Pioneer

^Thursday Issue Next Week. Will Newsagents, Readers and Correspondents 'please note that owing to Good Frida.y, we shall "publish the "Pioneer'' on Thursday next. News and orders should reach us not later than the first post on Wednesday, the 19th inst. I J v' 7

Enthusiastic Meeting at Brithdir. ALFRED ONIONS AND MARDY JONES ON THE WAR. A public meeting under the auspices of the No. 8 Elliot Lodge, S.W.M.F.) was held at the Baptist Schoolroom. Brithdir, on Wednesday, April 5th, Councillor Harry Brown in the chair. The speakers were Mr. A. Onions, Labour can- didate, East Glamorgan, and Mr. T. 1. Mardy Jones, organiser, and All-Albert Thomas, sub- agent, Rliymney Valley. As Mr. Onions had not arrived the Chairman called upon Mr. A. Thomas to address the meet- ing. In the course of a brief speech he pointed out why the workers should support Mr. Onions at the next election. He was one of the best men on the Executive to look after the interests of the workmen; in fact, there was no one on that body who, he thought, we could trust more to look after the wages question. He also pointed out the value of his services on the County Council and Education Committee to t1 e workers. Mr. Onions, who had now arrived was called upon by the Chairman to address the meeting. He began by thanking Mr. Thomas for the kind things he had mentioned about him. He could say that he had given the last 30 years of his life to the bettering of the working class. There was one point that Mr. Thomas mentioned, i.e., education, and he would like to sav that he had just come from Newport, where he and other Labour members had been having a struggle with the opposition about the formation and control of a mining school. The opposition thought that if there were an 'equal number of representaties of employers and workmen it would do; but it would not do for him (the speaker.). He wanted the school under public control. Mr. Onions also spoke upon his work as a member of the Executive of the S.W.M.F. In the course of his remarks he stated that the Executive had asked the owners not to raise the price of coal, and they (the workmen) would not demand an increase in wages, but the coal- owners would not agree. Speaking of the war, rv said it was insanity, but that we had he forced into it to defend ourselves, and if need be. as old as he was, he was willing to do his bit to bring it to a successful conclusion. Ho .said that-if Germany won we should have Prussian militarism dominating the world. and that would be one of the greatest set-backs to progress. Mr. T. 1. Mardy Jones said we were out to defeat Prussian Militarism, but if we were to have British militarism thrust upon us, as a result of our victory, he did not care which side won Speaking upon the need for SociaKsm, he stated that the Government could not trust the capitalists, or why should they have taken the control of various industries out of their hands? He (the speaker) said that if they could not be trusted in war-time, neither could they in peace time. Some people asked why the German So- cialists (seeing they were such a large number) had not prevented the war. He might, for all he was a Christian and a member of a church, ask how the Churches—greater in number and with greated influence-had not done so; but he did not do so, because he knew that both the German Socialists and the Churches had been caught napping. The war was on them before they knew where they were, owing to the machi- nations of secret diplomacy. Votes of thanks to the speakers concluded the meeting.

MOUNTAIN ASH. :,rnnr I SUDDEN DEATH FROM WOUNDS.-Our sympathy goes out to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Crook, of Arthur Street, Mountain Ash, whose son, Corpl. F. G. Crook, of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, has succumbed to wounds received in the Gallipoli operations, at Netiley Hospital, where he had been under treatment. Deceased, who was an electrical engineer by profession, was in the .em- ploy of the Merthyr Corporation when he joined the .Forces.

