Pioneer

I Mr. John Davies* Death. I Mr. John Davies, J.P., agent to the Dowlais miners, died at his residence, Muriel Terrace, Dowlais, on Wednesday, at the age of 60. A special memoir of the late agent's life will appear next week.

I CORRESPONDENCE. I C4rrespon4ents are requested to condense their letters as much all possible. JRAPPROCHMENT DISCUSSION.! I TO TUR EDITOR. Sir,—Twist as Mr. Edwards will, he will not alter the fact that the I.L.P. has stood bv its principles for more than twenty years. I did not mean. and Mr. Edwards knows I did not mean, that it had stood in the same place for twenty years, but what I meant was that it had not deviated one shred from the principles it set out to attain as long ago as i8"3. I do not think that Mr. Barr is afraid of the troublesome men of the C.L.C Thev could criticise me as long as they lived, they could howl at me until they were blue and I would not mind, but what I resent is that these greybeards of twenty years or so are attacking men and vilifying those who fought for Socialism before half of them were born. 1 suppose ii was a crime cn Hardie's part to attack Dc Leon, and that Macdonald is not to be trusted because lie does not enter more vigorously into the spirit of the class war. But let us look at the history of some of .he most rebellion class-war-ites of this country and America. The Tillet's and the Blatchford's and the Hvndman's were never ired of attacking the 1. L. P. Thev were the out-and-outers, they were the men who were not going to compromise with Capitalism as represented by the Liberal Party. They would show the I.L.P. how to light blonde beasts, and the best way of attacking Capitalism was by growing roses in a ;orfolk garden and talk ing sentimental rubbish about toads -itid flies and rats and potato patches. Mac- donald was not to be trusted. Snowden was bourgeoise. Why did they not join the S.D.F. or the Scouts of the "Clarion" And now we find them. the never-endians, the only true Socialists, writing to capital ist papers, preaching at capitalist meetings, talking to us about a war they do not un derstand. They wavered this way and that. first of all joined the I.L. P., and finding-it too Bourgeoisie, they joined the B.S. P., and finding that too bourgeois in its turn, they ,o the\ (t)ui d ex i )ics.?; join the C.L.C. because they could express their revolutionary sentiment; more fulh there than anywhere else. And then the war broke out and they joined the army to give expression, 1 suppose, to their blood- thirstv revolutionary zeal. But the 1. L. P. stood by the principles of twenty years ago. It wanted Socialism for two decades, and it wants Socialism now. And what it fought lor in 1893 it is fighting for in 1918. That is what 1 meant when I said in my last let- ter that rhe I.L.P. is now where it was 20 years ago. Does Mr. Edwards, does the new school of deep-thinkers \\ho are think- ing deeper than any school of thought be- fore them, now understand? Let us consider the rebels of America. I had pushed under my nose some time ago a pamphlet written by two Americans named William Haywood and Frank Bohn. That was a pamphlet given to me by a man who belongs to the new school, and a man 1 re- spect because, in his way, he is doing a great deal more foifSocialism than many of the comrades who merely talk. This pam- phlet I was told to read, it was the "goods." And so it was. Talk about revolution. Talk about idealism. Here it was, a new Bible pointing the way to the new Valhalla. It was printed by an American firm. Kerr and Company. This firm, said the pampn- let, issued the International Socialist Re view." And, behold, my brothers who have been so long in the I.L. P. that) on do not yet fully understand the meaning of Socialism, this Review will tell us what would happen if all the workers would use their brains. And again it tells us that in- stead of being whistled into