Pioneer

Emrys Hughes9 Fourth Sentence. PAGE 4.

Political Notes it.1 —— By F. W. Jowett, M.P. I THE BITTERNESS OF VERSAILLES. I The decision arrived at between die represen- tatives of France. Great Britain and Italy at the recent Conference at A'ersailles is a bitter disappointment to all who wish to end the war a* early as possible by means of a negotiated peace. There has never been a. more favourable opportunity for dividing the supporters of Jlili- tarisin from the supporters of Peace and Liberty i in the Central Powers. The display ot Hoffman s| mailed fit in answer to the Bolshevik demand that the people of Poland. Courland and Lithunia should themselves determine their form of government and not the notables who happen to hold office at present had been answered by strikes of workmen in Austria and Germany and a rea.sonabte attitude on the part of the Allied Governments would have made it more easy for the strikers to defend their action. Further- more, Count Czernin, speaking officially for Austria had made a general offer to the Allies of peace without annexations, and. the whole world over, there were people .nxiously waiting for a reasoned reply to Count ( Aeruin's offer. The answer, when it came, was that only mili- tary iii-k, could impose wuns of peace favourable to the Allies. Tlxi.— v- a ie\ otsion to the knock-out blow policy, only it is not ex- pressed in the language of the ring. # HERTLING AND CZERNIN. I In making the above comment on riif decision of the Allied Governments. I have not overlooked the fact that Count Hertling. speaking i'or Ger- many, adopted a different tone to that of the Austrian Foreign Secretary. Count (;.wrtIiIl. Ir must be borne in llIind. however, that Count Hertling's position in Germany is different to tlw t of COli 11 t (' ZP I'll iu in Austria. Both states- men are being pressed to jlUI ke pledgee in favour of jjeace without annexations by the people of their respective countries. Both swiresnien iear that the spread «»l disali-ection 'among t-be mass*?* mav paralyse the military arm of the State. But CVmnt Hertling has Count Beventlow and tlip in litai- pack barking at his heels, and he probablv seasons his speeches to make it moie difficult for them to attack him. It is the case, however, that Count Hertling. notwithstanding the more provocative tone of-his speech. did associate himself with Count Czernin's offer. THE SECRET TREATIES. I To fully appreciate the bearing of the declara- tion of the Allied Governments on the internal sitna.cion of Germany it is necessary to read it along with the secret treaties, recently published in I ii, contain tbe prom ises made to Italy and to Rumania to induce them to join the Allies. This is the more clearly necessary after Lord Robert Cecil's recent statement in the House of Commons that the Government stands by its secret treaties. In the declaration of the Allied Governments it is stated that the Supreme War ( ouncil cannot find in the Hert- ling and Czernin ?)?p(h? any r<:d approxima- ling and Czt-i-iilii anv ho to th.- AUicd terms." This they give as their excuse for reverting to the knock-out blow policy. What, then, are the "Allied question cannot be that the Allied terms were stated hy Mr. Lloyd George at the conference of trades unionists in the Central Hall when he led his hearers to be- lieve that the war aims of the Government were praeticallv the same as those of the Labour- Party. the secret treaties, now known to the world, have made stub an answer to this ques- tion impossible. THE LABOUR QUOTA. I The war aims of the Labour Party with which, in substance. Mr. Lloyd George pretended to associate himself on the occasion above referred to went no further in reference to the claims of Italy than to express the view that territory in- habited by Italians should be united with Italy. Furthermore, it must be recognised that the La- Ikiui* Party's statement of war aims was drafted with the object of securing agreement at a La- hour and Socialist- conference of Allies, to be fol- lowed later by an international conference where it would become the basis of discussion and pos- sible amendment. At an international confer- ence a proposal to make territorial changes in favour of Italy would probably be met with counter proposals to give the right of self deter- mination to the inhabitants of territory at pre- sent held by one or other of the Allies. The point of importance, however, is that in the La- bour Party's statement of war aims the refer- ence to Italy's claims commits the Labour Party to nothing more than a desire to see territory in- habited by Italians limited with Italy. ALLI ED TER MS." The "Altied terms which include the terms contained in' the secret treaty, on the promise of which Italy entered the war. arc entirely incon- sis-tent with the Labour Party's war aims so far as they relate to Italy, and Mr. Lloyd George knew this when he talked the Conference of trades unionist* into the belief that he agreed with the Labour Party in the matter. In the secret treaty referred to there is no pretence at merely uniting people of tll(- a n-I tongue, it is openly, shamelessly, a programme of imperialist annexations. In the long list of annexations promised to Italy there is included territory which contains not more than five or at outside ten per cent, of