The Cambria Daily Leader

MUSICAL SUCCESS. National Eisteddfod Neath. August Eth. 1918 and Aberystwyth. 1916 Baritone Prizes won by Mr. Gwnym Jones. Ystradgynlais. pupil of Prof Dyved Lewye. street, Swansea. 17A8-15

The death is announced of Mr. Matthew Todd, at Musselburgh, aged 81, one of Scotland's foremost horticulturists and voluminous Writer to many periodicals on floral decoration. He was one of the founders of the Scottish Horticultural Association over 40 years ago besides being a membi r of the Royal Caledonian Horticu l tural Society. Percy Redgrave (35), a visitor from Coventry, waa drowned while bathing at Sandown, Isle of Wight, on Thursday evening. He wore the Mons ribbon, and had received his discharge from the t Warwickshire Regiment.

SCENES AT NEATH. A- T I 1 The New Freeman. I HOW HE WAS ADMITTED. (Continued from Page One.) AT NEATH. Dense as the crowds were at Morriston Llansamlet, they were not to be com- pared with those further along the line of route. All the world and his wife, as resented by the residents of sotith-wost ajes, "seemed to be taking holiday. At .Skewen there was a gay display of bunt- ing and flags, together with mottoes of -Welcome. :<1i:"<t as one approached Xeath the .crowds deepened. Shanks's pony was the popular means of locomotion, but dog- ,ziDerts, growlers, brakes, and even a few >JBin6tor-cars were out. How they got through the huge and ever-deepening j Crowds must remain in part a mystery, but in greater measure a lasting memorial to the efficiency of the Neath Borough .<0aB)d Glamorgan County Police. When the visitor approached the Gwyn -Hall, mottoes of all kinds strove to shine 11{ tttit above the galaxy of bunting. "Croesaw i Gastell Nedd screamed from ■t -♦ ^-streamer. And that that was a true representation of Neath's feelings in the ifratter was not in doubt. They sang, cheered, they yelled themselves with enthusiasm. Preinier's mot<>r ? And what time the Premier's motor hailed in eight, they "raised an universal shout That Xedd trembled upderneath her s banks." A MEMORABLE SCENE. ,.v iXhe eceoe was unparalleled in the annals of Castell Nedd; the day a never-to- Mje-forgotten one. For, added to the en- thusiasm over the visit of Cymru's most brilliant son, there was the thrilling war H news that the day had brought. Nothing wae lacking to bring the sunshine of a and -brighter -day into every heart. i T]&> gath^ihg Inside the hall was Ii., distinguished, and even a brilliant one, including no small number of Welsh --Members of Parliament, ëU3 well as the ci vic dignitaries and captains of indus- try of the Principality. A DISTINGUISHED GATHERING. Among those on the platform were the I following:—Councillor W. B. Trick (tem- porarily in the chair), Mrs. and Miss Lloyd George, the Mayor and I '^Mayoress of Neath, Eight Hon. ^JValliam Brace, M.P., Mr. John Hinde, I ;.ana: Sir Francis Ecfi íirds," Miss Violet Williams, Maeey. Itwernen, Right Hon. J. Towyn Jones, I M.P., Mr. and Mrs 1? C. Parker, Miss 1 M. Edwards, Dr. Parry Evans, ex- ) Mayor of Neath, Mr. John Hugh Edwards, < M.P., Mrs. Gaskell, Mrs. Grice Lloyd, r Dr. D. Ll. Davies, J.P., Mr. T. J. k, il- liams, M.P. and Mrs. Williafns, Mr. Alf ) C. Curtis (deputy town clerk of Neath). and Mr. J. Herbert Lewis. The following also received invitations to seats on the platform:— Aid. David Davies J',P.. Councillors Dan Harry, J.P.. Capt. W. E. Rees. J.P.. Mat- thew Arnold, and John Rees. J.P., ),Ira. W. B. 'irick. Mr. W. B. Trick. J.P. (London) Councillors Lewis Ar- nold. John Davies, John Morris. W, J. chal- lacombe. Henry Thomas J, C. Rees. and J. R. Jones. Mr. E. Miali Morgan. Mr D. M. Davies. Mr R. A. Williams, Mr. J. E. Moore. Gwyn. D.L.. J.P.. Mrs J. E. Moore-Gwyn. Mr. E. Evans-Bevan. J.P. Mrs. E. Evan&- Bevan. Mr. Chas. Coombe Tennant. J.P., Mrlil Tennant. Mr. 10'. W. Gibbins. J.P.. Mrs. Gib- I bins. Mr. Ifor Thomas (borough treasurer), .Mrs. E. C. Curtis, Mr Osfley L..David. Major D. Watts Morgan, D.S.O.. Mr. W. Clarke Johnson. Mr. D. M. Jenkins (borough engin- eer). Mr. John John. J.P.. Mr. Wm. Davies. -(Plasyfelin), Mr Evan Lewis (Graigy- 0rf>aH). Mr. LI. D. Howell. Mr. I'd. Daniel. Mr eri Perrott. Mr. Jonah Arnold. Mr. E S p arris. Mr. E. Tench. Mr. A Jestyn Jeffreys. '?1'. Wm. Carruthers, Mr. Wm. Prosser. Mr. ~B. W. Davies. J. P., Mr Owen Price !BulwarK j&Brecqjj). Mf. T. Hv'.Davies. Mr. F. Duckham Car rth' )." e¥' '1' irdy