The Electric Theatre. Thursday night's star picture, The Great Adventure," proved one huge success at the Electric the caste including Mr. Henry Ainley, who plays his original stage part, which run for three years at the Kingswav Theatre, London. The film itself is a revelation to most of us. The producing by Larry Trimble (of the Turner Film Co.) proves he has been able to introduce in picture form a ripple of laughter, which at times grew into a roar, and patrons give themselves up to unrestrained enjoyment of as clever a screen comedy as has yet been pro- duced. We strongly advise everyone to see this excruciatingly funny picture, and as Mr. Bowen describes it. it is a "certain remedy for down in the dumps." The News Gazette is very inte- resting this week-end, and is the only one of its kind in the district. There is just the variety of subjects which makes you wonder, which is really the best. On Monday next, a special attraction is book- ed "Ultus, the Man from the Dead," is the title, and is undoubtedly the greatest detective picture ye,t produced. It is enacted in- 5 reels, and not a single toot of picture which these reels possess lags throughout the unravel1.1ing of this wonder story. The story opens in the orthodox fashion. One man robs his partner— tha,t is neither unusual nor startling—but it is in the working out of the idea that Ultusl claims and rivets attention. Ultus is not a. criminal, although his revenge is taken throughi, crime. At least, he does not go outside the law for the mere satisfaction of puzzling police. He has crime to avenge, and although he used spectacular methods, these, are none the less ef- fective. Ultus claims the close consideration of patrons as the production is all-round British. Once again, "Ultus" is a human story; there- fore it should please all. On Thursday next Mr. Bowen has another big attraction. Lady Herbert Tree pays her first visit to Merthyr in a screen play, Still Waters Run Deep." This has special interest to Merthyr people, in view of the fact that the play has been performed here some years ago bv our Amateur Dramatic Society. The author of Still Waters Run Deep" (Tom Taylor) gave us a splendid comedy drama, and as filmed by Mr. Fred Paul it is even more of a comedy drama than ever. We would remind our readers that the picture houses in the district are to close each evening at 10 o'clock; therefore, those who reach the ^Electric at 2.80, 5 and 7.90 p.m. see each programme complete.

Pioneer Shilling Fund Week ending April 7. Shilling Fund. s. d. 'Blodeuyn-y-Gelli Lodge, S. W .M.F., Dowlais 40 0 ''George Protliero 5 0 John Jones I. 5 0 J. R.Jones. 2 0 Philip Frankford 1 6 H. M 1 0 "John L. Davies 1 0 David Thonias 1 0 56 6 Share Capital. Herbert Davies 10 0 William Price 5 0 Ð. Perkins 2 0 17 0 Week ending April 14. "Share Capital. Merthyr and District Trades and Ia- bour Council 20 0 0 Arthur Satch 1 0 0 Dl. Perkins 0 1 0 "GI.IN Morlais Lo-dge, S.W.M.F., Peny- darren 10 0 0 £ 31 1 0 Shilling Fund. s. d. krthtir Satch I 2 6 Mrs. A. Parker (Preston) 2 0 Mrs. Lambourne (Preston) 1 0 ■"Collected at Bargoed Pioneer League Meeting: E. Morgan Is Morton Is; Morgan Jones Is; H.J. 6d; A. J. H. Powell Is; B. Arrowsmith Is; Anon Is; Ml-s. Matthews 6d; John Morton Is; t Fitzgibbons Is; J. H. Pope Is; Geo. -.s S. Ba,ldwin Is: R. Morgan :^rl Moses Price Is 13 3 18 9