Italians. The treaty in- cl udes also a scheme for the partition of Al- bania, which, when it is con-side red along with the profession of its authors, that they are fight- er ing for the rights of small nationalities, appears not only to be criminal, but cloaked with hypo- crisy. » » THE GEORGIAN TRICK, I When Mr. Lb. >yd George made the trades unionists believe that he was 111 agree- ment with clie Labour Party's wa.r aims. there were people who said that his only object wan to dam]; down the growing opinion in the Labour Movement in favour of peace by negotiation. He certainly did try to do so by the trick of pre- tending that the Lahour Party's war aims were yut forward by the Party as iiiiniiiiiiiii foi- acceptance, and then arguing that, as such, they would surely (>e rejected by the Central Powers. It must also be admitted that if he had no 111- tention of seeking release from the secret treaties at the next meeting at Versailles, he I;ot only tailed to disclosi the import-ant fact rhat the Allies were committed to war a,ims quite opposite to those of the Labour Party, but he also deceived hearers in a most barefaced manner as to his own intentions. Personally, I am inclined to think that the greater of these two charges cannot be charged against him. There is no reasonable ground for the belief that Mr. Lloyd George did not anticipate when he addressed t I it, trade unionists t'lii tItaly and France might be persuaded to agree to a revision of their war aims on the lines laid down in the Labour Party's statement on which, in sub- stance. he had expressed himself in terms that implied his general agreement. WHAT THE GERMANS WANTED. I If .Mr. Lloyd George did ex|>e< t to secure a re- vision of war aims, then what happened at Ver- sailles must have been that Italy and France would not agree to scrap the secret treaties. There was. therefore, no other course open for the Allied Governments than to avoid saying anything about their war aims at all. and de- clare their intention fight on. This is just whfit the hniicxationisis and millcurist.s of Ger- many wanted them to say. and already Revent- low and his friends are throwing the blame on for the message of deliance that lias coine from Versailles. -i: TREACHERY TO RUSSIA. I We who belong to the Allied nations are pay- ing a heavy price for the treatment by our Gov- ernments of the Bolsheviks. Whilst Trot-sky and Lenin have been standing up to the German militarists at Brest and exposing them, not only to the world at large, but to their own peoples, no word of encouragement has been given by the Allied Governments. On the contrary, the Bol- shevi ks have been treated by the British and .French press in a most disgraceful manner. The French Government has actually supported the I kraitie Hada against the Bolsheviks, and has provided funds for it to the amount of t 7 .()(¡(¡,K H t. :11 t I\(n I;h the Itada was at the time sicretly negotiating a separate peace with the Central Powers. These negotiations have ended, as might have been expected, in agreement, and the ground has been cut from under the feet of the Bolshevik*, and the Central Powers will pro- bably be able to get additional food supplies from r k ra ine. In the c rcumstances the Bolshevik Government has adopted the nest course possible hyde<'tarin?thewaratend so far as they are concerned, but refusing to sign any tn"lty of to ti", .1 t. of HEINE'S SPEECH, AS REPORTED- I A few weeks ago a quotation from a speech made by "Wolfgang Heine, one of the German majority Socialists, appeared in the British press, the object of which was to sliow that peace at present would be a German vietorv. The quotation as it appeared was as follows: — ] ? f"lV Germany were to HHI ke a peace whi(.ll loft It., tei-i-itoi- N- intflctt, nllc>\Vfc><l its froo future development, and hrought it reconcilia- tion and understanding with its neighbours, then indeed it could in modest pride consider itself victorious." # AND, THE OMMITTED PIECE. I I will now add the port-bin of the passage in Heine's speech which the British press did not quote, and the reader will at once sec how the speaker was j?tisr?pres?nted — And since the French l>elieve. however mistakenly, that Germany attacked them to tear something from them by force, they, too. migdn can themselves And no less England, who went to war ostensibly for the sake of Belgium, should that country re- gain its independence, which, moreover, Ger- many would be unable to refuse." "ENLIGHTENMENT." I Lord Beaverb-rook, who is reputed to he the owner of the" Daily Express." has been ap- pointed chief of the publicity department of the Government. As Mr. Max Aitken, Lord Beaver- brook made a fortune in Canada, and he is cre- dited with having earned out the backstairs ne- 1 gotiations which led to the fall of Mr. Asquith and the elevation of his successor, Mr. Lloyd George. Lord Lansdowne, in the course of his speech a fortnight ago wisely said that the peo- ple of tili., a good deal of en- lightenment" as to "the objects for which we are prolonging the war." Lord Beaverbrook will doubtless see that the people get something to read and he will take good care with regard to most of what he gives them to read that the people will not know where it comes from. Lord Heaverbrook is admirably fitted for that kind of work.

