Pioneer

ru It U It "II' I -Merthyr Electrl*c heatre • Week commencing Monday, September 29th. ■ CONTINUOUS PERFORMANCE FROM 2.30 P.M. DAILY J I Monday Tuesday ?nd Wednesday— fl I FOX FILM COMPANY present the Great B I GLADYS BROCKWELL i ■ The Mistress of Emot i on, in 8 J "!excE'ehedie,nL!" I t This is an exce l lent drama which docs credit to this noted screen star. W Thi: gl'iPPin, n"l'n BULLET. a Episode 17. last two I I This ?rippin? seria l now driv ing to a close, reac hes a tremen d ous c l imax in the last two j? ? Episodes—17 and 18. § 3 HER BUCHTED LIFE-A Screaming Mack Sennett Comedy. 2 I Thursday, Friday, and Saturday— Ii The Great and Successfu l Screen Star I ) The Great and S;lee;AKAWA in I  "THE TEMPLE OF DUSK's J j I "Take Care of Baby B l ossom. Aroun d this message is woven a tale of deep devotion, 1I ? which, when exhibited will bring many a tear? Undoubtedly the film of the year. THE CIRCUS KINC-Daring Episode in this great serial.  THE MUSICAL SNEEZE—An Excellent Comedy I ? Pathos Cazette !n Each Pprogramme. M I Prices of Admission 5d., 9d., 1?3 including Tax. t i. It II II II It .n_i It It II PRELIMINARY ANNOUNCEMENT. NO=CONSCRIPTION FELLOWSHIP. National Convention Will be held in London on November 29th and 30th. Chairman CLIFFORD ALLEN. First List of Speakers at different Sessions Rev. Dr. John Clifford G. D. H. Cole George Lansbury J. Ramsay Macdonald Rev. Dr. F. B. Meyer Lord Parmoor Hon. Bertrand Russell Robert Smillie Philip Snowden Mrs. H. M. Swanwick All Conscientious objectors are invited to attend, and are requested to oommunloate f-litilot, with their local Branches or with Ernest E. Hunter, at Head Office, 5 York Buildings, Adelphi, London, W.O.2. I.1 I II tH  Are unrivalled for all Irregularities, etc., they ANCHARD'S Are 1;1nrivalled fo all Irregularities, ew" they BLANCHARD"S lilafford relief and never fail to alleviate ?? ? euifering. They supersede Pennyroyal, Pill ^)|| I Cochia, Bitter, Apple, &c. Blanchard's are the -I I l-l—VJ best of all Pills for Women. Sold In boxes, 111, by BOOTS' Branches and all Chemists, or post free, same price, fromi LESLIE MARTIN, Ltd., Chemists, 34 Dalston Lane, London. Samples and valuable booklet sent free, Id. stamp. BENTLEY'S HALL, MERTHYR, SUNDAY EVENING, SEPT. 28th. SPEAKER: Mr.CLIFFORD ALLEN (LONDON), CHAIRMAN N.C. F. Subject:' SOCIALISM IN THE WILDERNESS.' Chair taken at 7.45. Admission by Silver Collection. On MONDAY, SEPT. 29th, MR. WILL CRAIK, CENTRAL LABOUR COLLEGE, WILL ADDRESS A PUBLIC MEETING AT THE ABOVE HALL AT 7.30 P.M. PROMPT. HOPE CHAPEL, MERTHYR, SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28th, 1919. Rev. J. Morgan Jones, M.A. "TO ALL C.O.'S IN SOUTH WALES." South Wales Convention & Social Re-Union, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 27th, 1919. HOPE SCHOOLROOM, MERTHYR TYDFIL, Conference 3.30 p.m. Chairman—Coun. MORGAN JONES, Bargoed. SPEAKERS: CLIFFORD ALLEN, B.A. (National Chairman). Rev. J. MORGAN JONES, M.A. (Merthyr). Miss M. JONES (Head Office). Sooial Re-Union 5.30 p.m. Refreshments for Delegates and Visitors. ",k-

