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Political Notes, i F. W. Jowett, M.P. SEE PAGE 2
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- The New Draft Rules of j…
The New Draft Rules of j the S.W.M.F. :.? i AND 'HE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS BY .j THE LODGES. THE LODGES. ————' CRITICISM OF THE FINANCIAL SIDE. JBy W. EDWARDS (Mountain Ash). I IT  las7aig read MI'. Frank Hodge's article in 't 1, lidi?- eN,,enin,?, Express," I borrowed a ?'of? ?.??t rules and proposed amendments thp KK i Ses' and spent some time in studying ?' thn ? ?'?' ?? spent some time in studying ?'s' a ?. Notwithstanding the numerous les- So?"?"?e been received in the past of the Jp sateguarding the funds of the Federa- tio 113 after they have been collected, bv removing ??nt ?s from lodge officials, it is rather sur- hitler *-he Executive Council have not in altered the old method which has been IQ |ls since; the S.W.Mti' first came into exist- lre'.vj if they have not sueJent time to if tliev have not suffieient tlii-.ie to t'10,il' mdoubted business capacIty to revising t?y ?ifle of te orgamsahon, why on earth do i.h eyjl()t call !T1 .an accountant to advice them "D he ??tt??' ? It would save litigation in the ?tu? besIdes a large amount of expense. It ?' hr? "?? pleasing to see that the Lower Duf- tffby? ? "?' the Lady Windsor Lodges have seen It there ? something wrong somewhere, and ? br ??' forward amendments which thev ^htiht i, V11 remedy the evils.  ??r ?sr DuSryn Lodge has the following ^leriri Inen to Rule 13, which deals with the ?dit"?? the C(,Iltl- .a t A ecotiiits, i z., That the lice Ihng of the Central Accounts, viz., That the by {}lInts of the Central Fund shall be audited chat-tei-(?d accountant, who shall be ap- ?t?- ?y the Executive Council. ? Xj, sa«ie amendment applies to Rules 80 and 38 ,.eo. mg tlie auclttmg of the accounts of the Histri"?' ??? Lodges, with the exception that Lodges shall appoint their own ??'ed i accountants. a? .?y opinion this will not really be much of all!111 on the old method, and it will ius as costly, if not more so. It does not „ n °p-pprtunity for the co-ordination neces- s9*y i,tWeen ? ?'d?es. district, and central r,°c'On»i Th S- I Th j* f^.ttdment proposed by the Lady Wind- J r ls undoubtedly a good one, the impor- tampa7 bems as foDows:— ? ?' "?'? ? ??" 1-? Lv L?Y Windsor J0c l ov ,???t?.'??—?The Executive Council shall set :sihl( _\lIdltJ)epartment which shall be respon- MYv r ?'ti? ?'' ?"?t'ttg the Central, District and Lodge to°'0l{S • A This amendmamt will give the oppor- tttiij: give the oppor- ???i't ? '? ? '?-M-dinating the Central, Districts and Odg?O .,?ecoiints, and we should be able with a and cTetails, to place ftil? 4i l0! ^efleration on and d retails, t,o place i ''On,, ('° the work, instead of allowing it to ? ?'tr ? ? the w?ork, instead of allowing it to I? ? '?subordinates in sumeone else's offices. ?a tIt sor!'v that I am unable to agree with the th *TIO(ligC'S next step towards placing ^V, ion on a sound basis, viz., their ?itnistit,ioll. On .1 801-111d bas1s, viz., their -I'S to -t?iiie 19 i-e R eiiiova l of Meiyj- (1 is os follows: Add after the word <c C~ j.i Ti (Ill ^ne ? "of a counterfoil pattern Miuai must be submitted to audit." ^WU°^'Dlon. this will not reach the mark at t ..°°^eve !t is aimed at, viz. Illicit ?adi'?''? T?s ers. Rule 19 in the Draft Cbpy i td¡l1g III Transfers. Rule 19 in the Draft Cbpy tn fi intents and purposes identical with the r,/i 6 dealing with transfers, and the amend- ??<? ??gestec!. by the Lady" mdso]' Lodge has ? ?opted generally (not by all) by the Lodges th^ ha, P''?? a failure. We want something n connect- the Lodge from which he mm- ?t ?t u connect the Lodge from which the mem- ?? ??? ?" ?"