Theati-e RoyaL uPeg o' My Heart," the delightfully sweet îhunulIl play for which we have all been waiting "Somewhat impatiently since the announcement Df its impending visit during the early days '-of the re-opening of the Theatre Royal, is here ;-A-t last; and it has repaid us for all the anxiety the wait. "Peg o' My Heart" is a play a million nay it is the play of a lifetime; the sort of play that stands out distinctive and great from the lowly ruck of the huckstering playwright's mediocrities, when the principle of S^ab and greed has persuaded otherwise capa- ble writers to turn their hands to farcical emp- resses that have as much relation to life as the I'IDgs or Sawirn have to a leopard s spots. "Peg 401 My Heart" is not a coinedy, much as it has ,been lauded as such; there axe, bright comedy patches running like a golden cord through the whole, but it is the comedy of a girl of the people, with a natural wit and a lovable surplus- age of vitality cast into the narrow convention- alism of an artificial aristocratic life. In this respect "Peg o' My Heart" may be claimed be a social play, but I would not restrict it so. prefer my initial description of a delightfully sweet human play. It is a uiece, of work that Mr. J. Hartley Manners may welll be proud of, but it is a piece of work which, from its very 'delicacy, may be easily spoiled—and I have seen *t spoiled—by bad handling. It is handled per- fectly this week. Miss Nancy Mortimer is a perfect "Peg," is the "Peg" of the author's Concept, with I should say, just the drop of iris'}] blood that "Peg" of the book had in her veins. The brogue is right, the spirit is right, tmd above all else, the beautflful Irish voice, is right. "Peg" is adorable, "Peg" is perfection, aN told by Miss Mortimer. And what is true of "Peg" is true of the whole caste. Mr. Guy Leigh Peimberton is perfection in the part of "Jerry." Mr. Howard Cridland has a most difficult piece •of artistry in Aleric." and he does it with a naturalness that will always in future be asso- -sociated with the name "Aleric" Mr. Peircy Marshall as "Montgomery Hawkes" is the bar- rister type to perfection; "Christian Brent" is well taken by Mr. Gerald Clifton and Mr. Wm. Yeldham plays the butler "Jarvis" with a skill that is superlative. "Mrs. Chichester" is ex- tremely well done by Miss Ena Douglas; and Miss Phyllis Grace is just as much the "Ethel" of the book as is Miss Mortimer the "Peg," "while Miss Ethel O'Shea plays "Bennett" well. T t is a great caste for a great play, and it has been wonderfully well set. Sugar and Spice," which will be staged at the Theatre Royal next week, differs in many respects from the majority of entertainments hearing the elastic title of "revue." Few of tis, after witnessing a show of this description, have a'very clear idea of. what it is all about. With "Sugar and Spice" it is otherwise. The Qmpaot story, woven round a single plot, prog- resses through a series of amusing incidents and situations, into which nothing of an absurdly incongruous nature has been introduced. E- rythng in this bright burlesque has been spe- cially written and composed for it there are no ^'free'' songs or hackneyed pantomime jokes in and Spice." All is fresh, ellelan and or- iginal. The fact that the revue is toured by Messrs. Braham, Blow and Collins, of Red- heads," "Peaches," and "Beauties" fame. ren- wrs further laudatory introduction needless. The caste is well balanced, and numbers some "Well-known performers, "prominent among whom are Miss Gaby Davis, a clever little American girl, who has only been in this country about 18 months. Immediately before the outbreak of War she left Dresden for London, after having Played a round of the leading vaudeville thea- tres in Germany, Austria and Russia. Chic, alert, and vivacious, with good voice and fetch- ing personality. Miss Davis will undoubtedly rise high in the world of musical comedy. An actor of sound experience and methods( in the person of Mr. Bert Beswick sustains the jeading low comedy sharacter of "Septimus Tod- hn." In plays from Daly's and the Gaiety Theatres, and in roles associated with the name of James Welch, Mr. Beswick is a popular fav- "ourite among provincial audiences. In fancy dress parade, and speciality songs, 411 exceptionally smart bevy of chorus ladies are featured, adding materially to the success of Sugar and Spice," which, played two houses a night, is presented in one scene, with- out break or interval. PLAYGOER. I i .■

An Intolerable Evil." MERTHYR'S CHILD TRADERS. The employment of children of school age, which has received the serious consideration of the Merthyr authorities, was referred to at a meeting of the Watch Committee on Friday last, Councillor D. W. Jones presiding. The Director of Education (Mr. Rhys Elias) wrote soliciting the committer's co-operation in the matter, and a deputation was received from the Merthyr & District Trades & Labour Council urging string- ent enforcement of the Employment of Children Act and. the Corporation bye-laws. The Chairman remarked that the question was becoming an intolerable evil in the town," and was doing ery serious harm to the young life of the district. Proceedings had been taken in about a dozen cases, but all had been dis- missed. However, he was sure when the true facts were pilaced before the magistrates they would see the position had become serious, and would support the Watch Committee. Subsequently a sub-committee was appointed to deal. with the matter.