Eleven Deputies Censored. I The extent of the conversion of French Social- ism to a real conviction of its mission eand I methods may to some extent be gleaned from the decision that has come out of the long deli- berations of the committee elected by the Na- tional Congress of the Party to enquire into the conduct of the eleven deputies who voted for the war credits. The new majority and the Right minority agreed to a compromise vote of censure upon the eleven, and no further action against them, but at the same time it has been decided that any Socialist deputy voting for the credits in future, or voting for the ratification of the "Peace" Treaty shall by the act cease to be a member of the Party. The extreme Left wing refused to accept this decision and moved the expulsion of the eleven deputies, but Con- gress took the milder course recommended by the committee and instructed the Executive to enforce it by a vote of 1,427 against 490—the latter number cast, of course, for the extreme Left motion. There were also two abstentions. M. Albert Thomas, who had previously an- neunced his intention of voting for the ratifica- tion of the Peace Treaty, accepted the decision of the Party. That, of course, does not indicate whether M. Thomas will refrain from voting and continue membership of the Party, or will follow his previously expressed intention of voting for the ratification, and automatically expel himself from the Party.

TU ITION. TRAINED GRADUATE wants pupils for any JL entrance examination. Terms moderate. —Apply, Pax, 10 The Avenue, Merthyr Tydfil.

The Dowlais Distress. DOWLAIS is in truth to-day a city of the damned. The remorselessness with which the steel-owners have conducted their fight against the demands of the skilled steel-producers for three months and more, and the constant consequent break- down of employment among the subsidiary workers, although failing to break the spirit or determination of the men, is coming perilously near to breaking their hearts, and undermining the health of themselves and their loved ones. As to the ultimate solution that will alone re- move from despotic and irresponsible hands this terrible power of sowing broadcast misery and debt and a heritage of impoverished health, we have before expressed ourselves—nothing .short of socialisation can eliminate these episodes from our civilisation. The question at the moment is not one of ultimate solutions, however, but one of organisation of all the forces available for the alleviation of the distress that is so manifestly observable on every hand in the steel-town of Dowlais. With the passing of the weeks the circle oi misery is bound to spread ever wider and wider, and even if the present strike was concluded, the notices served on the remaining workers in the works to cease contracts this week-end and join the great army of our local unemployed, withdrawn and work resumed at the earliest moment, there would still be a period of abject poverty ahead of DoAN-lais i period that cannot be bridged, before the end of year brings out the unskilled workers whose notices to terminate their agreements under the Sliding Scale ii-ill work out towards the end of the year. Every indication is one of vicious class warfare waged mercilessly—and the conse- quence cannot but be disquieting to everyone touched with the least spark of humanity. Al- ready we understand that some small, disorgan- ised agencies have been at work seeking to col- lect sums for distribution amongst the most dis- tressed cases. That is good so far as it goes, though we sincerely legret to learn that in many cases donations have been made conditional upon an undertaking that no part of the particular donations shall go to the I elief of the family of a striker. But it does not go far enough. Face to face with an ocean of poverty, sporadic charity effort takes on the aspect of ladling an ocean with bucket, The ne«d is for a respon- sible centralised effort, with properly organised channels of appeal, and a complete machine of distribution. The task we believe is in process of consummation. A Central Committee of the unions chiefly affected, and co-related organisa- tions is being mooted amongst the men. That way alone lies promise of effectively dealing with the problem, until such time as the neces- sary powers may have been obtained to open re- lief works for the men. The need is urgent, and the Committee should be drafted at once, and duly authorised appeals directed to the organised workers of the whole locality through those or- ganisations. The two miners districts imme- diately contiguous are prepared to get to work, we understand, at once; .and unquestionably the railwaymen and lesser industries of the town will levy themselves once tlie machinery is run- ning, and the appeal properly addressed to them by the steel trades unions. The churches, too, are doing what little they can to assist. But it is through the unions that the field can be best surveyed, the forces organised and the work most effectively done. We trust that the Com- mittee will materialise quickly, and that the workers of the whole South Wales area will be aroused to a consciousness that the steelworkers of Dowlais are part and parcel of the great working-cla-sis movement, and that by their stub- born resistance to the vested interests of conso- lidated Capital in this fight, they are waging the war of the whole working class. j

