Pioneer

S L b Swamping La b our." CONCENTRATION OF TOWN COUNCIL MEETINGS. THE PROPOSAL DEFEATED. Labour opposed a proposal that the committee meetings of the Merthyr Town Council should take place on two days each month. The motion, down in the name of Mr. Gomer Thomas, was considered at Friday's meeting of the Corporation, the Mayor (Mr. N. F. Hankev* J.P.) presiding. A deputation from the Trades and Labour Council, consisting of Messrs. Hugh Williams, W. Harris and Idris Davies, attended. Putting the Labour point of view, Mr. Wil- liams said that the position as far as he under- stood it was an attempt to "swamp" the La- bour section, and his appeal was that such a suggestion should be shelved and the" party truce," as in Parliamentary spheres, observed. Were this move carried out, the principle would create an ugly combination to stir up greater unrest than already existed. Meetings held at hours earlier than those now in force would mean the workers' representatives on the Cor- poration would have to "lose work to attend. Coal-mining was an industry of national import- ance and the output a matter of vital necessity. Thus, withdrawing a number of men from their occupation in the mines to attend Corporation meetings, would be a national disservice. And if these men were compelled to lose a. day's work" or more (as the motion certainly would) the Trades Council—it was no secret that the Trades Council made some recompense to their representatives, though not their full wages equivalent—would in turn be compelled to spend more money in compensation for time lost for which there would be no need, a not to be de- sired matter when the plea for greater economy was remembered. He appealed to them as avowed patriots to suspend any hostility they might harbour towards Labour until after the war. Mr. ldria Davies stated that it was the duty of every citizen to take part in municipal acÍ- ministration, and were they to accept this truism they could only grant out of fairness facilities for all grades of the community to fulfil that ob- ligation. He thought it would be tantamount to an act of disfranchisement of Labour men if Mr. Thomas' proposals were adopted. Mr. H. M. Lloyd, requested by Mr. Thomas to lying forward his motion during his unavoid- able absence, made the assurance that the mo- tion was in no way a move antagonistic to La- bour, but conceived to economise time, by con- vening as many of the meetings as possible on one or two days. As Mr. Thomas was not pre- sent perhaps (lie suggested) it would be just as well to defer the matter. Mr. Lloyd's suggestion was ruled out of order, a-sd on a vote the motion was loet.

The Electric Theatre. I Long queues of eager picture patrons in evi- dence each day of the Christmas holiday week were ample testimony to the splendid film pro- grammes presented at the Merthyr Electric Theatre. Nor are next week's shows a wit- less attrac- tive. Exceptionally thrilling is the star feature for Monday, A 'Munition Girl 's Romance." the players in which include: Violet Hopson and Gregory Scott- in the leads, with Mr. H. Sykes, the most intrepid of Bn t'diln IS famous airmen, who makes his appearance by special permission of the Whitehead Aircraft Co. This is the storv of the film: Lady Eileen Harrison, daughter of Sir John (President of the. Air Board) is working at an a ireraft factory under' the assumed name of "Jenny Jones." George Brandon, head draughtsman, and Hugo Hickman, an overseer, her two most ardent admirers, are- unfriendly owing to Brandon tuming down plans of a worthless machine invented by Hickman. At a meeting of the Air Board it is decided to place the plans 0f a new aeroplane with Brandon for completion. Information is received by Ger- man agents, who, in order to obtain the plans, use Hickman as a tool. IT ntiware that he is as- j sisting the enemy Hickman steals the, plaiiis, and is in turn robbed by the German agents, who- ar- ranged by wireless for a German aeroplane dis- guised with British markings to take the plans to Germany. On her way to work Jenny sees the spies carrying the plans. She, ,follows and sees them handed to the German airman. She hurries to her firm's aerodrome close by, and an English machine goes up and brings down the German after an exciting struggle. The spies are captured and Jenny recovers the plans, which she hands to Brandon, who makes an ap- pointment with her for the evening. An invita- tion from the President of the Air Board com- pels Brandon to break his appointment with Jenny. He goes to the President's hOiUse and finds out who Jenny is. Soon after their mar- riage, the first of the new machines, before leaving for; France, is named after her, Jenny Jones." .From Thursday onwards the bill will be topped by a delightful picturisation of the song Annie Laurie," taken in the hills and dales of Scot- land. There will also be one of Chaplin's most hilarious extravaganzas, "The Count." Each show also includes a fine selection of comedy, travel, news and serial films. For the coming year the management have booked the biggest of the new releases in the picture world--films more ambitious in conception than even the great productions featured by them in the past, and which will ensure for them the lead -as al- ways they have-in the cinema. business of the district.

