Pioneer

I Which Weapon Shall We Use? By The Editor. SEE PAGE 2

Concerning. l Political Action. A Reply to Mark Starr. PAGE 3.

TOM MANN IN MERTHYR. Audience of over Two Thousand endorse Leeds Conference and Cheer Russian Revolution. The Future of Industry and the Shop Committee. 1 The Socialist movement in Merthyr was jubi- la Q on Sunday. With counter-attractions such  Ben Tillett, and the inspection of the V.T.C. y a high commander, and the competition of Weather absolutely tropical, that almost com- Pelled to inaction, or where a surplus of energy allowed action, called strongly to wooded glades a 'he breezes of the mountain side, it was sCarcely to be anticipated that the Rink would Prove the attract-ion,-it did even with such a 'c <V as the ever-popular Tom Mann. For oyT-t)j000 persons of both sex to gather on such a day was indeed somewhat of a triumphant c„ Use fol- jubilation; not triumphant because of sUccess over the rival competitions of meeting or tural beauties, but triumphant because of the ttonstrable certainty it has given to our con- ations that the country has come around to Ul' Way of thinking; that something of a psy- chological revolution has been acted throughout 0 1 nation as a reaction of the Russian Revolu- IOn. It guaranteed that Leeds was OUT a reflex oj?—?r ?'thyr and of every other progressive in- Ustlal œntre. Apart, too, from the size of the ng there was inspiration in its spirit; a ?l"rit which found spontaneous expression in *siagmg of the ?Red Flag by the audience, c originating in the 1Udience; in the cheers JiJJ 1:11 burst out for Russia, and rolled over Peny- b'?i?,,t olltfoi- Russia, and rolled over Peny- ?? Park, where a form of militarism was der rview; and a spirit that had more signi- Tnt £ in the mtentness with which it followed Tolll description of the Shop Steward and (WT rn?^ee method of organisation in Trades Cni Onisni' 0PP0sed to the current met.od of "?anisation. ¡ Councillor LI. M. Francis presided, supported W a_8trong platform. The meeting cheered Mr. l?. Harris, ??ncement that next Saturday a lqi e eting W,,s to be called of the Discharged Sol- leI'S and Sailors with a view to organising them mto  an d Into a w, '6<VG bodv. purely democrahc- and U,! full f nomy to preserve their rights, re- ?'ess injuf es, secure better'' recompense for in- i JUS Ices, secure bettcr rcobmpensc for In- JUrifH: ?,ta ined ? the State's behoof, to open ?ha? r" employment, and, above all, to se- Cure H, ose channels from the possibilities of ex- ]) OUatIon ?? insisting on full trades union rights ^Qd ??'?S?s. Such organisations had already be formed in 50 or more Lancashire and York- (,-c, res, and the local Trades Council had ?rtaken the preliminary work of org.a.ni- ° here at the hehof of the Trades Councils Lancashire; but after next Saturday the or- ganlsatioD would be independent and free from \'er  b 1  but sympathetic co-operation w hen ed f,r7 -for ? was to be a proper democratic bgaUs.tIoll, ?°? ?"t a spurious one such as had bp???"?? ? the ?ploying classes. (Cheers.) CSrm^Ti .lTrancis filled the chair with his Usual g?eat abibty, reminding us that Tom Mann to-d occupied the same position with' regard ?militarism tha he had occupied 23 years 4?0; Prove ???h contention, he read iis an <?t? n'om one of Mann's pamphlets which 1? (1011 bt of Tom -vu. ittitiide to ?-? "oabt of Tom Mann's attitude to Im- htr? a.S-f l\hhtal'lfHl1 23 yaars back. He con- ? ??. Mann's rock-like steadfastness to <tISa p,rtnciples of former days, with the incon- stanc ?? so many other so-called leaders; a con- trast'?'?h led to further cheers for the speaker of t afternoon. of ?tt?)t afternoon. d I tl l £ r ?m Mann was obviously pleased with the \0' and SPUlt of the audience, and his first ?'ord. ?'? of hearty congratulation to all who ?cr? l"PoJJ.sihle for *i-lie success of the afternoon ga the^' a gathering which evidenced that ??' ? gathering which evidence d that ther? ^as a really good movement in Merthyr, ^c'niline one, due largely to .the very close ?sla.t? ????? ORc, due largely to .the very close 'Ol.iP wl,ich existed between the electorate trhl^ Borough and our dear late Comrade and ?pi? ?'-J.?. Keir Hardie. (Cheers.) to ceedmg, Mr. Mann said he had permission todepaxt f 01-tfew minutes from the fillb' 04et for the afternoon—" Trades Unionism -?f r t. "-and to make a brief statement ? at appened at Leeds. That Conference ill ?? hi-) in order that the attitude of Russia 6^0lJld be dalt with and endorsed, and although ? M?