? Lodge that receives him. I the ? shall try and suggest a few amend- ?Hts ?" ??? which I believe will in con- ??Ctiin" ??' th the Lady Windsor amendment on on ?l'it'll the; T.,a(-Iv Al'itidsoi- aiiiendnien.t on jl\o,L, ?? ? de-sirable (?ffect of co-ordmat- ? th ??"?tiug of the funds of the Federation r ? li ?'h.? a?- n' while the Lodges, Districts, and -?bl(, to deal with their own legi- ^ia+A t manci• al affairs as fi?eeiv as in the past. ??arn. Dt- nancial anairs as free l v as in the past. 11 > Suggested Amendments. Ij ??-?f??'-?? that R,?e 13 shonkl be (Meted and I ??'"??g s^^tituted: — ho lJ¡noval of Members.—Any member removing t?n '"?' ?o?ery to another š1làll if his contri- ? ?tin,?" "??' Foments are fully paid, noti- 'I ? thiS aIH other payments m'e fully pal, U(tl- ? ,e eei'ea.ry of the Lodge connected. wIth 3'el Colhery from which he is removing of such ??'ov -?i ? "^letary shall then forAvard his t}'q a. le dtXTctary shall tlwn forw.ard hIS Such member t]ie Secretarv of the Lodge con- °^ > ? 1 the colUct.y }? ?g removed to im- 1 i af. ter his employment thereat, and  'y ?'?' ?'"? to the Central Omoe for "s transfer, and ?? shall thereupon ?t?. ni 0 l" (y < n in~ ''K contributions and other nfl,:l and ? Pay'"? the contributions and other ??Ytttmi?t ?? '?? ?? ?«'cd due since the date ?'his "?'.?'?yM'eR? ??'onsidered a nnancml /■ v lenient,- be considered a financial lie/: WI' OJ thf) Ijodge coÚneeted with th(} Col- c'v "*l? i ,SU('h Lodge shall accejrt fun respon- i tor such member." {l1111)(;tI. "oted that this would necessitate the ???t<? '? 01 a clerk to ta?e parnculars of each 4 HSK ?'"?'ar d e d to Central Onice, .an d a l so + atti cul rw"ai'ded to Central Office, and also t¡,l('.IIla 1'" 1'C'ardi11 the Lodge to which each "<l¡.;f 'ijtli¡t 1S ????' Such particulars to be used'for ?'?tin"' P?''P"ses. The connecting link between '("'[( I then be e, '?c)-.??'? ??? ? established and if firmly ?'<'? would abolish Jllwlt tradmg in trans- tO \()Itlcl tl)ol ti-a(l ini4 j ji traris- SUggested Amendment to Rule 35. Local Treasurer. ,I" ULe should ? ma de to Tead as follows: ''lln? !o1d? "e ?'?surcr ?hall receive all moneys E)lral)I' Ly the ?'?? and bank the same at the ?'?\-ih!< ?i k the sli?rie vt the ?t ? 'i., ??? ?? P?'-tunitv iI;, the name of the ?ii il4.e iiadit, of, ,t? h e lOq\' Hl sh:l!l '?' '?omes pavable bv the &?h? .<? 6'??? ? oJu?tain m??,.r' ''? ;i ??i- iT ,«ltl P?- ,ut SUlus offl and over ? bv cheque and? ?' ?'n)) 'L "? +h ?? '?" « P?- ??h acconnt. d! )' ?'? ?.count t h ereoL  ?'?<t ? ? ? ??' '"ore than Co in hand for ?v P"???? He shall withdraw the th\'ss;u's JnOJltes h:oruthe, bank on the day that ?? !? "? !>P01l ?'' ?'?-ihutions. to provide l:).n'(I 1.' t' bd '7'" 01' HleIl1ueTs paFmg:. their con:tl'I)UOlS <\b1 Shdnr)anl, the sonle  =? ?'? ???  ? ?? ??jSul rS?? ?S? -such security for th falthful f-(Ilfi of ? (lImeS as shall from t? time be determined )n the Lodge." Ibis would obviate the necessity of the lodge treasurer keeping large sums of money in the house for an indefinite period. Suggested Amendment to Rule 36. Local Secretgry. A (ld T-le sli all. on no account receive contri- butions from, members except postal orders sent by members who have removed from the district and are desirous of having their transfers for- warded. Any contravention of this regulation to be considered an offence- to which he shall be removed from oiffce." Any member desirous of paying his contribu- tions at any time other than when the Lodge is open shall pay his contributions to the trea- surer, who