worse, bringing into the rare atmosphere of statesmanship the vulgar breath of the bargain base- ment. There was nothing for it but that Mr Whitley should call on another member, and in the meantime trust that someone would give Mr St-anton a little instruction. This did, in fact, happen. In due course the member for Merthyr got the name right and was called upon. It was not long, however, before, as he put it, he went off the rails, and had to be called to order. Then he gave it up as a bad job. I expect he left the House "say- ing things, but before long I guaran- tee Mr Stanton will realise that inas- much as the House of Commons can- not, in the nature of things, adapt it- self to every refreshing breeze that blows in, the refreshing breezes must adapt themselves to the House of Com- mons.

TIDAL WAVE ON THE I BROADS. I TONS OF FRESH WATER FISH DESTROYED. One curious result of the recent ¡ great north-westerly gale on the Nor- folk Broads was the harvest of dead fish. The high tide which swept with such force into the Broads (says the "Eastern Daily Press") changed the colour of the water to a muddy greyish green. "It was. in fact, as salt as if it had been taken out of the estuary j at Yarmouth, nearly 20 miles distant. The effect was that tons of freshwater | fish were destroyed in the Bure and the Thurne, including pike up to 6 or 7 pounds, perch, tench, roach, and bream. These were floating on the water in such quantity that the villagers put out in boats and returned with food by the bushel for the fowls and the pigs. "Golden plover has been seen in un- usual numbers for January, as well as a lot of 'stints,' and a few nights ago a snipe was heard drumming. On several mornings lately during the spell of mild weather the thrush and the blackbird have been in full song."

MR WILL CROOKS'S cC400. I STORY OF A VISIT TO THE FRONT I The Right Hon. Will Crooks, M.P., speaking at Woolwich, said:— "I would rather that every man, woman, and child in this country should die than that the Kaiser should prove victorious." "This is my first speech as a 'right honourable' said Mr Crooks, who told the following story of a visit to I the front:— "You know I've just come back from the front While I was out there I I was going along a road when I was stopped by an M.P. (military police- man) So I said to him. 'One M.P. doesn't stop another.' 'What,' he said 'are you an M.P. ? I'd like to swop screws with you.' "He doesn't know all about that £40031 year. You would be surprised at the number of old pals that have discovered me since I hid that £ 400 a j year. Thousands of people seem to have been at school with me—fellows of thirty some of them! And I'm sixty four

SUNDAY CUSTOMERS SUMMONED. Eighteen persons were prosecuted at I the Lanelly Police Court on Monday from Burry Port and Llanelly for aid- ing and abetting Sunday traders in carrying out their ordinary occupations | by making purchases, these being the first oases of the kind brought before the Bench. They were dismissed under the Probation Act, with the woming that in future offenders would be con- ¡ victed.

t i: PREMIER RECEIVES THE I MINERS- ANOTHER SPECIAL CON- FERENCE TO BE CALLED. The Prime Minister received at No. 10 Downing street, a deputation from the Executive Committee of the :\liners' Federation of Great Britain. The deputation included the President (Mr Smillie), Alderman House, Mr W. Abraham. M.P. ("Mabon"). and the South Wales delegates, Mr James Winstone and Mr Vernon Hartshorn. Their object was to discuss with Mr Asquith the Military Service Bill. and also to urge the necessity of increasing the Old Age Pension from the present rate of 5s. to 7s.6d. a week. Mr. Smillie spoke on both points on behalf I of the Federation. The interview lasted just over an hour, and later the following official statement was issued:— The question of an increase of old age pensions from 5&. to 7s.6d. was discussed, and the Prime Minister promised to give due consideration to the resolution of the Federation on the subject passed at the Con- ference on the 13th inst. The Home Secretary made a states ment dealing with the application of the Military Servive (No. 2) Bill to the mining industry, and with the amendments which have been in- serted in the Bill by the House of Commons to remove possibility of industrial compulsion. It is understood that the Miners' Executive Committee had no mandate other than the resolution of opposi- tion which was passed last week by the general conference, .and were therefore unable to give Mr Asquith any under- taking as to their future action in re- gard to the Compilsion Bill. It was officially announced that an- other special conference of miners will be called This will probably be held in London on Feb. 8. The position will then be fully considered in its new light.

GREATEST AIR RAID I 45 AEROPLANES UOMBARD MONASTIR I The largest air raid yet carried out in the Balkans was made by the French on Sunday on Monastir. Starting at seven o'clock 32 oeroplances from aero- dromes near Salonika flew off in regular equadrillas. There has recently been some concen- tration of troops, both German and Bul- gar, at Monastir, though their numbers are most variously estimated. The chief object of this coi cent/ration is probably to use the shelter against the winter weather which the town buildings afford. The night to iionastir took just over two hours. The weather was fine, but at nine o'clock a violent wind sprang up. Some of the aircr ft were gunplanes and bombarded the Grerman and Bulgarian headquarters wit! their guns. Others dropped shells -aid bombs. Buildings known to be used is hospitals were avoid- ed. As the last squ.idrilia, pitching in the boisterous north wind, but flying in regu- lar order across th-, blue sky, circled over the town its pilots saw black clouds of smoke rolling up from places where bombs from the leading: planes had fallen. All the French machines were vigor- ously shlled by th., enemy batteries round the town, but eve yone had returned un- hurt by noon to Silonika and on the way back dropped an;, bombs they had re- maining over on two or three villages near Ghevgeli, where Bulgarian troops are encamped. ————- —————

