Pioneer

Demand their Immediate Release. LONDON PROTEST AGAINST C.O. TREAT- MENT. The City of London I.L.P., at a laregly at- tended meeting expressed its unanimous protest against the treatment meted out to our Com- rades C. H. Noi-iiiin and J. P. Hughes in the following terms —- "That this annual meeting of the City of London branc h of the Independent Labour! Party strongly protests against the re-arrest, re- turn to the Army, and renewed imprisonment of C. H. X orman and J. P. Hughes; and, in view of the fact that the Centra) Tribunal has declan'd both these men to be genuine (,on,,(,ieii-? tious objectors, demands their immediate re- lease. Further we ask the I.L. P. Members of Parliament to take action towards this end." The Branch also resolved That, this branch calls upon the I.L.P. Members of Parliament to press for adequate safeguards against the dangers which may arise from the Education Bili. which when taken in conjunction with the Registration Act and Military Service Act. tends towards mili- tary and industrial slavery. It calls upon the I.L.P. members of Parliament to press for amendments to the Physiciai Education clauses so as to definiwly stipulate that the ttanin? in schools be entirely civilian in character and con- ducted by speoial qualified members of the teaching staff, and that all military elements be rigidly excluded from the camps.

I VISIT OF SCERMUS. -1 the announcement of the visit or the g*reai Russian democrat- violinist. Soeroms. to Alerthyr is an important one to music lovers in the town and district. Few artistes have attained his. interna tiona! reputation as an interpreter through the medium of music of thp liara- and a spira tions of the common peoples of eart h. A great disciple of Bach, it is that great corn- poser's work that he will give to us on his visit. We hope to deal at greater length with the visit next week. Printed and published by the National Labour Press, Ltd., at the Labour Pioneer Press, Williams Square, Merthyr TVdfil. SATURDAY. APRIL 13th. 1918.

  Merthyr Notes Merthyr' Notes I Warning to Colliers. The Merthyr Stipendiary (Mr. IC A. Griffith) sitting at Abercynor. or. Thursday warned colliers that men charged in future with obtaining money by markini.: other colliers' trains would be sen; to prison. Rector and War. Making a referenfe to the war situation. the Rev. Daniel Lewis (Hector of Merthyr) presiding at the Easter vestry meeting of the Merthyr Parish Church on Thursday, said: "We are in a. ci Uis. We are in the very vortex of the war. and I ask yon most earnestly to pray to Al- mighty God to send hi" angels to .succour our army and to drive away the would-be invader. I was heckled because of In" remarks last year on the war. but I did not mind. I find Lord Lawfrlowne followed with his peace motives and statement, and Mr. Lloyd George then followed in she same wake. I had a few brick-bats figur- atively thrown at my head, and Lord Lans- downe had an immense number from the Press. Mr. Llonl George had all the pence and Lord Lansdowne had all the kicks. that is the phil- osophy of it." Mr. A. Hn?h? wa? appointed ost)pii,?- of it. -Nft-. k. wa, appointed IN.a i-.clen. 1-,1;1 1). Hi) I ) I -zirL,. Food Information Centres. Lady Rhondda. speaking at the Merthyr County School prize-day meeting at; the Olympia Rink on Thursday, said it was not sufficient nowadays for children to leave school fitted to 1 earn a livelihood: girls, at least, shoul^ be a big, to look after a house without calling ill ficsstst- Siiice for sundry repairs like mending a window- cord. a lock, or a gaspipe. She had of late taken to soldering and soon would be able to repair a gas-pipe. (Laughter.) I am very keen." went on Lady H hoodda. "upon getting up centres in towns and villages where informa- tion can be obtained as co the keeping of pigs, goats, and rabbits or canning of fruit and veget- ables. It has been thought of in. London, and I am very anxiotis to forward it as far as pos- sible." The pupils at the Intermediate Schools might well take up keeping pigs and rabbits as a solution of the problem of continuing the school dinners. They had started upon goats and