Papurau Newydd Cymru
Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru
5 erthygl ar y dudalen hon
Another Side of the Con-I…
Another Side of the Con- I scription Farce. UNFIT" CANARY'S BESCRIPTION I OF THE MEDICAL EXAMINATION. .1 We invite our readers' careful attention of the following letter descriptive of the treatment that is meted out to the Conscript before the military authorities. The letter is a pri- vate one received from a friend by one of our glllal' contributors, and was not written for Publication. The writer of the letter is a Coring man who has only recentV left a sick bed, having been laid up with pleurisy, and he IS the sole support of a widowed mother and young sister. Some purel- personal passages 111 the first and last part of the letter have Wen deleted, but this does not m any way af- fect what is reproduced under, which was writ- ten exactly as we have printed it: — Upon Saturday morning I arose at about 7 a.m.. had breakfast, and at my toother's wish called upon my doctor. That old Tory, with four sons in the Army—three being doctors, the fourth a barrister. I ex- plained that I was called up under the M.S. Act and desired him to give me a note in order that the military doctors would be able to see and readily localize my ailings! He declared that my ailings would be apparent as soon as ever he put instruments to my Iwngs; that I was useless for military ser- vice. and should present myself and obtain my discharge papers! Of course. I have been anxious to get the thing settled a long time, and this made me demand of the aeroplane manager my discharge, in order that. I should be aBle to go meet the wolves in their den. Upon informing my mother of what the doc- tor had said, she at once declared I ought to go down and see the military doctors, which I at length decided to do: this was my un- doing. as you will see later. Upon entering the recruiting office. I was immediately faced with a huge soldier, who emerged from a ?mall room just within the doora He inquired my business. I declared 1 "I wanted to see the military doctors." "Have you any papers?" Yes." Look at them ;and replies. "Up those stairs first room to the left." The recruiting office was a Unita- rian (thapel., and its vaulted ceiling, stone stairs well worn. and semi-lighted dinginess gave it a foreboding appearance. I made my way up the well-worn steps of stone, and Im- mediately hear a pandemonium! I pass along a passage at the stop of the stairs, and to the left is an open door with a G.R. Volunteer in knee breeches at the door. Ho seems ignite 45 or 50 years old; and I am asked my business, and repeat. "I desire to see the military doctor." Have you any papers?" Yes." "Ah! vou're a Canary, are you? Inside here. sir, please." My eyes had already rested upon the scene inside the room. There was about 50 young fellows (" Canaries. so called owing to the yellow calling up papers of the M.S. Act). Some were Jews; indeed, a good proportion were; others were Russian; there was a, Swede, too, and about a round score of English. All were Proletaii-es ,or seemed to be. True. there Were two loud-mouthed Cockney clerks, who effected airs. and deceived much attention from the others; also many slurs and re- marks as to the lowness of their boot heels, with "jaw-breaking words, as a red-faced 3okel declared. The Cockneys, however, Remained reserved from the rest, and seemed to be immeised upon serious conversation. I seated, myself upon a long form, and gazed around the walls. There was a framed di- ploma. which stated that the Girls' Club had Won this honour for various fancy work, crotr- oheting, etc., and other framed references, to this work. which led me to think the room was where the Girls' Club met. In the middle of the room was a theatrical, with a sort of half-bred wide-awake hate upon his head. He Was step dancing and made a respectable show too. The biggest part of the audience (all Canaries ") clapped their hands to make time for him, and sang various rag-time kitties. The noise was terrific, and in spite of an protes is of the G.R. Volunteer to be quiet pandemonium reigned supreme. Oaths, foul and otherwise, intermingled with the lIoise of clapping, singing and the dancers' feet, when a blear-eyed military clerk asked 1119 to go into the big room in twos. Im- Iediately there was a rush and a scrimmage. G.R. Volunteer" yelled, "Get back, damn Yon!" Get Back!" Go steady!" etc., etc. At last two got out of the scrimmage, and fol- lowed the clerk, and this process was re- peated until we all went through, including the Cockney clerks. The bleary-eyed clerk, an ev-soldier, presided at a raised desk, upon a tall four-legged buffet. He wore eye glasses and frequently gazed over them in order to obtain a. full detailed view of you. Ah! so you have had to come at last. eh?" Then i loud laughter or cackle, in a Scrooge fashion. i." We told you to come; we have had to make you come. (More cackle !) What's your name, birth place, age, trade, etc., etc. During the Writing of all these