Pioneer

The Great Convention and After. BY PHILIP SNOWDEN, M.P. (fi-, 1-11 oenait ot the United Socialist Council). Tiie convention which meets in Leeds on Sun- q. Iv?11 bean event of tremendous importance, It?? 'lot an orc1nuwy conference at which a few iwi tll1S 'v^ be passed after which the dele- ?t ??.?P??'?te and nothing more will be do ■' This convention on Sunday is to be the ?i-nni.ng of doing things in this country. The war itself, and all mismanagement of it, alld the unbridled swindling and profiteering have accompanied it, as well as the evi- ?t?' ??P?city of the Governments .at war to ?ttt ? connagration they have set blazing, Ca, to the, democracy of this and all the ot h er MrJ?0 t^le democracy of this and all the other 1, lliger(,jit countries to take matters into their  hands as the peoples of Russia have already qQll e\ That is the only way the war can be t)Voi to an end. It is the "? way in which ? ?during peace can be established. Pe Th settlement of the war by an honourable Pea °e on the ^nes ?? forth by the Russian de- ^oGovernment is the immediate question ?.the international democracies. But the war settled have left industrial social p? settled will have left industrial and socia l "Oblems of immense and vital importance which lit: 'ony be dealt with properly ,byorgamsed de- 14?t'llatic forces. At present British Labour and 1 1 Democrac'y is without a policy and with- outr lle(t'on' ^e Convention is intended to ? t)),ov | both and to begin such vigorous activity +V country as we have never seen in our lie. .J NIY a few can attend the Convention, but }1'y member of the parties represented there th help in the work. There is still time for tho branches of trade unions, trades councils, 4d t]I(, other bodies invited to appoint dele- Sat to do so if that has not already been. done. lia.,IS next ,veek-end should see Great Britain ? ?- Every Labour and Socialist meet- itto. ?ould be devoted to the Convention. We j??? have a thousand similar Conventions of ?? ?opip held at the same time throughout the ill lltry. Though the time is short special meet- sl iotild be arranged at once if an ordinary ttng has not already been arranged. te {llsia has called Great Britain into the In- ter ?at-ional Democratic fight. We cannot re- In silent. We II)Ils;t follow -iil(l eii- !n sIlent. We mnst follow Russia and en- th. ''c?'c Democracy in this country. -(18 invention will devise the plan of tf, 11,1,lgn. AH Labour, Socialist and Democra- tip bodies must get ready to take their part in it t: ow is the time to realise the International a. Workers of all lands, U-N i i F,!

TO-MORROW MAY BE TOO LATE. Get a Box TO-DAY Robert Edes, of Weybridge, writes: After I had taken the second two I felt better than I had done for over four years. The pain in my back had entirely gone." Mrs. King, Run well Road, Wickford, states: Your pills cured me aftei years of pain." Sufferers from Gravel, Lumbago, Pains in the Back, Dropsy, Bright's Disease of the Kidneys, etc., Sciatica, Rheumatism, and Gout, will find a positive cure in Holdroyd's Gravel Pills. Is. 3d., all chemists; post free. li stamns- Gravel Pills. Medical Hall, Cleckheaton HOLDROYD'S Medical HaJJ, Cleckheaton

