Pioneer

I The Aberavon Deadlock. I I ARTHUR HENDERSON AND EGERTON I WAKE ON PARTY EMISSARIES. Mr. Arthur Henderson, M.P., and Mr. Eger- ton Wake, representing the Executive of the National Labour Party, met the Executive of the Labour Party of the Aberavon Division at Port Talbot on Saturday to consider the rival claims of Mr. W. Jenkins, miners' agent, and Mr. Robert Williams, general secretary of the Transport Workers, with regard to the Parlia- mentary candidature for the division. After discussion the divisional executive was asted by Henderson and Wjake to take into fur- ther consideration the S.W.M.F. suggestion of a ballot and to communicate their decision to the national executive, who would then deal with the matter in conjunotion with Messrs. Henderson and Wake's observations.

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Political Notes By F. W. Jowett, M.R. BOUGHT IN GERMANY. I The. Ohief Secretary for Ireland estimates that the Ulster Volunteers are in possession of 60.000 rifles and eleven machine guns. It is un- derstood that the rifles were purchased in Ger- many. The object, for which the rifles were ob- tained was to enable the Ulster Volunteers to prevent—by means of armed rebellion—to op- pose a law passed by Parliament. To ensure success for the intended rebellion the officers in command of the military forces in Ireland made a formal declaration to the Government in 1914 that they would give- no orders to the armed forces of the State to oppose the rebel forces if and when the intended rebellion should take place. The threat of rebellion still remains. The Government gave way to the threat and sus- pended the operation of the Act of Parliament against which the threat was directed. Sir Ixl- ward Carson, the man publicly acclaimed to lead the threatened rebellion, was afterwards made a Cabinet Minister by Mr. 1.I-d George. The Ulster Volunteers still exist as a force, the object of which is armed rebellion against the nation, and, the Government, although it has disarmed the Nationalist Volunteers—an organi- sation formed by way of answer to the Ulster Volunteers, to support the decision of Parlia- ment and not for rebellion—has not dared to disarm the rebellious Ulster Volunteers. More- over, a large number of prominent and respected Irishmen have been thrown into prison without trial on the mere allegation that they were sus- pected of association with schemes of rebellion, f";jr "Edward Carson on the other hand boasts of i-is association with the publicly proclaimed scheme of rebellion for which the Ulster Volun- teers were formed, and for which the 50,000 Tines and eleven machine guns are stored. Ho is treated with every sign of obsequious respect bv the Government and not imprisoned. i » PHYSICIAN, HEAL THYSELF. It cannot be denied that any Government, however desirous it might be to give self-govern- ment to Ireland, would have difficulty in apply in the policy of self-determinati«»n against the 9, the Ulster minority. Br.t* th". Irish difficulty is chil(i*s-play witli tlie problems arising out ot the claims of the Slavs and the Czechs under tllP rule of Austria for the. settlement of which the war has to be (-on- tinued as Iong as may be necessary for that purpose. That a Government with such an un- solved problem on its own hands should pretend that, by the rough and ready method of dividing enemy territory after a crushing military vic- tory, it can solve a more difficult problem of the same nature at the other end of Europe, is a fact unaccountable to the merely normal and unprejudiced mind. Such a war aim as this, on the pan of the British Government, if it is not a wicked excuse for the dismemberment of an enemy power, will prove a useless one to put forward at a peace conference where the answer will be so obvious that it must inevitably be given. That answer will be. in effect, Physi- cian. heat thyself." WHATA TRAGEDY. But in the meantime, what a tragedy Bri- tish soldiers, millions of them, lads under nine- teen and men of more mature years, forced from their homes and associations to flounder in mud and burrow like moles in the earth, stiffei-ing all the horrors or modern war and risking mutila- tion and death: and one of the objects ^of it all is that the British Government has decided that British soldiers must tight, and suffer and die to settle a problem tor the Slavs and Czechs of Austro-Hungary, which the British Go\ein- meiit itself has hitherto faiU^J to solve toi the irishmen of Ire l and. This is putting the posi- tion in its most favourable aspect, for there are peupie who believe that no British Government has ever existed that intended or has been will- in to give to Irishmen what is now claimed by the 51.8. and Czechs with the support—for mo- tives which have probably no relation to the merits of the policy of self-determ ination-of the British Government. Y am one- who shares this belief. -"ft THE INDIAN PASSPORTS. In the absence of representatives of Indian democratic movements puhlie opinion in this counTJ-y on the pmjjosed constitutional reforms far India will be formed, if it is formed at all. under serious limitations. As Mr. Macdonald pointed out in the House when the Secretary of State described the scheme of Indian reform, the pr<->ence of Mr. Tilak and his friends who pre- sumably represent the left, wing of Indian re- formers is pecessary for an all-round apprecia- tion of all that, is to be said by persons of ex- perience for and aainst the scheme. The rea Mm for the absence of Mr. Tilak and his friends is that the Government divided, after the dele- gation from Tndia had started for this conntr>, to withdraw the passports of the members of the delegation. The Indian Government issued the passports but the Home Government withdrew