particulars he keeps up a continuous roll of jibes. Conscripts, eh! A.h! Ah! You have had to come. I have three Ronsjn the Army. And I have done my bit. (More cackle.) We're having no shirking here, young man." After making inquiries as to the nature of his bit done years ago, he ?Forms us, while gazing with bleary eyes over the ?ye gl?sae?. that He fought for liberty. of course." When I asked what li(b- orty-—the liberty to starve, or the liberty of the boss to exploit and make profit out of You, he took an extra big gaze with his hlear eves over the glasses. Can't you be a boss if you want ? Some of you want mother's i Dap till" you're dead a. lot of shirkers, i ftrtd grousers, the whole gang of you." When t referred to him and the whole military Machine as being a stable for cannibals, he glared in a ferocious manner, told me to 1 <5lear. and "Give less damned lip!" Upon °otaini;ng the papers he had made out with the de-taws mentioned, you were requested to W seared by a big sergeant with n brutal Willy face. We were sat upon long forms ^-immedately facing was a hig screen of Paper over a light wooden frame it would be "bout 7ft. high and about '-0 long. On one "ide of the -oom it was about 3ft. from the wall. where there stood a." special Nonstable. On the other side was the blear- ^yed dcrk's dt'sk, then high' up were two tables upon which was a huge mass of Papers. Two persons sat at each table one ^as a sergeant-major besides whom was an- ^ther oVrk of one-time military service. On '?he other table were two more milita.rv rWks. These persons before the tables nil ? the papers with the doctors' remarks and ?scoye-ri? fr'om the medii"" 1" exam. (I '?'n.'t ?h?ik!) Now ere long the occupiers of f ? fvats w?:'c drawn from thence through í'. (yp.rvriint the screen and the wall. 110re stood the "special." who informed vnu ??hf-r) there was room for another batch. i*Miiiid the screens were forms, npon which ^0re piles of doth, half-dressed men also there was a long line of men say about a score, naked. The leader of this line Saced a door, through which one could see a weighing machine, a table with two more cleifcs seat- ed and military doctors (two). The floor upon which the naked men stood was con- crete and very cold. Unon oiie floor was a p4e of military overcoats, which were then placed in order two deep. You warm while waiting to go before the doctor. Upon the re- marks of a few in front, I heard they were not fit to cover oneself with, and finding an opportunity to examine them as I passed, I picked one up: it was filthy, and harboured vermin. Meanwhile the sergeant-major at We table yelled: "Any more Derby men? Any more Derbv men ? What are you ? Ah! a Canary, oh -p Stand back and wait, my boy! We have told you to come for this last 12 months. We have had to wait for you, so just stand back while all the Derby's are ex- amined; then you can wait a little longer." And those poor Canaries—I included—toasted ourselves upon the cold concrete floor until the Derby's were examined. Some poor devils stood quite an hour. Then they began to curse and become rebellious; one Canary told the sergeant-major to shut up or he would lay him low, if he had to swing for it. Im- mediately a chorus of approval went up. "Go on; bash him!" And the sergeant-major stood back, cabled off his brutal bully-faced sergant. no doubt to discuss the question of meeting a fight with those naked half-starved Canaries. But. doubtless, they thought that discretion was the better part of valour, for they motioned the leading man through the door. and our sergeant-major gave the "doc- tor a wink, and remarked. Canary, Doc- tor." "A Yellow Boy. Bosh! Laughs in a knowing manner. You are stood up against a post with feet and inches marked on. Sergean t-Ma i or places his hand on your head, and drops a projecting rod, and at- tempts to jolt your bead upon the post in taking the measurement. (I don't think!) The Canaries were informed of this by brother Canaries who had returned to dress, and the sergeant-major found 0. neck when he wanted to jolt. He oould not long vent his spite. Now you jump upon scales, and he veils out your weight and sfe_ e of chest which he "measures," I don't think! to the clerks before the table. Then you go before the doctor with the parting remarks of the sergeant-major, Uanarv doctor! can- cary, s<r!" Five out of six are insulted by this person, i.e., the "doctor." "When did you bath last," etc., etc. Then you are requested to hop across the floor, first upon one leg, then 1. pon the other; you swing your aims, stoop for rec- tum exam., and also have the instruments upon your chest, to be examined in the lungs. (1 don't think !) All the time, if the doctor is not too tired of wagging his tongue, he amu- ses himself with listening to jibes- of the ser- geant-major upon the virtues of "Canaries." When he remarks dress," and the Can- ary" scoots off back behind the screen, and you dress. Upon finishing this operation you visit the Special," whom you have ent- rusted with your money