Pioneer

Kenfig Hill Notes I Our Loss. I The I.L.P. Movement at Kenfig Hill has lost one of its most diligent workers in the person of David J. David (I I, b-,ii-Dit 'I), who passed away on Wednesday last from pneumonia. His death was quite a shock to the members of the Branch; as lie was only ill about three days, and as late as last Saturday week he was in Port Talbot. Always a plodder Dai had endeared himself to a large circle of workers in the movement locally, and held the respect of all opposed to his political views. He was not one who cared to come out in the limelight, hut was always ready to do anything that would help on the Party, however menial the task. Dai was also a very proficient member of the local Ambulance Corps, and had taken part in a large number of competitions with the corps. The funeral, which took place on Suilday, was one of the largest seen in the district for a long time, and wa" headed by the Town Band, followed by the Ambulance Corps and lady nurses, with Dr. Cooper and Instructor E. Jenkins, lodge offi- cials, and large numbers of workmen from most of the neighbouring collieries. Many beautiful floral tributes were on the coffin, and carried by members of -different Societies, wreaths from the workmen of Aberbaiden Collieries, Ambu- lance Corps and the T.L.P. Dai was only about :>0 years of age, and was married, but had no family, and much sympathy is felt for his widow. As a willing helper lie will be greatly missed, few realise the value of unselfish workers until they are lost for ever, but the moral left by self- sacrifice is like good seed in the ground. Quiet, modest and undemonstrative, yet— No stream from its source Flows seaward, how lonely soever its course. But what some land is gladdened. No life Can be pure in its purpose and strong in its strife, And all-life not be purer and stronger thereby.

Briton Ferry Notes I Reconstruction Meeting. I Jerusalem Baptist Church has inaugurated a series of Reconstruction meetings. The first was held last Wednesday, when Rev. D. J. Da- vies (Oginore Vale) was the speaker. The rev. gentleman was in capital form and gave an address worthy of a larger audience. The Pastor (Rev. R. Powell) presided.

still be given to those who refused to trample underfoot ideals in order to win a parliamentary flesh-pot, when the dust: of battle has subsided, to help save our country from the peril born of the reactionary influences that have been estab- lished by misrepresentation and even worse. An acceptance of the Labour Party policy would have created a soil unfavourable to the growth of disruptive tendencies. With great respect I submit that the danger of Bolshevism lies in tlie catclt-cries of the | Coalition, and. although Mr. Cecil Meek may be well intentioned, that does iiot qualify liim to pose as being right in his assumption that Bol- shevism is a controlling influence with organised Labour.

The Theatre Royal lolling the J'ale," the musical comedy of smiles and sunshine is coming to the Theatre Royal next w eek. T have never seen "Telling the Tale." hut I am assured that the music is. up to a high standard, whilst the story as it has. been outlined to me provides splendid opportuni- ties for good work hot]) for principals and come- dians. With two such principals as A. E. Story as Ma reel, the Bridegroom," and Miss Gladys Arohbutt as Badonie de Matisse." the two leading parts in the caste of Telling the Tale are guaranteed, both histrionically and from the- voca l point of view And the rest of the com- pany looks very promising indeed. With strong caste handling the work Betty will at last have a serious rival. This week Eva F.lwps' new work of melodrama on the war. Billy's Mother, is having a good reception. There are many strong passages, and the comedy is better than most, while the parti-, cular speciality of Miss Elwes,her domestic in,. terest and touch, is well developed. Stall, I do toi-(,st an d t,)iie l i, '? ]iillv' -N totli(,r is likr best not think that "Billy's Mother" is her best work. Still, the thing; is, does a play give you enjoyment?, and on that score I can give the play my blessing. The work falling upon the two comedians is heavy, but they do it well PLAYGOER

WATCH COMPETITION. VX^INNTNG Number of Pte. W. Ptppcc'? ▼ » (Pentrebach) W?tch CompNitioll. Win ning rime: mins., 32 sec.—Sec-retarv, D James. 10 South A iow, Troedyrhiw. Printed and Published by the National Labour Press, Ltd., at the Labour Pioneer Press. Williams' Square. Merthyr Tydfil.