<? ? ?' he had no doubt w?e had dealt with yr he bad no doubt we had dealt with tile Ussian exhaustively he would like to pllt ?? ?"s own words, and to take our opinion u e' T on ■ It was the decis i on of that Con- fert3U On thel'eon. It was the decision of that Con- ?nce .1?? ??? there were four main reso- j ?tio) ns ?y one day in which to deal with eot 0 allow amendments, but to afford .0 ilities of d?cussion, and then take tUissians for or against. The terms used by the the Vo(.(, ?' °?' against. The terms used by the t,errn that they favoured peace ?elusive of annexations or indemnities ?ave j.,p? ?.?. considerable discussion by some pre- VlS OWn P?'t it occurred to him at ''? tha,t h i °uld like to know what interpre- nation ?'? '? ssians themselves gave to their Phrase, ???emnities and no annexations," ?r WQ should (Jnly sliol lid a ^ke to see the Germans not ?y cleared ?? of Belgium, but the Belgians also given Srm ???'' c h ance of re-establishing themselves nle fair chace of l'e-esblslllng J^heerg)^ .^Pder satisfactory conditions— ?h?ers)??i/ ? ??? no^ to wait long before the ? Asians the ?'?< '?s issued a memorandum in ?Uch thev i abundantly clear exactly e abundantly clear exactly ?hat they mi an^ ??t neither of the big powers ?oulc! be n^ to hi.N- hold of anct e l a i .Tii. as ?H"s add1t11tted to V hold of and claim as qUence of tílÎ<ll t.enitory taken as a conse- ?Qenee of this ^t1"' and that, as regards in- ??nities, there whr,.an that,. as regards lll- 11^' ?? ?'?hing of a corre- Ponding charactp 1 tnpose d upon the conquered ?_ t)(?a n id(, upon the conquered sheers.) Whn?i. ? conclusion of this war. Voheers. ) Whp^ be lead that he was entirely ?Bed that theLv ?? what esac% fitte? ?hisownd? 'Witli -Ili, own d(,i?e,, ,an-din a ecordan,?, with his ()f the ? I )ff aIr ?h? in short, ?? ?af b. ?'? ?'t? be ? ?"?h-?bust? enng campaign th (Cheery   ,b <:> ,()r 0,,a, (Chc-er,) Indeed, ? t beir mamfesto th6 J Russia? ?d? e?? ?so clear that there was no l oom for misunderstandings of their meaning on the part of any fairminded and moderately intel- ligent person. The language of the manifesto was plain, clear and specific, setting forth that those responsible for the war should not have ad- ditions to Empire, and that they should not rub it in to those who sooner or later would be regarded as the beaten countries. He believed that all who lived here and had been connected ¡ with the advanced movements for a considerable period of years, had already threshed out this problem in considerable detail and had come to the conclusion that the attitude adopted by the Russians was the only wise one. (Cheers.) He reminded us that Russia has a population four times as large as our own, and while it might be difficult to think that a vast percentage of the peasants constituting that huge population would be able to give expression to their desires in this direction, owingo the impression that the peasantry was densely ignorant on such matters, such was not actually the case. The Russian peasantry was really well educated, for there had been large numbers of teachers work- ing at this question for a long period of years, honest-minded, well developed intellectually and otherwise, Revolutionists, who had suffered in- carceration, banishment to Siberia, and death for no other crime than that they had laboured to carry (knowledge to that vast percentage of peasantry to which he had made reference. As a consequence a really educated proletariate ex- isted with regard to many phases of thought, al- though that would be astonishing to a large per- centage of our people whose economic environ- ment had not been so fidi-ce and whose liberties, in some respects, had not been so curtailed as the Russians. So it was that the Russian pea- santry could be referred to as a well-informed peasantry, who had been consulted on this ques- tion. He therefore, very heartily accepted the opportunity presented by the Leeds Conference to say that he genuinely and whole-souledly en- dorsed the Russian attitude, and believed that it covered not only the protection of smal l na- tions, but even in regard to the shockingly brutal behaviour meted out to British and other sailors whose vessels had been torpedoed, and who had been murdered in their open boats. These men ought to hav" special attention and special reparation, but lie was perfectly sure that the men and women who were responsible for drafting the Russian Manifesto were keenly alive to the adequate reparation and restitution to these men or their dependents, and that-tge principles they had had drawn were strong enough and broad enough to meet these things. The Russians had asked that their terms should be considered, and if approved, endorsed and made known in all the nations. He