and watch. That is if someone has not taken your coat, and you have to find him first. After obtaining the return of your money and watch of the "Special," you are again requested to be seated before the brutal, bully-faced serge- ant. The blear-eyed clerk once again allows his dim eyes to wander over his glasses, and takes a glance at you all seated there. Suddenly a clerk gives him a handful of papers, and you hear the names of six or 12 persons called out, who are requested to line up, and then, under the care of two sol- diers, you aire marched off to the office away across the city square, and you leave the chapel with its vaulted ceilings, semi-lighted alleys and passages, to emerge before the open day again. Crossing the square (public) you are gazed upon by women whose husbands and would-be husbands are inside the gloomy chapel; and they, finding theirs not in the file, again gaze aimlessly up and down, awaiting his" appearance. You are marched into the recruiting office, pi-oper-the chapel being used for medical exam. And upon Sunday the good bourgeois Unitarian Christ- ians would render prayers to God from the forms from which those Cana- ries clapped, sang and swore, as the thea-trical danced in rag- time. The chapel upon week days witnesses the orgies of naked men being valued, and tested, by Christian "doctors," who report upon the respective value of such-and-such a carcase. This man foreign service" so-and- so. "Garrison abroad"; so-and-so, "Garri- son home"; so-and-so. "Sedentary duties"; Home defence," etc., etc. And so the trade in human cattle goes on tilt Sunday forces the sergeant-major to leave off jibing "Canary. Doctor!" Tunis the blear-eyed clerk from his desk, and the brutal hlliJy-faced sergeant from his post of guard. The screen no more stands to shelter Canary carcases"; the doctor no more reminds one he wants .a bath; and the parson and his flock throng the alleys. Miss Prim plays the organ, and all ).-also up their voices to God! Lord na ve mercy upon us! Spare those brave men upon the field of battle. Strafe all Germans; cast a plague upon all our enemies, and give us a glorious victory of right of which Thou know est over might! Till the day ends once more, night demands lights in our chapel; once more the parson addresses his fervent appeals to Our Father." Again his flock bow their heads and allow tears to fill their eyes, and then wander off home. Night vanishes; day again appears, and with it the serge- ant-major, the brutal bully-faced sergeant, blear-eyed cilerk, "doctors," lackeys, etc., and the cattle—the "Canaries" Uponn entering the recruiting office proper, you notice upon the sides of a large hall with forms, and recruiting sergeants stood in gossip, a painted sign. Upon one side Re- gulars"; upon the other 'Territorials." The soldiers open the door tipron. the side painted, with the word Regulars," and you are marched in, and again requested to be seats upon forms in front of tables, be- hind which are seated male and female clerks, who seem to be perfectly indifferent to your entering the room. One of the soldier es- corts takes the papers handed to him by the blear-eyed clerk over in the chapel, and tosses them upon a table, where there is seat- ed a, clerk. He tosses them back to the es- corting soldier, and tells him to take them to such and such a clerk, all of whom seem to hate the work of taking the papers at all. Meanwhile, humming, whistling swearing of a special 880 degree is heard, but the lady clerks seem to be perfectly proof against such, and do not even raise an eyelid. After a while you are taken to another table and are given 2/9 and a card —in my case I obtained a card—or instructions to present J oneself at such an hour in order to catch the train to training quarters, and a night's doss upon bare boards in a room in the bar- racks or camp. No grub at sill, because you are not received officially until next morning! So some of those poor Canar ies" -would have to make a breakfast do for 24 hours, and put up wfth it. I might say that some were sent right away by train, and when one asked if he could go bay some sandwiches, Escort replied they had seen sandwiches bought before," and refused until the fellows showed fire, and cursed real well. j I repeat I received a card and 2/9, upon the card was written the statement that I had that day joined the colours and would be called up when wanted I I am in Class 4B— Home Service," "Sedentaæy Duties." That was a result of seeing military doctors for one's discharge as unfit! The whole exam. occupies 1-J minutes at the most, and you can guess what kind of an exam. it is! I saw a man with St. Vitus' dance strip to be examined! And, mind you, they also in- sisted upon his guardian stripping him! There were two men with legs so deformed that they resembled crooked billets; these two met a like fate, and had to be '•examined." The doctors are only paid for examining those who are fit; you may guess that there are very few unfits! I never saw one who was declared such.
