Pioneer

I The Comb-Out. I I MINERS' OPPOSITION TO SCHEME. I I MERTHYR AND DOWLAIS DEMAND FOR I BALLOT. The proposed com b-out of colliery workmen is PPosed bluntly by the Merthvr mid Dowlais Miners. At a joint mass meeting of the two districts v*the Olympia Rink, Merthyr, on Sunday, Mr. 41vis Jones (Dowlais) presiding, the following ^lution was adopted unanimously — That this joint meeting of the Merthyr and dowlais miners rejecte the proposed comb-out u'ntl1 such time as the members of the South Wales Miners' Federation are given an oppor- tunity of expressing their opinion by ballot ^pon what is to them a life and death ques- lion" and that if such ballot vote shows them ? be unwilling to undertake military service a conference shall immediately be called in *>rder to consider what further action shall be ken. Further, we appeal to all delegates to ^ext Thursday's conference of the S.W.M.F. ?t Cardiff to insist that the question of tie ?Mnb-out shall have first consideration on the 4genda, and we instruct our own delegates to speak and vote solidly against any oomb-out -%7ad in favour of peace by negotiation. 1 r. Dd. Thomas, Merthyr, moving the reao- won, said that if it were decided by ballot to 1JPPort the comb-out then the miners should be honest and take part in the war like others. hear.) I Mr. Wm. Thomas, seconding, said it was not -.Solutions that were required but action. (Hear, ear.) Too many resolutions that had come to ught had already been passed. It was up to e delegates to see that the question of the llh-out should be given first consideration at "A^sday's conference, because in three weeks' lIne the young colliery workmen between eight- j*61* and twenty-five years of age were supposed ? be called up; and he believed that the Execu- ¡ve of the S.W.M.F. was deliberately killing t")Ie so as not to face the situation. Whether t ?y had not enough confidence in themselves ? "Were too great cowards, he could not say. All  the line they had been playing nething bll,ta (",aiiio of bluff. (Applause.) 11 Lewis Jones, commenting on the resolu- '?D, said that were the workers able to force the ?ascription of wealth the war would soon be at ? end. (Hear, hear.) Mr. B. J. Williams, deputy-agent to the Mer- yr miners, said that the signs of the times jilted towards the end. Not so long ago Mr. ob Williams, of the Transport Workers, told 'hem that he had been spoken to about demobili- sation, and when it came to that it meant that in high authority were measuring their ^'stances. It was plain there was something in wind. There was no question about it, not cei-taiii of the Government, but many of the labour leaders would have much to answer for aft" the war. A Voiee What about BraceP 'I Mr. Williams: He is cooking his goose well. daughter.) ]' Mr. Williams, continuing, referred to Mr. rank Hodges' statement at the Glasgow confer-  of miners that if the Government were ulol(' to spend ?7,000.000,000 in a day to kill pea 1 P'EOPIO then surely thev could find sufficient 'ioney to adequately house the workers of the ountry. if these were Mr. Hodges' sentiments 6 should have said so long .age instead of sit- lng, on the fence. (Hear, heav.) With regard to the comb-out it appeared that Glamorgan's contribution was to be 3,021, and far as he had been able to work out, the Merthyr district, with a membership of 8,500, 1Ilould have to contribute 74 "Glass A men. In the comb-out schemes there were classified ex- teptio?iK from which it was plain to see, the aim 1Ila,s to take the men slice by slice. l' Replying to Aid. Charles Griffiths, Mr. Wil- ^•arns said that as far as the Executive of the ,S.W.M.F. was concerned there were three items to be placed on the agenda for next Thursday's Conference: (1) taking actiion to ascertain the "liew of the British organised labour on the ques- tion of peace to place, it before the Labour move- 111en of the belligerent countries; (2) the comb- at; and (3) peaee bv negotiation. The third It} |tem, however, he was surprised to see had been ?t out. After the comb-out resolution had been passed, ? Member of the audience moved another reso- uhon condemning the Government for ita iÍt.In.ent of conscientious objectors. This was So carried with unanimity. The comb-out was discussed by the Rhymney ,1111ners who also instructed their delegates to Vote against the scheme, whilst opposition was x 1'es e too, by the Cambrian workmen, Cly- Vale. lie atti Lide taken up bv the Penygraig dis- -?ict was to support the M.F.G.B. scheme for reCrulting of miners, provided all classes of °[Wn be treated alike. Abercynon miners criticised the comb-out, es- _??cially as colliery officials and deputies were xempt, the class affected being repairers, tim- "?nien and colliers.