Llantrisant and District Notes. Ely Valley Road. Witter complaints are being made amongst the workmen who have to travel from Llantrisant to Coed Ely to work. It seems that the lane at Ynysplwm is a sea of mud and water, the men having to wade through this every morning and evening during the winter months. It has been especially had during the wet weather of the last few months. They also complain that al- though a small expenditure would make this lane and other parts of the road passably dry, yet. winter after winter, no attention is paid to their complaints by the District Council. Surely it is up to these men to see that they get work- ing class representatives on the District Coun- cil, to ia-liotii they could properly look for a re- medy for their grievances. Although the popu- lation is an overwhelmingly working-class one, yet it is the only class without its own repre- sentative on the District Council. The District Council as elected in 1913 was composed, ac- cording to the official description, of three gen- tlemen, three farmers, one builder, one estate agent, and one retired assurance agent. This needs altering, and badly too. A combination such as this can hardly be expected to work in the interests of the workers. Councillor John Llewellyn's Attack on Labour. to the three-sintt system jn the col- lieries, aud the awkward hours railwaymen have to work, there is only one day in the week when all the workers have an opportunity to come to- gether for a meeting. That day is Sunday. This is well-known to everyone, yet in spite of these facts. Councillor John Llewellyn is to move at the District Council meeting on January Kith. 1919: That the holding of meetings in Cinemas on Sundays be prohibited." As at the same meeting applications for the renewal of Cinema licenses will he taken, it means that the workers at Tonyrefail and in the Town Ward (Pontyeluni will be prevented from holding their meetings on Sundays at the Cinemas if Councillor John Llewellyn succeeds. Will Labour take tlt jg lying (loii-n., The Division list on this resolution should be obtained for the benefit of the workers at the forthcoming elections. When Councillor Llewellyn was elected he concluded his election address as follows: Fellow electors, wake up! When the day arrives for you to make your choice of candidates as Councillors for the next three years do not forget the one who has your interests at heart, because they are equally his." The electors went to sleep and elected Coun- cillor Llewellyn. At the next election we shall be awake, and to Councillor John Llewellyn we shall say: \Y e don't forget! Tt will be never i again." War Memorial. A public meeting was held at the Zoar Chapel Vestry, Llantrisant, Oil January "hid. to con- sider a War Memorial. Various proposals were; put forward and voted upon. Ultimately it was decided to appoint a Committee to explain the practicability of the five suggestions: An institute, cottage hospital, a monument, Y.M.C.A., and a hall. The Committee is to re- port to a further public meeting. Undoubtedly popular opinion is strongly in favour of a hali. It is not clear as yet whether the nnan( ial as- sistance of the workers' organisations is to be I asked for, hut if so, ?reat care should be taken j to scrutinise any scheme put forward to see that I it is of a democratic character. So far only one proposal dealing with ways and means has been I put forward since the Public meeting. This was put forward by Mr. Williams, Tarv-v-Bryn. Mr. Williams wants a hall, and his proposal is. that 100 workmen whose names can be found on the register of voters for the district, should be I asked to contribute -Cl. each, and 100 tradesmen whose names can lw, found in the same place should be asked to contribute £ 5 each. The ■contributions could be spread over r. reasonable I period by instalments. If carried out success- fdly the proposal would realise £ 900. This pro- posal which has the honour of being the first to suggest ways and means, appears to us to be quite impracticable and quite incomplete. The difficulties of raising :C400 from 400' workmen are too great. Many of these workmen would very properly ask: Who is to own and control I this hall after erection Will it be controlled by a committee; How will this committee be elected Will those who contribute nothing have the same virtue as those who contribute;-1 Or will voting for the election of this committee be confined to-those who coiiti-il)titt-- If only those who contribute are to have a vote, will the man who contributes tl have the same voting power as the man who contributes £ ■>, £ 10, or who contribute will ob- ject to those who do not contribute having a vote. It is obvious, too, that there would be disputes amongst the contributors. If the man who contributes £ 1 gets one vote, then the man who contributes t.), £10, or £ 100 will naturally want five, ten, or a hundred votes. Aeeordnig to this proposal the 400 workmen would contri- bute £ 400 and the 100 tradesmen £ 500. It would therefore follow, if voting power is to be in proportion to the amount contributed, that I the tradesmen would have five votes to the wofk- men's foil. and control would fall into the tradesmen's hands inevitably. Again there is the question of maintenance. How much would J be required each year to maintain the Hall? Would it be raised by fixing a fee for meetings Would this fee be so high as to prohibit class meetings. All these are insurmountable diffi- culties in any voluntary scheme. Really, the only satisfactory and democratic way of obtain- ing a hall is through the Parish Council. Every- one would then have a vote of equal value and contributions would be nearer in proportion to ability to pay than any other proposal which can be put forward. We propose to keep tho workers informed of the proposals for a war memorial through these notes, as such proposals make their appearance. A Llantrisant Strike. I The workers at the Cambrian uorks (Messrs. Mountford, Phillips and Co.) came out on strike on the 1st of January. The trouble was over the stoppage of bonus for the Christmas holi- days. According to an agreement made with the firm about two years ago. this bonus should have been paid. The firm broke the agreement without consulting the men, who promptly stopped worjv in defence of "A Scrap of Paper." The men affected were smiths and strikers, livetters and lalxmrers, and also the sanitary workers. The matter has now been settled, the firm agreeing to pay one of the bonus days, the other bonus day to be referred to arbitration. All the unions involved were loyal to each other, with the exception of the A.S. K., the members of which remained at work. allowing their fel- low trades unionists to do the fighting while they quietly received the advantages.