At Random. I
At Random. I A certain man drew a bow at a venture." I By W. H. EVANS. Seeing that there is the war within war. and seeing that this inner war is the only one that matters, it behoves us, as thinking men and women, earnestly desirous of seeing an end of all war. to try and discover the ways and means of gaining this desirable end. The soldiers of the different nations, now engaged in ,a life and death struggle, are fighting for lands they do not possess; and for liberties which exist in name only. Of all the colossal follies which afflict mankind, the follv of war is the worst. How glorious it is! How grand! How de- basing How horribly and damnably cruel! And they fight and shout God Save the King," or "Güd save der Kaiser," or some other equallly silly thing; and believe they are defending their countries, and protecting their liberties! What a funny world it is! Say, if you saw a Britisher outraging your mother, or sister, what would you do? Nothing? Don't be a fool! You'd down him, wouldn't you? Well, there are Britishers outraging your mothers and sisters, and you are shouting that it is all right. You idiotic fool, you go and fight to prevent the Germans from coming and outraging your mothers and sisters, and the food sharks and capitalistic exploiters are do- ing it all the time. "Your kinp- and country knead you." It's a fact; you are kneaded, like dough; and the more the process goes on, the thinner you get, and the fatter grows Will Dyson's fat man." What I am anxious to discover is, what men are fighting for, over ther" in Flanders. What in the name of all that's reasonable are they getting mixed up in such a horrible mess for ? Ask Lord Derby, or Lloyd George, or Asquith, or Sir Edward Grey. What will they say? The time is not yet. You fight WE are the HEROES." They are, the conscienceless ones. They mow the pieces on the board, and make more pieces. And the Trade Union loaders, and the Labour (?) lead- ers doff their hats to them, and bow the knee, and wax important, and putting their thumbs to their noses, spread their fingers insultingly V_I the workers. Traitors? No! they recognise which side their bread is buttered, and they are not fools, if the rank and file are. Not fools, but knaves. But I'd rather be a fool with a conscience, than a knave without one. Why doesn't the war end? Because we don't try to stop it. Because people are blind, and foolish, and ignorant. Because they have been led L, believe that the man whose hand they gripped in frietndship yesterday, is their enemy to-day. Because they are willing to be pawns o»- chess board of Europe. Because they are more willing to do as they are told, than to think for themselves. And after this war is over, and there is a breathing space before the next war. we shall fight amongst ourselves. We shall cut prices, undersell, tell lies with a smile on our faces, do our best to cheat, gu11 and deceive each other. Bound up in a system that is hateful, which cripples mind and soul, stunts the bodies of our children, we do all these things as if th war was the only wav to exist. Then we shall agitate, andalgitate. After a deal of dust, and chatter. something will be done. Some beneficent measure, put upon the Statute Hook in a mutilated form. Then we shall grow insistent, and our rulers will have another war, \ust to keen us quiet. That is if the men are fools enough tofight. I wish with all ,my heart that the soldiers of the belligerent countries would go on strike. That they would tell their rulers that they will slay no longer. It would be the best way to end the war. Let peo- ple refuse to fight. Then wars will cease. But not before.