Merthyr. I Aberfan I.L.P. I Mr. Hughes, Pontypridd, addressed the Aber- fan I.L.P. branch on Socialism and Imperial- I ism." Penydarren Child's Death. I Death from natural causes was the ver- dict at an inquest held on Monday on Elizabeth Mary Williams, aged 31 years, the child of Richard Williams, a labourer at Oyfarthfa l Works, of Williams-place. Penydarren. It was stated that the child had become sick but the parents did not realise how ill she was, and. Dr. ..F rancis Williams stated that death was due to cardiae railure attributable to acute bronchitis or measles. Christmas Eve Tragedy. I Whilst on his way home from Oyfarthfa Works, Merthyr, on Monday evening, Richard Richards, a labourer, aged 69, of Brychan-place, Brecon-road, dropped dead in the street. Christmas Poultry Prices. I Poultry prices in Merthyr on Saturday were: Turkeys, geese, and ducks, 3/- per lb. chickens, 2/6. The supply being in excess to the demand at such exorbitant rates by Mon- day evening the prices dropped as far as 1/9 and even 1/3 per lb. Clerical. The Rev. Robert Jones, for six years cura,te at the Merthyr Parish Church, has been ap- pointed to a curacy in Dowlais, and the Rev. T. J. Jones, curate at Oyfarthfa Church, Merthyr, has accepted the curacy of Capel Nantddu Church, Oantref, Breconshire. Fire. A fire occurred at the Inlapd Revenue Offices, Merthyr, on Saturday, a portion of the flooring in one of the rooms .being- burnt out and some of the eharred rafters falling into the Constitu- tional Club below. Fortunately the outbreak was detected early, and the Merthyr Police Fire Brigade (under Mr. J. A. Wilson) were able to prevent it spreading. Carol Service. In aid of the Blinded Heroes' Fund, Merthyr I Musical Society on Sunday gave selections at I a carol service a.t Hope Church, Merthyr. Swansea Trains. I The public bodies who are petitioning for the restoration by the G. W.R. Company of later trains to and from Aberdare and Merthyr and Swansea, are: Merthyr. Dowlais, Swansea and Aberdare Chambers of TTade, Aberdare District Council and the Merthyr Town Council. Will. I Mr. Daniel Morgan, of Wellfieid. Penydarren Pa.rk, Merthyr, who died August l%h last., left estate of the gross value of £ 19,133, with'net personalty £ 13,936. Probate has been granted to his nephews, Mr. Daniel Morgan, of 12 Glyn- rhondda-street, Cardiff, and Mr. Evan Morgan, of Wellfieid, merchant. The testator left his estate to his nephews William. Daniel, David, e.nd EVan Morgan, charged with the payment of gC26 per annnm to his housekeeper, Mrs. Bankes, during her life. Phthisis. It was reported to the Merthyr Tnsu-rt iicc- Committee that 34 insured persons recommended for sanatorium treatment had dpclined- to take advantage of the opportunity, and it was de- cided to invoke the aid of the District Sanator- ium Cnmmittee, the members of the committee, end the medical practitioners to urge tubercular patients to conform to the wishes of the physi- cians for their own personal benefit and to re- move the grave dangers to members of the! family resulting from their remaining at home. V.C.'s Reception. On-the motion of the Mayor (Mr. X. F. Han- key. J.P.) the Merthyr Town Council on Friday instructed the Town Clerk (Mr. T. A. Rees) to congratulate the wife and parents of Corporal Collins, R.W.F., upon his V.C. exploit and in- timate to tlwrrn that the Corporation would re- ceive him on his honifcomine: at the Council Chamber and present him with a testimonial for the purposes of which it was decided to make an appeal to the public for subscriptions. Miss Pankhurst at Troedyrhiw. Miss Sylvia Pankhurst was given a splendid -reception at Troedyrhiw on Saturdav night, when she spoke at the Tabernacle Hall in con- nection with the Women's Peace Crusade. Mr. D. J. Lewis presided. I. L.P. Conference. Mr. J ms Wins tone, C.C., J. P., will be pleased to meet all I.L.P. members in the new Parlia- mentary Borough of Merthyr at Bentley's Hall at 6.30.on Sunday evening next. December 29th. All comrades should make an effort to be pre- sent. Lady I.L.P.ers Note. The lady members of the I.L.P.. Merthyr. win meet at Bentley's to-night (Friday) at 6.30, t-o i ■arrange the New Year tea and social. Ogmore Vale Labour Leader's Death. The funeral of Mr. Edward Edwards, school- master, Ogmore Vale, a pioneer of the Indepen- dent. Labour Party movement in South Wales, and ex-secretary of the South Wales I.L.P. Fed- eration, took place at Ogmore Vale Cefnietery on Wednesday, and wa.s very largely attended. Re- presentatives were present from all the leading I.L.P. branches in South Wales, together with many representatives of the local branches of the Trad Unions. The Miners' Federation was re- presented by Mr. Tom Lucas, J.P.^ miners' agent for the Ogmore and Gilfaeh distTlct. and Mr. "Vernon Hart-shorn. -I,P., Maesteg.