our jobs we should own them. Fifty thousand readers of the Review are working to wake the workers up, let us hear from you." It supports all strikes. It possesses the best writers and the finest pictures. I t is, in short, the revolutionary goods, it is simply IT. Then, said I to myself, perhaps the l. L. P. is, after all, a little bourgeois, per- haps it is a compromising, untutored medley of old wag This new school is the school for me. But,, unfortunately, I read a bad Capitalist newspaper, which no lover of the pink dreams of the Nemean lions would think of reading. And this is what I find in the Daily News of July 9th, 1918 A mission representing the prewar Socialists of America is about to tour Great Britain and Allied Countries for the purpose of conferring with Socialist and Labour gtoups and of interpreting to them the strong convictions of the American work- ing classes in favour of a definite military victory over the Central Empires. Among the mcmberf; of the mission who have just arrived in London are: Mr. A. M. Simons, formerly Editor of the International So- cialist Review," and Mr. John Spar go, na- chairman of the Social Democratic. League of America. What does Mr. Edwards say to that Is it not enough to make the angel? wee f. Working to wake the workers up by asking them to smash the workers of another land and support the gun gods of America. Hardie never did that, neither docs Ramsay Macdonald. And the I.L.P. stands where it stood twenty years age, Mr. Edwards. Now, please do you understand ? W e are to be lead to a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards by these deep thinkers who comprise a school which is simply a committee, self-chosen, sitting at the sign of. the Golden Sun. Hear it, ye patriots. Clasp each dusty patriot to your bosoms. Socialism and the City of the Sun can onlv be attained through the Flan- ders mud-flats and an universal worship of the mud gods. Beware, ye workers, lest the I.L.P. deceive you. But the I.L.P. never told the workers to think, and then blamed them for thinking. It never asked them to study the causes of war and then to support tht,only holy war in history. I put it frankly as I put it at first to all the Socialists who read the Pioneer, of whatever shade of thought they wish to cal' themseh es, that the workers of this country and of the world have nothing to lose but their chains, and that a support of the war is simply rivetting those chains tighter on them. And again I put it to them, that the svstem which can turn a world into a world of all the devils can only be overthrown by organised attack. We must stand together. But Mr; Edwards and the C. L.C., with its handful of members, represents the sel- lers of Labour," and the Universities and the \X-.E.A.. and other condescending in- stitutions," which might include the I.L.P., the buyers of Labour. Now we know where we are, but if Mr. Edwards persists in try- ing to -f)ersu.-id, me that, I shall come to the conclusion that he and the C. L.C. repre- sents nobodv but the clack of tongues.— I Yours fraternally. IOAN.

THEATRE ROYAL & EMPIRE PALACE, Merthyr I I License*-ldr. Will Smithson. Resident ;Manager-M.r. Fred Di-y. 5 m 1 6.30 TWICE NIGHTLY. 8.30 I I Week commencing MONDAY, JULY 2Mh, 1918. I 2 Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 2 I THE GIRL MOTHER I • Thursday, Friday and Saturday • I LOVE'S YOUNG DREAM. j L C?? Circle, 1/- Stans, .d. Pit, .d. Gallery, 3d. J j IMIMHWNMMBMMW PLUS NEW TAX. MWMMBNMHBBIMI r" II II II II II I Merthyr Electric Theatre I 5 Week commencing Monday, July 29th. § 1 CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE FROM 2.30 TILL 10.30 P.M. DAILY. 1- Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday- The MARRIAGE of KITTY ■ A Delightful Comedy Dram featuring Faianie Ward. I RUINED BY A DUMB 91 AITER-Trianle Keystone. I A LASS OF THE LUMBERLANDS-Part 7. I THE BUILDING OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE-Part 4. I{ | Pathe'# Gazette, 6c. j Thursday, Friday, and Baturday- I ]iE MAS QUERADERS I A Good Drama with beautiful Karel Dawn as the chief actress. I I LIVING BY THEIR WITS. I THE RED ACE-Part 14. Pathe's Gazette, &c. I ADMISSION 3d.—Tax, Id.; 6d.—Tax, 2d. 1/—Tax, 3d. I I Children's Performance at One o'clock on Saturdays. Ordinary Saturday Performance starts at 3.30 o'clock. Other Days 2.30 as usual. Z 'L. II It II It It .I THE SECRET TREATIES By F. SEYMOUR COCKS. Preface by CHARLES TREVELYAN, X.P. Collected Texts, Notes, and Maps. Tile NATION says: "The cumulative testitnery of this tfttle book is overwtiem-ng. The wide circulation of tkese documents ;s a important for the nformation of o r citizens u that of the Lichaeirsky revelations :or tke citizens of GeTqlaay." « First edition sold out in ten days. Second Ectition now ready. Order to-day. 2/- net, 2/2 poet free, from the Onion of Demo- cratic Control, 4-7 Red Lion Cburt, Fleet Street, London, E.C.4. BOOKS THREE ESSENTIALS IN THE SOCIALIST I ARMOURY. SOCIALISM AFTER THE WAR 1/- By J. R. MACODONALD, M P. THE STATE 1/3 JBt WILLIAM PAUL. INDUSTRIAL UNIONISM AND THE MINING INDUSTRY I/- By GEORGE HARVEY. The Democrats Handbook to Merthyr 6d., reduced to hi., Postage 2d. {A Mine ef local HJetorioal and Industrial Information) OUR SHOP, Pontmoriais, Merthyr HOPE CHAPEL, MERTHYR, Sunday, July 29th, igig. Rev. J. Morgan Jones, M.A. Violin Solo by Mr. Edvard Soermus. A CORDIAL WELCOME EXTENDED TO ALL 1.1m P. DOWLAIS I.LP. Tuesday Evening, July 30th. Coun. LL, M. FRANCIS WILL, SPEAR ÜN "Local Government Affairs," AT THe I.L.P. ROOMS, BERNI'S HALL, Dowlais. Admission Free. Commence at 7.45 prompt. I.L.P,. HALL, GRAIG SQUARE, PONTYPRIDD SUNDAY, JULY 28tb, at 6.30 p.m. OWEN HUGHES, Pontypridd, will speak. Subject: "Socialism and Competition." Prbe.Drawl.. Postponed till Oct. 7tk, 1..8. Meat and Allied Trades Red Crass Appeal for £ 250,000. Help fir TIMI 1M fftfp w Wtll" SMS GREAT EFFORT II MERTHTR AND DISTRICT On behalf of the British Red Crow Societv, or- ganised by local Farmers' and Butchers' Associations. DON'T BE LEFT OUT j It is invidious to enlarge on the worthiness of the cause- -the whole work costs JEC a minute, and of every £ 1 given 19i8 goes to the Soldier. Gifts in money and kind received at the Head- quarters, 12*1 High St., Merthyr, by Mr. W. Avis. Anv Article that is eateable will be grate- fully received for the prGpœeed Jumble Sale, such ae Houses, Books, China, Jewellery, Needle- work, Tobacco, Tinned Oood., Mineral Waters, Rabbits, Chickens, Ac. Anything from a Fountain Pen to a Motor Car. Of Voa ca.'t do too Wash. but you can do tee little." Mr. W. Avis, representative of the Moat Trades Red Crose Appeal, London, will be at 121 Hip Street, Merthyr, to receive any gift or donation daily from Saturday, July 20th. MERTHYR I..L.P. IWMEETINGS. OLYMPIA RINK, MERTHYR, Sunday Next, Jul 28th, 1918, At 2.45 pan. prompt. Speaker: Mr. J. R. McPHEE. Admission by Silver Collection. The Electric Theatre Topping the bill on Monday next at the Merthyr Electric Theatre is a delightful comedy drama, The Marriage of Kitty," with the vivacious Fanny Ward in the lead. Keystone mirth is provided in Ruined by a Dumb Waiter," a riot of fun. Attractive instalment of the serials, Building of the British Empire and Lass of the Lumber lands," together with the latest issue of Pathe's Grzette, will also be screened. "The Masqueraders," the star feature from Thursday onwards, is a drama, strong in treatment and fascinating in story, with Hazel Dawn, the beautiful American actress, who, during the few years she has played before the cinematograph camera, has won a place second to none in the movie world, playing the heroine. Living by their Wits" is an admirable comedy, and the programme also includes a splen- selection of comedy, drama and news films.