will give him a receipt for same. Such member shall deliver the receipt to the Secretary who shall enter the amount paid into the lodge contribution book and member's card. Suggested Details that will Facilitate Auditing. (1) Particulars of members receiving exemption for sickness or out of work, should be entered into a book, other than the contribution book, kept by the lodge secretary for the purpose. (2) The number of the contribution card of every member receiving payment for work done for the lodge, dispute or strike pay, should be entered on the receipt for such payment, as that the auditors can immediately satisfy themselves that such member was in compliance at the time such payment was made. (3) Lodge secretaries should enter the num- ber of the member's contribution card on the face of every transfer when filling it up to for- ward to the Central Office, and on receiving transfers from the Central Office and entering the same into the Lodge Contribution Book, they should place the new member's number on the back of the transfer and file it for auditing pur- poses. I have not dealt with bookkeeping methods, but this could be seen to after theflrst year's work- ing of the above amended methods of auditing.
Merthyr War Pensions Committee.…
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) pre- sented the recommendations of the Investigating Committee—presided over by Councillor A. Wil- son—re weekly claims of dependents, as follows: Dowlais £ 15 14s. 2d. for 58 dependents; Peny- dlTe£12 15s. 9d. for 30; Park £ 8 4s. 6d. for 45; Gyfartbfa £ 5 19s. Id. for 50; Town t-12 2s. for 62 ;Plymouth £ 3 3s. 3d. for 25; Troedyrhiw £7 for 26 Merthyr Vale £6 2s. 6d. for 34; Tre- harris £ 13 18s. far 93; hon. secretary £2 10s. for 4; total £ 87 9s. 3d. for 428 dependents. He also reported having received £1 7s. as a refund in respect of loans. The hon. secretary (Mr. W. W. Meredith) reported having received the following communications from Headquarters: (1) Two ap- plications for transfer from Class "W" to Class "P" refused. Applications made by soldiers direct. (2) Mother of soldier had separation al- lowance reduced when she became eligible for old age pension. Application for reinstatement of pre-war position successful. (3) Application from Grenadier Guards Relief Fund Committee ask- ing for relief for a soldier's widow suffering from civil distress. Hon. secretary requested to make enquiries and report. (4) Mother of deceased sol,diei-iii.enibe,r of Expeditionary .Force—said he supported her previous to being called up. No allotment made, no allowance granted. Received grant in respect of death. Application made for pension. Committee asked by Ministry of Pen- sions to make enquiries and report. (5) Dis- charged soldier had a gratuity of £ 35 given, him. Committee asked to distribute grant. The fol- lowing cases were submitted by the Mayoress ond Messrs. E. Roberts and H. Evans: (1) Wife and child of interned Britisher receiving 10s. a week from Civil Distress Fund. Application for in- crease in amount. Increase of 9s. 6d. a week granted. (2) Soldier sent home and placed in Class "P." Wife died before receiving final dis- charge. Five children left under age and one son sent home ill. Another son killed in the war. Decided to pay funeral expenses. (3) Sol- dier discharged as not likely to make an efficient soldier. No pension granted as yet. Insurance 5s. a week. Secretary asked to deal with case. On the motion of Mr. E. Roberts the meeting unanimously decided ,to protest against the pro- posa' to hand over to the National Patriotic Fund any monies now in the possession of the Statutory Commitree.