Margarine Commandeered. I POLICE ACTION AT MERTHYR. An acute shortage of fatty commodities in Merthyr over the Christmas week-end resulted in prompt measures for equitable distribution being taken by Mr. J. A.; Wilson (chief-con- stable) on Monday. From a, consignment of margarine received at one of the multiple shops •—that of the Maypole Dairy Company, Ltd.— where queues have been much in evidence for Rome weeks, he compulsorily purchased fourteen "half-hundredweight boxes of margarine on be- half of the Merthyr Food Control Committee and divided them among fourteen grocers' shops in the Borough, imposing as conditional upon the distribution that the commandeered margarine should be retailed in half-pounds. To prevent meat supplies running short— there being an influx of shoppers from the neigh- bouring town-—the. Chief Constable also on '-N f,o-n d Monday banned the sale of whole legs of pork and issued instructions ro butchers to cut pork lip in small cooking pieces of a few pounds each.

Food Economy. I OBSERVATIONS IN WALES. I A MORAL FOR MINERS. I TO THE EDITOR. I Dear Sill"Having iust returned from ten days' stay in South Wiles without being able to run up against any of the wealthy coal miners who, according to Mr. Clem. Edwards, are spending their Bolo money so lavishly, I was very inter- ested in two paragraphs which appeared in the London "Daily News of December 20th. These paragraphs are such gems that I hope you can find space to republish them side by side, so that the coal-miner, in his fur-lined coat, and the miner's wife, in her motor-ear outside the provision stores watching the queues of struggling colliery proprietors and their fa.milies searching for tea, sugar, and margarine, may learn the moral contained in these paragraphs. I CUTTING DOWN THE BILL. There are, I hear, strong influences at work at the Ministrv of Food in favour of a universal limitation of the charge for meals in restaurants. The pre- sent limit for military offieers-3f6 for lunch and 5/6 for dinner, ex- clusive of wines is suggested and the ma- jority of the popula- tion would agree in thinking that quite liberal enough. It would mean, however, an enormous reduction in the takings at the smart hotels, and any Food OontroUer who adopted it would prove his right to be called a brave man. The dead set that was made by a certain section of restauranteurs against Mr. Runciman's Limit- ation of Meals Order, resulting in its with- drawal by Lord Devon- port, is C fresh in the memory of those be- hind the scenes. Price limitation would cer- tainly be still more furiously fought. (Portion of one day's food for one person costs 9/-). COST OF LIVING. Mr. Clynes Now States the Correct Amount for a Week. Mr. Whitehouse yes- terday asked the Par- men tary Secretary to the Ministry of Food if lie would state the weekly approximate cost, at present rates, of food necessary for a man, woman, and child respectively, including not only the suggested rations for certain foods, but the other necessary foods. Mr. dynes replied that the figures he sup- plied in answer to a previous, question were for a fortnight and not a week. as stated in error. The correct 5- gures of the opproxi- mate weekly cost were Men 4/11, women, 4/2, children 3/5. It should be borne in mind that this esti- mate was only approxi- mate, as the ration of food allowed varied ac- to occupation and age. (The total cost of a whole week's food for th ree persons—12 6). Mr. Clem Edwards knows something of South Wales conditions, and Mr. J. R. Clynes, repre- senting in Parliament the poorest grades of La- bour was once a working-man himself. Can either of these men explain how three persons can possibly exist on a week's outlay of 12/6 for food at the present price of all the necessaries? Working men in Wales, and their wives, ought to realise now their duty to themselves and their families, and determine that they shall in future send to Parliament men who will improve the social conditions so that the daily rate of the first paragraph will be the working-man's daily portion instead of the pittance which Mr. Clynes appears to think ample for a week's supply for three persons. Millions a day, we now know, can be spent in destroying everything animate