Llais Llafur

Prime Minister's Cailj to British Democracy. I The People Must Either Go On or Go Under." Mr. Lloyd George attended the full conference of the Labour delegates, which was resumed at Central Hall, Westminster, following the sectional meetings that have taken place during the 1 ast fortnight between Sir Auck- land Geddes and members of the trade I unions, on the subject of the Govern- ments' man-power proposals. Mr. G. N. Barnes presided. MR. LLOYD GEORGE'S SPEECH. Mr. Lloyd George said:- I am. sure you will be very pleased to hear,that I do not propose to make n loug speech, but I have come- hero to thank you on behalf of the Govern- ment, and, I venture t.(i say, to thank you on ••behalf of the country for the spirit in which you have met the Gov- ernment and its representatives-a spirit1 of complete frankness on both sides. 1 shall be very happy w hen I sit down to answer any question which you choose to put to me on any matter of general policy. I had rather 'questions of detail in re- ference to the Bill should be left in the much more competent hands of my colleague, Sir Auckland Geddes. I un- derstand the procedure with regard to the constitution of groups in these conferences was adopted by the con- ference itself; and the procedure was a fair, a rational and an equitable one, and we have adhered to it strictly without any deviation. With regard to the proposals of the Government let me say this at the out- set as to the method. There are no other alternatives for raising men ex- cept either raising the military ago as they have done in Austria, where it is 55 or sending wounded men back and back again juto the battle line. Xhosa-v. alternatives. Now I want to deal with the question of ur- gency. As to the urgency of the need, no man standing, like my colleagues and myself, on the watch-tower, can deny it. Unless the need had been ur- gent we shpuld not have brought forward this demand now. There are tten in this country who honestly be- lieve we ought to have done it months ago. There are men in this country who honestly believe we ought to do it on a much more sweeping scale. There are a few who say we ought not to do it all, and there are some who eay both things simultaneously. (Laugh- ter.) TREASON TO THE STATE. T. The Government view is tins: it would he folly to withdraw men from industries one hour sooner than the taeed arose. On the other hand it would be treason to the State, treason to our Country, treason to democracy. treason to the cause of freedom if when the need did arise we had not made the demand. (Cheers.) What is the posi- tion ? I assume that you all here in your hearts believe that the war aims /declared by the great Labwur confer- < enoe represent the minimum of justice which you can possibly accept as a settlement of this terri'«le dispute—the minimum. If we are not able to defeat the German forces, if we are not ablo to resist the military power of Prussia, is there any man here in possession of his wits who believes that one of your terms—the least of them —would be enforced ? (ChcAers.) I am not talking about the demands of imperialists. 1 am not talking about the demands of extreme war men who want to grab everything and annex the earth and all the heavenly firma- ment. I am talking of the moderate; demands of the most pacifist soul in this assembly. Go to von Hindenburg with them. Try to cash that cheque at the Hindenburg Bank. It will be returned dishonoured. Whatever terms arc set forward by any pacifist orator in these lands you will not get them cashed by Luden- dorff or the Kaiser or any of these great magnates—not one of them—un- less you have got the power to enforce them. (Cheers.) I felt strongly tli-'t the time had come for restating our war aims, and for restating them in a way that would carry with us all the moderate, rational opinion of this land and of all other laudf. And almost simultane- ously the same idea came to President Wilson, and without any opportunity of previous consultation — l>e^ause there was none President Wilson and myself laid down what was sub- stantially the same programme of de- mands for the termination of tllis war. How has that programme been re- <v» ived. GERMANY'S RESPONSE. I Throughout the whole of the Allied I countries it has been received with acclaim. There has hardly been the I voioe of criticism except from a. few men who wish I had made more ex- I treme demands. The Socialists of • France, the Socialists of. Italy, as well 1 as the Socialists of this country have, | in the main, accepted Hiem as very fair cnf'ra¡ demands to put forward. What has been the reception in Ger- I many? I b<\? of you to consider thm, especiaiiy those who think that we are responsible for perpetuating this hor- ror. I would not have this war for a second on my soul if I could stop it honourabl y. What has been the re- ception in Germany ? The only com- ment has been "Behold how England is weakening! Go (HI and they will eome down igain." Th(r(' has been no response from any man in any position in Germany that indicates a desire on the part of the ruling powers in that land to ap- proach the problem in a spirit of equity. We demanded the restoration rff &,¡r-iun1. Is there one man here who would make peace without the com- plete rest-oration of Belgium and re- paration for it. wrongs? ("No.") Is there one man? ("No.") I would like to see him stand up. Is there one man who would do it? What Í-3 the answer from Germany ? There has been but one answer, ant} it came from von Tirpitz's soul—"Never." There