k?ek; Mr. J. t'ga lbi6i& 'Jaiines. Archdruid, Col. Lewis (Greenmeadow. Cardiff) Mr. Ar- thur J. Evans, Mr. Philip Thomas. Mr. T. H. Morris. Mr. T. Mansel Franklen, Mr. D. H Williams, Mr. Daniel Daniel. Lord Ponty pridd. Miss I.indsev Williams. Col. Thrien- land. CaDt. the Earl of Lisburne, Lora Mayor of Cardiff. Mr. Wm Evans (Porthj. Mayor of Swansea Mr. Wm. Llejrellyn Ol' ruare), Mr. Wm. Matthias (PorthL Aid. John Jordan (Llansamlet). Sir Griffith Thomas, Col. Drummond. Sir Vincent Evans Mr Levi James. Mr. W. J. Stephens (Sketty), Arch- druid Dyfed. Mayor of Merthyr. Mayor 01 Aberavon. THE CEREMONY. When the Premier and party ascended the platform the audience rose in their seats and cheered vociferously. The Welsh and English National Antheme were played on the grand organ, and it was some time before the cheering ceased, and the ceremony could be proceeded with. It was an inspiring, memorable scene. The party was heralded by the Right Hon. W Brace, M.P., who was duly cheered; there was a fresh outbuist of cheering when Miss Megan Lloyd George appeared. Mrs. Lloyd George was also cheered to the echo, but naturally the roof was, rent —metaphorically, of course-when the K^I^mier himself appeared. f. There w" a very human little incident when the Mayor's tiny grand-daughter presented Mrs. Ijloyji George with a gor- geous bouquet. Mrs. Lloyd George scooped to kiss the little one on the fore- nead, and the cheers that then went forth were increased when the Premier's wife imprinted a second kiss on the little §i*l 's cheek. x., PORTRAIT OF THE MAYOR. I Then the chairman asked the Premier to unveil a portrait of the Mayor cf Neath. and the Premier pulled the silken cord. He looked puzzled as to the loca- tion of the portrait, and rocked with merry laughter when he found the splen- did painting on the wall to his left. In unveiling the portrait of the Mayor of Neath (Aid. Hopkin Morgan), the Prime Minister mid"I have great plea- sure in unveiling the portrait of his Wor- ship the Mayor of Neath. It is a most ad- mirable likeness. It does credit to the aitist, and to the subject. He has been Mayor, I think, now for the third time, and there is no better testimony to a man than that those amongst whom lie has lived and worked all his life should have chosen him for the thijM time to ••• J- the most conspicuous and honoured place amongst them. Therefore, I have great pleasure in unveiling the portrait." j (Cheers). PRESENTATION TO MAYOR AND MAYORESS. The chairman then a:ked Mr. J. Hugh Edwards, M.P. for the division, to present to Mr. and Mrs. Hopkin Morgan, the Mayor and Mayoress, a beautiful album subscribed for, like the portrait, by the people of Neath, to mark the occasion of the golden wedding of the Mayor and Mayoress, in doing so, Mr. Edwards alluded to the splendid wQrk the Mayor had done during his three years of office. He alluded too. to the honour done to Neath in the visit of Mr. George. the greatest Welshman of all time." and the chief custodian of the cherished urn of civilisation." The Mayor, in reply, said it gave him the greatest pleasure to be present at the ceremony for many reasons. He hoped they would not expect from him a speech, because he did not feel equal to it, and even if he did, time did not permit. 'He desired to express his heartfelt gratitude for such a mani- festation of kindness and exhibition of approval for what he had attempted to do, even if he had not accomplished it. An attempt brought satisfaction if the accomplishment failed. He was ex- tremely obliged to the subscribers, and thanked those connected with it, includ- ing Major W. B. Trick, the secretaries and the treasurer. THEIR GREAT COMPATRIOT. Their thanks were also due to their I great compatriot—Mr. Lloyd George- (cheers)—who thought fit to come amongst them that day to pay him (the Mayor) such a high tribute for the humble ser- vices. He should never forget the Prime Minister's kindness to him; it would re- main a red-letter day. (Cheers). He thanked them all most sincerely for their great kindness. Major Trick then vacated the chair, adding, amid laughter, that he would feel more comfortable in the chair the Mayor was nuw vacating. FREEDOM OF NEATH. I /The Deputy Town Clerk (Mr. A. C. Curtis) read the following resolution of the Town Council conferring the freedom* upon the I)remier:- At a special meeting of the Council held at the