and inanimate on the face of the earth, when it suits the pre- sent ruling powers of the various countries to make war on each other. Surely the working- classes, who have to bear the greater portion of the miser a- and suffering thus caused must realise how much brighter the world would be for poor tortured humanity had a few of the millions of money so wasted been spent in supplying more healthy sanitary housing and in raising the stan- dard of living of the great bulk of the peoples of all the countries. Too long the workers have been satisfied to feed on the husks: in the future a fair share of the kernels must fall to those who have to bear the heat and burden of the dav. Here is work for Messrs. Edwards, dynes, Stanton and Tillc?,,til, Let them prove their patriotic sincerity by deeds on behalf of their worker countrymen: the others can atways he relied on to look a her faithfully, JXO. SYME (Secretary. • National Union, of Police and Prison Officers). 17 Chapter Street, Westminster. London, S.W., 22nd December, 1917.

Peace Terms. I LONDON I.L;P. AND LABOUR PROPOSALS. I The City of London Branch of the I.L.P. have paspd the following; resolutions on the Labour Party Peace Prosals submitted at the confer- ence of December 28th:- "That the City of London Branch of the In- dependent. Labour Party calls upon the Social- ist elements at the fortJwonlngLahour Party Conference on peace terms, to oppose the sug- gested cIn uses F. and G. The branch opposes the breaking-up of the Ottoman Empire, or any other empire, by outside force or by the es- tablish] nent of alien boards of control. As to Clause G., relating to the subject peoples of the Ottoman Empire, the branch urges the adoption of the same policy as shall be applied to Austria-Hungary or the British empire,—that is, the recognition of its equal i,, i n foi i rights to Empire, coupled with provision for in- ternal self-government for the incorporated races, to be expressed by means- of a plebiscite in each province. As to Clause to Palestine; the branch advocates the restoration of Palestine to its Muslim rulers, and a plebiscite of the entire population to confirm the- form of overlordsiup they prefer. Tlii t. oopies of this resolution be sent to the Labour Party Office, to the affilialted Socialist bodies, and to such delegates as can be reached ov the date of the Conferenee."

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Kiddies' Day at the I.L.P. HAPPY EVENING AT BENTLEY'S HALL. Christmas Day is the kiddies' day in the Mer- thyr I.L.P., the one day in the year exclusively surrendered to them; the day to which our young rebels look forward with great glee. Bent- ley's Hall, the place of grown-up dances, and keen political agitation, on this one, day is sweetened with the laughter of happy young- sters hilariously happy in the rapture of musi- cal chairs; or cheerily re-echoing the old, old B-i-11-di-go song of the joyful ring. In between the hearty laughter the tiny eyes turn always towards the huge, glittering Christmas tree laden with toys from which all will receive a toy at the close of the evening. Until recently we made the mistake of endeavouring to provide an entertainment for the little ones; last year and again this year we have found that not only can the youngsters much more' effectively entertain themselves and each other, but that their effortless amusements provide the grown- ups with much happier cheer than did those old eisteddfodau, which were relegated to the limbo of forgotten things. This year the Christmas Tree was the one episode that had not been en- gloomed by war. TJie children were too young to bother their heads with the horrors of the day, and in their innocent ignoring of it, we were all able to forget it. It was the true spirit of Christmas revived, and anyone present at Bentley's on Tuesday night would hare had great difficulty in realising that things were not everywhere as they were in 1913, that is if he had kept out of the lower rooms, where some males foregathered between whiles, and foolishly recalled the real by keen disputations on mar- garine queues and the like. It was better to remain in the fairyland of upstairs, than to come down to earth amongst the fairies' fathers.