Pontypridd Notes. I Satisfied. I Local labourites are well pleased with the polling of over ten thousand votes at the recent election for D. L. Davies and look forward to winning the seat at the next election for Labour. The I.L.P. I the election has benefitted the I.L.P. here, recent socials and entertainments being very successful, also the branch membership has in- creased. Last Sunday evening there was a good attendance, when Comrade Owen Hughes lec- tured on Socialism and Education." Com- rade Major presided, and two new members were enrolled.

I Labour Notes. LABOUR IN PARLIAMENT. The first step in the organisation of the work of the Labour Party in Parliament has been taken with complete unanimity. The National Executive and the members of the Parliamen- tary Party met jointly at the Central Hall, Westminster, last week, and with only one dis- sentient adopted a resolution in the following terms: That it he an instruction from this conference that the Labour Party in the House of Commons make the necessary arrangements to become the official Opposition." It was a! so decided to appoint a Joint Sub- Committee of the Parliamentary Party and the National Executive to develop closer working ar- rangements between the two bodies. This is all important decision which will help very mater- ially to establish closer correspondences between the Labour Members in Parliament tn(i the or- ganised movement outside. The need for such co-operation has been deeply felt for a long time. and it is realised that the next Election will very largely he fought upon the work of the Party in Opposition. From the spirit of the Joint Meeting it can be said with some confi- dence that the Party, so far from being in any sense discouraged by the results of the last Election, is taking Ùp its work with enthusiasm and determi nation. of t]14. of? the Parliamentary Party, though new to the House of Commons, are experienced trade-union administrators and by no means amateurs in de- bate. The Parliamentary Party-met subsequently in separate session to appoint its officers. Mr. W. Adamson, M.P., was unanimously re-elected as chairman, with Mr. J. R. Clynes, M.P., as vice- chairman. Mr. W. Tyson Wilson, M.P., was elected as Chief Whip, and Messrs. Fred Hall, Albert Smith, Neil Maclean, and T. Griffiths as junior whips, representing England, Scotland, and Wales. Mr. H. S. Lindsay, secretarial as- sistant to the Parliamentary Party since 1916, was appointed secretary. LONDON COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION. After many postponements owing to the war, the statutory elections of the London County Council will be held early in March, and the London Labour Party is preparing to fight them on a far larger scale than has previously been attempted. The L.C.C. is the greatest munici- pality in the world, spending over £ 10,000,000 a year. It covers an area of 117 square miles, with a population of four and a half millions. The London Labour Party Executive has drafted a strong programme of seven points: they deal with Home Rule for London. Municipal Finance, Public Ownership and Democratic Con- trol of Public Services. Housing and Town Plan- ning, Education, Trade Union conditions, and Public Health. An appeal has been issued to individuals and organisations to the Fighting lil(il*%v-[( Itt,tl,, ttid ti) tiie I-igliting Reformers" (Tories) spent -C2.-)(1,000 on one L.C.C'. election alone, it will be clear that La- bour will require to take things seriously. The Office of the Party is at 7 Staple Inn Buildings. High Holhorn. W.C.I. WIDOWS' AND MOTHERS' PENSIONS. The granting of pensions to mothers in the t nited States. though an excellent measure in itself and one that does much credit to the coun- try which has introduced it is. in some cases, severetyrestrictet). In some of the States the benefits are limited to widows, while others ex- clude deserted and divorced wives. Even those who come within the scheme are expected to en- gage in gainful employment," although the difficulty of securing suitable employment is re- cognised. The Report which has just been issued by the Intelligence Department of the Local Government Board on the scheme contains some very illuminating passages. Apparently, the granting of widows' pensions is having very far- reacinn? resutts. ?fany people, save the Report, are enquiring why there are. and why there should be, so many widows. They arc direct- ing their attontio? to preventing the industrial accidents and the deaths from prevcutablc dis- eases which necessitate widows' pensions. They are convinced that a very large proportion of these accidents and deaths could be avoided, and they are pressing forward measures to pre- vent such in future." In