STARRING (tFTINPLATER-SI In view of those officially connected with the tin plate industry, the starring of the various classes of labour has not been done sa isfactorilv, only three grades having Veen set down as in- dispensable, whil about twenty others are equally go. This was the 1 enour of the evidence given on Monday before the industrial committee of th. Board of Trade by two Welsh witnesses—Mr Hilditch, chief inspector (f factories from that district, and Co mcillor Ivor Gwynne, of Swansea. It was pointed out that rollermen had no: been starred, though several other cl;isees of workmen are entirely dependc it on their work. It is announced that fresh instruc- tions are to be rent to local tribunals on Wednesday t,> correct obvious mis- takes in the starring, and that roller- men and other si nilar grades are to be starred. —————

WHEN MR. G. BARKER WAS A I SOLDIER. Mr George l." reminded his cot- 1e.6uea t » ro., -0' ?if the South Wales Miners' Federation I on Saturday that 37 years to that dav the 24th Regiment (the South Wales Borderers) was cut up by the Zulus at Isandlhwana. Mr Barker was fighting I for six hours that dav with the forces I 15 miles away from the spot. j

The Peace Society reaffirms its con- ) viction that compulsory military aer- vice is inimical to the true interests of the country, and, while it appreci- ates the Government's recognition ?f the validity of conscience, and the rights of the conscientious objector, regrets that the safeguards pi-oi??? i anord no adequate piotmti*on.

HOW NATURE NURSES THE WOUNDED. BATTLEFIELD MARVELS EXPLALNED. THE SCIENTIST AND THE SOLDIER. How a tiny gland—so small that it weigh e only ane-seventy-thousaudth part of the weight of the human body-is sav- ing the lives of wounded soldiers on the battlefield was explained at the Royal Institution by Professor Sherrington dur- ing a leture on "The Physiology of Anger and Fear." "I have been told by surgeons from the battlefield," said th >. professor, ''that one of the thing-s that has struck them most has been the wA. In which a lad has survived after lying for hours in an absolutely collapsed condition, with what should be the irreparable injury of a bul- let through the abdomen. Such wounds, the surgeons have found, sometimes seal themselves. THE VERY BEST THING. "What has happened is that the in- testine his been absolutely paralysed and motionl; •. One understands that when one thin .s of the emotional condition in which the maji must have been just be- fore he was shot, and of his feelings when the bullet was tearing through him- The supply of blood was entirely shut off from the intestine as the result of these emotions. In that way Nature does, as she so often does, the very best thing." Earlier in his lecture Prof. Sherring- ton had stated the means by which this cutting off the blood supply to certain parts of the body is attained. Fear or pain causes a '"nerve storm," which in the first place greatly reduces the flow of blood to the skin and stomach while increasing the flow to the brain and vol- untary muscles. This is Nature's way of saying. "Evidently there is something to be done." THE NERVE STORM. Then the nerve storm stimulates the minute 'tad-renal gland," which lies at the CON of the supra-renal capsule near the kidneys, and this gland pours straight into the blood a chemical substance of greater potency in its action on the blood vessels than any other substance known to science. Its ability to cause a rise in the blood, and consequently to withdraw blood from other parts is so great that if a smaJI quantity is introduced into the system it will burst an unhealthy artery. This substance is called adxeniroe. It is to the presence of adrenine in the blood that such remarkable survivals on the battlefield as those mentioned by the professor are believed to be due. It re- inforces the more direct action of the nerves and by taking t-he internal pres- sure off the wounded part enables it to heal.

LABOUR PARTY S STRENGTH. The Labour Party's annual report, which is being submitted to the Bristol conference, was circulated on Monday. It gives the total membership of the party as 2,093,365, a* against 1,607,807 a year ago, the 111 affiliated Trade Unions accounting for 2,053,735, compared with 1,568.051. Both the full and the Trade Union membership constitute a record, the near- est approach being registered in 1912, when Trade Unionists numbered 1,858,178 and the number of persons in the party reached 1,895,498. The I.L.P. has 30,000 in its ranks, but the membership of Socialist societies (32,838) has slightly decreased during the year by 392. The vear eloeed with a balance of £ 15.282 to the credit of the party, the largest let recorded.

SUNDAY CHARITY CONCERTS AT SWANSEA. Application was received at the Swan- sea Watch Committee this week from the local theatrical management for per- mission to boold Sunday concerts for charitable purposes. The Mayor (Alderman Merrells) said the thought the committee should be satisfied that conoerts of this kind were run for purely charity objects.—Other members agreed. It was suggested that the promoters of the concerts should take steps to satisfy the committee of this. It was explained that the watch committee oould not do so. It was decided that personal applica- tion should be made by a responsible per- son, who could then give full information a.nd reduce the matter to writing.

SCHOOL MEDICAL TEST. An interesting position was disclosed when an application was made by Mr T. Hughes (Messrs. S. Powell Hughes and Jones) on behalf of the local edu- cation committee to the Bryn-ma-wr magid.RATES on MOT: JVP order to compel the attendance at school of the nine-year-old child of Thomas H. Thomas, Worcester-street, Brvnmawr. The child had been attended by Dr. Farrington, the family doctor, for some time, and on November 23 the local attendance officer, accompanied bv the Breconshire county medical officer (Dr. Da vies) viait-ed the child at the home to make a medical examination. The mother refused her consent. 6aving that she did not think it fair to Dr. Farrington that he was not present. Mr Hughes pointed out that it was compulsory on the parents to allow the medical examination, and the case was adjourned for a fortnight for the pur- pose.