Great Nonconformist Petition 1231 MINISTERS DEMAND JUSTICE FOR C. O.s. 1231 Non-Conformist ministers have up to the present, signed a petition against the repeated sentences and punishments inflicted upon C.O.s, and demanding, with the Archbishop of Canter- bury, that such treatment should cease. Amongst those who have signed are, ministers of the following denominations: Congregational 468, Baptists 453, Primitive Methodists 196, Independent Methodists 67, Presbyterian 25, Presbyterian Church of England 21, other de- nominations 2; total, 1,231.

Theatre Royal. Next week the Theatre Royal is giving us a splendid lead in resolutions for 1S18, by bringing a play that easily tops the tree of crowd-gather- ing features. I, at all events, am assuming that it is the outcome of a managerial resolution to hring nothing but the best to the cosiest house in town. Only one thing surprises me about the visit of tlic- Alaii-t-ia,e Market and that is that a musical play that does contain so much music as does this should never before have per- formed here. Personally, I envy the Merthyr patrons who have never so far had the pleasure, of sitting through "The Marriage Market" pro- perly performed it will be by the Dallas- Casson No. 1 Company that is bringing it here. For much as one looks forward to a third and MISS DAISY GRACE AS "MARIPOSA." even a fourth performance of such a play; the great charm resides in that initial hearing, when the full beauty of the piece develops slowly and wondrously on the eye and the ear. It is the best thing in musical comedy since Gilbert and Sullivan finished writing light opera. Its visit has an importance greater than the coming of a V.G., or a Staff Officer to the Borough. All the same it will owe some little thanks to Beauty and the Beast" that is running to such crowded houses this week, for indubitably the merit of a company preceding has a marked effect on the opening of a following company's production, however good the latter may be. The Marriage Market Company have been excellently preceded by the big, well-staged, and swinging panto that has been doing so well this week. Comedy is extremely well done for these times by a big bunch of "stars," including Little Hatch, Ernest Liston, Dave Clarke, Barry Gillllore and H. Carlton Miss M. Willis is as charming a principal girl as ever was "Beauty" in panto, or off the stage; Madge Lester plays Trista-ni Trusty with grace- and ability, and the Madam Victor Dancing Dolls and the big beauty chorus give life and zest to a piece as full of happiness, as is an egg of expensive nutriment. I I-, A 1 \H1IC

Swansea Valley Notes. I John Thomas on Economics. Mr. John Thomas, B.A., was the speaker at the I.L.P. Hall, Ystalyfera, on Thursday night. His subject was "The Economic War after the War." As usual, he drew a very large audience, which was highly delighted with the hum orous manner he dealt with the subject. The chair was occupied by Miss Alice Williams. Minnie on Women and War. I On Sunday, Miss Pallister visited this district and addressed three splendidly attended meet- ings. The first was held at Bryn Seion Chapel, Graigcefnparc. The chapel was crowded, and the majority of those- present, I am pleased to say, were women. Miss Pallister spoke on Women and War," and the audience was deeply interested in the facts and contentions which she put forward in her usual bright and lucid way. The chairman was Mr. Tom Evans. An excellent collection was made at the close on behalf of the dependents of O.O.s.