fact, now widows have become expensive, .steps must be taken to stop women becoming widows. We hope the moral of this cruel and callous reasoning: will not be lost on American Labour and American women, and that they will lost no time in demonstrating that human life and human conditions are the first charge on the State. UNEMPLOYMENT. In the. textile industry the Labour Exchanges are proving a failure. The whole Unemployment- Insurance system was put together in 1911, and it has never had to stand the strain of rcnHy widespread unemployment. Resides, under the present Emergency Six Month s' Scheme the track* unions are disallowed from administering the State benefit thus one means of relieving the pressure has been closed by the Government. All this is the more unfortunate as many trade unionists held tha.t all State unemployment bene- fit should be^ administered through the trade- unions, and that the Labour Exchanges should be in a measure controlled hy local trade unions. GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENTS AND BUREAUCRACY. The published return of the new departments1 created since the outbreak of Avar, together with the names and remuneration of the principal officers of each such department, is an extremely I interesting document. It was known that n(?v ofifces at iat?c ?daTics %i-cre (-ontltiiiilly created, but tho extent to which this had gone can scarcely be realised without a scrutiny of thi-s parliamentary paper. The seriousness of this growth in the body politic lies not so much in its great expense or even in the question of its competence, but in the fact that a great many persons had large salaries which were de- pendent on the continuance of the war. DISABLED SOLDIERS & COMPENSATION. It has been suggested in some quarters that disabled soldiers may find a certain difficulty in obtaining employment owing to their increased liability to accidents, which will make their em- ployment more expensive to the employer, who has to pay compensation in respect of accidents. The Government Committee which was set up to consider this question thinks that there is very little evidence to show that disabled men are any more liable to accidents than all; but they re- commend acceptance of a scheme propose. hy the Accident Officers' Association, by which the A-ociatioxa?x'esnottopntup its premiums to employers who cover their liabilities by insuring with it, if the State will guarantee to refund any excess which the claims pa it! in respect of disabled soldiers, sailors, or airmen may show over the amount of premiums paid on their be- half. The Association also offers, in the case of employers who do not ordinarily insure them- selves in this way. to accept insurance purely in respect of disabled men at the ordinary flat rate. subject to the same guarantee by the State. The- Committee realises that this scheme involves, that a disabled man seeking work should pro- duce his pensions' certificate to his employer, but thinks that though some discontent may arise among the workers if it were suspected that the employer was thereby given an opportunity to decrease the man's wages, no such feeling will arise if it is understood that the enquiries are- required by the State." TRADE UNIONISTS AND CO-OPERATORS. An important conference of trade unionists- and co-operators in the London area is to be held this month. The object is to discuss Recon- struction for the workers, by which is meant an effort to establish People's Trusts—that is, co- operative societies and municipalities in place of the groat combinations of capital now dominat- ing industry. The conference will also consider, at any rate in hroad outline, the joint control of industry by consumers and producers together. To this end the mere caiunp: of this conference is a hopeful augury. THE MONEY TRUST. During th., war a considerable nnmber of amalgamations were carried through amongst the banks. Some of the.subsequent dividends are now being declared. The London Joint City and Midland Bank, which was formed from the London Joint Stock Bank and the City and Mid- land, has a dividend of 16 per cent. The London County Westminster and Parr's Bank (a similar- amalgamation) has a dividend of 20 per cent. ORCANISATION IN THE BUILDINC TRADE. An excellent step in organisation has been taken by the new National Building Trades* Moderation, whose Executive Committee is urging that all the local branches of the Feder-* ation should form "composite" branches em- braci ng all members of the building trades, in rural areas and others where trade unionism is very weak, and where consequently it is not worth the while of any single union to form a separate branch. We are glad to welcome this. development, which