.i Profiadau Prudd.I
Profiadau Prudd. Hiraethaf am y dyddiau gynt, Pan ydoedd heddwch n. y byd.; Cyn dod y drygfyd ar ei hynt, I droi y wlad yn waed i gyd. Breuddwydiaf am y dyddiau fydd Pan dderfydd rhyfel ar y Uawr; Mae tynfa. aden loew ffydd Ym mlaen o hyd o'r niwl i'r wawr. Felysed ydoedd canu'n lion A byw heb gas at undyn byw; Tangnefedd cariad yn v fron. Heb un o floda-u serch yn wyw. Fe ddaeth y niwl o faes v drin I ddifa hedd bywydau fyrdd; Does flas ar ddiliau mel na gwin, Tra 'r coohwaed ar v caeau gwyrdd. I fwynder cariad daeth y brad, I odfa serch daeth cysgod cledd; Ac wrth y rramfa yn y wlad Dar fydd odd breuddwy hudol hedd. Mae'r hwiangerddi uwch y crud Yri ddistaw, ddistaw gyõ'r nos; Nid ydyw cwsg yn froydd hud. Na serch yn byw ar ddwyrudd dlos. Drichinoedd dial dros tir Ymledodd yn ddyl,anwad oer; Mae'r gau yn euddio gwedd gwir Fell owmwl du yn cuddio'r lloer. Mae cas a sen ar weflus march, A llw a rheg ar wefus mab; Mae rhyfng yn y temlau derch, A chas yng nghalon teyrn a phab. Mae'n nos! mae'n nos! a defni gwaed Ar brofiad dyn drwy'r wyllnos faith; Mae rhamant gwledydd o dan draed, A gruddiau ddaear sydd yn llaith. A ddaw y golem cyn bo hir? A ia'r hii-nm% o bob bryn? Orseddir eto dduw y Gwir? Oleuir eto Iwybran'r glyn ? T. E NICHOLAS.
The Minimum Wage Act. I
The Minimum Wage Act. I HOW TO OBTAIN THE FULL BENEFIT I OF IT. By Mr. EVAN EVANS, Dowlais District Sub- I Agent. Notwithstanding tfee imperfections of the Coal Mines Minimum Wage Act of 1912, and the rules relative to it as drafted out by Lord St. Aldwyn, a great deal can be done by an appointed Minimum Wage Committee and the men in dispute working in co-operation. Hitherto few men have had the courage to demand the scheduled minimum rates when wor- king in abnormal places. To-day there are a number of men carrying their tools from place to place. Instead of putting in a minimum wage cfeim notice at the colliery in which thev work, they leave for another colliery; per- hajjs, unfortunately, to find themselves in the same predicament. Moreover, there are some day wagemen who do not receive the standard rate of day wage applicable to their class of work, and they suffer injustice i-ather than go through the ordeal of claiming their legal rights. The boys, as well as the men, claim protection under the Award, and should they fail to obtain their minimum rates in accord with their ages, whether employed hy colliers or colliery owner, can seek assistance to adj ust their wages from the aforesaid commit- tee. The miners, if so desirous, can, without the sanction of the management, fix their helpers' or boy-mates' wages at a rate of 9d. per day, plus percentage, over and above their respective rates, and fixed for them in the Minimum Wage Schedule. In ascertaining the earnings of a workman upon piece work. he shall not deduct from his gross earnings more than the actual wages paid to his helper. The enactment does not counten- ance retrospective pay; therefore, should the workman-at any time fail to perform the am- ount oi work that would entitle him unde- the price list or other agreed rates to a sum equal to the daily minimum rate, owing to a fault in the seam, through lack of timber, scarcity of raiis, impediment by falls of roof, etc,, arising in the colliery and beyond his own control, he should forthwith give notice to the official in charge of the district in which he is engaged. The notice can be given verbailly. but must state specifically the cause or causes that prevent him earning a sum equal to the minimum wage. The opinion of the writer is that a written no- tice would be best, because it would obviate prevarication, and that a copy of such be kept, by the secretary of the workmen's committee. Should the management dispute the man's statement that the place is abnormal, then two officials of the colliery (representing the em- ployer) and two members of the committee of the local lodge of the Federatior. (or not more than two representatives appointed by them) shall consider the matter. Failing ag- reement. the manager of the mine and the dis- trict miners' agent shall adjudicate. Still failing agreement, an umpire selected by these two shall decide the case. The dispute shall deter- mine within the period of three days from the date upon which the question to be determined first arose: and any question to be determined by the umpire shall be determined within seven days from the said date, or such further time as the umpire shall appo nt in writing. The col- liery representative and district miners' agent shall be entitled to attend and represent the employers and workmen lespectively before the umpire. For the determination