had con- sidered, approved, and did endorse those terms, and he was going to ask tliac a genuine vote be taken on those terms, .and if they were endorsed, that three whole-hearted cheers be given for genuine, thorough-going, whole-souled Interna- tional Solidarity of the true revolutionary char- acter. (Cheers). But it must be a genuine vote taken properly so that the Press or whoever might be present might check it; and he asked all in favour of the Russian attitude, including the terms" no annexations," and no indemni- ties," and interpreted in the spirit in which he had interpreted it, who believed that it was a sensible attitude, and that it was our duty and should be our pleasure, to respond to the Russian request and tell them whether or not we en- dorsed it or not, to hold up both hands. The vote was then called for and over 4,000 hands were up in the air, hut on the call for against not a hand went up; and then came the cheers for "International Solidarity of the true Revolutionary ebaractei-Ill cheers such as have not been heard in Merthvr since the Peace Conference. Proceeding to hie discussion of Trades Unionism after the War," Mr. Mann declared that since the war many even of the older ad- herents of trades unionism had been to school again, they had been called upon to re-examine what they had said, and then to compare what their comrades in other schools had said. He himself found that there was no difference in essentials in the position lie occupied to-day, and the period 23 years ago to which the chairman referred or since he was old enough to compre- hend the truths of Social Democracy. In those days he declared in favour above all things of the working class becoming sufficiently intelli- gent to learn how to utilise our forces to achieve what we set up as the most desirable of all things, and which we declared to be our economic emancipation, by which we meant freedom to work and to enjoy the results of our work; free- dom to do this in concert with our fellows in the most intelligent fashion—on a co-operative basis —(cheers) ;—as distinct from working under a profit-making system, the basis of which was that the work should de dominated by a master- class who would take all above a subsistence wage produced by the workers, for the benefit of themselves and their class, as excess profit. He had never weakened from that. (Cheers.) He was here to-day with the same object in view as when 23 years ago lie had preached it; realising now, as then, the absolute necessity for render- ing the master-class unnecessary. There were little differences between himself and some of our comrades because he did not attach so much importance to political institutions as he did. But he was not consigning them to Hell for that. The reason lie attached so little importance to the State was because he had learned to look upon the machinery of the State, and the State itself as an organised entity, as an institution that had never been used by those responsible for its use in the interests of the people to whom it belonged. State machinery had always been used by a faction, who dominated over the peo- ple economically, to further exploit the people. Such freedom as the people had obtained had been obtained not through the agency of the State machine, but in spite of it—by fighting it. The State had come into existence in the time of Henry VIII. by robbing the workers of their power to organise with their guilds, and right through the ages the Government backed with the army and the civil powers had exploited and repressed the common people. After the coming of the Industrial Revolution and the machine age, men had been imprisoned, and because still they rebelled, deported in rotten hulks to the Antipodes for daring to combine; and that had only been stopped by the growth of the spirit of rebellion. It was only by organised workers daring to use the power of rebellious behaviour that our forefathers had won room to breathe. How could he then, knowing these things, re, spect the State machine. (Cheers.) Nothing that had to be done had been done by Parlia- ment, only by the power of the unions. Never had there been one single occasion on which any Parliament had ever on its own initiative intro- duced one single measure in the interests of the working-class, and the attitude he took was that we could do a lot better without that machinery; that we could build better machinery to cover every thing, in the industrial arena. Whenever we had the will and the conception the oppor- tunity was there to take the power. It was wrong to say we had the power, for it was im- possible to