German Independents and Bolsheviks The Independent Socialists of Germany have taken an important step in an endeavour to pro- mote the unity of the International Socialist Movement. A communication from the central committee of the Party was read at the French Socialist Party Congress proposing that an at- tempt should be made to bring the revolutionary Socialist Parties of all countries together with a view to uniting them for effective joint action. This proposal was formulated by the executive of the Independents after discussion upon the decisions of the Lucerne Conference, and its manifesto appeals to the French Socialists to support them in the endeavour. The Indepen- dents expressed approval of the statement made by M. Longuet in an article published in the Independents' journal, "Freiheit": "If our friends in Italy, Switzerland, and especially in Russia, will renounce their unfruitful and un- healthy isolation and take their place once more before us that would suffice to reconstitute the International on a solid revolutionary basis." The Independents' manifesto points out that it is extremely necessary to make a further at- tempt to obtain full information regarding the situation in Russia, and the Third International of Moscow. Personal contact with Russian Socialists belonging to the Third International appears to be indispensable. If it is impossible to obtain passports for Russia, the Independents declare that an effort must be made to arrange for a meeting in a neutral country with in- fluential Russian comrades who count in the Government of the Soviets. It is proposed that France, England, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Hungary, and Switzerland should each appoint one or two delegates to meet in some place to be decided upon later—Switzerland, Holland, or Sweden—with a, view to conversations: the rest depends, they say, upon the result of these con- versations. They ask the French Socialists to state whether they consent to this proposal and were disposed to co-operate in carrying it out, and also to make other proposals they may think advisable for bringing about a rapproche- ment of the revolutionary forces of all coun- tries. The manifesto is signed by Crespien, President of the Independents' Party. Longuet proposed tltat the proposal should be referred to the Party's Executive for examina- tion on execution, pointing out, amid cheers, that it was intended to realise the unity of the international working classes. Renaudel de- clared that he was not opposed to this method of procedure, but asked the Congress not to forget the resolution passed at Berne, and con- firmed at Egernej to send a commission of ig-

A Socialist Dolly's Dialogues (WITH APOLOGIES TO ANTHONY HOPE.) By KATHARINE BRUCE CLASIER. "You will never stick it!" Dolly looked up from her favourite seat-,i cushion on the corner of a raised tile hearth. The tiles were full of soft green-blue lights* and made exactly the right back-ground for a fair, curly head. I don't want to stick, i hate sticky people. I mean to hold on hard for three months. Then I hope they will he holding hard on to ine." M inna was a real chum, true and wise enough to refrain from argument when she saw that Dolly had made up her mind. Is it a big house? she asked. It is an abominable house. It ought to be called Such-a-getting-up-stairs! There is a basement kitchen and a scullery and a wrong pantry all in the wrong places, and a stupid hideous off-set called a house-maid's parlour Iw- low the front-door steps. On the first lfoor there is a dining-room, a drawling-room, as Carpenter would call it and what the poor old be-starelied Professor calls his den. It is the only comfort- able room in the house. Two bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor, two dingy attics and a box-room on the third, idiotic dnrk pas- sages and awkward corners everywhere, wasting space. The house has nothing to redeem it but the sky and the plane trees outside the window. And you are going to undertake the whole work of it r M inna's eyebrows were rising in spite of herself. "I am coaxing my dear old Xurse Jenkins to come down and char with me every Friday. She has helped me run this flat while I have been putting in three wretched years as a typist ac- countant, and getting paler and thinner and crankier every month of it. Now I tell her I am going to take a turn as a muscular Christian, put on flesh, and perhaps even a fresh com- plexion, and try every one of my pet theories in —well—in a kitchen! Mi una shrugged. I guess* you'll be trying your temper first. But what special theories do you mean ? That all really useful work can be done in a way that there Is no need for a servile class at all that the whole hideous business of dirty work can and ought to be banished, not only from the homes but from the whole life of the people," cried Dolly, her words coming in a spate. "Those just to begin with." But isn't your present work useful ? Not an hour of it' Every bit of it would disappear under a sanely organised system. Any- how, I am sure no guild of craftsmen would ever ask Messrs. Hallow and Hopkins to come within a mile of them. You should hoar their painter men talk of them—or, rather, you shouldn't. The reddest of my The Ragged Trousered Phil- anthropists was mild as mild compared with my Mr. Bilson." Why is he yours? asked Minna, whose dis- approval was getting the better of her usual good temper. Because I appreciate hiin," said Dolly, sweetly. But now do ask me to describe my new master and mistress." "1 thought you said they were your relations —Uncle and Aunt." So they are, in some dim and distant, se- cond marriage, twice removed kind of fashion. But I have made it quite clear that I prefer good- sound business relations any day to wpnk not to say unhealthy ones. No, I don't want to be nasty only honest. When I called, Uncle, who is as lean and limp as a taper in a. hot August, fit the best of times, was down in the coal cellar trying to fill a bucket, and there were actual tears in his poor old eyes. Aunt has neuritis as a permanent wall of defence against any pos- sible or impossible calls upon her frail refinement for physical exertion, and they have been sub- sisting for months on tea and toast and forlorn adventures among restaurants, none of which can be reached without a dreary half-hour's tram-ride. Uncle has solemnly assured me that he is a Liberal to whom even war-time collecti- visms are as grit between his teeth. Aunt warns me that she cannot possibly explain 'our blood relationship to any of her respectable friends, but that if 1 can really light ifres and cook an eatable dinner she won't even inquire what I do with my seven evenings out a week. They have given their only son to their king and country, and can't be held responsible for their lady help's deserving to be in prison as a Conscien- tious Objector. She nearly gasped with relief when T reminded her that at least I should be doing work of National Importance." -x- Are you going to give up your flat ? not at any rate for the three months during which I am doing the holding on. f have sublet part of it furnished quite profitably, and I shall stay till- Till you have hypnotised your master and mistress into being your devoted subjects, I sup- pose," said Minna. Till J have socialised them, I hope," laughed Dolly. Anyhow, till I have found out whether Socialist theories will work." (To be continued).