of any question arising concerning abnormal places the employers and workmen respectively shall be entitled to call such evidence as they may think proper before the person or persons who may have to settle such question and such person or persons may make such inspections of workings as he or they may deem necessary for the proper deter- mination of the matter in question. The workmen must forfeit their right to wa- ges at the minimum rate during any week in which they have not worked at least five- sixths of their possible working days, unless the employer has received notice that the men are unable to present themselves for work through accident or sickness. Should the col., liery only work five days or less. and the men work those days, it would be legitimate for them to claim their mimiimim wage for the days worked, and should the employers doubt the no- tices anent the accidents and sickness, and re- quire medical examination of the workmen, rea- sonable notice must be given to the workman. who may have their own medical man present. The foregoing rule does not apply to the laoour- er he is exempted by the 1915 new agreement. The week preceding the week in which the work- man notifies the official in charge of the dis- trict of his inability to earn piece work wages must not be taken in for the purpose of ascer- taining the average. In cases in which there is no preceding week, the subsequent week must be taken for the same purpose. No week must be used more than once for the purpose of cal- culating the average. All minimum rates are subject to the full percentage paya,ble under the Conciliation Board Agreement. Except as ex- pressly varied by these rules, all customs, usages and conditions of employment existing at the respective coal mines to which these rules are applicable shall remain in force unless altered by mutual agreement. Workmen employed at the pit bottom who, any time during the shift, are employed in loading or unloading the cage, are to be classed as hitchers for the purposes of the Mini- mum Wage Award. In oases where the brakesmen are called upon to take the place of the hauling enginemen at any time during the shift are entitled to be paid the minimum rate for hauling enginemen. A workman who has reached 63 years of age shall be regarded as an aged workman and shall be excluded from the. right to wages at the minimum rate. A workman who, from phy- sical causes, is unable to do the work or dinar* ily done by 'a man in his position in the mine, or who is partially disabled by illness or accident, shall be regarded as an infirm work- man. and shall be excluded from the right to wages at the minimum rate. A certificate sig- ned by the workman affected and the manager of the mine shall only apply during the period of such partial disablement. Should any workman delay in going to his working place or work at the proper time, or leave his working place or work before the proper time, or fail to perform throughout the whole of the shift his work with diligence and efficiency, and in accordance with the reasonable instructions of the official having charge of the district in which such workman shall be engaged, he shall forfeit his right to wages at the minimum rate for that day. Every precaution is taken so that the hu- ma,n machine shall appease the insatiable orav- ing of the employers. Where two or more col- liers work as partners on equal shares and pool their earnings, each shall be deemed to be in charge of a working place. If the workman ob ar?,e of r travels to his working place, and is there In- formed or discovers that something has hap- pened to prevent him working in his place, and is offered-but reWses-othar work which he may properly be called upon to perform, he shall! not be entitled to claim any wages in respect of that shift. In the event of any in- terruption of work during the shift of any workman due to an emergency over which the management has no control, whereby he shall be prevented from working continuously until the end of the shift, then he shall be entitled only to such a proportion of the minimum rate for the shift as the time during which he shall have worked shall bear to the total number of hours of such shift. This over-rides previous customs in regard to the payment to the workmen ceasing work early owing to accidents over which the management have no control, and which cause an interrup- tion of work during the shift. The award does not deal with bonuses beyond preserving the workmen's right to be paid the same. Bonus turns will be payable at the old rate in foroe at the colliery previous to the Minimum Wage Act. and not at the minimum rate.
