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THEATRE ROYAL & EMPIRE PALACE, Merthyr I I Licensee— Mr. Will Smithson. Resident 16.30 TWICE NIGHTLY. 8.30 I Week commencing MONDAY, AUGUST 12th, 1918. I MESSRS. BALMAIN present a Famous Conedy from the Court Theatre, • London, ?y Fred Horner, !n Three Acts, entitled- I THE LATE AMENTED .1 I (THE LARKY BELLE OF CYPRUS). j ROLLO BALMAIN AND WEST END COMPANY I s ? Circle, 1/- Stalley 9d. Pit, 6d. Gallery, 3d. j II .e-. PLUS NEW TAX. laBMBMHBHMBHillial | Merthyr Electric Theatre jI I Mertemm!!U8teatre I (CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE FROM 2.30 TILL 10.30 P.M. DAILY. I8 —: I Ts py | I A Heart Stirring Drama, featuring DuaHn Farnum. I I THE BUILDING OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE — Part 6. I| A LASS OF THE LUMBERLANDS-Part 9. < HIS TELL TALE SHIRT Triangle Comedy. j ?' t I Pathe's Gazette, &c. Thursday, Friday, and gaturdai- 1 Double-Crossed j J THE HOBO-Featuring Billy West. I I THE RED ACE-Final Episode. Pathe's Gazette, &c. ,5 1 ADMISSION 3d.-Tax, Id.; 6d.—Tax, 2d.; 1/ Tax, 3d. I j Children's Performance at One o'clock on Saturdays. I ;S Ordinary Saturday Performance starts at 3.30 o'clock. Other Days 2.30 as usual. I L. II II II If It .i THE SECRET TREATIES By F. SEYMOUR COCKS. Preface by CHARLES TREVELYAN, M.P. Goiiectea Texts, Notes, and Mapt. < ,b. E. D. MORBL in the Forward" says: It should be in rftry Trade Union library, in the possession af every working .aa, who is conscious of responsibility to his fellows. Every sh«p-«teward shcuid carry a copy in hit pocket." First edition sold out in ten days. Second Edition now ready. Order to-day. < 2/- net, 2/2 post free, from the Union of Demo- cratic Control, 4-7 Red Lion Court, Fleet Ii St??t, London, E.CA.  BOOKS THREE ESSENTIALS IN THE SOCIALIST ARMOURY. SOCIALISM AFTER THE WAR 1- By J. R. MACDONALD, M.P. THE STATE 1/8 By WILLfccftt PAUL. INDUSTRIAL UNIONISM AND THE MINING t INDUSTRY By GEORGE HARVEY. The Democrats Handbook to Merthyr 6d., reduced to Id., Postage 2d. (A Mine of local Historical and Indnotri&j Information). I I OUR SHOP, Pontmorlais, Merthyr ( HOPE CHAPEL, MERTHYR9 SUNDAY. AUGUST 11th, 1918. Rev. J. Morgan Jones, M.A. —— I A OORDIAL WELCOME EXTENDED TO ALL < EDVARD SOERMUS t THE RUSSIAN VIOLINIST, 111 now arranging to give Recitals to I.L.P. Blanches, Trade Unions, Labour Parties, and Oo-operative Societies. I Apply to HARRY MORRIS, ] 10 Fairview Terrace, Merthyr. i t PONTYPRIDD I.L.P. ( OPEN-AIR MEETING ON THE COMMON, J SUNDAY AUGUST Uth, 1918. t ■ t Speaker: a t MR. TED WILLIAMS, t (Mardy). t s e NEXT WEEK-T. WATKINS, U.R.C. IT P THE ODFELLOWS' HALL, I.L. P. DOWLAIS. SUNDAY AFTERNOON, AUGUST 11th, 1918. Speaker- JAS. WINSTONE, President S.W.M.F., Labour Candidate for Merthyr, will speak on LABOUR AND RE-CONSTRUCTION." CHAIRMAN COUNCILLOR D. DA VIES, J.P. Commence 2.30 sharp. Silver Collection. The Ploughshare For AUaUST is a LEAGUE OF NATIONS No. Thoroughly discussing- the matter and getting to its —— roots in economics. —— Send 7d. for Specimen Copy. Subscription, 6;6 per annum. THE PLOUGHSHARE, Graham House, Tudor Street, London, E.C., 4. WANTED. EMPLOYERS willing to employ Conscientious -LJ O*ctoi-s-, and friends knowing of s'vm- i pathetic employers, arc requested to communi- ca.t? with t?o Se<?r??ry. Alternative Service ] Guild, Room 40. 118 Portland Street, Man- 1 cohestRr. — — ) Merthyr General Hospital. PORTER WANTED. ( APPLICATIONS ar? required for the Pm'- ( Awrship at the hospital. Light duties, knowledge of boiler essential. Discharged 50]- iier preferred. Wages 37s. 6d. per week with rations and iiniforin.tpply, with copies of three recent testimoniaJs, to the undersigned, marked" Porter," not later than August 17th, Lvlo. E. EDWARDS, Secretary. August 3th, 1918. (