Cwyn Hall, Neath, on June 18th, 1918, it was unanimously resolved that in pursuance of the Honorary Free- dom of Boroughs Act, 1885, this Council do confer upon the Right Hon. D. Lloyd Ceorge, H.M. Prime Minister, the hon- orary freedom of the said barough in recognition of the pre-eminent services rendered by him to his country, par- ticularly during this period of the great- est war in the history of the world, and the greatest crisis in the history of the in *%a vapotcity of:(Shan- reelTor *<& tfte Exchequer artd af Minister of Munitions, and in the high and onerous position he now holds under conditions of greater stress, with unfal- tering and unsurpassable devotion and courage which will make his memory for ever live In the annals of his native land of Wales, and in the history of the British Empire, and that the said David Lloyd Ceorge, H.M. Prime Min- ister, be accordingly hereby admitted an honorary freeman of the said borough, The Mayor then handed the Premier the scroll asking him to kindly accept the freedom. His speech was brief, and inaudible among the sounds of enthus- iasm, which were only half suppressed. TAKING OF THE OATH. I The Deputy Town Clerk then admin- istered the usual oath, which seemed in- congruous in sopie of its particulars. The oath, as read, was as follows.- You shall swear to be true to our Sovereign Lord the King, and to the lord of this town and borough. You ilhall be obedient to the Mayor—(laugh- ter)-for the time being and obey his warrants, precepts and commands. You shall 'also be civil and obedient to the ^Udermen—(laughter)—of the same. 'I And also you shall as much as in your power lies contribute to and do every- thing you can for the government and safety of the borough. It was noted that the Premier did not kiss the Testament, but took the oath by affirmation. Another noteworthy little incident wa, when the Prime Minister stepped to the table to sign the freeman's book. Mr. Lloyd George had been handed a quill, but evidently the Mayor's fountain pen was more to his liking, for it was this the Premier used ALD. CHARLES: FIRST FREEMAN. I Ald. H. P. Charles, the first freeman of the borough, olxserved that having regard to the determination of the Prime Minis- t-er the peace that would be established would Ix* such as to teach nations like Germany that the chief thing in life was right, and not might. Referring to one of the streamers in the bll, on which were the words, Lloyd George a Buddugol- iaeth," Ald. Charles facetiously observed, ajiiidst laughter, that a friend. of his had interpreted it as "Lloyd George and Go- Jiath." From the earliest days of his life Mr. Lloyd George had showed his love for freedom-he had fought for it in North Wales. He was now going to establish freedom, civilisation, and justice through- out the world, and the nation earnestly hoped he would be spared in good health to establish that freedom, not only for the benefit of the British nation, but for the néfit of the whole civilised population of the world. (Cheers;) The Mayor said he considered it right to put before them a few of the reasons which caused the Town Council to ask the Prime Minister to do them the honour of accepting the freedom of their ancient borough. In the first place they recog- nised in him a man raised for a particular occasion in the history of the country- (applause)—a man raised and endowed with the "necessary power to do what was necessary in circumstances such as the world has never seen before. They par- ticularly admired the energy which he' had put into his work since he had be- come Prime Minister. He had not taken time to wait, but had seen that work was done as quickly as the urgency of the time required it. The second point was his originality. He had a tempera- ment as a Welshman which showed great originality, and whoever read his sneeclios were bound to admit that they had caused many of them to shed tears at the enthusiasm he put into his addresses. He also referred to the great tact he showed in these extraordi- nary circumelances: in the history of our country, and particularly when disputes were ponding in industrial circle which j would have dislocated the whole trade of the country and stepped into the breach between the employer and employes and settled matters in a way acceptable to both sides. Concluding, the Mayor men- tioned the unexampled courage he had done. He