Black Cloth and Conscience
Black Cloth and Conscience REFLECTIONS ON A TONYREFAIL VICAR'S REMARKS. Readers will have probably read in the South Wales papers on March 31 a Tonyrefail Vicar's support of a conscientious objector, also stating that he had no patience with the or- dinary iype of conscientious objector." The Yioar expresses his true feelings and respect for conscience, in his impatienoe with the ordinary conscientious objector. We have heard before of his friendship for members of Noncooform- ity. Yet all lovers of the freedom of conscience deplore the present state of Nonconformity. In the past they have been the champions of the rights of conscience down through t1 e ages, and have been subject to the tyrrany and persecu- tion of the Established Order. Now that the power to persecute in that direction has been wrested from that order, they employ other methods to capture the Nonconformist. That Nonconformity should slumber while such goes on. is not in the interest of ta-ue religion and conscience. That. the militant dissenter. the possessor of the true Nonconformist's conscience should be thus reduced to the same low level as the Established Order is to be regretted. The local vicar is true to trad'tion and his calling. We say true to tradition because the army of clergy, with few exceptions, have walked the same path and adopted the same methods. In 1933. when the question of the abolition of that infamous and accursed traffic in human flesh the African slave trade, was proposed, it mot with great opposition from the Bench of Bishops. Their conduct on one occasion drew from Lord Eldon the cutting sarcasm that "the slave trade could not be opposed to Christian- itv and the precepts of the Gospel, seeing that it was uniformly supported bv the right rev. prelates." In 1S38. we find cruelties practised against factory apprentices, and thousands of men. women and children were dying of hunger. Nevertheless, the great majority of the clergy were opposed to Corn Law Reform, and the bishops voted against it We wonder not that these types of men have no patience with the ordinary consciences." We find no points of correspondence between the teachings of Jesus and the teaching of the puloit of to-day; nor does the life of the average minister of the Gospef differ materially from that of the ordin- ary man of the world. When the world shouts for war, the pulpit leads the way. The acqui- sition of money by the unscrupulous hordes who infest the Stock Exchange is undertaken with the blessing of the Church. These are the men who give the sanction of religion to all the humbug and hypocrisy as well as to all the plunder and oppression that obtain am- ongst us. What is conscience to these retainers in the service of privilege ? The soldier and priest are two arms of tyrrany. One holds and the other strikes one guards and the other attacks; one overawes with terror and delusion, and the other smites with material weapons when the spiritual restraints fail. Both fight and preach exactly as they are bidden. They alike obey the mandate of their employers, and take their wages for the work. They gloat over scenes of carnage, and flame like a fiend's ton- gue over the hell of battle, where brothers of the same human family, without a quarrel in the world, out set at variance bv thieves and tricksters, maim and mangle and kill each other with fratricidal hands. which ought to have been clasped in friendship and brother- hood. Yet these priests, who consecrate war, dare to prate that God is a, loving Father, and that we are His children. What monstrous absurdity What disgusting hypocrisy Surely the oarent of mankind. instead of allowing His ministers to mouth His name over crime and slaughter, would command them to preach Peace! Peace! How little can expected of many of the Church clergy, educated, appoint- ed and ordained in the way they were. through purchase, through family interest or consequent on donations to churches, and in many other dubious ways? It seems that many ministers of religion are unable to rise to a true conception of the Master's teaching. Few laymen know that purchase exists to this day. or suspect that some 200 livings and advowsons were offered privately for sale during July, 1911. For utter callousness to all but selfish considerations, when an Act in which there was no provision ex- cept such as "protected the colliery owneT," and it was such an Act which ignored the mi- ners' right to protection from danger to life and limb. that the Church of England strove to insert a provision compelling the attendance of the miner at Divine service least once on the Lord's Day." Such are the traditions and precepts of the Church to-day. No wonder then that its ordained clergy have the audacity to sit in judgment on other people's consciences. Further, in the long 25 years' struggle for compensation to employees injured in industrial occupations, only two bishops spoke on behalf of that righteous, just and merciful law, and these two were denounced as Socialists, Anarch- ists, Chartisfe, etc.. for joining in this work of mercy. Thus is the mission of the black army of the vicars and priests; wolves in sheep's clothes. Woe unto you, scribes and Phari- sees. hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partak- ers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves that ve are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers; ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of heU P Woe unto you, lawyers, who coerce conscienti- ous objectors, for ye have taken away the key of knowledge; ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. And, like members of the Tribunal. H laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out. of his mouth, that thev might accuse him." Conscientious objectors. "Blessed are the peace- makers for they shall be called the children of God." I AN ORDINARY CONSCIENTIOUS f OBJECTOR.