Labour and Reconstruction. APPEAL FOR CONSOLIDATION. ->-rp^e joint Executives of the Trad e Unions Con- PQ??  the Labour party have issued an ap- pe.a.1 t-O' the British trade union movement for ?. Potion for the purpose of dealing eReotive- Y y with reconstruction problems after the war. Tx  Ported out that for the period of the >a Labour has yielded to national necessity ttiar, ?ghts which took long years of work and ists Ce the older generation of trade union- ..ist? T'? ? achieve. The problems which the war has ,0c ^ned and which are now pressing for solu- t10?ll d,em "d as an imperative necessity a better 0^rganised and more coherent working-class move- of +i 6 appeal emphasises the far-reaching scope f the Labo,.r policy to be dealt with at the con- clu on the war—demobilisation, the restora- t I of ??s union conditions, unemployment, the TY • Utenance of standard wages and condi- "tions '• +l extension of public owners h ip an d con- t the ,"tension of public ownership and con- trol i t production and distribution of na- tio al liecessties,oved holisina- for the peo- Die ho++e^ucational opportunities for the chil- dren nf ? workers, a more efficient public h?aHS-? -?'???ese were a few of the many qnesfir,^cuPOIJ which It was essential that organ- ised T? ? ???h ? was essential that organ- ?id?y '?? have wise views and well-

??YPR!NT!NG ORDER giv?e u???. "??"eef Press" means more A?n? ?? Party Propaganda. Get into ^he Line of ou MUNITION WORKERS.

Second Thoughts" of Miles Malleson. THE CONFESSIONS OF A "PATRIOT" TURNED PACIFIST. [" Second Thoughts," Miles Malleson, demy 8vo., 98 pp., stiff paper covers. National La- bour Press, Ltd., Manchester, 1 J nett.] A commendable little volume in our batck from the National Labour Press is the apologia pro vita sua of Miles Malleson. Miles Malleson on the outbreak of war was filled with the spirit of "patriotism," and seduced by the guiles and wiles of the Jingoes he joined the army to fight for .Freedom and Liberty. Discharged a few months' later, Mr. Malleson again comes within the scope of Militarism under the Military Ser- vice Act, but in the interim Miles Malleson has been educated, and the erstwhile soldier is now a conscientious objector. In his Second Thoughts Mr. Malleson tells us what brought about the change of faith. To the pacifist much of the volume is not new, it is a good, readable re-hash of Morel and Brailsford, and other authorities we have been using this last three, years now, with Mr. Malleson showing through all the time. That really is what I like about the volume, the personal, confidential, easy style with which Mr. Malleson does his work. It has that personal touch that makes such an eminent- ly personal volume as this really enjoyable as well as readable. I should like to see every Tri- bUlilal member reading this volume, for then they would realise the utter foolishness and fu- tility of that eternal question they had-" How long have you had this conscience? That was a question that always was ridiculous to me, for I might come into possession of facts to-day that will completely revolutionise my outlook on life, and entirely change my conscience on vital matters. That as a matter of fact is what has happened to hundreds besides Mr. Malleson; tne difference is that he has had the courage to stick by his new idea and ideal, whereas the others have subordinated their consciences be- cause they feared the ridicule and contumely of their ignorant contemporaries. It is a splendid little volume of confession, and I can wish it a big circulation in all sincerity. A.P.Y.

