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I. j Football at Merthyr.

! The Theatre Royal

Merthyr Notes

Llantrisant and District Notes.I

Swansea Valley Notes.

Pontypridd Notes.

Gorseinon Notes.I

I Getting Ready in Aberdare

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I Getting Ready in Aberdare I ABERYCYNON TRADES UNIONISTS AND MR. JOSEPH KEATINC. I ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORT OF CANDIDATURE. Under the auspices of the Abercynon Lodge, S.W.M.F., a mass meeting of all trades union- ists was held at the Lesser Hall, September 11, when Mr. Joseph Keating delivered an address on "The Labour Position To-day." Mr. W. R. Evans presided, supported hy Councillor Chas. Maddox and other prominent representatives of trade unionism. The chairman announced that Mr. Keating had been nominated 1u" his colleagues of the U.I.L. to contest the Aberdare Division in the interests of Labour, subject to the approval of of the Miners' Federation and the other trade union lodges in the district, and the meeting had been called to give all concerned an opportunity of hearing Mr. Keating's views so that a decision might be formed a,s to his qualifications as a candidate at the next parliamentary election in the division. Mr. Keating, who was cordially received, said that the Labour position was one of approach- ing triumph. The resolution which had just been jtassed at the Trade Union Congress, ca ll- ing upon the government to keep faith with its pledge to adopt the majority report of the San- key commission was the most significant step ever taken by Labour. It affirmed the solidar- ity of Labour in the just demands of any one of the various organisations. The workers were now prepared to claim a deciding voice in all matters affecting their industrial conditions. When Labour showed such unity of purpose, its power was irresistible. It represented the wishes of twenty-five million citizens, more than half the population of Great Britain. Any gov- ernment that refused to keep its promises, in the face of such an overwhelming demand for jus- tice must fall, (Applause.) THE ONE TOPIC. Mr. Kea ting attributed most of the unrest in the country to the high prices of all commodi- ties. Every woman was eojnplaining, and family conversation had become nothing but a dialogue on the troubles of keeping the children fed, and clothed and the shop book clear of debt. (]Ei (? The women were the real agitators. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Keating advocated the i-epeii of the Rent Act. and declared that the income tax 011 wages was an iniquitous tax on a workman's health and strength. Health and strength were the workers' capital, and the government had put a tax on it, while at the same time it re- fused to tax the capital of landowners and em- ployers. Dealing with the Miners' Compensa- tion Act, Mr. Keating pointed out that £300 I was the value set not upon the life of a miner, but upon the lives of all depending upon him. That was the price of a miner, his widow and all her children. The only adequate compensa- tion was the miner's full earning capacity at the time of his being killed, and that amount should be paid to his family until the children would earn a living for themselves. Why asked Mr. Keating, should the widow and children of a worker be made to suffer by the death of the breadwinner. (Hear, hear.) He demanded iije abolition of conscription, the withdrawal of the troops from Russia and Ireland, and declared that the cause of Labour was an international matter. Mr. Keating concluded by stating that the only remedy for all the grievances of the workers was a Labour Government. (Applause ) THE AFTERMATH. An unusual number of questions were put to the speaker dealing with education, direct action, compensation to injured miners, and tllf: difference between taxing the workers' wages and taxing the workers' food. At the close of the prolonged questioning, a vote of thanks to Mr. Keating was proposed ¡¡y Mr. A. G. Parry, who said that lie wished to express his warmest appreciation of the abilities revealed by the speaker, both in the spdendid address he had delivered, and in replying to the many searching questions. It was a pleasure, said the proposer, to note the difference between Mr. Keating and the present representative of the division. The sitting member .had been elected on sentiment, and had nevor shown any sign of possessing brains. But in Mr. Keating they saw unusual ability and a practical know- ledge of what the workers wanted, and he (Mr. Parry) would give him his enthusiastic support in the fullest confidence that Mr. Kea-tMjjj would be a most valuable representative for a mining district. (Applause.) Mr. Dan Palmer seconded, and told his hearers that he did so with unqualified pleasure, as he had been doom- ing with Mr. Keating in the Navigation, and was proud to see that he was true to Labour. He (Mr. Palmer) would support Mr. Keating with the greatest entlmsiasm. (Cheers.) COUNCILLOR MADDOX'S SUPPORT. Councillor Charles Maddox asked perm i ssion to support the resolution. He said that lie and all his family had been reading a hook called "My Struggle for Life," in which Mr. Keating had told the history of a poor boy from the Welsh Mines. It was, said the Councillor, Mr. Keating's life-story, and the writing would touch the heart. He (Councillor Maddox) was very glad indeed to have that opportunity of saying a .word on behalf of Mr. Keating, who, declared the councillor, was inspired by a pas- sion for the welfare of ithe miners. Councillor Maddox concluded hy wishing Mr. Keating every success, and stating that lie would be pleased to do what he could towards that end. (Loud applause.) Mr. IVatts (N.U.R.) rose to support t'he reso- lution on behalf of the railway workers. The able address which they had just heard and the straightforward replies to the questions, con- vinced him (Mr. Watts) that Mr. Keating was out for the emancipation of the workers. (Hear, hear). He assured Mr. Keating of his fullest sympathy and support, and would do all in his power to help him. (Cheers.) The resolution was carried unanimously amid enthusiastic applause. Mr. Keating, replying briefly, thanked the meeting for the kind way in which he had been received. He said that his appeal for their support was based on the fact that he was really one of themselves. He was a native of the dis- trict, had worked in the mines there, and had studied the political and industrial needs of the community in order to be qualified, as far as lay within his power, to grapple successfully with the oppressors of the poor. (Applause.)

HONOUR FOR MR. MORRIS.I