rabbits in the Llanwern district, and she hoped their lead would be followed throughout the county. Mr. F. A. Phillips presided. Corporation Carts for Government. Merthyr Public Works Committee on Friday decided to sell three of the Corporation water- carts to the Director of Roads and Railways for ;C23 each. It is understood they are required for use overseas. Benefit Entertainment. A miscellaneous concert in aid of an ex-soldier. Mr. J. Evans. Ivoi-street. Dowlais. unable to follow his employment for some time hf'c-ause of a wound in the s houlder, was held at the Olym- pia Rink. Merthyr. on .Friday. The programme included musical items and several exhibition boxing bouts. Bedlinog CollieryFatality. I John a;tkin>. 49. or Lower High-street, Bedlinog. whilst working at the Xantwen Col- liery was struck down by a fall of top coal." -and subsequently died at the Merthyr General Hospital. Accidental death was the verdict at the inquest on Monday. Police Pay Conference Shelved. Merthyr Watch Committee, after being in- formed that with the exception of Newport lack of enthusiasm was displayed by other county boroughs adjacent with regard to the suggestion of the Home Offiee for a conference for the pur- pose of fixing a permanent revised scale of salaries to police, deferred further consideration of the matter. 1100 for the Blind. Organised by Mrs. Lloyd, Nantygwenith- street. last week's ball at the Olympia Rink, Merthyr, realised £ 100 for the Blinded Heroes' Fund. The Women At Home. I A deputation of ttie wives and dependants of polk-emen serving with the colours waited upon the Merthyr Watch Committee on Monday with a request that in addition to tfie allowances granted them—the difference lietween their army and civilian pre-war pays—-they should also receive the benefit of the war-bonus given the borough force. One woman, whose son has been wounded in France twice, stated that her allow- ance from the committee was tenpence a week Her army allowance was 91'2 a week. It was decided to adjourn consideration of the matter until the next meeting of the committee for the preparation of a report on the position mean- while. Chief Constable and Education Director. Mr. J. A. Wilson (chief-constable) at the Mer- thyr Watch Committee meeting on Monday cor- rected an impression that there was laxity on the part of the police in collecting school-attend- ance fines. He said that of the 63 outstanding cases from April 2nd, 1917, to March 31st last. 37 people were paying by instalments, two per- sons had absconded; eight were soldiers' wives; three were widows too poor to pay; 11 were cases of persons who refused to pay, and the two remaining were people injured at work and on compensation. Of the 63 cases by far the greater number came on the list as recently as March 12th. The'poliee took every possible pre- caution to get ifnes paid, hut it A-a-, the duty, in the event of non-payment, not of the police, out- of the Director of Fducation to apply for distress warrants, and that had not been done yet. The thief consta ble's explanation was ac- cepted a.s satisfactory. Aberdare Follows Merthyr. Al>erdare District Council on Monday adopted the award of the Committee on Product ion re- specting unskilled workmen of the Merthyr Cor- poration as a basis of pay for their own em- ployees of the same class. The Harry Thomas Case. Recognisances were entered at- Merthyr Police- Court on Tuesday In connection with the pend- ing appeal by the military at the King's Bench Divisional Court. against the recent decision of the Merthyr Stipendiary (Mr. R. A. Griffith) in the casc- of Henry Thomas, conscientious objec- tor. Mr. F. S. SintOT)- was for the prosecutors and Mr. F/. Roberts for Mr. Thomas. A Novel Plea. A Dowlais labourer, summoned at Merthyr on Tuesday for arrears due to the Guardians for his niaintainence at the Infirmary whilst 114A was being treated for an injured shoulder, told the magistrates that he had been in the parish for 40 years, and as an indirect ratepayer for that period. thought he ws entitled to be looked after by the poor-law authorities when maimed or done up. He was ordered to pay the amount owing.