was a demand for a reconsideration of the wrong of Alsace-Lorraine. What is the answer from Germany? "Never!" When I suggested that Mesopotamia and Palestine should never be restored to the tyranny of the Turk, whatever else happened to it. what was the I answer of Germany? "W& will go on until they are restored." NO CIVILIAN ANSWER. Is there a sinde condition laid down by you in your trade union aims to which ytni have had any response from anybody in Germany who has got any authority to speak ? Not one. I will tell you another fact which is very significant. There has been no civilian answer at all. (Hear, hear.) I spoko here a fortnight ago. Presi- dent m,,is delivered a few days after that. Both speeches have been thoroughly discussed in the Ger- man papers. But no civilian Minister has said a word. There have been con- ferences hurriedly called together. Generals Hindenburg and Ludendorff were brought back from their armies in a great hurry to Berlin, but Herr Ku<fhlma.nn has not been allowed to speak. Why? If it means anything it means this: that the Prussian military power is dominant. The answer which is to be given to civilisation is an answer which will be given from the cannon's mouth. Do not let us harbouranydelusions. It would be a mi-stake to do it. Let us talk quite freely here amongst our- selves. You might as well stop fighting-, un- less you are going to do it well. If you are not going to do it with all your might, it is real murder of gallant fellows who have stood there for three years. (Hear, hear.) Unless we are go- ing to do it-well, let us sbop it. There is no alternative. You have either got to put your whole strength into it, or just do what is done in the Russian army and teil those brave fellows that they can go home whenever they like, and that no one will stop them. There is no other alternative. Believe me if there aro men who say that they will not go into the trenches, then the men who arc in the trenches have a right to say "Neither will we remain here." (Hear, hear.) WHAT SORT OF AN END? I Supposing that they did it, would that bring the wa.r to an end? Yes, it would. But what sort of an end ? IN-L,cit the Russian soldiers ceased fighting and fraternised and simply talked great ideals and principles to the German army, what did the Ger- mans do? Did they retreat? No, they took Riga and the islands. The frater- nisation did not prevent them from marching forward, and if Pctrograd h:iel been nearer they would have had that too.. The Channel ports arc not far from the fighting line, and unless we are prepared to stand up to the whole might of tlie people who are. dominating Germany now, and will dominate the world to-tn^rrow, if we a now them, you will find that Bri tRin and the British democracy and French democracy and the democracy of Europe will be at the mercy of the cruellest military autocracy that the world has ever 11. Now. I should like to ask you thin. I have suggested it before. If we were not prepared to fight, what sort of terms do you think we would get from General Hindenburg? If yon sent a delegation to him I know the answer. If you said to him, "We want you to clear out of Belgium, I know his answer. He would just mock you. He would say in his heart. "Yon cannot turn me out of Belgium with trade, union resolutions." No. but I w;!l tell you the answer which you can give him. "We can and will turn you I out of Belgium with trade union guns I and trade unionists behind l them."  (Cheers.)  I THE SPIRIT OF OUR FATHERS. They have broken his line already, and if we endure with the spirit of our fathers and the spirit that has made the greatness of this land, that has made its power, its prestige, and its honour, that has made it great in the past and that will make it greater in the future—if we do that, we shall yet be able to carry to conviction, carry to triumph, carry to reality, carry as an essential part of the story of this world, the great aims that you in your own language, that the Gov- ernment in their language, and that President 'Wilson in his noble lan- guage has been proclaiming m the last few days. But let us harbour no delusions. We must take the world as it is, and the story of democracy is this. No democ- racy has ever long survived the failure of its adherents to he ready to die for it—(hear, hear)—and my appeal to you is this. Last night this measure was carried in the House of Commons with- out a dissentient voice. (Hear, hear.) TAhat is democracy ? Democracy, put in plain terms, is government bv the majority of the people. (Hear, h, r.) If one profession, one trade, on,, sec- tion, or one class in a community claims to be immune from obligations which are imposed upon the rest. that is a fundamental travesty of the prin- ciples of democracy. (Cheers.) That is setting up a new aristocracy. You and I in the past have been fighting against privilege. I liope that we shall be fighting; on the same side again. We arc fighting now against the privilege, claimed by a military caste. Democracy, if it means any- thing, must mean that the people of all classes, all sections, all trades, and all professions, mnst merge their privi- leges and their rights in the common stock. ("And wealth 1") Certainly. Now gentlemen, what I want to say, in conclusion, is this:— If any man sliding in my place can find an honourable, equitable, • just way out of this conflict without fight- ing it through, for Heaven's sake let him tall me. My own conviction is this, the people must either go on or go under. (Cheeks.) -—— J.