Brutality of Officialism THE CASE OF H. W. FIRTH, OF NORWICH. REMARKABLE INQUEST AT DARTMOOR I SETTLEMENT. The conscientious objectors housed in Dart- I moor Convict Prison have been deeply moved by the events connected with and leadln" up to the death of Comrade Firth, of Norwich, on the mornulg of February 6tli. Firth had been court-martia llcd twice as a conscientious objec- tor. Towanl s the end of 11)1 T. he had heen feel- ing the effects of a confinement of nine months, so he decided to accept the Home Office Scheme in the hope that his health would improve. He was released from Maidstone Prison and arrived at Dartmoor Settlement on the 3Lst Decem- her. No medical report was sent with him. though it was obvious that? lie was in a terrihh' weak condition and much emaciated. It may he remarked that before he fell into the hands of the authorities lie had always had good health except for an occasional cold. He was put to work on the Heavy Quarry i*arty at Dartmoor oil On the 4th January he complained ot the cold, and went to the hospital. The doctor could not deten t anything wrong and he was either working at the Quarry or on the night white-washing party {hours 7.30 p.m. till o.3<) a.m.) until lie was admitted to the hospital on the 30th January. He sank steadily, appar- ently without the doctors in charge of the Set- tlement appreciating the gravity of his condi- tion. He died on the 6th February under cir- cumstances which led to a request for an ill- quest. This was acceded to, and the inquest was held in a small room in the Settlement on the 8th February, under most remarkable cir- cumstances. A STOP WORK BALLOT. I The death ot .Firth aroused such feeling in the Settlement that a general meeting was con- vened on the night of his death to consider the course to be adopted. After some debate, it was agreed that a nallot should be taken on the question of whether a cessation of work should take place on Friday, the 8th inst., to mark the respect felt for (ollil-ade Firth and the indigna- tion at the treatment accorded to him and other sufferers in prison and settlement hospitals. The ballot was taken on Thursday, disclosing a two to one majority in favour of cessation of work. On this jvoll. the Committee>referred the matter again to the general meeting, which decided that the figures of- the ballot disclosed a uffi- cient number to make an imposing protest. The cessation ol work took place between 6 a.m. and 10-p.m. on Friday, February 8th. About 700 sent him back to the Quarry. From that period members joined in the demonstration. Tn order that the cook-house might take their share, ab- stention from the Home Office rations was agreed upon. Perfect order was maintained through- out the dajv. A most enthusiastic meeting was in the m lining, at which the following statement was endorsed for transmission to the Home Secretarv. Mr. G. N. Barnes, the Home Office C oniniittee, .Mr. Philip Snowden. M.P., I and the Press -— "This general meeting of memliers of the Dartmoor Settlement beg to inform the Home Secretary that they are ceasing work between <> a.m. and 11) p.m. on Friday, February 8th, to mark their respect to their deceased com- rade, H. \V. Firth, and their indignation at the treatment by the doctors in the Settle- ment Hospital. They further desire their ces- sation of work to be regarded as a protest against the general maltreatment of conscien- tious ob.j<vtors in various prisons and .settle- ment hospitals, as a consequence of whicit a number of conscientious objectors have already had their ends hastened or their health per- manently injured or undermined." During the day a Memorial Service was or- ganised by a number of religious denominations. It was attended bv the vast majority of the de- monstrators, who paid a reverential and moving tribute to their comrade who had passed into the Fnknown Land. AN UNFORTUNATE RIFT. I There was some difference of opinion about tire I wisdom of the course taken. Many members of leligioiis denominations felt that cessation of work was not action of which they could ap- prove. while the personal and domestic circum- stances of some Socialist settlers led them to re- frain from joining in something which might: develop into a serious conflict with the authori- ties. On Friday, .February 8th. the authorities ordered the men who had absented themselves from work to remain in the Settlement after the period of labour hours had concluded, and on Saturday every man who had been away from work received a charge sheet. The answer to this rain of charge sheets, which has involved an extravagant use of paper at this period of shortage, will be formulated in the terms of the resolution set out above. On February Otlt the body was despatched to Norwich, the whole Settlement forming a pro- cession with the bearers. It was a most impres- sive spectacle, and even the population of Prince- town were respectful. Such a sight had never been witnessed in this village, which lias stamped iii)-oii it the indelible mark of misery and WTon: in the prison buildings and the architecture of the warders' quarters. Lead, kindly light" was sung on the platform by the C.O. choir, while the moved slowly from the station carrying the body of