Miners' and ttoNeath Division. MINERS NOMINATE PROSPECTIVE I CANDIDATE. ( 1J ine I-at)our rorces in the newly-formed Neath r Di vision have for some months been very active n consolidating their position with the inten- sion of fighting the Liberals at the next elec- „ rfon. Two nominations were put forward from t MBon?st the miners, namely, Mr. John James «, minm.s' agent, Anthracite Dictrict) and Mr. I roseph Dicks (Gwauncaegurwen). It is an- r louneed that Mr. James has withdrawn his name because he feels that he can best serve the in- terests of his fellow-workmen iby confining his activities to the important industrial problem's, ihat will arise during and after the war. Therefore, the only nominee from amongst the ? niners is Mr. J. Dicks. Mr. Dicks belongs to s -he young school of leaders and is an eloquent 11 peaker in both languages. He has studied social t economic and political subjects both at Ruskin r College and the Central Labour College. t

"Hold Fast." This week we entered upon the fifth year of the war; and, as was, perhaps, to be expected the gloomy anniversary has given us statements from the different, main factions into which the nation has divided, Lord Lansdowne signalled the event by the issuance of a second Peace Letter." in which the need for a diplomacy to- ward s peace is urged in the light of the horror, and suffering, and mad wastefulness of the past; Mr. Arthur Henderson has culled for much the same thing in the name of Labour. a.nd has added Labour's important addenda, demanding the opportunity of Allied Labour to confer with its colleagues in the enemy countries and lastly, Mr. Lloyd George, as the head of the State, has bade us Hold Fast," a message that was given to Britain off the screen of the cinema, and from the stage of the music-hall. The frivolity of the platform from which the la-t message was delivered is significant. In the two cases in which the definite aim is to end the war at the earliest possible moment, and destroy militarism, as it can only be destroyed—from the inside— there is a logical synthesis of facts hording to thy conclusion offered—whilst in the national I proclamation there is a mere label, and a decla- I mation against militarism that is merely rhe- toric. Hold Fast! hut hold fast. what? To the false philosophy of the 13,,1, man and the last shilling: to the "fight to a military finish" that has been so long the objective of Air. Lloyd George and his irresponsible supporters, though jettisoned by his more responsible- friends. To what shall we hold fast! The very vagueness of the Premier's utterance should stimulate us in our determination to have these nebulous in- junctions translated in terms of peace aims. We desire something better than catch phrases in a matter which involves the nation in the loss of its manhood, and the bankruptcy of its re- sources. Catch-phrases were the curse of the pre-war political propaganda; their transference into the tragedy of a world war is worse than folly. The call to-day is to hold fa.st to the ele- mentary spirit of humanity and to demand that the steps wo take shall be conscious steps steps that, if it is to be war, shall have lw.en taken with a full sense of responsibility by an enlight- ened nation in possession of all the facts and not by a blind rush of an intoxicated mob made drunk by the repetition of empty phrases with which their mouths have been again and again lilled since the war came to us in 1914. Lot, us know what we are aiming at; not in general statements against militarism over which there is no quarrel but in terms of the repudiation of the Secret Treaties; in definite pronouncements of what we want as an outcome of the war. With that knowledge, and the knowledge that those aims are acknowledged amongst, the peoples of the Central Empires, we shall be near pence.