take it until we had the proper mental concept. Dealing with the Engineering disputes of the past few months he pointed out that the only effective means of protesting in the hands of the men was their power to withhold their labour. The Executives had entered into agreements, re- gulations and understandings with the Ministry of Munitions and other Government Depart- ments that were not in accord with the men, and when disputes had arisen the Government De- partment concerned had naturally turned to the Executives and said We expect you to step in and send them back to work," but the men bad paid as much attention to their Executives as they had to Government departments. Execu- tives that entered into agreements and under- standings with State Departments had frequent- ly to compromise, to make concessions, and to hedge, and so many concessions have been made that practically every bit of economic freedom. fought for for over two generations, had been stripped from the men by a master class and backed by Governmental departments. The men were learning how to overtJiM all that, and he was glad to be associated with them. (Cheers.) lliey now respected Parliament, Government de- partments and permanent officials less than be- fore, and they said that whenever they were approached it was to take something from them, and that when their Executives came into such close and friendly contact with the powers that be, it was sometimes difficult to differentiate a trades union executive of the orthodox type and a Government Department. They would' respond to Executives always and everywhere when they could appreciate, understand and cater for the desires of the rank and file, but when they failed, whether from inability or unwillingness, to do these things, then the men would relv upon themselves. (Cheers.)1* And the machinery to do this was in the workshop, in the shop steward and committee for every 20 or 25 men irrespective of how they were classified or graded, and a committee or sufficient number of com- mittees for every department sensing the throbs ot the worksiiop, and knowing the grievances because living and suffering under them, and working in harmony with the District Commit- tee where that committee was prepared to ex- hibit life and initiative in the right direction. The men refused any longer to be hound by the dictates of fossilised Executives. He took no pleasure in participating in Branch elections of officers and then going against them; when offi- cer's travelled with the rank and file it was all- right, but when they could not it was all wrong. He was out for the formation of these Shop Com- mittees in every industry, and as numerous as possible, each industry and district linked up, and in each district a Council cohering the force of the district, and over the whole a National Council by whatever name it might be called; The man in the shop and the pit must not part with his power by handing it on to a committee elsewhere. The day of intelligent trades union- ism had just opened and we were becoming in- creasingly alive to the uses to which it could be put. Before the hour for demobilisation came we should be prepared to make such drastic changes in the workshops and mines that we could invite every man who came along to parti- cipate in the work to be done. There need be no serious unemployment either at the, close ot the war or later on; the thing was that we should regulate the work wisely and apportion those who shall do it. The meeting took opportunity to pass a reso- lution of sympathy with Mr. John Williams, Miners Agent, on his illness, and to express its hopes for his speedy recovery. »

i. I Colliery Surfacemen. I DISPUTE BETWEEN YORKSHIRE UNIONS. At a conference of the National Federation of Colliery Surface Workers at Sheffield on Satur- day consideration was given to the declaration of the Yorkshire Miners' Association that all surfacemen and underground enginemen must become members of that Association, failing which action, even to the stopping of the pits would be taken to enforce the demand. It was decided that the officials should imme- diately take a ballot on a proposal to hand in notices "to enforce and secure freedom of ac- tion and civil liberties, and to maintain their rights as trade unionists with full liberty, with- out interference or coercion, to remain members of the trade union of their choice." It was further decided to maintain the power of dealing direct with employers, to apply imme- diately for an increase of war bonus from 18 per cent, to 43 patient, on the gross wage, and to press for a maximum working day of eight hours.