Likelihood of Bakers' Strike in Merthyr. WAGE CLAIM QUESTION EXPIRES THIS WEEK. There will be a general stoppage of the ba- keries in Merthyr on Monday next unless the Operative Union's demands for an extra 6/- per week, and 7 turns for 6 night work is conced- ed by the masters. The men's demand seems high to those unacquainted with the rates in the rest of the area, but if all they want is con- ceded it will only mean that the minimum wage of 37/- per week will have been secured; and when it is remembered that Merthyr is at present a clear 4/- per week below the next lowest paid district in the ,South Wales dist- rict. The local Co-operative Societies had met the men, and were willing to make a settlement, but the men's representatives, in an interview on Monday night at which Mr. H. Hiles, Gene- ral Secretary of. the Operative Bakers, was pre sent, were not anxious to make any partial set- tlement when a steady stand would mean a full and complete settlement of the overdue wage claim they have entered. The employers had a private meeting on Tuesday night, presumably to deal with the question, and the men met on Wednesday. We are hopeful that something will happen during the week to avoid a stoppage, and as the only thing that will prevent it now is a full concession of the men's demands, we trust this will be met. The number of the men affected is about 70. The Aberdare bakers have had their claim for 3/- advance conceded, bringing their minimum to 9!

I rU II It .11 u,. = -WHEN REQUIRING 1! I SUITS, COSTUMES, or GENERAL DRAPERY I 5 SEND A POST CARD TO Thomas St., S  JOHN BARR AND A REPRESENTATIVE WILL CALL. I t Cash or Sn?ta:ment System. I J SUITS and COSTUMES to Measure a Speciality I I SU!TS and COSTUMES to Measure a Spec!aHty t