another victim of Govern- ment persecution and tyranny. '?"' THE INQUEST. I The inquest on Friday was marked by some grave irregularities, of which more may 1w heard. Coroners' inquest* should be held in publi«. An essential part of the publicity of the proceedings is that the jurors should have their names called and should be sworn in the pres- ence of the parties interested. This was not done. The representatives of the Men's Com- mit.Ko? who w?re instructing Mr. Edward Ro- berts, of Merthvr. who &ppeareJ for the widow, were not admitted until after ti e jury lia(i IK sworn. The bias of five of the seven was so welli known that their competence as jurors would certainly have been challenged before the taking of the oatli. Once the jury was sworn the tiitio for challenge had passed. At the conclusion of the inquest the room was cleared of the Press and all those representing the widow and the men in the Settlement: but the two doctors, whose conduct was impugned, the prison officials and the Coroner remained behind with the jury during the deliberation on the verdict. A grosser on of the course of justice can hardly be conceived. THE EVIDENCE. The following is a summary of the material evidence prepared from the shorthand notes. 11r. Sparrow. the sub-agent, gave a brief his- tory of the man's career at the Settlement, and produced the telegrams which were sent to the widow by the authorities after the man was dead, telling her to come as he was seriously ill. The man was put on turning the handle of a winch in the quarry, which was light work. The witness heard that Firth had been several times, to t.he hospital. Cross-examined by Mr. Edward Roberts The dfceased did not look H'rv robust on his ar) h a!. Wltnes did not know tha t deceased had left I Maidstone Prison ill: nor did he complain of ill- ness. A (barge was sent in against Firth on January 30tli. which he produced. The Coroner: This is the charge: "Idling away tune in the closet for 2.) minutes, while employed a.t the Quarry." The man's reply was, I being a sufferer, from constipation, it na- turally takes me a long time to go in the closet. I assure you I was not aware I was away so long as that. I hope it will not occur again." The manager's decision was: "FiTst report: cau- tioned. DOCTOR'S ORDERS CARRIED OUT. I Samuel French, conscientious objector and or- derly at the Hospital, was then called. He had attended the deceased. The orders given by the doctors were carried out. By the Coroner: Is it your opinion that every- thing passible was done for him?—I can ha.rdly say that. He certainly seemed in a very had condition. Do you allege any neglect?—I think1 that pos- sibly something mpre might have been done for him in the e.arlier stages of his illness. I think a complaint can be lodged in respect of his diet in the early stages. I did not complain to any- one. Did you make any report about thatf-I knew that people outside were moving, and I left it; at that. By a Juror: Did yon at any time substitute any otitet, diet for that ordered by the doctor- No. The doctor's "orders were carried out en- tirely. Who were the others moving in the mattf>r The Men's Committee. The Juror: Tiietv must have been some dis- satisfaction if the Men's Committee were moving. The Coroner: That is not the point. Mr. Roberts There are other hospital order- Ili,, ii-lio had made representations. Did the deceased ever complain about his diet?—Yes. he asked for milk. What was Filth's physical condition?—He looked very emaciated. His cheeks were drawn in. and you could get your thumb and finger round his wrists and ankles. He looked fleshless ?— Y es. Do you think he was tit to do any work ?-—No. The Coroner: Not light work?—Personally. 1 should not have put him to the lightest work. I should have given him complete rest. M r. Hoberts: Did you think he was in a fit ] condition to be exposed to the weather .here ? No. I was surprised when he was discharged from the hospital on the first occasion. The Coroner: You thought he was discharged mo soon?—Yes. Mr. Roberts: He was always complaining of thirst?—Yes, all along. The Coroner at this point intimated that this was a public inquiry and persons who desired to attend could lie admitted. Though somewhat late in the enquiry, he desired to say that, as an important principle was involved. A number of C.O. 's who had been excluded by the prison authorities up to this time were then admitted. THE DOCTOR'S EVIDENCE. Dr. Hattiscombe stated that Firth was an emaciated man, unhealthy and of poor physique. The deceased told him tha.t he had been nine months in Maidstone Prison, and had felt the confinement during the latter part of the time. Deceased complained after the first day's work that he could not do the work. He came on several occasions to the hospital. He worked on the quarry till January 21st. when he was trans- ferred to the white-washing party (night duty) between 7.30 p.m. and ij.S0 a.m. He was taken ill on that party, and went into hospital till the 2Gtb, Deceased went back to the Quarry on January 28th, and returned to hospital on the :i0tli. He complained of thirst and of passing a large quantity of water. He had all the symptoms of diabines except that there was no sugar present