Irishmen in Cardifj. The United Irish Leaguers of South Wales at their meeting in Cardiff on Sunday will be asked to resolve "That this great demonstration as- sembled in the Capital of the Prime Minister's own country demands from him and the British Parliament the immediate fulfilment of their pledges to establish an Irish Parliament with the principles of political liberty for which the war was fought and thousands of Irishmen sacri- ficed. That we protest against the brutal methods adopted in Ireland apparently with the object of goading the Irish people into rebellion, so that the party of reaction and Carsonism may triumph." The motion will be moved by Mr. John Valen- tine (Executive Council of the U.I.L.), seconded by Mr. A. Marsh (Cardiff) and supported by Mr. Develin.

A War Office Lie ? With reference to the communique recently issued by the War Office in which it was stated that, after the sanguinary conflict in Kiev be- tween the Armies of Generals Petloura and Denikin, a satisfactory arrangement was come to for the avoidance of mutual hostilities and the continued prosecution of operations against the Bolsheviks, it is understood that no confirma- tion of any such arrangement has been received in Ukrainian official quarters in London, and, further, that opinion dn these quarters, based on previous information, is that no such arrange- ment is possible unless the independence of the Ukrainian Republic is acknowledged by General Den,ikin. [From the Ukraine," the organ of the

1 ■ Film. I The "Bolshevik" FHm. I The so-called "Anti-Bolshevik" film" Bol- shevism is having a chequered career. Before its issue it had caused trouble amongst the dis- charged men, numbers of whom took strong ex- ception to the association of their organisation, or its officials, with such a flagrant piece of poli- tical propaganda. On the rounds it is proving no happier, resentment marking its projection on the screen, and in some cases ferment rising to fisticuffs and rowdyism has resulted. Its ap- pearance at the Clapliam Majestic picture-house last week when a mob of 200 or 300 persons rushed to the theatre to raid the screen," whatever that may mean. Fortunately, there was no secret about the attempt, and it was met by a strong force of police, assisted by a few discharged men, and the war was confined to the outside of the hall, where sticks and stones cracked heads on both sides. Inside the hall, while the picture was flickering through the lantern a member of the audience protested

ACKNOWLEDGMENT. HARRIS.—Mrs. Harris and Family, of 6 King Hd?ard Villas, desire 10 thank numerous friends for their kindness, a.Iso for flowers, and letters of condolence in their sad be- reavement.