them. Mr. Montague, Secretary of State for Tndia, has since disclaimed' responsibility for the withdrawal. « AN OLD POLICY. This control over passports is being used in the most b ir<vfaced manner to prevent communi- cation of democratic opinion and intercourse bc- tween the common people in different countries. The effect of this policy, so far, has been dis- astrous. Last ear, when Russia was no longer able to continue in the war and begged for an international conference at Stockholm to a.voifi nrhftt afterwards took place at Brest Litovsk, the Government refused passports to Stockholm "with the brilliant result." to quote the words of the "Manchester Guardian, "of tumbling the Russian Government to ruins." Later, AND ITS CONTINUANCE. The delegates of the Trades Union Congress Parliamentary Committee were refused passports to America where they had appointed to go on the American Federation of Labour. Pre- sumably it was considered unsafe to expose the hard-headed stubborn henchmen of Mr. Gompers to the influence of Miss Bondfield and her col- leagues. There was. however, not much to fear on this score for Mr. Gompers' men, because their minds are made up. The fact remains that the action of the Government, was, in effect, a I j direct challenge to the Trades Union Congress. THE LATEST EXAMPLE. I As in the case or the denial of passpo rts for Stockholm when the fate of Russia was hanging in the balance, so it is with regard to the denial, of passports, first to Troelstra to enabl e him to brin,, the reply of the German .Ioeialis to the Allied War i- Ims' Manifesto to London for the consideration of French. British and Belgian Socialists (who, along with Brantin, and Keren- sk". were waiting to receive it' and, next, to representatives of British Labour who asked for passports to enable them to meet Troelstra. and verify the accuracy of the version of the German Socialists' reply, which has been indirectly com- nitini(-ated to this country. The effect of the re- ftisal of passports to Stockholm was not merely that intercourse between authorised representa- tives of responsible democratic bodies in neutral and allied countries were denied, but the Rus- sian Government was tumbled to ruins." By the refusal to allow Troelstra to bring the Ger- man Socialists' reply or to allow a delegation to verify it, not only has a principle and a right been violated, but a priceless opportunity for mobilizing the Socialist and Labour forces in aTi the oelligerent countries against Militarism is for the present frustrated. Only the Trad es Union Congress which tm-t-bs the "nrst "week in Septem ber can save the situation. If it fails to act then the position is that, only labour repre- sentatives of the Government, can leave British shores for allied or neutral countries, and only the diplomats who have made Europe the Heil it is will be permitted to have any share. in ne- gotiating peace, which will then be no peace at all but only an armistice miscalled a peace. II: I A II TIMES" DOUBT. With regard to the ifemand for passports to enable the Chairman and Secretary of the La- bour Party and the Parliamentary Committee of the Trades Congress to verify the accuracy of the indirectly communicated version of the Ger- man Soc ialist reply to the Allied War Aims Memorandum. It should be explained that this delegation was only made necessary by the mali- cious action of the Times and other papers in disputing that the indirectly conveyed Ger- man Socialists' reply was genuine. In substance the reply in question was that the German Ma- jority Socialist Party was willing to take part in an international conference and discuss peace terms on the basis of terms suggested by the neutral Socialists at Stockholm. These terms are well known and they include restoration and compensation of Belgium, including full sover- eign rights. Restoration, of the full sovereign rights of Servia. Evacuation of Germany from France and self-determination for AIsace-Ivor- raine. JAND BRANTING'S REPLY. As a reply could not be sent direct from Ger- many any more than a message could be sent to Germany from England, advantage livi to be ta ken of a statement in a German newspaper which purported to give the reply in the form of n. message sent by Troelstra that the news- pijjier version was correct. When the Times" disputed this statement Henderson wired to Branting to get definite confirmation of the vital iioint of the statement, viz., that the Ger- man Socialists were willing to discus terms with the neutral Socialists' terms as a basis of the discussion. The reply came and it was a definite re-affirmation of the "previous statement. PLUS THE GOVERNMENT BAN. But the "Times" had done its work For it had provided all the Governments, Socialists and Labour men with an excuse for demanding di- rect proof of the accuracy of a r?ply which the Crnv?nment had r?fusfd to permit anybody to nring into this country. Therefore, in order to prevent this Times'" manufactured excuse for h)ock)n? the way to an international conference it was d,,?d,d t}w t as th? ?vidfnff could not ? hrouht into the country it should be ex- amined in a neutr&! <ountry by a responsib)? delegation in time for a. report to be furnished toO the Trades Union Congress. But the Gov- ernment will n?nher allow Troelstra to brin? the repiy nor a British Labour detection to go and set- it. And the object of this action is, as I have said, to pi-event all intercourse between British and Foreign democracies except through individuals of their own .selection and with whose opinions and objects the Government is in flJlI agreement. I (WHO THREW THE FIRST BOMB? I "Forward." "The- labour leader" and the I (official organ of the Leicester I.L.P., have al- I j (Continued at foot of next oolumn).