Workers' and Soldiers' Council. | PRELIMINARY ARRANGEMENTS OF PRO- VISIONAL COMMITTEE. THE IMPORTANCE OF LOCAL CO-ORDINA- I TION. Comrades,—In accord with the spirit and pur- pose of the magnifioent and inspiring Conven- tion held at Leeds on Sunday, June 3rd, the members of the Provisional Committee then ap- pointed have met, and agreed upon the pre- liminary arrangements required to give effect to the decisions of the Convention. The Convention resolved that 13 directly elected representatives should be added to the acting Provisional Committee. The acting Provisional Committee therefore proposes to divide the area of Great Britain and Ireland into 13 districts. The districts are as follows: 1. Scotland, E Edinburgh 2. Scotland, W Glasgow 3. N.E Newcastle 4. Yorkshire Leeds 5. Lancashire, Cheshire it North Wales Manchester 6. N. and E. Midlands Leicester 7. S. and W. Midlands Birmingham 8. East Anglia. Norwich 9. London and Home Counties London 10. Southern OOl,lnties. Southampton 11. E. Wales and Environs of Bristol Cardiff 12. Wales, W Swansea 13. Ireland. In each district, on a Saturday in July, the Provisional Committee will hold a District Con- ference i4 the towns set out above. At each District Conference there will be elected one representative of the District to 8! upon the Provisional Committee of the Workers' and Soldiers' Council. The District Conference, will deal with other business to be indicated later when full particulars as to date, the precise place of meeting, etc., will be announced. You are especially requested to note that the District Conferences will be convened by the Pro- visional Committee of the Workers' and Soldiers' Council now sitting in London. It is urgently and imperatively requested that every person by whom this circular is read will •stfod' to the Sec^tary • Wo~kcrs* and Sol- diers' Council, a list of all Labour, Socialist and Democratic Organisations, political and indus- trial, including Workshop Committees, Commit- tees of Shop Stewards/ and other working class organisations known to be established in any part of the country. WTherever possible, the names and addresses of the secretaries of these local bodies should be given. The Provisional Committee of the Workers' and Soldiers' Council will then compile a com- plete list of all the bodies specified above, group them in accordance with the plan of territorial division, and then invite each organisation to ap- point delegates to attend the District Confer- ence. All delegates to the Leeds Convention are urged to work through their organisations to secure co-ordination in promoting demonstra- tions in support of the decisions of the Conven- tion. The exceptional facilities open to Trades Coun- cils and local Labour Parties for the promotion of demonstrations should be utilised to the full- est extent possible. Where that cannot be done the other bodies represented at the Convention must get together and arrange for Demonstra- tions. Emphasis is laid upon the importance of Trades Councils and local Labour Parties appointing de- putations to attend branches of trade unions and workshop committees, calling for support of the aims of the Leeds Convention and urging the appointment of delegates to the District Con- ferences. The Provisional Committee will issue a state- ment, of policy based upon the resolutions passed at Leeds. The statement will be issued with the invitation to attend the District Conference. In full and resolute confidence that Labour and Democracy will respond we call for your enthusiastic aid for the great movement initiated at Leeds to restore peace, dethrone militarism, and to establish freedom.— Yours fraternally, The Provisional Committee, H. Alexander, Chas. G. Ammon, W. C. An- derson, C. Despard, E. C. Fairchild, J. Fineberg, F. W. Jowett, Geo. Lansbury, J. Ramsay Macdonald, Tom Quelch, Robert Smillie, Philip Snowden, Robert Williams. All communications should be addressed to— The Secretary, Workers' and Soldiers' Council, 4 Duke-street, Adelphi, London, W.C.2. June 15th, 1917.