CORRESPONDENCE.
CORRESPONDENCE. A BISHOP ON INDIA. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—If the following, taken from Bishop Welldon's "Recollections" were added to the article by Amiens on India the revolting misery it unfolds might induce your readers to take a greater interest in the condition of India. The natives of India, or most of them, are so poor that they are not afraid of death, and so weak that they do not struggle hard against it. There is less apparent suffering in the death of 20 natives than of one British soldier. The natives lie down and die; but the British soldier when he realises that he is striken by a mortal disease, makes a gallant and painful fight for life The poverty of India is so great that no- body who has not lived among the people there can realise what it is. But a single year of life in lIljdia, if it is spent among the toiling mass, and not, in the few great cities, is long enough to dispel the fable of the gorgeous East. A Bishop of the Church in India was wont to say that only one who had seen the pains with which a Gary-Wallah, after lighting one of his lamps, would try to prevent the match from being ex- tinguished by the wind before he could light the other, could understand what Indian poverty really was."—Yours sincerely, TOAN.
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The Reminiscences of J. Scott…
The Reminiscences of J. Scott Duckers. LONDON SOLICITOR'S EXPERIENCES IN CAMP AND PRISON, NO TRUCK WITH TRIBUNALS. 1[" Handed Over," the prison expt.U?(>t" of Mr. J, Scott Duckers, written bv hin?eif. Paper Covers, price Is. 6d. nett. C. W. Daniel, Ltd.] The ranks of the conscientious objectors who have been handed over to the Military Auth- orities is bound,, from the nature of the human material involved, to give us some classics of auto-biography hitherto largely unknown to Eng- lish literature. Already the introspection of the cell and detention hut has given us some useful pamphlets, and articles, but so far as I know J. Scott Duckers' is the only volume of war- time reminiscence that has come to us. That it is good one expected before opening it from the reputation of the writer, and hits training as an advocate. That it is better than one perhaps did expect is all to the good. As a C.O. Mr. Scott Duckers enjoyed no small amount of prominency in leading papers during the early summer of 1916, possibly because of his friendship with so many of the Liberal M.IVs, his residence at the National Liberal Club, or his acquaintance with the Metropolitan journalists by reason of the intercourse between journalists and legal professions in sparable from mutual attendance at the Law Courts, local and central. Mr. Scott Duckers' experiences have differed very slightly from those of the majority of "the boys," except in one ,respectthat he all along refused to recognise the Tribunal sys- tem, which lie maintains, and rightly maintains, is an illogical absurdity, whether it be the local board of parochial big-wigs, or the Central Com- mittees of titled or Parliamentary non-entities. He never appeared before any Tribunal, except that set up under the Alternative Service Scheme and sitting at Wandsworth, and there it was an attendance at the request of that Tribunal, an appearance which only served to present him with an opportunity of personally expressing his views on Tribunals, and refusing to allow him- self to go through" their process. But Scott Duckers is not an alternativist in the sense that he absolutely refuses to undertake work, for he personally offered to undertake legal, or legal- clerical work in the Legal Depai,tiiiont of a Rail- way Company in. a-letter reproduced in the volume, and to which there wt- 51 ) reply. Whilst I cordially congratulate Mr. Scott Duckers on the production of so very readable a volume as this is—I have read hundreds of en- joyable novels that has not its ehai-iii-I must confess that he glosses his hardships too much in my estimation. It can have been no joke to have gone through the mill three times as he has done; but lie writes of it in so easy a vein that one is inclined, until one has reflected on the facts, as against the style, to regard the whole period as a not unpleasant piece of personal ex- perience. This is probably due to the large op- timism of the man, an optimism that makes trials, severe