Labour & General Election I CHOICE OF CANDIDATES DEFENDED. Presiding at a Labour demonstration held under the auspices of the Trades and La- bour Council at Maesteg on Saturday, Mr. Vernon Hartshorn, the miners' leader, said that society required not merely drastic im- provement, but a complete reconstruction. The Labour Party had drawn up a compre- hensive programme, and at the next elec- tion would appeal to the country for a man- date to put it into operation. Mr. Frank Hodges said Mr. Gilmour had stated in the Rhondda Valley that at the next election the Labour Party would not secure the re- turn of ten additional members because they were not putting forward the right type of candidates. Mr. Hodges assured Mr. Gil- mour that if there were four hundred candi- dates of the type of Mr. Hartshorn, who woukl carry the Labour banner in the Og- more division, his prophecy would be blown to the four winds. Mr. A. J. Williams said tha tthc key-note of legislation after the war must be social welfare, and the new ideal of national service which had arisen during the war must be embodied in the so- cial system.

I A DISCLAIMER. I TO THE EDITOR. Sir.-NIN attention has been drawn to various press reports of the Labour Confer- ence in which I am reported as saving:- The Trade Union and Labour Movement had declared they wanted no inconclusive peace. The War Aims of the Labour Move- ment represented what thev were fighting for. These principles admitted of no com- promise. but to secure them they ust have unity within the party and nationa unity in the country." It scenis to me that this is a part of Mr. Henderson's speech which by some mistake has been attributed to me. The extract does not. represent my views. The Inter-Allied Labour War Aims are, in my view, imper ialist and suffer fro them vice of attempting fo set in order the other empires rather than the empires of the Nations represented. I buTieve in the maxim, Set your own house In order ifrst." The peace terms which I advocate are th(T),sv, advocated bv the Russian Soviet NJ) rat-, nc* iitioll. no indemnities, the right of the peoples to decide their own des tinies. If the Allies had united in demand in -thi, I'U' 'I  !,f dw. instead ('f in? thi, ,u' V SV ?\'t<M.' ? <h<' ? insteac* r'? ? leaving exhausted Russia alone to-ife'CiCihe might of the Central Empires, the war might have been well ended by now. gv the time the allied nations are prepared to accept those t('ml. I believ e that our Socialist <?om- rades in Germany and Austria will have se- ?CLired a similar readiness in their countries. — Y ours, etc. SYLVIA PANKHURST. ——— i

SOCIALIST PARTIES OF TO-DAY- TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—As a student of, and worker for Socialism for the last 22 years, 1 find the discussions in the Pioneer," as to the position of the various parties in the move- ment, interesting. The ditfcrences must be perplexing to beginners, and I do not think I thev are always clear to the old hands. It must be nearly 20 years si nee I was first introduce dto the literature of the S. L. P. 10 the form of lectures delivered in America for the S. L. P., mainlv by Daniel De Leon. Their appearance in England soon led to differences in the old S. D. F., the expulsion of the dissentients followed, and the S. L. P. established itself in Scotland. The chief 1 points of difference, as I understand them, were ist, The S. L. P. decried all reforms or palliatives, concentrating all their activi- ties upon the propaganda of revolution. (2) The S.L.P. introduced a principle of an cagonism to the existing Trade Unions, and inaugurated The Industrial Union of the Workers of the World." Quoting from memory, the teaching emphasised was, that the workers emancipation was to be worked out on the economic field. They sholild organise to such an extent, as to be able to control their industries and lock out the employers when necessary. De Leon visited one of the International Socialist Conferences, and the resolutions embodying his views were defeated by a vote of about 10 against to i for. Th S. L. p, 'ere rIghtly or wrongly I S. L. P were rightly or wrongl y charged with Anarchistic tendencies. Since the Central Labour College was started, the S.L.P. ls the body that they have found themselves most in sympathy with, and we find the S.L.P. spirit shown very plainly in some of your correspondents' letters. We hear a good deal about ''atmosphere" in education. There is something about the "atmosphere" created by some of the students of the C. L.C. which ordinary So- cialists do not like. The serious differences existing between the parties cannot be glossed over, so perhaps it would be best for the parties, to organise the studies of their members in their own "atmosphere." At present a somewhat similar feeling about the war tends to bring the B. S. P., the I.L. P., S.L.P. and C.L.C. together, but probably we shall have all the old differences more sharolv defined after the war. I REES DAVIES. 1 9 Temple Street, Llanelly.