in the urine. I abstained from putting him on a rigid diet. which was not be- gun tili February 5th. I saw him on the even- ing of .February 5th. but had no reason to an- ticipate any sudden end. At 6.30 a.m. on Feb- ruary 6th I was called by one of the orderlies and found him unconscious. He did not rally,, but died at 8.55 a.m. The cause of death was diabetes. The man had probably had diabetes for some time without that being known. He did not think the end was hastened by his en- vironment or treatment at Dartmoor. If his work had been arduous it would have hastened his end, but it was turning the handle of a winch. He could do as much or as little as he chose. He never complained about bis work after January 3rd or 4th. i NO FEELING IN THE MATTER. Cross-examined by Mr. Kdward Roberts: No medical report came with Firth. He must have asked deceased whether he had been ill in pri- son, because deceased gave him the effects of cofnnnement. as the reason for his accepting the Scheme. He never saw the man at work. He did n.irt ask wliac -vvorl, the deceased was doing. He did not know that the man was on heavy work. He asked to have his pa.rty changed, but did not complain of the work. He complained of the cold while going to the quarry. Yon did not receive that complaint very sym- pathetically?—Not very. Did not you think he was malingering?—No, because many people feel cold. But I did not consider his reasons sufficient. In his physical condition?—He had plenty of clothes. I think you said something about its being cold in the trenches?—T did. I treated him in a business way. I had no feeling in the matter. Did he ask for eggs at one time-Y: it was on February 5th. T told him it was very diffi- cult to get them as nearly all the eggs were re- quired for the soldiers. However, I ordered him three eggs and I heard they were delivered. Cross-examine d by Mr. C. H. Norman I sug- gest to you that the whole time from January 1st to this mau's death he was in a condition unfit- to work. and that he was ill the whole period \V e now know he must have had dia- betes all the time. He had various complaints during varying intervals, but not one of these complaints was sufficient to prevent him doing the work. Did you or did you not accuse- him of malin- gering?—No, I did not. Cross-examined by Mr. Dan Griffiths: You said that he could do as little as he chose ?—Yes. Do you know that he was charged for being too long in the latrine?—So I have heard. Do you still suggest that he could do as little or as much as he wanted ?—As regard the ar- duousness of the task. I dc. TREATED AS A CASUAL Dr. Hilyer gave evidence corroborating Dr. Battiscombe's account of the symptoms and his diagnosis. When he examined the deceased there was no sign of illness. He did not con- sider the man seriously ill till the evening be- fore he died. He could not say that deceased was a cheerful man. Cross-examined by Mr. Rooerts; A history sheet could not be produced because the de- ceased had been treated more as a casual than as an indoor patient. Cross-examined by MT. Norman: I suggest that you treated this man lightly, as a malin- berer.—Certainly not. I suggest he was a skeleton.—Certainly not. Ha e you a*sy d of his weight.—No. Therefore you are merely e.t.imating ?-Yes, from my examination of the man. The Coroner then summed up. and the jury returned a verdict that the death was due to natural causes, the complaint being diabetes. and that they were in every way satisfied with the treatment given by the doctors. The jury also expressed their sympathy with the widow. DEMAND FOR RE-OPENING. The present situation is that a demand for an enquiry mto the general treatment of men in the Dartmoor Settlement hospital has been aub- mitted to the Home Office Committee, a-ccom- j>anied with a request for the re-opening of the inquest in view of the grave irregularities con- nected with the opening and closing of the pro- ceedings. It may he remarked, in conclusion, as an illustration of the generosity of the Home Office Committee, that the wife was receiving 5 allowance per week, to which the husband contributed II.) a week out of his pay of 4/8 a week. It is not surprising that conscientious objectors are flourishing when a generous Gov- ernment squanders its money in this way. But one must wonder how long this scandal of the jiersecution of C.O.'s is to be continued by the people ot this country. O.H.N.

Colliery Rating Exposed Mr. T. I. Mardy Jones is to lw heartily con- gratulated on the exceptionally large circulation which his pamphlet on this very technical and difficult subject ha« secured. Over 15,000 copies have been sold out, and the demand for it has spread to all our British coalfields, several thou- sand having abeady been sold outside South Wales. There is sure to be a big demand for a re-issue at the next local elections whilst there is every prospect that its wide circulation will lead to the promotion of a Rating Bill by the Labour Party at the next General Election to embody the radical reforms in rating advocated in the pamphlet, the initiative will come from the Miners' Federation,

A Cubish Portrait of David Devant, at the Theatre Royal, Merthyr Tydfil, next week. Twice Nightly-6,45 and 8.45.