Tonyrefail Notes. I By-Product Strike Broken. I The by-product workers of Coed Ely decided last Saturday to resume work pending negotia- tions in respect to their grievance over which they have been out on strike for some time. It may be assorted that they were forced to return to work owing to the successful application of blackleg labour to their work on the by-product plant. It is stated that many of the blacklegs were recruited from the Coed Ely examiners, whose union, be it remembered, during the last Examiners' strike, appealed to the miners for their support. The response of the miners to that appeal was a refusal to work. It serves no purpose whatever to further emuitter feeling among our own class. The sooner all the workers unite in one Industrial ( nion the better for all. The Checkweigher Ballot. Persons outside the District will be interested to know the result of the recent ballot at Coed Ely for checkweighmen Mr. Arthur Jones headed the list. Mr. Tom Young came second. -N I i-. Jones needs no introduction, having already occupied the position for severa yea rs. lr. Young has been a very active member of the working-class movement for a number of years. One of his chief characteristics is his class-con- sciousness. He is a good speaker and is well versed in working-class economics. The general opinion is that he will serve the workers success- fully. n- ¡

Maesteg Notes. I.L.P. Activities. At a branch meeting at the Co-operative Lec- ture Hall- on Monday evening it was unanimous- ly resolved to take up the collection of waste paper and divide it between The Pioneer Labour Press. The Xational Labour Press, and The Herald." Comrades Ben Laugharne. and A. G. .Jones iN-(,t-e appointed to take charge of the col- lection. Any friends having any old waste paper to dispose of are requested to let any of the members know of the existence of such, or communicate with Ben Laugharn, Soar Avenue, or A. G. Jones, 49 Greenfield Street, Maesteg, who will readily relieve thelll of their burden. The branch is now hooking up speakers for the summer propaganda, and any speakers who could give us a date are requested to communi- cate with A. G. Jones, 49 Greenfield Street, who is the lecture secretary. The branch in- tends to hold at least one meeting per week throughout the summer. Please write soon, so as to assist in drawing up the arrangements.

Theatre Royal The return of two-house-a-night melodrama to the Theatre Royal this week has proved attrac- tive. Good houses have enjoyed the perform- ance of A Boy's Best Friend," and it is with ■pleasurable anticipation that the people are looking forward to the staging of The Broken Rosary for to-night (Thursday). A Boy's Best Friend is a domestic drama, with a strong love intrigue, and HI a n", forceful situa- tions, none of which have been forced, by the clever little company that Sheila Zillwood has staged iii her play. Good work is done by Arthur Rarton, Ernest J. Fare, Sam Foster and Haw ood Cooper, and by Lydia Andre. Kathleen May, Xelson Ramsay and Edie Williams. For next week a vaudeville bill ofood diver- sity is announced. Topping the list is "The Femina Quartette." the particularly bright star of which is Miss Lilian Burgess, a soprano with a concert reputation. At the bottom is Les Ephraini in their celebrated sketch The M eanesr Man an Earth," a sketch that has something of a reputation on the halls. AI Penny, the Duo in Ono," Les Artois, comedy bar performers Ancaster. the (omedy juggler and Doris Broughton, the well-known soprano, I complete tne list. PLAYGOER.

MERTHYR I.L.P. i: MEETINGS. OLYMPIA RINK, MERTHYR, Sunday Next, April 14th, 1918, At 2.t5 p.m. prompt. I MR. JOHN SCURR Admission by Silver Collection.