I A Reasonable Spirit. I LORD LANSDOWNE'S LATEST PLEA. I A further peace If,tter* from Lord Lans- downe was considered by his supporters at. a meeting in Essex Hall, over which Lord Beau- champ presided. Lord Lansdowne stated that he had seen estimates putting the casualties sus- tained by the warring nations at 30 millions, in- cluding seven millions killed and six millions prisoners or missing. Sooner than accept a dis- honourable peace they were all ready to fight on to the bitter end. He was convinced there was a deep-seated des i re for a further explanation as to the conditions upon which we were pre- pared not to make peace, but to open a discus- sion which might lead to peace. We "hould certainly be again challenged, both by friends and foes, to state not the full terms upon which we were willing to give a chance to diplomacy. There were evidently certain cardinal lyi-) i nt., which neither side would regard as open to ques- tion. Lord Lansdowne did not know whether they would be told a discussion was impossible until Germany's power had been once and for all broken by an overwhelming defeat in the field, but be would refer to General Smuts' Glasgow speech last May. That speech gave the "OlJp de grace to the knock-out blow theory, and pointed the way to the true conception of that tictory which all of them regarded as indispen. ;able-a victory aiming not merely at a. momen- rary superiority in the field, but a. permanent security under which President Wilson's ideals .ould eventually be realised and la:w-p:hiding communities relieved from the menace of Ger- nan militarism. The test of its completeness 1 vould be found in the enemy's readiness to t rhrow aside the doctrines of the extreme mili- I iarists. J LOrd L/ansdowne was not prepared to affirm Positively that we had reached the stage when -here was a prospect of preliminary agreement lpon essential points and of profitable conversa- tions. It was no use disputing over the past, mt there were abundant indications that such occasions might present themselves in the near uture. Let us," said his lordship, be pre- pared to meet them, and in a reasonable spirit. 1 ',et us at any rate give our adversaries a chance 1 of showing whether their overtures are sincere ir not." (

"Instrument of Reactionaries." RADICAL COUNCIL AND AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER. < The following resolution was passed by the < Committee of the Radical Council at a meeting n the House of Commons "We regret that ( V. M. Huhes, in his reply to the Radical Vmncil, has not offered any explanation of his 1 ffen-,ive personal attack upon British pollti- ians. As he has now become the instrument ] f those reactionary elements in this country E rhich are wcl] known to he enemies of denio- raey. it is necessary to point out that he does iot speak for the people of Australia, where he > discredited. His conduct in using his position s a guest of the nation to play the part of a E litter partisan in British politics is a gross t busc of the hospitality of the country of which i lO other visitor from the Dominions had been t guilty."

NEWPORT WATER SUPPL Y. l Merthyr Corporation have intimated to the Newport Town Council their preparedness to ] till consider any proposal-, they might desire tos raake with regard to the suggested water-supply o Newport and their willingness to arrange if lecessarv for an interview between representa- ( ives of the two authorities.