had not hesitated not even in the country but also in the House in the face of the strongest criticism offered against him. He had always stuck to his opinions, and such was his power that he convinced everybody to his own way of thinking. He had also shown enter- prise. He had never been afraid to do what required to be done; lie showed insight, the power to see. the courage to do. and the determination in the inter- ests of his country to stand by it in this terrible crisis. There was no other man in this country, nor in the world who held the power he did. When lie spoke he did not speak to that gathering alone, but he spoke to the world, his speeches were transmitted in every language in the world. (Applause-. "We love him," concluded the Mayor amid applause. "We have him here to-day, and we feel prouder of him because he is a great Welshman. I hope no English, Scotch or Irish friends here will mind my say- ing that. I always like to admire and appreciate and say everything good I can about a fellow Welshman. He has taken Wales with him to the top of the ladder." (Applause). For this and many other reasons I wish to explain to you and to the many thousands who have given him a kingly reception he has had outside. These are the reasons that prompted the Town Council, and he was sure that it would meet with the .approval of every person in the area of Neath. (Loud applause), OVATION FOR LLOYD GEORCE THIRD FREEMAN ON THE ROLL I The Prime Minister was accorded a wonderful reception when he rose to ad- dress the gathering which cheered him, and Mrs. Lloyd George, to the echo; He c,aid:- Mr. Mayor and fellow citizens of Neath:—I simply rise to thank you for the great honour you have confererd upon me in making me the third freeman on your roll. "Y trydydd tro bydd coel." (Cheers). Your predecessor in the chair was good enough to invite me to deliver a speech. I have been speaking at pretty great length this week already, and came down rather to enjoy myself in the eisteddfod, and I am sure you will let me off thi6 morning and this afternoon any obligation of making a lengthy speech. I remember a story that used to be told about the late Mr. Cham- berlain when he went to a dinner in the Midlands. He told this story himself. When the time came for Mr. Chamber- lain to get up to speak, the Mayor said: "Will you get up to speak now, Mr. Chamberlain, or shall we let them enjoy themselves a little longer. (Laughter). I felt the same when I was listen- ing to the excellent speeches which were delivered here. I would have preferred to let you enj oy yourselves a little longer "Before f got up to inflict any observation upon you. A LITTLE ALARMEDI I I thank you heartily for this honour you have conferred upon me. I was a little alarmed when I heard the Town Clerk read the oath. I do not mind dur- ing the time I am here paying respect to the Lord of the Manor, especially as I saw him outside, and felt I could do it without any strain on my conscience. I was told I had to be obedient to the Mayor whilst I was in Neath. (Laughter.) •I ,was prepared to agree to it, but when he insisted that I had to be civil, and al- ways civil—(laughter)—I hesitated for a moment, and was very giad when he cir- cumscribed that observation by aecribnig it to the Aldermen of ineath. I was per- fectly prepared to take the whole of it-at ath. THREE LAWYERS. I Mr. Charles, whose name is fii,st in this roll of freedom, has reminded you 'hat the three are lawyers. There is no greater tribute to the discernment of the people of Neath that that they should put that honourable profession in the front i-anl- of* those they hoitojir. He and I helong to what I call the working branch of the profession—the solicitors—and as the working branch, naturally the least remunerative branch. (Laugiiter.) His abilities have gone beyond the confines of Neath. I know him as a solicitor who has earned a high position in the ranks -of that ancient profession, and I alsp know of him for his services to the town. I have known Sir Samuel Evans, too, for certainly nearly thirty years. I remem- ber having the pleasure of staying the night here at the house in Skewen, where I had the privilege of meeting his fine old father, who left a deep impression on my mind. TRIBUTE TO SIR SAMUEL EVANS. I I fully confirm everything that has been fcuid by Mr. Charles with regard to the distinction won by