The Rejoinder. MARK STARR POINTS OUT THE USE OF HISTORY. Emrys Hughes' valued criticisms, offered to C.L.C. students and mysplf in the Pioneer" of a fortnight ago, are based upon a foolish fear that we are inclined to neglect the future for the past, and become pedants rather than pro- pagandists. (This is just opposite to the usual criticism which says our teaching is not educa- tion but propaganda, i.e., education with a de- finite end in view.) However, to the thousands of students w.ho have been, and are still con- tinuing. studying Industrial History and Econo- mics. this fear, from their own experience, seems entirely baseless. The present looms large in all discussions, and modern parallels are always oeing made. In fact, to understand the present and to go forward in the future is our sole reason for looking at the past at all. k,, sincere admirers and possible imitators of Emrys and the stand that he has made, we are looking for- ward to a time when he will share our studies and co-operate in* this work of the classroom, which must accompany that of the soap-box and platform. Let me endeavour, in following out more fully this criticism, to piove once again to "Pioneer" readers that the study of Social Science is of TI:EMEM)OUS [MVOHTANCE to the workers, and that a clear understanding in this regard is the fundamental necessity of the moment. DYNAMIC OF CHANGE, I Emrys says History is the organised mem- ory of mankind." But a clearer and more de- finite definition is that it is a record of class- struggles for the general mnnkind," that he mentions, exists only in particular classes of men between whom struggles have occurred, and these have acted is the dynamic behind social change. Thus history has been made. FrOlIl this is follows that not only have classes in their triumph made history, but their various historians have judged the past in It conflicting fashion. Compare if you will the Biblical ac- count of the Israelites' entry into Palestine with the newspapers' account of how the Bri- tish have recently entered it. Contrast Monk- ish chronicles or mediaeval courtiers' records with the work of Buckle. Or, to come nearer still, think of the difference between the history of the Bolsheviks and the contradictory lessons drawn from it by the" Times and the S(x-ialist." It is very evident that rival classes have rival judgments or histories. There- fore, the workers have their own historical view- point, of which they alone are the bearers and with which they should be acquainted in order to fully appreciate their historic mission. WITTICISM, NOT TRUISM. That Emrys lacks this clarifying insight is re- vealed in the mixed problems he has listed as most deserving the immediate attention of the workers. To understand, for example, La- bour's re-lation to Impeiialism" is surely to study Labour's relation to Capitalism, of which Imperialism is the latest phase. Our masters are already undertaking "Tlie Development of China and Africa and prostituting The Aeroplane Industry and elementary and tech- nical education to suit their demands. "The Report of the Commission on Veneral Dis- eases does not recognise the Social Problem beneath them, involving knowledge concerning woman's economic dependence and the limited education and stunted live* of human commodi- ties. That class in society, which is worked for and fought for, and which buys the politicians' honour as well a- the workers power to labour by hand and brain, wiii never finally remove a state of affairs under which another use of the body is sold and this section only awa kes to this danger when it destroys military and industrial efficiency. The considerat ion of the other prob- lems Enirvs mentions, follows as a natural se- quence from an intelligent survey of the past. Tn fact, to spea k of a "Lahour Press is to state that the Anti-Labour Press does not tell the truth. And the experience has proved that the Wor kers' Press will never fully succeed un- til its writers and readers—unlike those of the late "Daily Citizen" have achieved a clear-cut view free from contamination with the other side. What applies to the newspajier applies also to the history-book and wonderful results will follow the destruction of the as-i t-was-in- the-beginning-is-now-and-ever-shall-be outlook." I z- otit l ook. and the appreciation of the birth, development and glorious future of the working-class. This makes the quoted aphorism We learn from history that we learn nothing from history a witticism but certainly not a truism. ANALOGIES. I Surely, a small manual of less than 160 pages is not oveitloing the habit of tracing the ori- gin of things ? The road analogy is hardly complete enough. Not only do we workers find it useful to follow the way we came, hut also how we came. What a knowledge of biological evolution is to the individual—explaining the mode of progress and many physical and mental remaining rudiments—so is a knowledge of social evolution to the working class. A pseudo- physician attempting to cure an illness and yet knowing nothing of the science of medicine, or a would-be practical scientist of any sort who disregarded all the recorded experience and find- ings of all his predecessors in his supposed do- main would be more analogous to a working- class forced to destroy social diseases, yet ignor- ing Social Science. Even taking Emrys' own definition, we know what we call a man without a memory. CARLYLE AND MARX. I Again, Oarlyle and Marx