Pioneer

r" II It .tt., j Merthyr EIectric heatre i WeeK commencing Monday, August 21st. ? I CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE FROM 2.30 TILL 1030 P.M. DAILY. I Monday Tuesday, and Wednesday- I I HIS NEIGHBOUR'S WIFE. ( I A Trans-Atlantic Drama in Three Parts. I FATTY AND MABEL ADRIFT I | I Awkward, rather A Honeymoon Cottage Afloat on the Ocean. This is one of the features S of the TRIANGLE KEYSTONE. Picture yourself in this predicament, then see. ■ The Diamond from the Sky. Episode 14. | 5 Thursday, Friday, and Saturday— 2 1- "SAMSON 1- j t A Fox Drama of MOd.rn'nWF:: as a dock labourer who ) ? becomes King of Finances. CROOKED TO THE END! I Another Great TRIANGLE KEYSTONE, I N A Boisterous Comedy with a tremendous Railway Wreck and some bewildering effects. I is GREED! Episode i I. The Gambling Dens. Bruce Arrested for Murder. I I Prices as usual-3d., 6d., and Is. Government Tax Extra. I Children's Matinee on Saturday at 10.15-1d. only. LliaMHHaBHIiaHHWHHHlHHHiHHHiHHillHiilJ r" .It It H A R ROYALi AND EMPIRE PALACE, MERTHYR. ? 6.45. TWICE NIGHTLY. 8.45. I (Special Great Attraction I ? Commencing Monday, August 21St, 1916. 1 important Engagement of the Great Favonrlte Actor, MR. LEONARD MOR. 2I TIMER, supported by MISS IDA CLIFFORD, In the Great j I New Modern Piny of New York Life, entitled- < J 440 0 z I Mother Machree ) 5 Written by Leonard Mortimer. 5 | POPULAR REDUCED PRICES FOR SUMMER SEASON I J Circle, 1?- Sta!!?, 9d. Pit, 6d. GaHery, 3d.| L Entertainment Tax Enr.. Early DeeM ?d. extra to an Parts. 2 Entertainment Tax Extra. Early Doors 3d. extra to all parts. MF THERE IS ONLY ,ONE OINTMENT THAT CURES Aed .04 .J C!Mmi<t< «< ttn ? MANNINA OINTMENT CO., RSHdUARD, And is sold in Three Strengths-1. 2 & 3. GET YOUR TOBACCO AT Our Shop 74a, Pontmorlais, Merthyr. I PROGRESSIVE LITERATURE Kept In Stock or got to order. 'Plio., 597. 'Pho.e 997. WILLIAM TRESEDER, Ltd. THE NURSERIES, CARDIFF. WREATHS, CROSSES, CUT FLOWERS, &c. BEDDING PLANTS. Asters, Stocks, Dahlias, Marguerites, Lobelia, &c. Tels TRBSEDEB, FLORIST, CARDIFF.

ABERBARGOED TRADES COUNCIL—The usual monthly meeting of the Aberbargoed and District Trades and Labour Council took place at the Aberbargoed Institute on Tuesday last. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. —Coun. Isaac Jones (Cwmsyfiog) gave a splen- did report of the last conference at Newport, and also a report of the Bedwellty Urban District Council with special regard to the al- lotments.—Mr 'William Harris (miners' orga- niser for West Mon.) dwelt on the question of a joint conference with the various Trades and Labour Councils on the Rhymney side.- It was moved by Coun. Evan Thomas, seconded by Mr William Jenkins, that the Council take no part in the conference.—The following resolution was sent from the Southampton Trades and Labour Council, and was moved by Mr William Jenkins seconded by Mr W. Jones (Pengam) :—" That this Council views with alarm the great increase in the numibers of Chinese and other Asiatic seamen now being employed upon British ships, and considering that such increase is a menace to the workers, calls upon the Government to at once frame laws which shall prevent the employing class from using the workers of other countries to lower the wages of the workers of this country.