Congratulations to Mr. Chappell APPOINTED SECRETARY TO "UNREST" COMMISSION. Mr. Edgar L. Chappell (Cardiff) has been ap- pointed secretary of the Welsh panel of the Com- mission of Enquiry into Industrial Unrest. Mr. Chappell is the Secretary of the Welsh Housing and Development Association, and has had con- siderable experience as an investigator of indus- trial and social conditions of the working classes in Wales and Monmouthshire.

HAVE YO'J PAIN ? J. Swift, Attercliffe, Sheffield, says The first dose 'gave me great relief. I can confidently say that one box of these pills has done me more good than all the medicine I have taken." Mrs. A. Wilkinson, of Nelson, states: "My sister, who suffered from weak kidneys, took one box,, and it has done her more good than pounds spent on medical men." HOLDROYD'S GRAVEL PILLS, a positive cure for Gravel, Pains in the Back, Dropsy, Bright's Disease of the Kidneys, Gout, Sciatica; Is. 3d., all chemists; post free 14 stamps.— HOLDROYD'S MEDTCAL HALL, Cleokheaton. V' ■■ v-

Swansea Valley Notes. Great Work in the Open Air. A splendid meeting was held on Newbury's Field, Clydach, on Sunday evening last. It was called to hear the report of the Leeds Con- vention by the delegate from the local Trades and Labour Council, Mr. H. V. Hunt. A good crowd had assembled and all listened attentive- ly to the report. A section opposed to the Leeds Conference and to the views held by the speaker was present, but it is fair to say that they had the good sense to remain silent throughout the report and at the end they asked a few ques- tions, which were suitably answered. Mr. Edwin Thomas, of Glais, also made a speech in support of the resolutions. Next Sunday evening another open-air meet- ing will be held on the Garth .Field, Glais, when it is expected that Mr. Tom Evans and Mr. Harry Davies, Cwmavon, will speak. A large crowd is anticipated. I have reoeived many enquiries with regard to our comrade, Gethin Davies, of Ystalfefa, and judging by the nature of these enquiries, very keen interest is taken by a host of sympathisers concerning his present position. He was ar- rested at Ystalyfera on April 24th, was re- manded till May 4th, when he was charged at Pontardawe and was fined 40s. and handed over. Brought to Cardiff Barracks on May 5th—"in the best of spirits "—the guards and escorts have been most sympathetic and hospitable. Sent to Kinmel Park on May 7th and placed in guard- roim with six other C,.O.'s including E. Dem- mery, of Cardiff. Court-martiailed on May 14. Interviewed by authorities re his statement that as a theological student who had passed the East Glamorgan Baptist Uniin, thereby qualified to take holy orders—he was subject to the pro- visions of exemption of Army Council Order 462 —sentence postponed pending investigation. Ul- timately sentenced on May 31st to one year hard labour. He was attached to a. regiment which left two days later for Redcar, Yorkshire, and accompanied them there (on June 2nd). From there he went to Wormwood Scrubbs on June 6th very cheerful and full of determination, longing to see the friends who have gone be- fore. Successful Conference. A conference called by the Swansea Valley and West Glamorgan branches of the N.C.F. was held a- the I.L.P. Rooms, Swansea, on Saturday last and matters decided upon included the organisation of West Wales for purposes of propaganda, maintenance of dependents of C.O. 's, etc. /rtÇ.c;. ,;<l,t (t,i, ,j, "i"