Navvy Pat's Views. Poor old Pat is in the dumps to-night; silent and solemn; there is a tough wrangle about the vagaries of the new standard, and the various disputants have got the subject mixed up like a tangled skein of wool. At last Sandy loses patience and goes for him. "fiere, Pat; what's the matter wi' ye the nicht? Ye haena a wurd to say. Ye'l'è aye rgddy eneuoh tae jaw us wi'out being axed, but this nicht an oyster wud speak mare than you, speshally if it was stale. Waldmll up, man, and teU us somethin' tae let let us get oot o' this bother." "All right, me bhoy! just let me know what information ye want, an' ye shall have it clane off the reel, like a. spittle off a tailor's goose." Wreel," says Sandy, "there's talk o' thae Inlet; o' oors at the. Concillyation Board axin' ower little advance at the settlement an' reduc- ing the rate o' advance, and we want tae ken hoo much it's reduced, and what's tae tae be the quivalent for the 10 per cent. minimum, an' what shood be the quivalents for the diff- erent rates of advance ye've been talkin' aboot now and then, an' ye maun learn us the richt wa vto reckon up thae things for oorsells, sae as we can tell our butties whtit's what when they ax us." Faith, Sanely, but your thirst rur knowieogo is iinprovin', and ye've giv me a fair bundle ov knots to untie for ye; but ye've come to the right shop, an' they's all aisy wans, so we shan't quarrel. The new standard is 50 per cent. above the owld wan, an' that means that ivry pound in the owld standard is 30 shillins in the new, ivry 2/-in the owld is 3/- in the new ivry 2d. in the owld is 3d. in the, new. Now, if ye want to find the value ov a percentage on the owld standard to carry it to the new, you knock off wan third ov it to equalise, an i the best way to do that is to multiply by 2? an' divide by 3. Your advance was 60 per cent, owld standard, that leaves 10 pe,r cent. to be carried to the new, and to equalise, it multiply by 2; that makes 20; divide by 3, that makes 6f: so 6A 3 new standard 18 60 per cent. on the owld  have ya got that?" owld have ye got that?" that's easy. Oh, yes!" says Sandy, that's easy." WeH, didn't I towld ye so' ?' -ays Pat. Well, now, our wise men of Gotham axed fur 12t per cent. immediate advance, an' the coal owners snapped at it like a, trout at the fly. Add that 121 2 to the 6§ an' ye have 19-J advance new standard widout, the war bonus. Add wan half to the 12^ an' ye get 18! to add 2 an' ye g ?et IP 4. to add to the 60 per cent.; that makes 781 owld stan- dard equalsin' 19t new. Now, we'll find the rate ev advance before we add the war bonus. On Mr. Barker's authority we take the sell- ing price to be 22/ that is 14/- rise above 8 I- ri,e-T take, 8/- instead ov 7/10, to make the reckonin' aisier-a.n' I divide 781, the owld standard value for 191 new, by 14, the number ov shillins rise. and I get 51 per cent. the rate ov advance, an' that is a great reduction fir-om 7 t per shillin, which the 1910 Agreement irave us." Pat had been making hieroglyphics on the wall with a lump of chalk, while talking, which convinced those who were endowed with simple child-like faith, that his calculations were cor- rect, and he continued: "Now we, can add the war bonus 17-1 per cent. owld standard, multi- ply hjf 2, an' divide by 3 this way, an' ye yet 1H, which added to 191 gives 30 5-6ths, our. advance before the 5 per cent. drqao "What thev ought to have ax for we find this way. Multiply 7f by 14 an' you yet 105 peroont. take 50 off that lavin' 55; multi- ply by 2 an' divide by 3, an' ye get 36f per cent. new standard, but as we aJreddy had 6! we shud have axed for 30 per cent. more an' then added the war 'bonus llf, an' started on 481 instead ov 30 5-6ths. The quivalent for the 10 per cent. minimum is already fixed by axin' fur the 12-i per cent., an' you find it this way. Add J to the 10 per cent. that's 15 per cent. add that to the 50 per oont., an' you get 65 per cent. owld stan- per cent., divide that by 5. You must multiply dard an' both figgers by 8 to kill the fraction, an' reckon the big iigger as shillins. Then ye have 520 divided by 45 equals 11 /6f, adti the standard 8/- an' ye have the quivalent 19/61 an' if the independent chairman fixes enny other figger we'll have two rates ov advance. For the 7\ per cent. quivalent divide 65 by 712, multiply both by 2, ait ye get 130 divided by 15 equals 8/8, add 8/ and 16/8 is the quivalent. 'For the 8:1 per cent. per shillin, divide 65 by 8i multiply both by 4, then 260 divided by 35 8f, 81~ added gives 15/51-7th. To get the ad- vance for 8£ per shillin, multiply 14/- rise by 81, that is 122?, knock off, 50 leaving 72?, then 8m?i, dtiply by 2, divide by 3 and add 11? you'd have 60 per cent new standard. To get the advance at 10 per cent. per shilling, the 1890 rate, multiply 14 by 10 an' you get 140, knock off 50, multiply by 2, divide by 3 and add llf, an' you get 7li per cent. Take 30 5-6ths from that an' you have 40 5-6ths lost smce 1890. Off wid yer hats, bhoys, and three cheers for our great Moguls. The quivalent for our 10 per cent. minimum, divide 65 by 10 an' add 8/ you have J.4 j 6 the quivalent. Och, be jaoors t luk at the wall; there's half a honderd ov chalk on it, an' if the landlord wud pass a wet brush over it, he'd have yards an' yards ov white washin' done chape. But shift a bit. I've given ye all ye axed for, an' now I'll give ye sum more ye didn't ax for, just to show my benevolence." "Troth, Pat," says Sandy: ve handle figgers a lot nater than ivver ye handled the shillel- agh; an' yet they tell me ye flatted at Pen- gain." "Nivver mind that, boy; all great men are subject to them sort ov turns, and I can't ex- peck to be the exception that nroves the rule. Besides, it's the first time, and it'll be the last for I'll nivver speak in public again till I've had a few trials before audiences ov two to three bonderd; so pay attention. We had a drop ov 5 per cent., the rate on the owM standard ov 5 per cenmt.u, ltiply by 2 an' divide 'o? 3, you .?i get 3| per cent, for the new, the 5 per cent. get 3i per cent. fCi' the new, the 5 .r celllii!. drop mllst then have been for one an four pence, bringin' the frrice to 20/8, just 1 lIt ahove. the quivalent for the minimum, so a drop of 41 per cent, will put us there till the war's over. "Let us try an experiment; add 50 per cent. to the standard selling price, making the new standard 12/ and there comes a rise of 5/- new standard, the advance must be 181 per cent. new standard. Now that rise represents 17/- selling price or a rise of 9/- old standard which at 55 gives 501 old standard and 18i new raised to the. old by adding 9f gives 28i as the amount to be added to 50 per cent., making 781 per cent. as the old standard value of 18| new. Take 10/- rise and the new standard advance will be 37- per cent., add 184 3 to bring it the old standard value, and then add 50 ne,1' cent.. we have 106J per cent, as the old standard value of 374 per cent. new but the JO/- rise on 12 f- new standard represents 14/- rise on 8/- old standard, which at 5A gives 78i per cent. as the owld standard of 37| new. yet 78| is the cor- rect old standard equivalent for 19i- per sent, new. It appears to me, then. that there is no way ov working a rate of advance except by working youtt figgers on the old scale and then transferring two-thirds ov the result to the new. It will suit the coal owners all right, and I'm certain they saw it comin^ and calculated that the geniuses who had constructed a new stand- ard which has driven half the workmen crazy, and which cannot be worked widout the old standard, would be at the mercy of the other side of the Conciliation Board whenever a drop was desired. "0. for a week's play wid the shtick among their heads. "This paper is thoroughly correct—E. & O.E." PONTYPRIDD. I The N.U.R. Branch, at last Sunday's meet- ing, had a keen discussion on an application from the No-Conscription Fellowship for affilia- tion and financial assistance. The Branch ex- pressed its hearty sympathy and appreciation, but other pending calls on the finance debars immediate assistance. The annual tea and con- cert is again to be held on Good Friday, on behalf of the Orphan Fund —the concert being held in. the Town Hall. The Pontypridd I.L.P. held its annual meeting at the Jubilee Hall, Graig, last Sunday night, and a fair number turned up. Comrade J. E. Williams was elected to the chair; Comrade O. Hughes, 10 Pwllgwaun Road, lecture secretary; the majoritv of the other officers were re-elected. The Secretary of the local No-Conscription Fel- lowship Branch attended, as a result of which cornman action will be taken in an early pro- paganda. The Branch has decided to engage the Jubilee Hall every Sunday at 7.45 p.m. We are hearing so much of patriotism that it comes as a rude shock to find the hunger for allotments unappeased. Lots of people here would rent plots only to find on application that there are none to be had. Why this land hunger and patriotism so rampant P