Britain for The British., I POWER OF WORKERS TO BRING ABOUT THEIR OWN SALVATION. MR. WINSTONE AT DOWLAIS. A meeting-convened by the DowlaJs Branch of the I.L.P. on Sunday was addressed by Mr. James Winstone, President of the South Wales Miners' Federation, on Labour and Recon- struction." He wa. spe!k. ing, said Mr. Win- stone, not. as the Parliamentary candidate for any particular portion of Labour in the Merthyr Borough, but for rh e wholE" of the Labour forces. He was convinced that in any method of reconstruction that the Labour Party might endeavour to put into operation we should have to get back to the one basic principle of inter- national brotherhood. Failing that our econo- mics, politics and tJu-orising would go for very little, and never would the workers get out of the position in which they found themselves Woo day. The first task of reconstruction was to clear a way bv organising politically and industrially. The working-classes of the country, had they only the will to use. it, had the power to trans- form any demonstrative assembly—or even a le- gislative assembly—-and mould and fashion it according to their desires. What right had they to grumble at the conditions of life if they did not bestir themselves to utilise the power lying lutent, in them to alter and improve their social I('mdition Tht> driving force rested with the workers. He and other leaders could only direct jits course. No one in the Labour movement its cour, Il e could do anything unless the rank and file moved. Everything was possible if the will of the workers were behind it. The root of educational problems—involving the high percentage of school-children prone to consumption and the early age at which working class children of necessity left school to assist in the upkeep of the home—was economic. They were of the class the members of which had not yet. received their fair share of the product of their labour power. PARLIAMENTARY ACTION ESSENTIAL. j With the iden of peu«e iu the air peopie's thoughts were naturally turning to after-the- war conditions, and were beginning to wonder whither they were drifting. Camouflage from the Capitalist politicians (who formed 70 per cent. of the members of Parliament) would be inevitably used to lull the puolic, but though some of the people might be fooled, some of the time all the people would not be gulled all the time. XApplause.) Questions between Oapital and Labour in future would be dealt with more and more on the floor of the House of Commons, and if the workers were not sufficiently wise to have their representatives there to the full of their franchise power, then let them for ever hold their peace, and no longer grouse at their economic domination by the possessing class. Touching upon the land question, he said that had lie his way the first item he would put on the agenda for the next Trades Union Congress would be The Lund for the People." He would concentrate on that point. He would not wait for an election. He would choose a depu- tation from the Congress to interview the Prime Minister with a message shortly: You say you have been dependent upon the workers to carry on this war for Rri tain. ow let's have Britain for the workers. (Applause.) MINERS' IRREDUCIBLE WAGE. I After dealing with the economics of the wage- system, he emphasised the necessity, so that the working-class should receive the product of their labour-power, of the nationalisation of the means of production, and though he had no objection to industrial action, that, unless supplemented by a. vigorous Labour Party in the House of Commons, would not be sufficient to bring about the desired change. Miners' leaders, he went on, were going to consolidate the war-wage rate, to make it a standard for the future, rountenancing no re- duction, and they were going to establish a cen- tral wages-board for the whole of the British coalfield which, doing away with inequalities of percentages in various districts, would make for national uniformity. (Applause.) The greatest scandal under Heaven to-day was that. the Government—the most corrupt of the last 200 yeaI'Jo'-<'xpeMed dependents of soldiers to live on 13s. 9d. a day, when the money of the tax-payers wa*s poured as a river for the purpose of fastening upon the workers a burden which, unless they awakened to the position at once, they might never shake off. (Applause.) The meeting was presided over by Mr. D. Da- vies (Pant) and an appeal was made by Air. S. Jennings (secretary) t for new members for the I.L.P.