I Avan Valley Notes. J I (Br Dbmocritub). I.. Proffteers' Year. r Hardly anyonc?--exccl),t, ?. Hardly anyone—except, per haps, profiteers— will shed a tear of regret after the year 1917. It has been a year of suffering to most people. The- one episode of world-wide possibilities the rising; of the democratic forces in Russia, is still in the balance. The forces of reaction both in Russia and England have done, and are doing their ut- most to counteract the revolutionary faites; whether the worker of all countries will attain sufficient wisdom to cultivate the seed sown by the Russian revolutionaries remains to be seen. Labour and Aberavon Division. Christmas passed quietly in the Avon District. On Saturday last a delegate meeting was con- vened at the Doekara' Hall, Port Talbot, under the auspices of the new Parliamentary Division L.R.C. to formulate plans about contesting the Aberavon Division in the interests of Labour, j The meeting was well attended by the active- I political local leaders, and the energy ShOWllF augers well for the future. J Warning to Labour. The meeting which took place at Abergwynfi last week in connection, with the Labour repre- f tentative of the Aberavon Division was rath&r f premature. Accopding to press reports Mr. | William .J enkins (miners' agent) was selected a-s- ? candidate, and the meeting pledged itself to his support. If Labour is to contest the seat, then the choice of candidate should be the work of" the whole Labour forces in the new const.itu- ency. To try to force matters by intrigue, and. hy a. display of individual self-aggrandisement is* to court disaster at the commencement. 't Those Lib-Labs." i Another very objectionable feature of the* v meeting was the appearance on the platform of" ? gentlemen of the Cloth who are known to "0,(- Liberal in their political views. If report be cor- i rect, the rev. gentleman who pledged himself to f support Mr. Jenkins' candidature has always op- posed Labour candidatures, and lie has given no room to believe that he now holds different poli- • tical views..

Mr. Vernon Hartshorn. Mr. Hartshorn, who spoke at the meeting, could have been more accurate when lie said that the Aberavon Parliamentary Division is the- area he previously contested in the interests- of Labour. True, part of the Mid-Glamorgan Di- vision is now merged in the Aberavon area, but the major portion of the new constituelaev- forme d part of the Swansea District. fomwd part of the S,vamea District. No Cajolery for Workers. 1 Fortunately, the workers in the new division- 4 know how to appreciate value, and how to op— ;i- portion services, and when the proper time h comes to select- a candidate they will know who in the past has served the cause of Labour, and i: who, in the futirre, is less likely to be cajoled bv 7 the seductive wiles of Liberals, or the blandish- ments of Capitalists V

Scores In The Same Plight I DR. MEYER ON DEATH OF C.O. I •Speaking at Christ Church on Thursday night 1 Dr. F. B. Meyer said that he could not allow J the death of Arthur 13iitler in Preston Prison í to pass without expressing his -reverent syl-n- pathy with the friends of this young man, who j. had succumbed to the rigour of his imprison- I ment for a. third timo with hard labour. He did IF not agree with the views of conscientious ob- jeetors, but I,t ctit him to the quick that Bri- tain, the home of liberty, should sacrifice so lightly men of this calibre, keeping them to use- less tasks, when there was need in every sphere for men of his sterling character, genuine CK)n- J ■ victions, and uttermost loyalty. The pity was.j]' that there were wores in the same plight.

RHEUMATISM KIDNEY TROUBLE £ FREE TREATMEMT. ? Rheumatism is due to uric acid which is also* J the cause of backache, lumbago, sciatica, gout^vj urinary trouble, stone, gravel, dropsy. The success of Bstora tablets, a thoroughly 4 harmless specific based on modern medical f:, science, for the treatment of rheumatism and > other forms of kidney trouble, is due to the faot "I" that they restore the kidneys to healthy action. I and thereby remove the cause of the trouble, 1 and have cured nUU1ibeJ1'lesl$ cases after the failure i of other remedies, which accounts for their | superseding out-of-'date niedicines that are sold J at a price beyond all but the wealthy. To prove Bstora Tablets are the suocessful J: treatment one full box of forty tablets will be Nell tto readers of the Pioneer," on receipt of this notice and 3d. in stamps to cover postage., package, etc. Sold oy chemists, 1/3 per box of" 40 tablets, or 6 boxes for 6/9. For full box sample address Estora Co., 132, Charing Cross- road, London, W.C. 2. Bargoed a,nd Aberbargoed Agent-W. PARRY { WILLIAMS, M.P.S. Printed and published by the National Labour- Press, Ltd., at the Labour Pioneer Press" WiUiaaaos Square, Mortkyr Tydfil, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 29tbh, 1917. I