I) A ABLE HYPOCRISY. I STRAIGHT WORDS BY STRIKE LEADER. I Mr. Stanley Burgess, chairman of the Sheffield Strike Committee, and one of the two local men arrested by the Government for the part they took in the engineers' strike last year, has iiiad,- a notable speech on the. shirkers. Speaking at a in<w-t'n^ of the Trades and Labour Counf-il against a resolu- tion protesting against the proposed comb-out, he said "It is damnable hypocrisy for organ- ised woikers to say that no "more men should go into the Army, and yet to bo willing to continue making muni- tions. If you are willing to make munitions you should be willing to fire them. That would be playing the game. Are you prepared to send boys of eighteen, men with big families, clerks, 0 unorganised farm labourers, and others in the South of England to do the fighting, and yet to say that men shall not go from the protected trades? It is too late now to talk of stopping the war by holding up sup- plies. If you had intended that, you should have done it three and a half years ago, instead of agreeing to the war and crying out 'low." t, He added that her was prepared to go into kliaki to prevent Germany be- coming dominant in (.¡e world.

XEATft PARLIAMENTARY DIVISION. A meeting of Liberals from the various parts of the newly-created Neath Parliamentary Division was held on Tuesdav afternoon at the Liberal Club, Neath, to consider the question of forming a new Liberal or- ganisation for the division. The Mayor of Neath (Aid. Hopkin Morgan) pre- sided It was unanimously decided to form an associat ion, to be known as the Neath Division Liberal and Labour Assaciation, and a committee was a p- pointed to draft rules. The question of the selection of a. I iheral candidate will be discussed htr, but it is un- derstood that Mr. Jf. Hugh Edwards, M.P., the sitting A%eiiiber for Mid- Glamorgan Division,*Vill offer himself for the seat at t h" n xt general elec- tion.

Two brothers from Ll:„\igeler who bad not seen each other .for seven years, one having emigrated to Australia, I met in a cafe in France.

I THE LONDON SCHEME OF ) I RATIONING. I I I NEATlf AND PONTARDAWE FOOD I I PLAN. I —————— I A conference- of the chairmen execu- tive officers and members of the Food Control Committees in the areas of the Neath and Pontardawe Poor Law Unions was held at Neath, when Major W. B. Trick, J.P.,M.B.E.. pre- sided. The question of a rationing scheme was discussed and tlie execu- tive officers reported as to the pro- posals adopted at the Cardiff Confer- ence on Friday. It was unanimously decided to adopt the London scheme of rationing, to be supplemented, if possible, by a scale for rationing sup- plies not included in the London scheme. It was decided to convene a further conference. It is hoped to get the scheme working order by the first week in Fe bruary. » » n-

WEST WALES TEACHERS. I The annual meeting of the West Glamorgan Association of Teachers was held at Trinity-place Higher Grade SchooJ, Swansea, on Saturday. The following officers were elected: Presi- dent, Mr. Abraham Jones, -Trebanos; vice-president, Miss Alice Williams, Ystalyfern secretary, Mr. Arthur 1. David, 0 stermouth: hon. treasurer, Miss M. E. Davies, Pontardula is; B. and 0. Fund, Miss E. Morgan, Cly- dach; representatives on Glmaoigan Federation, Miss M. Phillips, Gorsein- on, Miss R. Deacon, Gowerton (Gower- ton Group), Mr. J. H. Davies, Glais, Mr. D. Daniels, Llansamlet (Swansea Group). All the other officers were re- elected. Mr. Abraham Jones proposed and Mr. J. Glan Thomas. Gendros, seconded, "That this association is of opinion that the N.U.T. should affi- liate with the Labour Party." Mr. Arthur Davies moved an amendment, which was seconded" by Mr. J. H. Davies, Kiilay. On a vote being taken the motion was carried. The president, secretary, and Miss Emily Morgan were elected as representatives to the National Conference. -=- .a.

LABOUR AND WEALTH. Lord Leverhulme, speaking at Hir- mingham to a meeting of business men, said lie did not believe in the dictum of labour as die source of wealth; labour could only produce wealth when intelligently directed. Low wages and long hours did not produce the best results, or our great- est rivals would not be America, but China and Japan. Intelligence count- f-d for more than hours. He trusted they would get the foremen of their departments to solve the problem of how to produce better results out of six hours a day at not less than the wages now in operation.