PLUN I ,? WMMAMM?MM?VM?. I

I Miners and the Wages Tax I SOME AFTER-THOUGHTS. I At the beginning of the week I attended a meeting of miners convened under the aus- pices of the local lodges of the S.W.M.F., for the purpose of giving an opportunity to the Surveyor of Taxes to explain the Wages Tax to the men. The Miners' Agent presided, and after stating the purpose of the meeting he called upon the Surveyor to address the men. The Surveyor gave a very lucid explanation regarding abatements, flat rates for tools, etc. and pointed out that according to the Act the claims for payment of the tax would be made out quarterly. But knowing the inconvenience it would be to the men to pay a lump sum— as it might take a big slice out of their week's wages—he was prepared to allow them the privilege of paying by instalments, viz., by the stamp system, or by a collector appointed by the men and approved of by the. Surveyor,; or by deduction a,t the. office-special emphasis being placed upon the efficiency of the latter method. Questions were asked and answered—the men applauding the ready manner in which the Sur- veyor was prepared to meet the wishes of the men A resolution was carried in favour of the deduction of the tax through the colliery office with a reminder that if any person did not favour this method he could choose one of the other methods. The meeting was held in splendid spirit throughout, and terminated with a vote of thanks to the Suirvevor and Chairman. But why are such pains taken to explain the Act, and to grant the miners the privilege of paying this tax by instalments Because it is feared that many of them would not be able to pay a lump sum quarterly, therefore making it necessary to distrain upon their furniture. This would create discontent, and probably an agtitation by the Miners' Federation to the extent of a strike for the Repeal of the Tax. This would not suit the policy of our capitalist Government, who want to allay all suspicion and discontent until the machinery set up is in perfect working order. Why is the Miners' .Federation being used to make the collecting of the tax a success, see ing that the Federation was organised to safesnmrd the WiLITPA rtlf ffia -1 4.1,- — CD — UUUClOj OlUU UUWCMJ I increase their 'da;d .i h'riQ, I remefmber tha-b we were governed by a capitalist govern- ment whose members have proved themselves past-masters in the art of trapping the un- wary. They planned to capture the Miners' Federation and utilise it to hypnotise the miners. So they informed the Miners' Fede- ratiom, through the Chancellor of the Ex- chequer, that "payments made by miners out of their earnings on account of tools. explosives and similar expenses incurred exclusively for the purpose of their employment would be allowed as a deduction in cafoutatiag the in- come tax." The Executive Council members for your area are to negotiate with the In- come Tax Officials with a view to securing allowances for payments incurred In the cost of Tools; In the cost of Explosives; The Payments to Checkweighers; The cost of Light; The Payment of Trainfares"; and to secure the necessary protection for workmen engaged in light employment, and in receipt of part compensation. (See Clause 4 of Pamphlet issued by the S.W.M.F. on Payment of Income Tax by Workmen.) The bait immed- iately attracted its victim, and the Miners' Federation was hooked. Ostensibly the Min- ers' Federation is now protecting the miners by convening meetings and giving explanations on abatements, flat rates, etc.. unwittingly al- lowing them to become victims to a greater injustice, viz., the imposition of the tax, which may cripple them financially for years. The Miners' Federation should at least have told the Chancellor of the Exchequer that if the Government dared to impose the smallest tax upon the wages of the miner, who is now indirectly taxed more than he ought to bear, and who risks his life daily for his wage, while allowing the coalowners, shipping firms, and others to keep any percentage of their excess war profits. they would advise the men to lay down their tools. But, alas! the Federation has been duped, and is now carrying ou<t the policy planned for it. z B What will probably happen now is that the policv carried out to bring military conscription all round will be intioduced to bring Taxation of Wages all round. I am not sure whether this policy has not been introduced. A number of miners who had earned high wages last year have already been taxed at the rate of 1/9 in the t. The number of men now affec- ted seems to have increased, and the tax has been raised to 2/3 in the L. The next move will probably be the reducing of the sum fixed for abatement from R120 to £100 or less; and so until the whole of the wage earners have been brought under the yoke. WM. EDMUNDS. Mountain Ash. WM. EDMUNDS.