Sir Samuel Evans in the discharge of the very difficult duties which have now been entrusted to him in the Prize Court. He has won the res- pect and admiration of all lawyers, and won great distinction for himself in his profession. It is a privilege to be a citi- zen of Neath, because it is one of the old- est boroughs in this kingdom, has seen a good many vicissitudes, witnessed a good many civilisations, witnessed the Roman eivilisati.,n-a reign of conquest which failed in the end, because it had not won the hearts of the people ovsr whom it gov- erned. There is a leeson in the fact that Neath was once a garrison city of that mighty, all-powerful Empire, an Empire which had no alliance to chal- lenge its supremacy. There was no one there to resist it, no France and Britain and America and Italy there to contest its decrees. When it was guilty of op- pression there was no one there to fight for the wronged, and yet Rome, when no one challenged it, was beaten by the con- science of mankind, beaten by that justice which comes from the Eternal Throne and which reigns in the end. (Cheers.) t MEMORIES OF LONG AGO. Where is the garrison of iorne that was once in Neath? Where are its trenches? Where are its castles? Where is its power? Where is even the language which it sought to impose upon man- kind ? It is taught as a dead language in your schools here, and the language which it trampled down is talked, as I heard it to-day, in the etreets of Neath. (Ap- plause.) Conquest, unless it is the con- quest of the heart and the conquest of the conscience, is a conquest that will termin- ate and rot and decay, and it ought to. Then you had the Norman here. That was the rule of force, and it lasted for some time. Where is the castle now? 1 suppose you have got the ruins here, but it is a ruin. You go there to see, and be- gin to wonder what this was for, and what that was for. It is a place where children play, where once they walked with bated breath, with ter- ror in their little hearts. Men would not approach it for very fear; now children play along itit ruined walla. FORCE CANNOT LAST. Force cannot last; the Norman rule was not enthroned in righteousness and jus- tice. You have had many civilisations here; you have had the Roman, conse- crated to conquest; you liave6, had the Norman, who governed by force; you have had that great abbey, the ruins of which I witnessed last night with a thrill hi respect and reverence, consecrated to seclusion, to thought, to devotion. That ciyilisation has passed from your valley. And I have noticed that side by side with it you have the ruins of those works which were the beginning of that industrial fever which is pulsing through the vales of South Wales. There is the ruin of the building, marking the spot where you started the fever which is now throbbing through the valleys. You have passed through many civilisations, and that 'gives interest to your borough. I am proud to belong to it; proud to be a free- man of a borough which is itself the em- bodiment of the story of these islands, which represents many phases of civili- sation, and which even in its ruine, teaches lessons which are true even to this hour. (Applause). LESSON OF THE MONKS. I thought when I saw the abbey that it contained another lesson too. Those old monks are teaching us a lesson to-day. They never set up a building which was out of keeping with the beauty of this exquisite valley. It was something that was suitable to its environment, and there is a lesson in that. It was a build- ing that, If anything, enhanced the beauty of the valley. There is nothing that dis- tresses you more in going through the beautiful valleys of South Wales than t(, see how they have been disfigured by thn r.-ad race for wealth. And in the hour of restoration that is coming, the hour of restitution and reparation, do not forget that you owe one debt of ^restoration to these gentle valleys—to see that the houses constructed there, the workshops, and the factories, all ,the buildings set ip, r.re in conformity with the beau i:i es Goc.rlbiJ.S oainted,on the canvas of South Wales I find I am making a speech, and T (lid not mean to. You have been g-z)d enough. Mr. Mayor, in that address whJch yc-u have read out, to say something F,].