as long periods of imprisonment must be, light and airy compared with the pros- pect of broken resol ve. In courage, large heart- edness, stamina and this rosy optimism Mr. J. Scott Duckers is a replica of hundreds of others from all parts of the country and all stations of life. These characteristics which have sustained him have sustained them; and it is to their pos- session that the fight for conscience was fought and won during the early days of his isolation from his fellows. It is to these very characteris- tics that the young men of to-morrow, and countless to-morrows after that, will look up with veneration and thank God for the Scott- Duckers wlio dared to stand in, their indIvidual strengths defiant of the power of an externally uncontrolled, rampant militarism in war-time. There is not a democrat in the country who should not read this admirable volume of charming autobiography, and having read it loan it to some friend who has sneered at the C.O. I do not claim that they will be converted by it, but they will if they are not wantonly blind enjoy the reading, and will have had an opportunity of studying what kind of stuff the C.O. is made of, as well as the attitude that "Tommy," and" Tommy's" superiors took up and take up towards these men. What Tommy Atkins, of the Rifle Brigade—Scott-Duckers unit—thinks of the C.O. is perhaps best illus- trated in the remark of the soldier who called for three cheers for our author at the Christmas festivities of the Regiment at the Brigade Camp in Minster, when he said We should all do like Scott Duckers if we thought we could stick it out." But in particular will it be a compan- ionable book for the mother or father whose son is doing his bit in detention prison, civil cell, or Home Office, camp, for with the additional chapters of the Tribunal farce, and Alternative Service, Scott Duckers' is their story, too. May it have a big sale. It deserves it!
When Women Disagree. 1
When Women Disagree. SQUABBLE IN MERTHYR PUBLIC-HOUSE. ) A lively Whit-Monday scene in a public-house was described at Merthyr Police-court on Fri- day, when a woman, Margaret Mahoney, was changed with assaulting another woman, Ellen c h a*,o-?e d w *t t i Christopher. The latter's mother, Margaret Mew, said that the woman Mahoney, in the tap-room of the Grawen Arms. Brecon-road, ask id her to stand a drink. Witness's reply was, "I have enough to do to pay for my own," whereupon defendant smacked her across the face. Her daughter, Ellen Christopher, coming in at the- moment, said to the woman Mahoney. Don't hit my mother; I am more of a match for you." Ma- honey's retort was to throw a half-pint of beer into her face, and she followed it up by striking her on the head with the glass measure, cutting it open slightly. Mr. John "Evans (chairman of magistrates): W$jbhink the assault has been proved very clear- ly against you'. You will be fined 20s. and costs. The defendant (nonchalantly): That's nothing.
Towards Labour War. I
Towards Labour War. I By AMICUS. j These are tremendously eventful days. For purposes of propaganda the mere recital of hap- penings, the recalling to the mind of great events, the pointing to significant tendencies, should be all-sufficient! We are in the throes of a mighty, upheaving process. Before the war some good folk timidly asked: Whither are we tending? Do we know now where we are? As a people we went to war pretty sure of high aims, of our noble ideals and good motives. The young manhood of the na- tion have laid their all on the altar of noble purposes; they are to be truly and highly hon- oured. How different the state of those who "bade them fight! Our young men sacrificed and died, and still do so with valour and hero- ism their noble ideals live and will help to re- deem the world. But, in the case of those most- nearly responsible for the war, what of they themselves, and what oftheir ideals and motives? These latter live, and their ideals live—for a time! Am I right, however, in describing am- bition, power, and material greed and selfish- ness. as "ideals?" No! At best these are only interests." And, as surely as an ideal which is truly yours calls forth your belief and devo- tion, so surely will such an ideal triumph and vindicate itself. One man with a belief," said J. Stuart Mill, "is a social power equal to ninety-nine who have only