PRINTING SENT TO PRIVATE COMPANIES means Ptosit for I Owaen. What WE do jw wwk, tbo Prait PROPAGATION OF SOCIALISM AND TRABEt UNIONISM. TW* It Overl

Bargoed Notes. Forewarned is Forearmed. The I I Times "I comments on the Triple Al- liance deputation to the Prime Minister pro- vides plenty of food for thought on the part of Trades Unionists. The "Times" expresses what exploiters think respecting the restoration of Trade Union rules and regulations and pro- visions of work for the unemployed after the wad. If industrial trouble is to be avoided, wiser counsels will have to prevail. In peace and war, profiteers respect neither word or bond. The only safeguard the workers, possess is in the strength of their organisation. Every Trade Unionist who values the work of Trade Unionism should be alive now as never before to the danger of the aftermath. Each and all must hustle to make their Trade Union black- leg proof. I The Shipowners' Defence. Lord .Furness, greatly daring, has ventured to defend shipowners against criticism levelled at high freightage charges. He denies that the widow has to pay more for the necessaries of life because of high freights. To the cost of the 4d. loaf, shipping freight contributed only Id., he says and the prosperity of the Furness- Withy Company was "not due to the war, but to the enterprise and genius of its founder." There, now, when a, Lord hath spoken, let no dog bark. Don't question what 11 enterprise and genius brought in profits to shipowners prior to the war. I For the Welsh Hospital. Netlev. On Monday last, Mr J. Scarrott, proprietor of the roundabouts now on the Macdonnell Grounds, .generously gave all the takings to the Endowment Fund of the Bargoed Bed at the Welsh Hospital. Ketley. I Platelayer Run Over. A railway fatality took place at Pontlottyn 011 Saturday. Thomas Reader (57), a bachelor who resided with his married sister at Stuart Street, Pontlottyn, and engaged as a plate- layer on the Rhymney Railway, was knocked down by a train and terribly mutilted De- ceased was working in the 6-ft. way with a fellow platelayer named John Pearce. When the train approached Pearce shouted to the deceased to get out of the way, but apparently he did not hear, and was knocked down, death being instantaneous. I Progressing. We are pleiased to announce that Mi- James VyiiKins, of Heolddu Road, Bargoed, whose ac- cident was recorded in these Notes a fortnight ago is progj-essing as well as can be expected, and is still confined to his bed in Aberbargoed Hospital. I Military Funeral. 1 A military funeral took place at Bedwellty rOtiu iurehyard on Saturday last, on the body of 6 Higgs, who died in hospital, and who resivdued j at Bristol Terrace, Bargoed, before the war. The Bargoed Town Band (under the able conductorship of Mr Harry Bosanko) played the Dead March en route, and the Bargoed Fire Brigade, the St. John Ambulance Brigade tii.d a batch of the National Reserve, acting as firing party, accompanied the sad cortege. I Stole a Treasury Note. At Bargoed Police Court on Friday a lad named Trevor Williams, of South Street, Bar- goed. was bound over to be of good behaviour for 12 months for stealing a Pound Treasury Note from the till of -Messrs. Woodley's, but- chers, High Street, Bargoed. The local magist. rates, in passing the sentence, said that owing to the lad's age and state of health he would not be lirched-as he deserved. Fire at Francis Street. A fire broke out in the house of Mr Smart, Francis Street. It appears that on Friday night some curtains caught fire, and a woman who lives in the back of the house noticed the sm-ell of something burning. On investigation she found the front room ablaze. Water was applied and the fire extinguished without any damage being done.

Newcastle I.L.P. FINE END TO PROPAGANDA WEEK. For a solid week, under the joint auspices of the U.D.C. and I.L.P., a complete and success- ful open-aiir" propaganda has been held for the week commencing on August 7. Comrade Councillor Egerton Wake, of Barrow, held forth on each occasion. All the meetings were suc- cessful— not the slightest interruption marred the proceedings. There had been a slight at- tempt by a well-known local comrade by way of letter writing to the local press; but, like everything that unfortunately this gentleman has handed during the last two years, it failed Mr Wake put the case so well, was careful in his choice of language, and delivered himself with such masterly fashion that the question has been put—When are we to have the oppor- tunity of hearing him again? On Saturday the City Branch along with other visitors, journeyed to Wylam—stfme eight miles west of Newcastle. There gpines and sports were indulged in on some spare ground adjacent to the banks of the upper reaches of the River Tyne. Comrades Grainger, Nioholson and Waddington quickly arranged the ground by marking the same out for sports. Several good and useful prizes had been provided by one comrade, and the other prizes were got by subscription. Nearly everybody got a prize. A splendid tea followed in the local institute, and that over Comrade Straker (General Sec- retary of the Northumberland Miners) distribu- ted the prizes. An adjournment was again made to the spoorts ground, and after a short interval Comrade Wake delivered one of his gem speeches on Idealism." No comrade could go home without feeling that it was a splendid finish to a day's outing and enjoyment. The value of our Comrade's work will be seen on Tyneside in the days to come. Comrade Peter Cameron, who is the President of the New- castle Branch, presided on this occasion, which was fitting, seeing that he came from Barrow. and that Comrade Wake had a big share in introducing our comrade to the I.L.P. Comrades Mr and Mrs Anderton and Mr Bal- lantine are to be congratulated upon their splendid arrangements for the tea. Everybody enjoyed themselves and returned home full of fight for the future liberties and rights of the people.