I The Unity of Democracy. I J. R. CLYNES ON THE 14EEDS OF LABOUR. I. THE FUTILITY OF REVOLUTION. Mr. J. R. CSvnes on Monday delivered a lec- ture at the Cambridge Summer Meeting at Cambridge, on unity between classes. Mr. dynes said he did not suggest that in seeking a settlement the working classes should be coddled, but if unity between the classes was to oe secured the price must be paid in twofold fortn-by giving a larger yield of the wealth of the na/tiorn to those who mainly by their ener- gies made that weaJth, and by placing the pro- ducing classes upon a level where they would receive a higher measure of respect than they had hitherto received from the nation as a whole. What must be aimed at was the attainment of community of interest between employer and emplo-red in industries, agriculture, and busi- ness. An example of what was needed was given the other day by Lord Selborne at a new body known as the National Agricultural Council, which consisted of landowners, farmers, and farm workers. Only a few 7rears ago the Farmers' Union would not have tolerated the idea of the farm workers having a union, and the landowners looked with some dread on the farmers having a union. Now the three claases were joining in the interests of agriculture as a whole. A FIRST STEP. ] The first step to secure unity in industry was the goodwill of the trade unions, and then the bringing home to the individual workman of his sense of responsibility. Industry could no longer be run merely for the profit it produced. Hither- to the vierírhad prevailed that the workman had nothing whatever to do with the management of a business. There were, of course, certain things which belonged exclusively to the man- agement, but hours, wages, and conditions of employment were matters in which workmen must have a voice as to how they were to be settled. It would not do merely to have discus- sions between association and assooiatioB. 1%#re m'lStw.n. ?)etw<!?!t ?mplo?f and wwku^a in the workshop it8elf. A reaMBiaMe spirit WM necessary. REVOLUTION DECRIED. I fear, he continued, that there are many of our friends in the Labour Movement who freely talk of democracy without a clear understanding of what it covers. It is not merely now a de- claration of statesmen. It is in the King's Speech itself. But the will of the people finds enduring and beneficial expression only when that will seeks social change by reasonable and calculated instalments, and not bv any violent act of revolution. Peaceful roters on their way to the ballot-box will in the end go further than fire and sword in the internal affairs of any na- tion. (Cheers.) I say this because of the loose talk we have had, regret to say, from many Labour platforms lately of revolution and ita benefits. Revolution may well be in any coun- try the beginning and not the end of internal troubles, but expressed in a more painful form than ever. Look at Russia. The Red Flag marches in these days with the machine-gun and the black cap. There has been a tendency to narrow the meaning of democracy, which does! not mean the domination of one class over an- other, but a method whereby social and econo- ?zriie changes may be brought about by the appli- cation of the political powers of the people through their representative institutions, As to the rich people of the country, he re- marked that the rich who never had had cause to earn their living had always been a danger to the State. There was nothing more melan- choly and degrading to the country than the sight of educated people who had nothing to do. Ignorance and idleness presented the most piti- able spectacle. But the most criminal sight of all was education and idleness combined. WORK THE HEALER. Work wi. the only means by which the ravages of the war could be made good. He pleaded that the workman should be less of a drudge and more of a human asset than he had been in the past. He should take a hand in the management of industry, get more security of remuneration, and thus avoid industrial revolt which would so affect the fum total of national effort. He believed those things were attain- able. In every theatre of war we had seen all classes united in sacrifice to resist the aggressor. He hoped it wrh not asking too much that, when these men came back and took their place in peaceful pursuits, as they had united abroad, so the would unite for the needs of peace and joy here at home.