interests." How dismally flat has fallen the note of im- perialistic ambition in these days of democratic uprisings! How strong and clear the note of democratic triumph in Russia! What presages are these of great events yet unborn! What is the significance of this hour of birth to Labour in this and other countries? A flood- tide is imminent in the affairs of Labour and in- dustry; the waves of unrest roll and will roll with increasing strength. Is it all the gather- ing of a storm which is soon to burst with furv ? Is it war? Have we not had more than enough of war in Europe, without being again precipitated into an industrial war at home? Are we so drunk with war that we must find another, and fight another, before ending the war in Europe? Not so, it seems to me. I hardly think anyone in the Labour movement desires industrial war for the sake of war. More surely is there not any who is drunk with war. In industry there has practically alwavs been war. The coming gigantic struggle is only an accentuation of what always has been in greater or less degree. But why prolongation or accen- tuation of this war? Why not peace? Because we see, as Tennyson saw fifty years -ago:- Peace sitting under her olive, and slurring the day gone by, When the poor are hovelled and hustled to- gether, each sex,. like swine. When only the ledger lives, and when only not all men lie; Peace in her vineyard-yes !but a company gorges the wine." And the vitrol madness flushes up in the ruf- fian's head, Till the filthy by-lane rings to the veil of the trampled wife, And chalk and alum and plaster are sold to the poor for bread, And the spirit of murder works in the very means of life." The old Eastern saying that the tears of the poor undermine the thrones of kings," has a modern parallel and a modern application. Our modern kings are kings of capital; have we not our "coal kings," "steel kings," and their like. and many mighty princes of industry? Do we say peace while such kings and thrones hold, sway? We have yet to come to our Runnimede to obtain our industrial Magna Charta. It is true we hate war; it is true we have little love for fighting for fighting's sake. We desire peace in all ways; socially and industrially as well as internationally. Our minds and hearts respond readily to the call of fellowship; and we turn to quiet natural scenes to satisfy our long- ing for unity and harmony. We love the solace of the woodlands and the streams and the wild flowers, and there do we dream of happier days. There we refresh our spirits and rekindle our flame of hope; there, too, we gather strength and inspiration to renew oiii- efforts to build the City of Friends. But before we can begin to build we must shatter the old structures, and level to ground the age-long bulwarks of tyranny and oppression. This is our present task, and may we not flinch in the doing of it. The old order changeth; we may help it to change more quickly. We seem in every direction to be at the cross-roads, and particularly do we seem to be at the cross-roads in our social and industrial advance. There is a road which leads to freedom; we shall take it if we are strong and clear-sighted enough. To take it means the removing of strongly en- trenched interest and privilege, it means the breaking down of barriers of long established i-ight the right to "control" industry; to control the workers and conditions of labour; to control wages and profits; to control men in the sense of their being subordinates and serfs. This "right" and many other such "rights" must and will be challenged and defeated before entrance to the road to liberty, plenty, and peace can be effected. For such a "right" is morally on par with Prussian "might," in so far as ownership and control is -not held with and by the consent of the human beings owned and con- trolled. Prussianism in industry must go sooner or later—it must go before there can be indus- trial freedom. The system of industrial and com- mercial competition falls with the fall of the Prussian right of control and domination, whether in individual instances this control has been exercised beneficiently or not. Hail! the Laboui w .ii against a right." I will not cease from taental fight, Nor shall niv sword sleep in my hand. Till we have built Jerusalem In England's green and pleasant land. n
Jas. Winstone at Ynyshir.