Miss Howsin's Internment. A DESPOTIC POWER. The Law Journal," commenting on Miss Howsin's case, says that people may have be- come reconciled to the existence of the Home Secretary's power to deprive British subjects of their liberty and keep them without trial, but it is none the less, as. Earl Russell said des- potic power comparable to the lettres de cachet of the Bastille," and must be most carefully exercised and watched. The decision of the Secretary of State is final and without control. Nor is there any assurance that a case once reported on is ever re-submitted to a committee for consideration after any lapse of time or change of circumstances, though the original conditions held to justify the imprison- ment may have altogether disappeared. Such a condition of things cannot fail to cause grave anxiety with the lengthening period of the war; and Lord Parmoor was only anticipating what will soon be a very general demand when he asked that all cases should bereoonsideredoy Advisory Committees periodically, in order that they might determine whether imprisonment was still necessary. That was a minimum of redress which, now that the courts have declined juris- I diction to review, the Government ought to! grant promptly of its own motion."

Merthyr Housing Scandals I I MUNICIPAL LODGING-HOUSES ADVO- I CATED. WORKING-CLASS MOTHERS AND CHILDj WELFARE. A discussion at the Merthyr Health Committee on Wednesday on infantile mortality among the working classes led to the advocacy of municipal lodging-houses as a solution to bad housing pending the carrying on after the war of con- templated housing schemes. Dr. Alex Duncan (medical officer of health) presented an epitome of the report on child wel- fare of Dr-. Newshoime, medical officer of the Local Government Board, when he quoted as say- ing at variance with the views of some of the speakers at the" baby week campaign "The working-class mother is too often accusea- of ig- norance which, it is furthermore assumed, is much less prevalent among well-to-do mothers. This- is a facile and unbalanced explanation of the excessive child mortality among working claisses." Mr. L. M. Francis, commenting on the report, said that the working-class mother had as much I love for her child as the woman in better cir- cumstances, and so far as knowledge of young children was concerned the working-class girl knew more than the other because the latter was not taught to get married for the sake of bear- ing children but to maintain her social position. One case was mentioned of fourteen people living in å two-roomed house, and he (Mr. Francis) went into a house one day where he found three married couples living—the three women being expectant mothers—and in it were only two beds. What could be expected respecting child welfase when such conditions existed P Mr. H. M. Lloyd (chairman) pointed out the difficulty of adequate housing reforms in war- time, whereupon Mr. Francis suggested that sanitary inspectors might do muah to remedy matters by continual visiting of the poorer dis- tricts. He then proceeded to recommend Muni- cipal lodging-houses. Taking the Angel Build- ings flats as an illustration, he said they would compare exceptionally favourably with most ex- isting houses occupied by the poorer classes in the town. If the Town Council took over one of the many vacant lodging houses now avail- able and ran them upon this principle they would get rid of part of the housing scandal at once. Mr. H. L. Jenkins (sanitary inspector) re- ported that in one street in the upper district a family of husband, wife, four working-children, a young woman and three children occupied two rooms and one of the children, a lad of sixteen, was earning £ 3 15s. a week. There were, Iio-w- ever, no workmen's dwellings to let either in Penydarren or Dowlais, whereas the lodging- houses there were nearly all empty. Mr. Francis: I have tried to fimd houses in Penydarren for two lots of people, and I can/t get any. Why can't we get a report, upon the Oxford Lodging-house to see if weeanJt do some- thing now it is going vacant. The Carlton Lodging-house also being men- tioned, the chairman said that the difficulty about such lodging-houses was that there was not sufficient privacy for families. Eventually, on the motion of Mr. E. Morrell, seconded by Mrs. M. A. Edmunds, it was de- cided to recommend to the Town Council the ap- pointment of a sub-committee to inspect lodging- houses in the town now vacant and that could be possibly taken over.

Engineers' Strike. I THREE DAYS' STOPPAGE AT DOWLAIS I AND CYFARTHFA. About 280 men employed at Messrs. Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds Iron and Steel Works went on strike on Monday, and on, Wednesday agreed to return to work pending negotiations with regard to their demands. Consisting of engineers, mechanics, electri- cians, fitters, turners, pattern makers, smiths and strikers, the workmen belong to the Amal- gamated Society of Engineers. Their demands are that the full district flat-rate of 32 a week should be paid all journeymen (instead of differ- ential rates) plus current percentages (now 89-21 per cent.) according to the selling-prices of steel rails and tin bars, together with war bonus. The majority of journeymen are stated to be already paid the full weekly rate of 32s., but about 31 are not, the wages varying from 22/6 to 32/- a week. Mr. O. A. Janfes, Cardiff (organising district delegate for the A.S.E.), and a deputation, in- terviewed the management (including Mr. Howell R. Jones, general manager) on Wednes- day, and an understanding was given that pro- vided the men returned to work on Thursday morning full war bonuses and overtime would be paid without regard to the time lost by the stoppage. This fact being communicated to a meeting of the workmen later in the day they decided to re- sume on the condition instanced above. Negotiations with the employers' representa- tives were accordingly opened on Thursday.