were not artist and architect working in different fields, hut his- torians both. One gave us some brilliant mono- graphs by applying his Great Man Theory to the French Revolution. The other revealed this happening as the triumph of the bourgeoisie and the end of Feudalism, and from it and other similar happenings derived the immense truth that the economic structure of society, i.e., the method of production and dis- tribution of the prodnds of labour, is, and al- way.s has been, the basis upon which everything else rests—the juridical, the political, the reli- gious, the social life of the I-P,-ople, no matter in what age or country." The coming of the ma- chine only filled Oarlyle with gloomy thoughts over the safi condition of England, but Marx looked beyond to the time when the workers should understand and control the machine and the forces behind it. To one history was the doings of great men, bait the other made history a science and foretold the time when social, not individual, forces now buffeting helpless men, should be consciously controlled. I CONFIDENCE FROM VICTORIES. Fmrys asks Why trace the fall of Media'val- isn);" The answer is: Because we want to gain encouragement and confidence from former vic- tories and carry still further the scientific spirit. Why go back to Primitive Communism r Because we want to lose for ever the small, i narrow, static outlook are curious to know of the start of private property and are eager to place our hands upon the thread of historical development. Because, bpli?vtng fre?om [o be not ?I ol-iit. e but ? the undprstandin? of nec'es sity," and knowing necessity to be historically conditioned, we desire to find and take the next steps to freedom now possible. We want some- thing more satisfactory than vague humanism with its cloudy phrases, which in different mouths mean different things. We want to clear the ground, lay the foundations and de- Nelop the structure plan before we get lost in raptures concerning the City Beautiful. CRUSADES AND THE PRESENT. Why trouble .about the CrusadesBecause, if we train and discipline our minds to look for the efficient causes beneath the ideal trappings of such events, it will help us to see the reality behind modern high-falutin pretensions. Lurid atrocity yarns and senseless appeals to primitive feat- tii(I age-long national prej udice will then fall on (leaf ears. Why bother about the Black Deaths Because it admirably illustrates the consequences of a shortage of labour and be- cause it was followed by an early Munitions Act and the fixing of a maximum wage. And why study Trade Unions r* Heeause they are attempts by the workers to retain and improve their con- ditions, and because we want to shape them to end the system which brought them into being. It is not a mere coincidence that the danger spots in England to our foes are itist those places where Social Science classes» have flour- ished. Let them continue and the impulsive direct action of the child and savage will make way for action based upon a more mature un- derstanding of cause and effect; the mob will grow into an intelligent army, conscious of its objective and the way to get it. HISTORY AND ECONOMICS. But. after all. Industrial History only illus- trate the workings of the 'laws of the comple- mentary science. Economics. And it is really of THRMRNDOUS IMPORTANCE that the workers should know that wages follow prices, and not vice versa"" realise the true factors behind the high cost of living: understand clearly just where and how they are exploited know what money is; and get a good grip of this science in which such matters are treated. Ignorance in these things means low wages and worse condi- tions. To know where profits, rent and inter- est really come from is to avoid all danger of taking sides with any of the burglars over the dividing of the swag. We let the fat man do his own work and understand exactly why we stretch out greedy hands towards the means of production and why they are rightly ours. Economic fallacies for the workers' consumption from perverted pens and pencils abound in the news and cartoons of the Capitalist press, and we leave them un demolished at our peril. TO AVOID ERRORS. In the light of the Industrial Unrest (.-omniis- sioners' praise of the W.E.A. as an effective antidote and of the increasing reject-ion by many Socia list's of the Capitalist fiction that the State is the people, Emrys' remarks regarding the W.E.A. and the Fabian Society read like a The military authority with his calling-up notices, the police-reporter at the meetings, the fond embraces of D.O.R.A., and the very experi- ence of our well-intentioned critic, along with other things, hardly convince us of the benign nature of State Capitalism. Finally, because we can avoid past mistakes like Revisionism remember the end while adopt- ing the means; distinguish the passing commu- nity from the )a?tin.a: identity of interest with our masters; a(lopt efficient forms of organisa- tion and proper policies rise as a class out of the wreck of Capitalism and bring all that is good from the past over to the present and fu- ture—-because a study of social science helps us to do th ese among otlwr things, t here is an enormous amount of good in it. It is, and will remain, one of the fundamental necessities of the moment which we shall have to develop to finally cure those immediate conditions which fill our minds with impatience at the slowness of progress. M.S.