Ruskin Summer School. SPECIAL COURSE FOR TRADE UNION OFFICIALS. All Trade Unionists will welcome the succeea which has attended the Summer School for officials, organisers, and membero of Unions, and others, now being conducted under the auspiom of the Council of Ruskin College, Oxford. The school was organised by Mr. H. Sanderson Fur- niss, M.A., the Principal of the College. The buildings of Ruskin College being occupied for military hospital purposes, the students are ac- commodated in excellent quarters in St. Ed- mund Hall, one of the- smaller colleges at Oxford, and in this attractive environment they are enjoying the social and educational advan- tages of life in common. THE SCHOOL COURSES. The students come in groups for a. fortnight's study ir. each case, the School covering six" weeks in all. That the time is used to the high- est advantage is admitted by all the students. Tve six lectures in the first week are given by graduates of various Universities who have made a special study of the economic problems with which labour is confronted. These lectures analyse the industrial system aad social welfare, including a description of the nation's wealth, an outline of business organisation, the struc- ture of industry, business finance, the position of labour in industry, and a summary and cri- ticism of existing proposals for the recomtrue- tion of the industrial and social system. Ob- viously such subjects are fundamental to al? ?publi(i work in which Trade Union onKaaJs &n?t members are engaged. In the second week thnMt lectures deal with industrial law, covering, for ?exampl, such themes of vital importance as tW legal position of Trade Unions and the main provisions of statutes such as those regulating4 workmen's compensation and national health in- surance. Finally, there are three lectures on the growth and development of labour organi- sation, dealing with the struggle for legal status and political power, the struggle for industrial power by direct action, and the development of Trade Union objects and methods. SUPPLEMENTARY WORK. Throughout the course the views and opinions of the students are fully consulted. Eftdr lec- ture of one hour is followed by an hour of ques- tions and discussion. Small groups are formed- by the tutors for the consideration of issues which arise fwqf^tbe subject* d' the lectures, such as wage* ic&», scientific management, workshop conditions, effect of the shorter work- ing day, combines and trade union activity, and methods of labour organisation. There are also groups for the full discussion of difficulties which present themselves to the students, and, finally, the course is supplemented by special lectures on housing, rural conditions, methods of remunera- tion, historical aspects of some of the problems of reconstruction, all given by recognised authorities on such questions. That a fortnight, no matter how fully occupied, will suffice for only an introduction to the study of these many and difficult questions will be generally admitted, but the students are supplied on leaving with a bibliography by means of which it is hoped they will continue study after they have left the Summer School. In this way Ruskin College, despite t.he great handicap of war difficulties, is making a striking contribution to the real edu- cation of the Trade Union and Labour move- ment. The success of the present experiment justifies the hope that a large number of Tmfo Unions will in future avail themselves of such a valuable opportunity, and secure for their offi- cials and members a training which will doubt- less form one of the best investments of the movement.

Passports for Labour Refused. MEETING WITH TROELSTRA PREVENTEB At a. joint meeting of the Parliamentary Com- mittee of the Trades Union Congress and the Labour Party Executive, held in London last Thursday, various documents received from La- bour and Socialist organisations of the Central Powers, together with the text of an open letter addressed by Mr. Troelstra, leader of the Dutch Socialist Party, to Mr. Arthur Henderson con- sequent upon the Government's refusal of pass- ports to enable Troelstra to confer with the leaders of the British Labour movement in Lon- don, were considered. It was felt that steps should be taken to en- sure the accuracy of the Various documents. Messrs. C. W. Bowerman. M.P., Arthur Hen- derson, J. W. Ogden, and John McGurk were appointed to confer with M. Troelstra, who is now in Switzerland. The first two of these delegates were appointed to wait on the Prime Minister with a view to securing the passports. When the Committees resumed later in the day it. was announced that Mr. Lloyd George had consulte d with the Imperial War Cabinet- and had decided that it was inadvisable to issue pa-ssports enabling persons in this country to meeot other perrons abroad who had passed through enemy countries to reach neutral terri- tory, and the request for passports could not. therefore be granted. After discussion, a resolution was unani- mously adopted, emphatically protesting against the refusal of passports by the Prime Minister, action t: which, if allowed to stand, would pre- vent the organised workers considering matters of vital importance to their future, and asks the forthcoming Trades Union Congress to express its opWon of such action in no uncertain man- ner, and so -strengthen the hands of the Com- mittees in any future policy they may determine as necessary to remove such embargo."

BAKERS* WAGES ADVANCED. Merthyr bakers have received an advance ig,, wages of 8/- per week, bringing the weekly pay- ments up to: first hands, 60 ¡ second hatstfei', 56! an dthird hands, 54/ The new wage is tv be paid as from August 4th.

ready published the following extract from a synopsis of a lantern lecture of the National War Savings Committee, but I think the readers, of the Pioneer would also like to St-E it: A I.AXTKitN Lecture entitled "War in THE Air," by C. G. GREY (Editor of the Aeroplane "), issued by the National War Savings Committee, Salisbury Square, London, E.(1.4. (Page 7.) Slide :The Navy's La-nd Machines went over to Belgium, iWd it is to the credit of the R.N.A.S. that. tlie first hostile missiles which fell on German soil were lnomos dropped by R.X.A.S. pilots at Cologne and Dusseldorf. Slide 8.j.—It is'interesting to note that these early raids by the R.X.A.S. were the first t'x- ample of bomb-dropping attacks from the air in any war, and the only pity is that we had not at the beginning of the war enough aeroplane*.