Swansea Miners and the Break-Up. At a largely attended mass meeting of the Tarreni workmen (S.W.M.F.) held on Monday evening a resolution was passed protesting against the breaking up of Sunday's conference in the Elysium, Swansea, and advocating a down tools policy in the event of such con- ferenceis failing to have the protection of the Government and the civil authorities, so that they might be held without mob interference. The lodge delegate to the Cardiff S. W .M.F. Con- ference on Thursday was mandated to move the resolution as a matter of emergency.

The firm of Messrs. Burgoyne, Burbidge and Co., wholesale druggists and chemists, have agreed to meet a deputation from the National Amalgamated Union of Shop Assistants, Ware- housemen and Clerks acting on behalf of the staff to discuss various points connected with re- cent negotiations for a war bonus. The deputa- tion will meet the firm on Tuesday of this week.

WOMEN'S PEACE CRUSADE, A MEETING in connection with the above will be held in BE NTLEY'S HAL l. ON TUESDAY EVENING NEXT, at 8 p.m. ——? —— All interested are urged to attend. NATIONAL Amalgamated LABOURERS' UNION. Registered Office -1 ST. DAVID'S PLACE, RUTLAND STREET, SWANSEA. The Live Fighting Union for South Wales. We Don't Merely List Benefits on Paper-We PAY Them. General Secretary: JOHN TWOMEY. Organiser: "BOB" WILLIAMS, 220 Blackfriars Road, London, S.E. District Secretaries: A. BARTON, 5 Stuart Street, Docks, Cardiff; JOHN O'LEARY, Century Institute.,Winmiil Street, Newport, Mon.; Coun. J. POWLESLAND, 10 Picton Place, Swansea ALL CLASSES CATERED FOR-MALE AND FEMALE. Affiliated to the National Transport Workers' Federation, Trade Union Congress, and National Labour Party. Approved under the National Health Insurance Acts. r eel I BOWLAIS OS-OPERATIVE SOCIETY, Limited. ] i 16. 17, 18, and 19, Union Street, Dowlais. ) DRAPERY DEPT. I  We are now showing a Large Assortment of New GO"S for the I- B coming Goason:-  I Household Linen. Blankets. Quilts. Sheets. I I Carpets and Rugs. MILLINERY DEPT. B j Costumes. Jackets. Blouses. Ladies and I I Children's Millinery. I Is VALUE AND QUALITY GUARANTEED IF YOU BUY AT • j 16, 17, 18 & 19, Union Street, Dowlais. I | Pantscallog, Dowials. Caeharris, Dowials. g I High Street, Penydarren. I ) Station Terrace, Bedlinog. j L. II II tt_i