SMALL PREPAID ADVERTISEMENTS. One In- Three In- Six In- sertion. sertions. sertions. s. d. s. d. s. d. 20 words 0 6 10 19 i;0 w,ord 0 9 1 6 2 9 10 words 1 0 2 0 3 6 4u words. 1 3 2 6 4 6 6C words 1 6 3 0 5 6 In all c ses the Name and Address are counted as part of the Advertisement. These prices apply only to Advertisements ordered for consecutive insertions and which are prepaid. Trade Advertisements are inserted under the Heading "Personal" at D-cl. per line. All Advei-tisement.s should be posted to the i Offiee on or before Monday. Medical. & t -PAGE BOOK ABOUT HERBS AND I HOW TO USE THEM, post free. Send for one. TRIMNELL, THE HERBALIST, 144 RICHMOND Rom. CARDIFF. Established 1879. Literary. tTNITARIAN PAMPHLETS on "The Bible," L "HeaNren," and "Hell," given post free.—Miss BARMBY, Mount Pleasant, Sidmouth A N Educative Percentage Book for Miners ?'L. and Colliery Cierks. post free 5d. — E. EVANS, 38 Church Street, Penydarren, Merthyr. I Wanted. 7 AN TED, Sharp Lad as Errand Boy.-Ap- r' ply PIOEER Office, Glebeland, Merthyr. Prize Drawings. "VXINNING NUMBERS of Priœ Drawmg in f md of HARRY HOWELLS, Plymouth Street, Merthyr -966; 697; 965; 1099; 1234; 969; 1126; 393; 8; 87; 336; 602; 1252; 430; 1182; 863.-All prizes to be claimed within 14 days or will be forfeited. All Claims to be made to the Secretary-i-W. D. EVANS, I Glyncoed Terrace, off Plymouth Street, Merthyr. 1- MisceMsneoiis H A STROLOGY. Life events, changes, for- A. tunate days, business success, matri- mony two years' future added; send birth date, 1/- P.O. PROF. GOULD, The Nook," Heathfield Road, Cardiff.