( iit the poor services which I have done my best to render to my country in this of trial. DESTINY OF THE WORLD. I All I can say is this. I felt from the moment the clock struck at 11 o'clock on the 4th of August, 1914, that something was happening that would change the whole destiny of the world, and that it was every man's business who loved his country and who loved his kind to put the whole of his strength into seeing that the world was turned into the right direc- tion. I disparage none of the controver- sies I took part in with such gusto for so many years. I am not in the least deprecating any part I ever took, but, let me say this, I felt then that an issue had been raised by the side of which every controversy I had ever participated in was as mere dust in the balance. For 1 know what it will mean to tl/e world, whether you win or whether you lose; or whether you do neither, which, do not forget, is a contingency which would have been in itself a disaster. I saw in looking ahead what that would mean to every man, woman and child throughout the world for gemmations to come. This has been the reason why I have thrown myself into the task of organising the strength of this Empire and helping to direct it to give a ooncen- trated blow for righteouanees. That is the reason why I have done jt, and I am proud I have dlone it. (Loud and con- tinued applause). Again let me say I make no apology to any man for any part I have taken in this controversy, and I propose to fight it right through to the end. Some friends of mine comj^ain oc- casionally that I am rather optimistic in the view I take of things. I 4on't think •I am or I was one of those who thought in August, 1914, it would soon be over. Never. I thought it was a long job and a terrible job. CONFIDENT OF THE ISSUE. I have been always confident we would get through. I knew the spirit of this land; I knew its strength of purpose, and the quality of its people. (Applause.) I have unbounded admiration for France —one of the greatest and most gallant nations of the world —(loud applause)—and I knew we were fighting for the right, and I be- lieved the God of Righteousness would ewe us through. (Hear, hear.) MAGNITUDE OF THE TASK. But I knew the magnitude of the task- a. gigantic one. Think of it. Here was one of the most powerful nations on earth, for two if not three generations. What had it being doing? It had thought war. It was the best organised nation in the world-and that is another lesson that we have got to learn. (Cheers). And I do not be above learning a lesson even from the enemy. That is very good ad- I vice whether given in private or public. Do not be above taking a hint from a I foe, because it is always sincere. (Laughter and cheers.) He is doing it J for his own best. A HELOT NATION. And here is hte nation that thought war; I taught war; dreamt war; even its play was war; it preached war; it prepared war; it planned war; it plotted war; its whole great organised strength was con- centrated for war. Seventy millions of them all drilled, trained, dis- ciplined, directed, inspired, for war. Next door to them was- another nation of "52 millions, which they con- verted into a ltelot nation—a helot nation which is simply to be exploited for the sinister purpose of this warlike organisa- tion that was out for conquest, domina- tion and supremacy in the world. The idea that you could overthrow all t,h 1t in a few mouthsl And who was to over- throw it? Great Britain, whose last thought was war—who never thought war v as possible—but who thought it wouid be well to defend ourselves so a-s not to tempt wicked people to come over and at- tack us. Our organisation was defensive. Take for instance our Territorials, and our other forcee. Take the Navy for instance. You cannot, send the Navy to Berlin. (Laughter.) You cannot cross the Rhin* in the Navy, you cannot destroy German cities with tor- pedo boats, and you cannot go up streets in a battleship. (Laughter and applause.) It is simply organisation. France had the greatest army next to Germany, but France was the least inclined for war. WHEN THE BLOW FELL. I In August, 1914, France had just returned a majority to Parliament which was a pure- ly Pacifist majority. The United btates of America Aad a little army of 30,000 to 40.000. Italy was. or at least it was sup- posed to be, in alliance with Germany and Austria. And here were these people, ilVprepared, ill-drilled, ill-organised, with none of those resources which would have enabled them to fight