A Need Supplied. j There is before me a pamphlet to which, by the permission of the Editor, I fain would draw the attention of Pioneer readers. Fts title is a question: "What does education mliran to the Workers? which it attempts and succeeds in answering. As one wHo can only boast a two years' ac- quaintance with the Plebs League and all it stands for, partly because a pamphlet of this sort was not widely circulated before; and as one who has experienced great difficulty in trying to verbally explain to many persons anxious to know the need for independence in education and the purpose, history and relations tjtf the Plebs League and the Central Labour College, the writer's appreciation of such a tract as this is especially keen. Simply and briefly the need is here supplied. Besides satisfying this need it will help disperse the suspicion often at present existing toward this new upstart among older Socialist propagan- dist bodies. The forward movement is cursed with such a multiplicity of organisations, that jealous eyes are rightly turned upon new addi- tional bodies until they can prove their exist- ence justifiable. This is a claim to an existence. This pamphlet proves, to those who are unfami- liar with the pages of Plebs from '09 onwards, that this newer movement is not an attempt to create a schism or antagonism in the older poli- tical parties but aids and complements their work. Just as the I.L.P., for example, taught the Trade Union movement the need and value of independence in politics, so the Plebs League and its localised form the C.L.C. League advo- cates independence in education. Surely it will be agreed that the necessary premise for indus- trial and political action is a knowledge of things as they really are. But to the contents of the pamphlet. After estimating at their true worth technical educa- tion and education in the humanities, the com- rades Horrabin deal with the education needed by the Labour Movement—the end towards which education must be the means j review past at- tempts to supply knowledge to the workers; show that not the State, or any other organisation supporting the present system, will provide revo- lutionary knowledge but that necessarily the La- bour Movement must provide this itself; and they emphasise the fact that working-class edu- cation must be based upon a recognition of that class antagonism, which is, of course, the funda- mental reason for the existence of the Labour ilfove,ment itself. The impossibility of neutrality in such matters, the danger and silliness of prating about impartiality to a class engaged in actual warfare, and the conscious or uncon- scious propagandist nature of all education are touched upon. The case against the W.E.A. in the sphere of adult education is argued without acrimony. The raising of civic character," the supposedly possible full development of the in- dividual and high-sounding meaning-nothing phrases like "educating democracy" are brush- ed aside for a frank appeal to the workers as a class, who as a class must win out. An all too short chapter of history gives the story of the Central Labour College from the famous strike at Ruskin up' to the present time. The pamphlet does not mention the heart-break- ing struggle endured by the pioneers of the movement before recognition was accomplished. Reasons of space and of modesty probably pre- vent the writers from dilating on this side of the story. The self sacrifice and the mass of un- paid toil in this, as in other progressive move- ments, is a tale that will never be fully told; yet it is a bright omen for the future. the only regret the pamphlet begets is that it is not larger. But what it is lacking in size is compensated by its small cost. By just thrash- ing out the simple issue in plain language it opens the way for further investigations. You. Mr. Reader, should read, mark, learn and In- wardly digest it, and then you will be prepared to help form in your locality official or unofif- cial classes in the social sciences. The threefold equipment of organised Labour needs completion and full development. Independent in politics, in industrial matters, and in education, the La- bour giant will claim its owr-the world. M.S. Published by Plebs League, lid., post paid, 127 Hamlet Gardens, Ravenscourt Park, London W. (6).

Literary. UNITARIAN PAMPHLETS on "The Bible," Heaven," and Hell," given post free.- Miss BARM-BY, Mount Pleasant, Sidmouth. Medical. t34- PAGE BOOK ABOUT HERBS AND (J HOW TO USE THEM, Post Free. Send for One. TRIMNELL, THB HERBAMST, 144, RICBMOND ROAD, CARDIFF. Established 1879. Miscellaneous, ASTROLOGY.—Life Events, Changes, For- Atunat,,?e Days, Business Success, Matrimony; Two Years' Future added.Send Birth-date, 1/- P.O., PROF. GOULD, "The Nook," Heathfield Road, Cardiff.

RHEUMATISM- KIDNEY TROUBLE. Rheumatism ia due to uric acid crystals in the joints and muscles, the result of excessive uric acid in the system that the kidneys failed to remove as nature intended, and this acid is to a great extent the cause of backache, lum- bago, sciatica, gout, urinary trouble, stone, gravel and dropsy. The success of Estora Tablets for the treat- ment of rheumatism and other forms of kidney trouble is due to the fact that they restore the kidneys to healthy action, and thereby remove the cause of the trouble, and have cured num- berless cases after the failure of other remedies, which accounts for them superseding out-of-date medicines that are sold at a price beyond all but the wealthy. Women frequetly suffer from ills, aches, and pains under the impression that they are victims of ailments common to their sex, but more often than not it is due to the kidneys, and in such cases Estora Tablets will set them right! The test is at least worth making, as woman's happi- ness and success in life depends en her health. Estoca Tablets fully warrant their description -an honest remedy at an honest price, 1/3 per box of 40 tablets, or six for 6/9. All Chemists or, postage free, from Estora Co., 132, Charing Cross Road, London, W.C. Bargoed and Aberbargoed Agent—W. PARRY WILLIAMS, M.P.SJ.