Jas. Winstone at Ynyshir. UNORGANISED DISTRICT YEARNS FOOR JUSTICE. Impressions of a C.L.C. Class Student obtained from an Address by Mr. Jas. Winstone, at Work- man's Hall, Ynyshir, on Sunday June 3, 1917. As most people know, Ynyshir is in the Rhondda Valley, in the centre of great industrial activity. For years it has been the happy hunt- ing ground of Nonconformity, and there, too, has figured very largely the philanthropic em- ployer, in the person of Sir W. J. Thomas. These two this, perhaps more than anything else, have made the people the most orthodox in the surrounding districts, and as a consequence the most loth to accept the anti-popular ideas, pro- pagated by the C.L.C., etc. Nothwithstanding these unfavourable factors the Ynyshir class came into being, bringing in its train the ad- vantage of clear sight to those young men in the district who were anxious to understand the why of the many palpable and obvious injustices that they were continually confronted with.. Having grasped the fundamental ideas, they naturally wanted to spread them abroad, and so a series of public meetings were entered upon for the summer months, in order to strengthen the class for the coming winter's work. So far no direct anti-war speech has been delivered there, and one watched with some curiosity the demeanour of the people when such a well- known anti-warite as Jas. Winstone came among them. One or two questions troubled the or- ganisers, one of which was whether the meet- ing would be ignored, and then again would there be an uproar. At the time appointed to commence, the first fear was quickly proved to be groundless, and upon the speaker's arrival the second was quickly shattered by the applause which greeted him. One felt that 'neath the expressions engen- dered by a rabid prs, of hate of the enemy and contempt for the workers who wish for peace, there lay the longing desire for an end to this terrible war. Because, after all, in the mind of the workers, there exists the sole impression of Mr. Winstone, as an anti-war man. All his other activities are lost sight of in this one great fact. This shows that even where no propaganda work has been done, there exists this desire for peace, a olind and incoherent desire, it is true. but still a strong one, providing fertile ground for the Workers' and Soldiers' Council that is to be in this land of ours, so stricken by the dominant class run amok. The subject of the lecture was U Man's inhumanity to man." The subject was one that lent itself to opportunities for illustrating the evils of present day existence in every sphere of life. The war naturally came first, with its out- standing examples of inhumanity and horror, 8,000,000 of the best and brightest of the world's youth gone beyond recall, 8,000,000 potential workers in the cause of humanity's freedom, lost in futility. The picture is a dark one, even for war, though one expects such tragedies in an ab- normal period of the present type. And as the speaker continued to dwell upon the inhuman tragedies of life outside of war, such as the number of lives lost in the mines and factories, and the number of the workers' chil- dren who died annually as a result of insufficient care and nutriment, the people thrilled at the injustice, and all mentally vowed theee things should cease. They were indignant, but still impoteht and blind to the way of altering the state of things. The speaker told them that if they would have these things altered, they and they alone could bring about their own social salvation, and I was confident that resolutions were made to do their part in the minds of all there. As a student ofeconoii-ties the writer naturally felt, that something more was necessary than to just rouse indignation, or even to procure mental resolutions to alter things, for, after all, the in- dignation of the workers is easily roused by the sight of a palpable injustice, or avoidable sor- row. One felt that Mr. Winstone should at least point out the cause of the miseries which human flesh is heir to under the present system of society, but no word came forth; it seemed almost as if lie believed that some man or men, were responsible, such as Lloyd George or Lord Milner, whilst all the time, as instance of wrong followed upon each other in quick succession, the same force could be discerned. Was it babies being starved, or- miners being murdered, or was it soldiers being blown to quick and horrible de- struction, it was always the same old cause. It echoed and re-echoed, through my brain: Capi- talism, Capitalism, and still Capitalism, and the words of Ernest Evered in the Iron Heel, were always there: You have mismanaged my brothers. Yes, woefully and sadly mismanaged that so terrible a tragedy should befall the hu- man race, as a result of your activities. The doom of this system is set, it has ceased to be useful, worse, it is dangerous to the happiness of Man." Mr. Winstone gave us as an instance of the insufficiency of the Government, who would not hear his plea, begging them to plant trees on the hill-sides of Wales, with the result that to-day, we are confronted with a serious shortage of pit timber. This is not an example of inefficiency, this instance portrays the action of perfection in Capitalist production. He said it would have given work to thousands of men not fit to work in the mines. Does he not know that they have no thought of that? Capitalism has no cons- cience, and further, as long as it remains the method of production, then it must not have anything so ruinously foolish. They did not plant trees on the Welsh mountain-sides because it was economically unsound to do so. In other words it paid better to procure them from abroad. Capitalism has no Fatherland, and if it paid to-morrow to procure commodities from Germany, why, they would get them there. Capi- talism is international, and as easily as they flung us intq a war for profit, so would they fling us onto the streets to starve for profit. The workers' interests, too, are international. Let us organise in the workshop, the seat of their power, to procure that which gives them power —the possession of the means of production. —