10 I J-UGAR FOR JA.NI. I The Cilaifnn-'i of the Royal Com- mission on the Sugar Supply states that his recent announcement with re- gard to sugar for jam-making was made solely with the object of advising •fruit growers who were Ill. a position 'to set aside part of their ration to commence doing so in case other sup- plies should not lie forthcoming. The whole question of the allocation of such sugar as may be availahle.for jam-making is being investigated, and ib is hoped that a decision wilt shortly bo arrived at which will effectively save the fruit corp of 1918 and be fair to the grower and the consumer alike.

PROMINENT SOUTH WALES SOCIALIST ARRESTED. ALLEGED EMBEZZLEMENT OF prnLIC MONEY. A painful sensation has been caused in South Wales Labour and Socialist circles by the news of the arrest oi Harry Davies, Cwmavon, who wa.s assistant overseer and clerk to the Parish Council on a warrant charging him with embezzling £ 1,000 of publics money. The arrest followed mxm the result of a Local Gov^pyjuent Board audit, together with the cp lifers ion oi accused. No Socialist in South Wales is better • known than Harry I)avies Ca-mivoi). He has takein a proiiiiiieiit, Tart in fur- thering the l.L.P. rnowmnt in the Principality, and was recently selected by the local branches as the ir nominee to contest the new Aberavon division at the next general election. Tntii n- c?'ntly he representee! Cwmavon on the County Council, and is still a mem- ber of the Board of Managers for the Pnrt Talbot Group of Schools. It would appear from the confession of the ac- cused, voluntarily made to the auditor of the L.Q.B., that his defalcations were the acts of a insftT* en des- perate by certain circumstances, the nature of which has not yet trans- pired. On Monday the accused was brought before the magistrates at Port Talbot. Mr. Edward Powell prosecuted and Mr. Lewis M. Thomas represented the orerseers. Mr. Gibson Davie-s de- fended. The prisoner looked pale, but. during the proceedings maintained his usual composure. Mr. Edward Powell explained thai Mr. Davies was assistant overseer and collector of rates for the parish oi Michaelstono Lower and clerk to the Parish Council. He was arrested on a warrant charging him that from September, 1916, to January of this year he o:nbeszlod £ 16ULXX UyL.proper- ty of the overseers. There would b"> other charges formulated later. 'Mr. Davies h;*d held these positions for 13 years. As assistant overseer he collect- ed the poor rate and the special sani- tary rate. For the former he received £100, and for the latter £ 60 a year. His books were audited up to the halt- year ended September 30th, 1916. and they appeared in order. Owing to pres- sure of work the auditor was unabl e to conduct the audit for the March, 1917, half-year, and gave notice that the two audits for the whole year would be taken together. Mr. Davies was given notice to attend, but did not do so, but after a note had been sent to the overseers he appeared on Friday last. He had written to the auditor regretting his non-attendance, and added that he bad been guilty v: gross irregularities. Last Friday, i.i the presence of himself (Mr. Po well I and the overseers prisoner told the auditor that before September, 1916, he had been borrowing yery heavily, and that people were pre; .sine; him. and he then commenced to take parish money in small amounts. He had passed the audit for March. 1916. and September, 1916, and his bnk book tallied with the collections. He (prison- er) explained that in September. 1916. he had written to his bankers saying he had lost his pasg-book., He secured a duplicate, and wrote up from the old bank-book and presented it to the auditors. He said he had appropriated f)i-(,r £ 1,000, but-iliow meh more h, did net know. No entry had be«r>n made in the books sinct.> January, ItH7, and the overseers had placed them in the competent hands of Mr. Lewis M. Thomas. Until thctse were made up he (Mr. Powell) could not go into details. It had been considered necessary in the public interest, that prisoner should He arresetd --immediately on his own confession. REMANDED. Superintendent Ben Evans, giving evidence of arrest, said he tailed at prisoner's house' in Cwmavon on Satur- day night at S o'clock. In the house wore a number of prisoner's friends, and after witness had told .him the ob- ject of his visit, said, "VYe will Ie-ate the room." His son remained, and witness saw prisoner pasa something from his pocket 'to his son's hands. W i tness I??:,d for it, and found that' it was £ 46 in Treasury notes. Prisoner explained that Mr Wyndham Edwareis handed him the notes which he cof-. Jectcd from friends, and which kad been given him that night. itnes.* was of opinion that undoubtedly this money was for the purpose of enabling prisoner to evade arrest. Mr. Edward Powell having applied for a remand, Mr. Gibson Davies asked for bail, and said that his client \rap anxious to render the overseers as much assistance as possible1. Accused was remanded f. eight days, bail l>eing refused." k