I" Peace Traps" in History. I BY J. A. FARRER. President Wilson as reported last May as say- ing That. with a clear conscience he had tested certa'n peace overture* from the enemy and found them insincere. He left, it unmentioned what was the test he applied. He may of course have been right; but. in all wars a be- lief. real or assumed*, in the insincerity of an enemy's offers of peace has been the most, com- iiiorl method of preventing peace and prolonging wars. As the belief dm-s not, admit of contra- diction, it lias at all times, been the favourite argument of thOt. w bo wish a war to be con- tinued, whilst, pretending to wish to see it stopped. Perhaps no better illustration of this can be shown than that supplied by the Napoleonic i war, which began after the peace of Amiens and dragged out its weary course from May. J80:j, till the end of March, 1*14. or ii r, o-, One i, surprised toO fnd Vow often Napo- leon made offers of peace which were, disposed of by the simple ;LSS'jmption. never proved, of their insincerity. (l j The first peace feeler t.nrown out by apo- leon was in had returned to power the previous month and but for the King would .have made Fox his Foreign Secre- tary. It 4s probable that. with Fox instead of Lord Harrow by in that position, Tw,A, would have* ri'Sulted from the overture made that Juno. As it was, it was rf, ifliltlxi almost off- band because Pin thought that no good con- from the communica- tion. and therewith nipped it in ibo bud as an iii,in(er; ov< rture. (:!I TIw next offer made in January, 18(1"). in a diy-f,(-T, letter from Napoleon 7.0 George III. It was a courteous and sensible letter, but George HI. dignity wa* offended, as it had been by a similar letter in .January. 1 QOO. by a letter straight, from the French usurper," from t. h <' h p nor could Pitt see anything in it. but a trick to em harass his Government at the beginning of the session. There was not. the smallest evidence oi insincerity in the offer, which well stood the test of political interest. Napoleon, aware that Pitt was trying to weave round him his third Coalition, had everything to gain by Twa("' but <?a H i.ion. h<id ?\t-r y t, h n,? to ?'a;n hy p<'a.<?. o?t Pitt was keen on a fresh eonfed< rate; war. which should reduce France to her pre-RevoIution limits and make conquests for the benefit- of Austria. Prussia, and Sardinia. ■ > So again a chance of pea/v wa"- turned down, j MUTUAL TE DEUMS. I (.OJni??. after the ba.ttle ea J-Xlau on re!>- ruàr:" ?h and Sth between the .Fr'ndl and the Russo-Prussa&n .Army, for which both sang Te Deums, Napoleon made repealed offer> for peace. Sir Robert Wilson was -o afraid of it that he said I would rather i.in-o limbs than that peal", should be signed with France on tilts side the IT Napoleon entreated the King of Prussia to believe lum sincere and a- anxious tor- peace with England and Austria as for peace with Pru>sia. He wished for a Peace Congress <>f all the Powers, but. to Wil- son's- delight, all proposals for an armiMt?i.cV~were wrecked on the belief of NapoI<-on-ViiYsineerity and of hit- imminent defeat. (4) But it was Russia that suffered defeat at the battle, of Friedlnnd on June 25th. 180;. and the amazing [•lose frVndship between Napoleon and the Tzar Alexander which led to their joint offer of ]>eace to England on August, 1st. Hut by that time Canning had become suspicious of French de- signs against Denmark, and instead of peace with France those deplorable events oi'eurrod which made Denmark, also our enemy. (o) But a .second time that same year Napo- leon .made another peace attemjrt. Austria was persuaded to offer her mediation, and Napoleon A-a, so 1a.r encouraged by the improved tone of Canning's reply as to propose. Jan miry 1st., I., for the opening at Paris of peace negotia- tions. Hilt w here Fox would have1 made peace, banning prolonged war. by hedging round his •onsent to t reat- with such reservations as made impossible. Professions of peace, subject o conditions which easily averted I t,. 