OUR PRINTING IS GOOD. OUR TERMS ARE MODERATE. OUR STAPF IS TRADES-UNIONIST, And we &*e a pnoantmd io DELIVER IN TIME.

I Merthyr- Golden Wedding. I WELL-KNOWN OLD RESIDENTS' HAPPY j JUBILEE. -1 1 Our heartiest felicitations go out to Mr. and Mrs. William Rowlands, of 66 Tramroad Side, Merthyr, on the completion of 50 years of married life last Sunday. The elderly couple who i have received the congratulations of a wide circle of friends, on the happy attainment of the golden anniversary of their wedding, were joined in wedlock at Zoar Congregational Church, Merthyr, on August 13. 1866; and both have, through the, whole of the interven- ing half-century, continued their membership of Zoar. Mrs. Rowlands was received into membership of the church 58 years ago, by the late Rev. Mr. Owens—she being at that time 13 years of age. Mr William Rowlands started work at the early age of 7 in the Hill's Ply- mouth Collieries. During the last 15 years Mr. Rowlands has been in the employ of the Corporation, until failing health compelled him to retire some nine months ago. We trust that both of the old couple shall be spared a further long period of married life; and that their Diamond Wedding celebration may be held under a happy Democratic regime, such as Mr. Rowlands, at least, has shown a marked interest in. Mr. Rowlands is now in his 76th year; his good lady being four years his junior. There are four children of the union- one 88n and three daughters—one of whom has been in Boston, U.S.A., this last 27 years. We are sorry that Mr. Rowlands' health is not so robust as it might be, and trust that it will pick up again in the near future. Mrs. Rowlands enjoys goods health, and is remark- ably active for her age. V

I Frank Hodges & Plebian. I "A SWEET LITTLE EXAMPLF, OF CAUSE AND EFFECT." I (To the Editor of the PIONEER.) Dear Sir,—Last week's Pioneer" came to me by a circular route, but it came. "Plebi- an" might have had the courtesy to have taken a little trouble to have assured me a copy. I will not be so cynical as to suggest that he was no more anxious for me to read his letter than he was to raise his head out of that great sea of anonymity, from the security of which, he, like a stealthy submarine in the North Sea launches its torpedo, made his attack. The best answer I can give to his very "open" though somewhat empty questions is the one provided by the Conference of Miners held on Saturday, August 5, 1916; i.e. the Conference decision to suspend the August holidays. Such an answer is eloquent in its simplicity. It is a sweet little exmple of cause and effect and, as far as I know, is not contradicted anywhere by Marx or Dietzgen. The answer proves once again a theory I have held for years viz., Giv- en a knowledge of the cold facts of any situation, the workmen of this coalfield may always be relied upon to act in their best inte- rests. This was proven in the strike of July, 1916 when the men fought for a new agree- ment. This was true when they ultimately de- cided to suspend the holidays. But they must have the facts and the whole facts. Just as I was proud to have distributed the facts which led to the 1915 strike so am I proud to have helped to distribute the facts which led to the suspension of holidays this month. On such facts the men have helped the nation in a difficulty. Time alone will tell how far the men have protected their Trade Union privileges. This idea of mine to supply the men with facts may be a trifle disconcerting to "Plebian, but can it be deemed undemocratic? I do not propose to answer your correspondent's gentle abuse. I am at present too busily engaged in distributing the facts relative to abatements for miners under pernicious form of taxation, which is a legislative "fact" that ought to be immediately expunged from the Statute Book. Yours, etc. I Minen' FRANK HODG.. I Min,ors" 0&o&, Bridgend. August 16th, 1916.