I Merthyr War Pensions Committee. A meeting of the committee was held at the Town Hall on Friday last under the presidency of Councillor H. M. Lloyd. The Hon. Treasurer (Mr. W. R. Harris) on behalf of the Investigating Committee presided over by Councillor A. Wilson, submitted the fol- lowing claims for relief: Dowlais t9 2s. for 41 dependents: Penydarren £ 4 4s. 9d. for 32; Park £ 7'16s. for 44; Cyfarthfa £ 9 Os. 7d. for 50; Town m0 19s. 3d. for 63; Plymouth C3 9s.9d. for 25; Troedyrhiw £ 6 15s. 6d. for 25; Merthyr Vale £ 6 6s. 6d. for 36; Treharris £ 14 14s. 9d. for 92; Hon. Secretary 15s. 6d. for 2; total £ 73 4s. 7d. for 410 dependents. He also reported a refund of tll Os. 6d. in respect of loans, and a balance in hand of t208 18s. 5d. It was decided to meet the claims as submitted. The Treasurer had received a visit from two representatives of the Statutory Committee during the week, and had undergone a search- ing examination upon the methods adopted for investigating cases and posting up returns. The report handed in was full of encouragement and highly complimentary to the committee and to the officers. The Hon. Secretary (Mr. W. W. Meredith) reported having received the follow- ing communications: (1) From Mr. Aukland, of Cardiff, asking ioi: a list of disabled soldiers requiring treatment and training at the Cardiff Centre; (2) from Statutory Committee stating that application for a supplementary allowance to parents of a young student soldier had been granted; (3) from headquarters asking committee to relieve Wrexham case at Mardv Hospital as required. Matron had taken a special interest in the case. Allowance granted for small comforts. Mr. Meredith also submitted special cases as follows (1) Soldier discharged with Partial Disa- bility Pension. Had been severely wounded, but had not sufficiently recovered to take up light employment as anticipated. He had written asking for review of pension. No reply as yet. Decided to relieve until reply had come to hand. (2) Application from wounded soldier for treat- ment as out-pateint. Decided to negotiate with Whitchurch Hospital. (3) Application from sol- dier, Army Reserve W, for transfer to Class P. Decided to take necessary steps. The following was submitted by Messrs. E. Roberts, W. Powell, and G. Evans: — (1) Soldiers called up but sent back. Recalled in two weeks. Failed to find work in the mean- time. Asked for advance. Granted by Ward Secretary, but disallowed hy committee as against regulations. (2) Wife with five children, in difficulties re Ring Paper. No separation al- lowance for weeks. Decided to advance until settled. (3) Soldier's wife charged with bigamy by former husband. Paymaster stopped allow- ance until ease was settled. Decided to refer case to Statutory Committee for relief in the meantime. (4) Husband and wife summoned for neglect of children. Husband enlisted before the trial. Wife suffers imprisonment. Inspector reports she can now have custody of children. Decided not to make a grant until children had returned. (5) Discharged soldier with wife and three children receiving 17s.a- week Partial Dis- ability Pension. Unable to work. Application made for supplemental pension. Received relief for 11 weeks at 7s. 6d. a week pending settle- ment. Supposed receipt of 8s. a week from for- mer employer. Relief to be discontinued if such be the case. (6) Grandmother in charge of chil- dren of diseased soldier applies for grant in re- spect of death. Decided to grant full allowance of ts. (7) Soldier successfully operated upon at Roehampton and supplied with artificial leg now applied for training at Clark's College Car- diff. Decided to negotiate with college authori- ties on his behalf and to assist him financially. if necessary.

Aberdare Waterworks. I I APPEAL AGAINST MERTHYR ASSESSMENTI COMMITTEE'S VALUATION. Aberdare District Council applied to the Mer- thyr Assessmeiit Committee on Saturday for a reduction of £ 1,788 from the new valuation of their waterworks undertakings in Aberdare and Penderyn parishes. The Chairman (the Rev. Llewellyn M. Wil- liams) intimated that the valuers had made a reduction of tSI3 on the old valuation of £ 3,058 for money spent upon repairs and renewals in connection with the undertakings. Mr. W. R. Morgan stated that the Aberdare Water-works Committee were not aware of this concession, and suggested an adjournment for them to consider the position. It was decided to adopt the reduced assess- ments of the valuers: Aberdare waterworks, £ 1,170 ratable; Penderyn waterworks, £ 1,075 ratable. Alderman Illtyd Thomas, of Cardiff, was ap- pointed by the Merthyr Assessment Committee on Saturday to assess anew the Cyfarthfa Iron and Steel Works, now put at a nominal ratable value of £ 2,500. Aberaman and Aberdare Licensed Victuallers' Association asked the Merthyr Assessment Com- mittee on Saturday for a flat-rate reduction in the assessment of public-houses on the grounds that the new Government beer restrictions had resulted in a depreciation in business of 50 per cent. Mr. W. P. Jones (for the association) said publicans formerly receiving nine barrels a week were only now allowed two and a half, and Mi-. J. Rees (one of the deputation) said he had failed to get any beer the previous week, although lie had tramped Monmouthshire and Glamorgan in search of some., He had only one barrel at his public-house to fldci. his sales over the holidays. The coinmittefe declined to agree to a flat-rate reduction, but intimated their willingness to con- sider appeals respecting each public-house affected separately. I The assessment of the Guenlos and Pengarn IJ'armsJMertlWt> was confirmed at .?609 ratable.