r i SPECIAL SHOW OF NEW GOODS For the Season of the Latest and Newest Materials for DRESSES, BLOUSES & COSTUMES UP-TO-DATE MILLINERY-SMART BLOUSES Novelties in Neck Wear, Gloves, Scarves and Hosiery Ladies' Tailor-Made Costumes a Speciality SECURE YOUR D?V?t A? SUPPUES FROM DOWLAIS CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETY DOW LA I S. No. i Branch-STATION TERRACE, BEDLINOG. No. 2 Branch-HIGH STREET, PENVDARREN. No. 3 Branch—PANTSCALLOG, DOWLAIS. No. 4 Branch-HIGH STREET, CAEHARRIS. I.L.P. HALL, GRAIG SQUARE, PONTYPRIDD SUNDAY, A PHIL 14 th, 1918, at 6,an p.m. T. I. MARDY JONES (Parliamentary Agent. S.W.M.F.). DR. WILLIAM PRICE (Prophet of the League of Nations).

I New Theatre Manager. I There is to he s-till another change in the management of the Theatre Royal, Alerthvr— the fifth within the space of the last three- years. It is, of course, ijerfectly true that tht- ealls of the army and the navy have been respon- sible for the majority of these comings and goings, and to that extent my sympathies are fully extended to the lessees in their constant. hunt for good men, for so far they have shown a felicity in selection that has been "beyond praise. At the same time, as one who has takao a purely disinterested interest in the*progress of the Theatre, I must say that to me these con- stant changes appear as unfortunate incidents that, however well they may work out in the- long run. mean temporary set-liacks for the cosy little house. For it has come to me out of a pretty intimate acquaintance with p¡3,(-e of amusement up and down the country, that the success of a house- is. to a much la-rger extent than is generally accepted, depended. upon the personality of the management. When Mr. and Mrs. Rae came to the theatre they brought to it a breeziness and lite that was all to the good and their steady progress into the social life of the town had a decidedly ,gooa reflex on the Theatre. For themset ves alone they were admitted into the bosom of our somewhat difficult social life; and although it is not the thing to talk shop out of business hours,, their universal good fellowship came to a.t- tached to the centre witere they reigned as king, and queen. The Theatre became a little court o Merthyr's social life. When in the course of tlitie Ilr. Itae was called to the colours, the whole town was delighted to learn that Airs. Rae was to "carry on during his a bsence. t,, one who has .attended the Theatre weekK throughout its new life, I can candidly say that Ai rs. Rae has conducted the house with an aoility and popularity that leaves no room for criticism on the part of the public: whilst Somf" of her improvements and inceptions have en- hanced the reputation and attraction of the Theatre far more than any ads of her precfeces sors. I have dealt with her personal popularity —that great fa<etor in successful management but I have not sa id a. W onl so far as to her technical qualifications as they have been dis- played to the audiences. I do not. of eoure, know, how far she may have been responsible for the improvement that has taken place in the quality of the shows staged, but I take it that she has had some part and lot in this. How- ever, ignoring that we have all to adniit that, armed with a first-class knowledge of the work at the other side of the footlights, she has in sisted upon a staging and presentation that would give us the best that each bill had to offer.. And here she has been admirably served by her own unimpeachable, discriminating taste and her acquired knowledge of Merthyr audi- ences—the most difficult in the country. Shri has managed was a firmness and fairness that has held the scales fairly between the the hyper-critics of the pit and gallery, and tlie sensitivities of the green room, a by no mearu. light task, and one demanding character of a high order. But a much more personal touch is the orchestra. Until the advent of All's. Rea to the management the Theatre orchestra wa* the despair of theatre fiat ions now it is steadilv being built into a really attractive part of the house. People are looking forward to the over- ture as a part of the programme not to rn issed: a delightful piece of educational work' which I a.m glad to acclaim. Altogether, Airs. Hea leaves a fine tradition of her management to Mr. Fred Dry, who ha- come from Lancashire to take up the reins. Air. Dry is, I understand, a man of wide experience and considerable initiative, and he will need all of his experience and initiative to "carry on to the standard of Mrs. Hpa, AleaDwhile, w" welcome Mr. Dry and trust that his stay with us will be happy and long, and that under his aegis the Royal will forge ahead to still greater heights than it has yet attained.