we trust will go on until all branches of the building trade in a single locality are united in one branch; and meanwhile we trust that the head offices of the several unions w ill also keep in mind the necessity for speedy amalgamation. The negotiations between the masons and bricklayers seem at present to he- hanging fire, but there is no re-al reason why those two unions at least, which have &o much in common, should not be able to amalgamate. THE SEAMEN'S PROGRAMME. The National Sailors' and Firemen's Union has drawn up its industrial programme. This includes a permanent National Maritime Board and a standard wage to be fixed by the Board. The present National Maritime Board derives its existence and its functions from the Ministry of Shipping, which is itself a war-time creation. A permanent Board, therefore, must be separ- ately constituted, and the Ministry of Recon- struction has suggested the transformation of the present Board into a Wliitlev Council for the Mercantile Marine, to which the Sailors and Firemen have agreed. Further points in- the programme include a manning scale, the right to a portion of the wages while in port, improved accommodation, British seamen for British ships, and the revision of the present conditions of em- ployment and articles of agreement. It is in- foresting to compare these with the demands of the American Seamen's Union that soameirs wages and conditions in Great Britain and other countries should be brought up to the American standard. The International Conference now aboyt to sit at Lausanne will certainly have to discuss at some point the question of an inter- national Conference now about to sit at Lau- sanne will certainly have to discuss at some point the question of an international charter for sea- men, dealing with wages and conditions (in- cluding accommodation and manning of ships),. terms of employment, the rights of seamen when in port. etc. BAITS. It is reported that the Treasury intend to make » another attempt to enforce an eight-hours' day in the Civil Service, and that the pill is this, time to be gilded by an offer to keep up the present rate of war-bonus. The Treasury ap- parently thinks that because the Post-Office at present works an eight-hour day it is a good op|K>rtunity for bringing the rest of the Civil: Service into line. We should have thought that it was an argument for reducing the hours of the Post Office, not for increasing those of the I Civil Service, but the Treasury's views a.re dif- ferent. If the rumour is true the Civil Service will certainly not consent to an increase in its hours, and may be inclined to resent the sugges- tion of a bargain hy which increases in wages given to meet the increased rise in the cost of living are used to lower the conditions of the Service.

The Bogey of British Bolshevism. I BY E. CILL. I Mr. Cecil Beck, the Member for the Saffron Walden Division of Essex, has been holding forth on what the "Daily Express" describes as the Victory Check to Bolshevism." Dearie me! Now, I cannot help thinking that a rather decent fellow lias taken himself too seriously when assailing that figment of magination- British Bolshevism. He has further failed to do himself justice when claiming that little by way of propaganda had been accomplished by the Coalition before the war. 1 propose outraging all canons of good form by referring to myself. I am one of the wretched Rritish Beckian Bolshevists who went down at the poll. The Coalition candidate was success- ful, the Labour candidate was unsuccessful, and therefore in accordance with Mr. Beck's under- lying generalisation, the Labour candidate was a bold, bad bogey-man—a friend of all countries other than his own. The Labour candidate is no angel, but Mr. Beck's conclusions are all wrong and his alarm quite unnecessary! BOLSHEVIK'S WAR RECORD. I Adopting the phraseology of the Coalition, my war record was quite good! Taking stock tho other day I find that in additioll to the Military Cross 1 am entitled to the 1914-lo Star, and have been thanked by one of the G.O.C/s for services rendered fairly early in the war. In- cidentally, I managed to collect some shrapnel in my chest, get a bullet through the jaw, and act as depository for a decent sample of high explosive shell. I know of about eight active service soldiers who stood as Labour candidates, who were defeated—not because they were be- lievers in Bolshevism, but because they believed in the primary war aims of their country, and would be no party to their betrayal. Our contention may not be very complimen- tary to Mr. Beck and other members of what Ibsen would (-all the compact majority." for we became soldiers to destroy personal gov- ernment in Central Europe, and believe