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I British Duty in India. I TO THE EDITOR. Dear Sir,—In these days of huge international I problems, the outlines of which, more especially in Europe, we have been forced to see in the glare of the present conflagration, it may be that questions relating to "subject" nations such as India may be overlooked for a moment. It is true that we were informed by Mr. Cham- berlain in the House of Commons last week that India will be represented at the annual ses- sion of the Imperial Cabinet by a nominee of the Government of India, as well as by the Secre- tary of State for India," which decisions, though they mark an immense advance in the posi- tion of India in the Empire," are not altogether satisfactory even in the present state of affairs. For we learn that though lohe Imperial War Con- ference had also under consideration "the posi- tion of Indians in the Empire as distinct from the position of India herself," there was no hint or suggestion given that would lead us to be- lieve that any change of position" was at present contemplated. Nevertheless we are glad to learn that system of identured emigration of Indian natives is to be stopped, and that the grossly unfair and often harsh treatment of Indian emigrants and settlers in the Dominions, and similar questions, are receiving considera- tion. But behind all these questions is India her- self. "It is becoming daily clearer that the familiar expression the unchanging East' no longer applies to India. In recent years, and that directly due to the influences of British rule, India has become politically aware of her- self as a nation, and has begun to seek, as the concrete expression of that realisation, self-ad- ministration according to her own ideals and needs. A new hope and magnificent ideal are stirring up her ancient life. A change in our mutual relations has to-day become imperative, so as to remove accumula- ting difficulties, and create a sympathetic un- derstanding. That Great Britain has conferred benefits upon India is a fact of which we are sufficiently conscious; that India possesses in- herently a complimentary power to supply certain of our deficiencies is not so fully realised. We cannot overlook the facts" that at the re- cent National Congress in India a resolution was enthusiastically carried that in the con- struction of the Empire India shall be lifted from the position of a dependency to that of an equal partner in the Empire with the self-governing Dominions. To ignore such a resolution, em- bodying a Nation's aspiratio/is, would undoubt- edly be fraught with grave, danger. Altered conditions require altered methods, and these altered methods India, has evolved and is pressing upon our attention. Her appeal for understanding is to the democracy of this country, to awaken it to the needs of India in her present valiant effort to establish herself as an independent unit in the British Common- wealth." There must be many readers of the "Pioneer" who are students of international questions who are in sympathy with the aspirations of India, and may be interested and pleased to learn that the question of mutual understanding and the fashioning of ideal bonds of sympathy and co- operation is being given closer attention in this country to-day more than ever. Recently I have received explanatory literature from the "British Committee of the Indian National Con- gress," the Home Rule for India League," and now comes a little pamphlet from an association called Britain and India (whose office is 33, Regent's Park-road, N.W.), which seeks to unite those who feel Britain and India, have reciprocal duties to perform and mutual services to offer each other, and in some way, in the works of General Smuts in a recent speech, to bring East and West into more familiar relations and understanding with each other.—Yours, etc., AMIENS.

Travelling without Railway Ticket. MERTHYR STIPENDIARY ON A POINT OF LAW. Merely travelling without a ticket is not in itself an offence. A man may do that quite in- nocently and quite honestly. I think we have all done it in our time. We may have lost our tickets—return tickets. Intent is everything, and I am satisfied, and so is Mr. Evans (the other magistrate) there was no intention in this 'case on the part of the defendant to avoid pay- ment. It appears to me that both men acted straightforwardly. They endeavoured to get a ticket and failed. In my opinion these proceed- ings should never have 'been brought. I will show my disapproval of the action of the com- pany by ordering them to pay costs an d dismiss the case." In the above terms Mr. ,R. A. Griffith (stipen- diary) commented at the Merthyr Police Court on Friday anent a case in which W. Rees Wil- liams and his brother, Baden Williams, Rhym- ney miners, were summoned by the Rhymney Railway Company for travelling in a, colliers' train on May 1. between Rhymney and Pont- lottyn without paying their fares. Mr. G. Llew- ellyn (of the office-of Messrs. Gwilym James, Charles and Davies, solicitors, Merthyr-) prose- cuted. l i ei. -cl tielicts were W. R ees Williams said colliers' tickets were issued weekly, but although he had been unable to obtain a ticket the week of the alleged offence he thought that the money would be deducted n s wmal from his wages at the end of the week by his employers, the Rhymney Iron Company. The position of his brother was the same. Charles Rates, clerk to the Rhymney Iron Co., rpsponsible for issuing the tickets to colliers whilst this defendant was giving evidence, laughed derisively, with the result he was order- ed out of court by the Stipendiary. Later Mr. Llewellyn intimated to the bench that Bates apologised for his conduct. The Stipendiary accepted this expression of re- gret and added that the incidentha,d not affected his decision. A t t