a great battle against Germany, some of them ill-organ- ised. and one of them disorganised—that was Russia. All the conditions were of a kind that made it unlikely that you could bring this conflict to an end in a Phort time. Nevertheless, we are getting on. (Cheers.. ) FULL STEAM AHEAD. I It is n long tunnel; now and again you I see shafts of light which 'come from Heaven, and you go on, plunging perhaps, into further darkness, and then eomes another shaft of light, and then people say, We have had this before, and we are plunged into darkness again. Never mind, we are getting through; full steam ahead I" (Cheers.) Put all the might of the Empire into it, and we will be through the tunnel into the bright daylight, and God's sun will shine again (applause) into a land of peace and tranquility, a real peace with no apprehensions of sinister, dark, draughting forces, aft^abW l-eiifyMo Wefete 1 the slaughter again. Never again—never again! (Great cheers). NO HALF MEASURES. I To half do the work is to double it. That is why I am appealing to my coun- trymen. Now for the moment we have è4 spirit of confidence. We have good news. They attacked us, believe me, with the determination to have done with nos. Their vlans and we know something about them-involved the destruction of the British Army. The word they used was annihilation. It has not been an- nihilated yet. (Loud applause.) The "annihilated army attacked yester- day with tha dawn-five o'clock in the morning. They hit back. If any one had told you or told. let us say. General Ludendorff, on March 22nd. after the great battle of the 21st, and he had been trying-W get his uns away from an advancing French and British army—I don't know German. I can't tell you what his answer would be, but it would be strong language indeed. "GETTING ON." I And so. we are getting on. (Hear, hear). Feeling tlrs confidence, I don,'t want vou to imagine that it is over. It is one of the shafts of light in the tunnel, but it does mean that we have travelled a good many miles iince March 21st, and the end of the tunnel is getting nearer. But you may have dark days now and again; let us ,keep up our spirits. CREDITABLE PAGE IN HISTORY. I You have don-e great things in 'Glam- organshire. There is no more creditable page in the history of Glamorganshire than those first few weeks of the war to a people who in July were thinking where they would go for their holidays. I do not know where you go here, whether it is to the Mumbles, Weston- Super-Mare, or whether some have the wisdom to come to our beautiful hills in North Wales. At any rate. that is what you had in your mind-to take your families down to enjoy them~e\ves on the sea-shore. with the beautiful blue sky—for it was a beautiful August—and the sea lapping the bands. What else had we in our minds? I THE NEW SIR GALAHAD6. The call came and scores of thousands of young men in Glamorganshire heard it. and you raised here in this country a bigger army in a few minutes than Wel- lington commanded at Waterloo. (Cheers.) Why did you do it? You did it because you thought you heard the call of the wronged, appealing for justice. That is the abbey, I think, where you had the original copy of the Holy Grail-a great story, the story of the knights who heard in the dead of night the sound of the trumpet. They knew not whence it came. It came in the dark. when men had given up their vocations. They did not know whence it was leading them. They re- -?ig them. They re- sponded; they gave up their sports, all their pursuits, and followed where the Holy Cup was, and the knight wtio secured a vision of it was the one who had turnod all selfish purpose out of his heart. And now the victory will be for the Alliance which, tearing out all greed, yea, even all vengeance, out of his heart, pursues the holy purpose of establishing right and peace on earth. That is what we are doing. (Great cheers.) I THROUGH PAIN TO VICTORY. There was another motto I heard of: it was of your Norman Castle: A oddef- odd a orfu (" He who suffered, con- quered.") I met mothers on my way down, who told me what they had suf- fered. I have seen wounded soldiers here. without limbs. You have suffered; we have suffered. Believe me. through that suffering wp shall conquer; Rjight on earth! (Loud and prolonged cheers.) The function terminated with a spirited nnd fervent rendering of Hen Wlad fy Nhadau."