Mr. Heek has assisted in it's establishment at home. Meanwhile we are on the mat. and Mr. Beck is probably satisfied i suppose a Bolshevist is an Anarchist, and all the anarchists I know are Damn the Conse- quences Milner, and King Carson, who brought German rifles to Ulster for the purpose of defy- ing constitutional authority; Bonar Law, who backed Carson; that brilliant front-line soldier. Galloper F. E. Smith, and others of the same kidney—all supporters of the Coalition As to the claim that the Coalition has little Propaganda to its credit, I commend Mr. Beck as a political joker' The recent election was won for the Coalition by the Press. No one knows better than Mr. Beck that every govern- ment department had its own particular methods of propaganda, and the National Service De- partment was always well served by a crowd of orators marshalled by no less a person than the Parliamentary Secretary to the Department. THE WRITING ON THE WALL. Mr. Beck has doubtless heaixl of the play: The Man that Stayed at Home," and although a great many people stayed at home for very justifiable reasons (including. I believe, Mr. Beck), it would appear that allusions to "long- haired undesirables are both offensive and un- coiiviiiciiig-esl"-ialiv when they emanate from anyone who has not served the country in all active combatant sense, I have been wondering what lias agitated the mind of Mr. Beck. Perchance it is that Mr. J. J. Mallon's 4,)31 votes for Labour in the Saffron Waldon Division, in spite of the glamour of victory and the outstanding and overmastering personality of the Prime Minister," are con- sidered to be in the nature of the writing on the wall. I thank Mr. Beck for his reference to Mr. David Lloyd George. The country did not vote Labour down because the overwhelming major- ity of Labour candidates subscribed to Bolshe- vism, but on account of the contention fostered by the Coalition Press that the little Welshman won the war. A CONTEMPTIBLE LIE. Of course, it was a mean, contemptible lie but is served to win the Election. In the Frome division we had whacked the other parties to a standstill, and therefore on the eve of the poll the Prime Minister did loral Labour the signal honour of urging the Electors to rally to the coupon candidate and so we were defeated by (iOO odd votes by a combination of circumstances, the result of a Coalition Press policy dating from the destruction of Lord Haldane. leading up to the overthrow of Mr. Asquith. and culminating in the return of a House of Commons chiefly composed of representatives of land, brewing, shipping and other monopolies, the ownership of which have made a section of the country rich because the people gave life and service for idealism. Intriguing Bolshevism and the work- ing-class, forsooth! TAME ACTIVITIES! I The revolutionary efforts of shop stewards to better the conditions of wage-earning life are indeed tame when considered in the light of the actions of the highly-placed puppets who are de- pendent upon Lord Northeliff for places in the political sun. Mr. Beck's reference to the British Army is unfortunate. If he had served any time abroad he would know- that the soldier is only supplied with Northeliff news, and that in the recent Election there is grave suspicion that the ad- dresses of Labour candidates in particular never reached the service men in any reasonable quan- tity. My agent has not received any addresses back again, but we know that many soldiers qualified to vote have not received my literature. If there was such a person as a British Bolshe- vist soldier before the armistice endeavouring to spread what I accept to he pernicious doc- ti-iiies lie., at least, took the same risk as the non-Bolshevist soldier, which is more than many of our purveyors of patriotism can personally plead. A BELATED DISCOVERY. I When Mr. Beck succeeds in shaking off the nightmare* of Bolshevism he becomes interesting aml helpful. He quite realizes that unless the Coali t ion cut mould' legislation that will spell land reform, drastic housing improvements, im- proved transit organisation, temperance and public health reforms, etc., the country may swing towards Bolshevism. But Mr. Beck is only saying in a belated fashion what the La- bour Party stood for during the Election. Coalition candidates chiefly indulged in a-n orgy of hate, and have gone hack with a man- date to hang the Kaiser, to hunt tile Huns, ?d to make Germany pay the whole of the war. As a generalisation, the louder the Coali- tion candidate bellowed the Hymn of Hate the la rger the majority. The Labour Party was more concerned with the future than with pan- dering to primitive passiot): and perhape it may (Continued at foot of preceding column).