The People's Food. MERTHYR TRADES COUNCIL'S ACTION TO PREVENT EXPLOITATION. VIGILANCE buMMSTTEE FORMED. Chief amongst the matters before the Merthyr Tra-des and Labour Council on Thursday was the question of guarding against excessive prices being charged for foodstuffs. It was Mr. Bert Brobyn who broached the question; and lie suggested the formation of a vigilance committee. The work of the commit- tee (he said) would be to receive complaints of any infringements of the various orders of the food controller, make investigations and in cases proved to have foundation bring the facts be- fore the notice of the police for prosecution. It was decided to form the committee and elect upon it three members from each ward. The National Institute of the Blind appealed to the various trades unions to pay a contribu- tion of Id per month per man towards its up- keep. Mr. Verment, of Cardiff, on behalf of the institute, made a racy speech, in the course of which he said that following upon the success of the scheme for training blinded soldiers and sailors in trades which they could carry on at their own homes one had now been launched which would embrace the industrial blind. Now nearly 200 persons employed in the various in- dustries of the country went blind every year, and at present there was no adequate provision for them; existing institutions could only accom- modate 2,000, and there were roughly about 30,000 blind in the country. The national Insti- tute for it's part was now training blind indus- trial workers on exactly the same lines as were those blinded in the army or navy, and already in South Wales men were being trained who would eventually return to their homes fully equipped to earn a livelihood. The advantage of home-work was that men received the maxi- mum market price for the commodity they made. He knew of one institution where men were paid at the rate of Is. 2d. for a certain article after- wards sold for 51s. a dozen, and the selling- price for it since had gone up to 63s. The "man at home" scheme would result in this advance of price going all to the d .iiiak-ei-, as it should. T Paying the suggested A lefc £ would place workers, should they ever beceifie afflicted with blindness, in a position of not having any com- punction in entering an institution; it would be due to them and n.n (-Lai,Ifv. And after train- ing they wotiid agai?t t/«i.oi/e setf-sup^ortittg àJill useful members of the community. He hoped, too, this interest now created in the we l fare of He hoped the blind throughout the eountr would result in State aid, shelved by the war, being put into force by the Government as soon as possible. Mr. Verment's appeal was received with sym- pathy and the matter was referred to the Exe- cutive Committee. That the name of .Mr. T. T. Jenkins, Aber- canaid, who has been threatened with perman- ent loss of sight, should crop up at. this stage was inevitable, and a vote of sympathy with him in his affliction, coupled with a sincere wish from all the members for his speedy recovery, was passed. A deputation attended with the request that C.L.C. classes should be initiated in the town, and the matter was referred back to the various affiliated lodges through the delegates. The formation of a local branch of the Na- tional Association of Discharged Soldiers and Sailors was referred to the Executive Committee. A resolution was adopted protesting against the continued imprisonment of Mr. Peter Pet- roff, a Russian political refugee, and a well- known member of the Russian Swial Democratic Party, and calling for his immediate liberation. Mr. Samuel Jennings (chairman) was appoint- ed delegate for the council at the Leeds confer- ence.

Bituminous Coal. SHORTAGE IN SOUTH WALES. Complaints of poor gas coal in South Wales were made at the annual meeting of the Wales and Monmouthshire Institution of Gas Mana- gers held at Merthyr recently and a reso- lution was passed calling the attention of the National Gas Council to this deficiency in quality in comparison with the Midland and Northern districts, and to the fact that in addition the gas undertakings of South Wales had to pay 2s. 6d. a ton more for their coal under the Price of Coal Limitation Act. The meeting desired also the Council to give their due consideration to South Wales in comparing results or dealing with any general instructions to be issued to the gas industry, more particularly with reference to the calorific standard and use of blue water gas as a means of reducing the consumption of coal. Mr. Reginald Clarrv, Swansea, who brought forward the motion, said there was a growing scarcity of gas coal (even of the poorer quality- now obtaining) in South Wales., and it was an important factor to be reckoned with in a few fears. The difficulty, however, might be over- come by making some restriSfion on the export trade of bituminous coal from South Wales un- til the requirements for home consumption were satisfied. Mr. S. C. Jackson, Neath, spoke on the sub- stitution of coal gas for petrol in commercial motors, but said that such a motive power was at present out of the question with regard to small road-touring cars. Mr. J. Mogford, Briton Ferry, read a treatise on U Sulphate for Allotments." Mr. Mogford was elected the president for the ensuing year.

Political Notes, F. W. Jowett, M.P. SEE PAGE 2

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