STRAY NOTES INCIDENTS OF THE PREMIER'S WEST WALES TOUR Hen Wlad fy Nhadau was sung just before the Prime Minister arrived at Morriston. He looked very happy in his Trilby hat and grey frock suit. He had a smile ami a nod for all. When on the platform two telegrams were handed to the Premier, which he opened and read. It was a singular coincidence that the three freemen of Neath are connected with the legal profession. At Maesygwernen it was noticed thaf the Premier had lost that careworn look noticeable some time ago. Everybody was good tempered at Neath* despite the densely packed streets and the difficulty of getting along. Everyone wore smiles when the party was photographed, and the Premier was the happiest of all the glad throng. Neath's munition girls are a particu- larly smart lot, and in their neat clean overalls they won general admiration. Not a single "topper was to be seen in the streets of Neath to-day. For once commonsense triumphed over ceremonial. NV-hat a majestic personality Lloyd George is," one man was heard to re- mark. Look how he draws the hearts of all towards him." Mr. Lloyd George's comfortably-cut grey suit showed that the Premier came among his own people on pleasure bent, and not as a show lion. Mr. Lloyd George rose early on Friday n.orning. He read the morning papers in his room, and then took a stroll around the picturesque grounds. Mr. Jack Eynon, Uplands Bakery, Swansea, was the first to welcome Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd George and Miss Megan Lloyd George at Neath on their arrival in the London train. Megan, the embodiment of youth, dressed in a white summer frock, rushed towards her father at the entrance to the Hall, and he opened his arms and em- braced her, giving her a resounding kiss. We mustn't let the policeman see," he laughingly remarked. At the dinner held at Maeeygwernen Hall on Thursday evening Mr. D. Morlais Evans was called upon to sing, and com- plied Irith the rendering of Cartref ("Home." The first verse was rendered ¥1 f:is4; When Mr. Evans kang in Welsh Mr. Lloyd George rose fr-,n hi chair and exclaimed: f'Ardderchog! Ardderchog f One of the funniest incidents in the Gwyn Hall occurred when Mr. Lloyd George proceeded to unveil the Mayor's portrait. The covering screen fell almost as the Premier touched the silken robe, but for some time he failed to locate the picture. Then the Premier saw it, and chuckled with unrestrained glee, point- ing the picture out to all and sundry. An exceedingly pleasing incident oc- curred while the Premier and hie party were en route to Neath on Friday morn- ing, one with which he was apparently very pleased. At the Upper Forest Tin and Steelworks at Morriston, the man- agement had thoughtfully placed across the roadway from the works a huge streamer bearing the significant words: "Wf Hold Fast." Nearing the works Mrs. Lloyd George, who accompanied her husband in the came motor car, drew the Premier's attention to the wording on the streamer, at which h smiled good humouredly and raised his hat. There was every evidence that xat that great local industry the Premier's request "To Hold Fast" was being rigidly observed, as a number of the workmen who had for a brief period left the furnaces and rolls and were in their weird working attire, gave the distinguished party deafening cheers which Mr. Lloyd George again and again acknowledged by waving his hat. THE SCRIPT. The script read:—Borough of Neath (to wit) 48 and 49 Vic. Cap. 29. In open Court at the Court of our Sovereign Lord King George y held in and for the said Borough of Neath the Right Honourable David Lloyd George His Majesty's Prime Minister made the customary Oath and was admitted an Honorary Freeman of the said Borough in the Mayoralty of Hopkin Morgan, Esquire, C.B.E., J.P., and Edwin Charles Curtis., Esquire, being Town Clerk. In Witness whereof the Common Seal of the Mayor Aldermen and Bur- gesses of the Borough of Neath was hereunto affixed this 9th day cf, August I in the year of our Lord One thousand nine hundred and eighteen. (Signed) HOPKIN MORGAN (Mayor). (Signed) ALFRED E. J. CURTIS (Deputy Town Clerk).