1 '■Verge III. through a long reign to cloak his 1 laoitual will to war under most. decent disguises. )n January 12th, 1808, the Austrian ainbassa- lor was recalled front London, and t hus Austria 1 vas added to our enemies. MANNING'S HOPES. (b) On October 12th, ls08, Napoleon and Alex, mder wrote a joint letter to George III. beg- 1 n; him to consent, to a pea(-ii. They offered it in the principle previously asked for hy Can- t ting, th.Lt: of the uti posscdetis, or any other I >asis founded on justice." But Canning, then • toped to get Austria back into the war, on Octo- offer: he found it. difficult o answer the two Emperors without admitting n one of them a title which his Majesty never lad acknowledged"; nor could he act. without -he consent of Sweden or the Spanish Junto. A 1 nor<- conciliatory answer in the first instance night h,-tv f. produced peace, but Canning, as- uming the whole thing to bo insincere, and a rmre trick to delay our sending help ro Spain, filled its chances at its birth. i\ T- "1- 1 11 t') in two a.ttempts a.t 3kla(- He was prepared to withdraw hit; Ber. in and Milan decrees against our commerce for w, thdrawil on our side of the Orders in Jouncil against French commerce, and in that ,a>e would not proceed to annex Holland then mder his brother Louis. The offer was sent through the Dutch Ministry by the Dutch mer- chant Labouohero. Labouchere returned, con- 1 ineed from Lord Wellesley's answer of the lopelessness of an agreement. Dr. Holland ?oso.. thinks that the objection to treat on the y >ropo>»id basis was more against the man him- elf and his whole jxdicy than against, the in- ] rinsic merits of the proposal. But the assumed nsineerit-y of the offer is contradicted by a- se- ond attempt on [ >r other agent-, though that. also failed like the v irst. (8) In 1812 after the British storming of Ciu- t lad Rodrigo on January 19th, and of Badajos in April 6th, with the Russian war imminent, t sapoleon had every motive for wishing to close ■he Peninsular War. So he sent a flag of truce. Te proposed to recognise Portugal's independ- J 'nee: to guarantee the integrity of Spain and he independence of her actual dynasty t he renunciation by France and England" of ipain, Portugal, and Sicily. How France could i lavo renounced all dominion in Spain consist- f ?ntlv with ni(,an i nt- i ntiy with meaning by the ? actual dn,nastv he retention by King Joseph of the Spanish | hrone is inexplicable, but, owing to an unfor- ] unate accident, no answer from France ever t ame to Lord Castlerc^agh's request for a clearer i lefinition. It was taken for granted that the S tffer wa.s insincere, and Sheridan made great lay with the perfidy and insidiousness of the s overture. Yet even in the diplomatic world it ? 7as thought that peace should have been tried 1 or. I lean very much." wrote Francis Jack- ( on," to the idea, of peace, because we can never hink of it with so good graeo and so much Ia hance of success as when we are vietorious.),

Emrys Hughes' Sentence. ANOTHER TWO YEARS. Guard Room, 3rd Welsh Regt., Redcar, Yorkshire, August. 2nd. I was sentenced yesterday (2 years) and am -o be sent to Northallerton Prison. Kmrys Hcgher.

WHY THE AGONY WAS PROLONGED. battle of Leipzic in October, onwards till the fall of Paris on March were efforts for peace initiated )y Xapoh'on. who offered to evacuate Germany ind to give up Hanover and the Han' towns if ve would restore the conquered colonies; but aU iuch negotiations, renewed at Frankfurt and iftcrwards at Chatillon, were fruitless, nor was mother peace offer made till after the return i oni FJha, when Cauaincourt in letter of April l-t-h to Castlereagh and to Metternich, and Na- )olt,ozi jn one to the Kmperor of Austria, pro )osed a world's peace on the basis of his accept- mee of the territorial changes effected by the Preaty of Paris on Afav 30tli, 1814. Castler- •agh's reply was in his stiffest style t that the °rince Regent declined to receive the letter Vom his Excellency; and the Powers at Vienna •ook no notice of it a.t all. Waterloo was the inal answer: but whether a peace with Napo- eon might not havo been possible and been bet- er for the world than the uneasy pacification hat ensued, is a point that would need a long iummer's day to settle. But the war might have been stopped, and hould have been stopped, many years earlier; t was the refusal of the war party in England o believe in or test the sincerity of the enemy'g ivertures that caused the prolongation of the igeny over so long a period. History may gap- dy no lessons for future guidance, but it is rich n hints and dangt-r-signa]B.-(" U.D.C. Ang- ist, 1918).