The Cambria Daily Leader

I THE DRIVE CHECKED. The German drive-we need not hesitate to use the term, as the French have several times utilised it in their communiques—has been chocked. In the night report the enemy claims to have made "fresh progress to tho south-west of S'oissons, but a condition of stability has been reached and the third crisis seems to t be over. All that was to be harvested as the result of the surprise organised a week ago has now been gathered. The prob- ability is that the Germans will still seek to create openings on what we may call the Pari front, although it is of course possible that,, as be- fore Amiens, they will recognise that the Allied line is too strong to be pierced, a,nd after another period of preparation, try elsew here.

THE CAPITAL OF WALES I We aro supposed to hold pretty strong views in the West about the pretensions of the city of Cardiff. From time immemdHal Taff and Tawe have disagreed, have fought for pre-eminence, and have ex- ploited their jealousies. Thero was a period when the rivalry had foot- ball as its safety valve; and Swan- sea was content, since it usually carried off the honours of the field. But behind this athletic competi- tion there was recognition in Swan- sea of deeper issues involved. We saw the ceaseless efforts made by Cardiff to gather to itself every public office that was going. We have had to contend for the ancient privilege of 'the Assize. We lost the university college by a :fluke- and a bad day it was for Wales when the arbitrators decided in favour of Cardiff, which was slow in realising its obligations to the college. Since that time, the city has thoroughly utilised the initial advantage, Mad has gathered to it- self national institution upon national institution. With the re- sult, of course, that the national spirit has flourished mightily ra Cardiff? That it has attempted to lead in every national movement? Not ptt all! In the June issue oi The Welsh Outlook "which is printed in Cardiff, and has a secretariat and a board familiar wIth Cardiff lit(- there are some very candid obser- vations about the city. Discussing the'claims of Cardiff to be con- sidered the capital of Wales our monthly contemporary declares that If bigness and hounce and push, and lack of sympathy with Welsh needs and aspirations are qualifications Car- diff can have no serious competitor. Nothing ever said in Swansea about I Cardiff ha.s been. quite as incisive as that! But the Outlook has not finished. It goes on to say that I The city 16 thoroughly anti-Welsh in all its attributes, and it has refused to ally itself with movements which make for the recognition of Wales as an autonomous unit in the British Com- monwealth That charge is based upon the' city's attitude towards the proposed National Council of Education. It set itself in opposition from the commencement, as far as we can see not upon the general merits of the scheme but as a matter of prin- ciple. Instead of leading the .movement for Welsh national pro- gress," says the Outlook" again, it does everything possible to re- i tard." And, pronouncing a verdict that it is unthinkable that such a town should become Capital of Wales, it proceeds to—suggest a convenient centre in mid-Wales, an entirely new town, as the Welsh national centre. A tame conclusion, surely! Let us say at once that detrac- tion of Cardiff is not our purpose. We cordially agree that in present- day Cardiff there are few if any signs of' sympathy with Welsh national life outside a 'vetv limited circle oi ardent Celts, but this is more to be deplored than rejoiced over. What irritates the westerner is the constant assumption of the Taffside folk that they constitute the hub of the Welsh universe. We are talking, vaguely enough it is true, of Welsh Home Rule—but Cardiff has already set aside a site for the 'Welsh Parliament. It. is this calm, superior supposition thtt the question of the capital has been decided tha t will have to be watched, and fought by Swansea. Here we are, destined soon to Do among the greatest' towns in the Kingdom; incomparable the centre. in which Welsh sentiment has the greatest sway; with jo..al governing bodies in fullest, sympathy with national aspirations; geographically, with incontestable claims to the honours c.i the Capital. -The occa- sion has arrived fur us to bestir ourselves. It will never (11'1 t-o establish the Capital of WiHes in rural mid- Wales retreat. A hundred reasons can be advanced against it—reasons rf convenience of' residence a^ess- i abiVtv, dignitv. tf the needs "f the population are to be consul ted, I" f' 1- it the unchanging s^nhment. of a rlacc is K' be considered. then ('irt.'? or Swansea --and it wo! h" no '?cm.i c't? .) h''t'? an "r??i??:)'j  I Chlln tn be recognised as the Welsh Metropolis. And the si to of the- j Welsh Parliament should be Vic- toria Park, or Sliigletov-frw f;he day is drawing near when the town must think out the question of add- ing that beaut-iail estate to the borough possessions. We ought to be planning ahead; and planning with supreme ii the future greatness of Swansea.

I POPULAR VICAR. I Morriston's Tribute to Canon David Williams. At the Parish Hall, Morriston, on Mon- day evening, Mr. W. J. Lewis, J.P., pre- sided over a very representative gather- ing of churcl1 people, when presentations were made to the klev. Canon David Wil- liams, M.A., and Miss Williams, on the occasion of their leaving tor Aberystwyth. Amongst those present were Sir J. T. D. Llewelyn, Mr. T. J. Williams, M.P., Mrs. T. J. Williams, Rev. Alban Jones, Rev. W. J. Thomas (Mans*!ton), Rev. D. J. Arter (Penllergaer), lw". if Howells, Rev. D. Charles (Ysttod-road), 1M. Rees, M Palmer, T. Loosemore, E. Williams, Jno. Griffiths, W. J. Hanney (secretary), J. A. Williams. J. D. Thomas (trea6urer). The presentation took the form of a re- volving l>ookea»e and a cheque for £ 123 to the itev. Dd. Williams, and a gold wristlet watch and cheque of f31 to Miss Williams, and were subscribed by the parishioners of Llangyfelach. The chairman said the presentations were made by the members of the six churches comprising the parish of Llan- gyfelach. A sum of 9,175 had been col- lected towards the testimonial, a quarter of which had been given to Mies Wil- liaias, and the remainder to the Rev. D. Williams. Sir J. T. D. Llewelyn, in making the presentation to the Rev. Dd. Williams, paid a high tribute to his work at Mor- riston during the last 1:10 years. This work included the building of the Pa,rish H6.11, Morriston, St. Teilo's Church, par-1 sonage at, Llangyfelaoh, re-building of Parish Church, Llangyfelach, parsonage Llangyfelach, church, and parsonage, Ys- trad-road. The presentation to Miss Williams was made by Mrs. T. J. Williams, Maesy- gwernen. Eulogistic references to the re- cipients were made by Mr. T. J. Wil- Jiam. M.P., Rev. Alban Jones, Rev. D. J. Art-or, Rev. W. J. Thomas, Rev. H. Howells, Mr. J A. Williams, and Mr. J. Griffiths. During the evening a musical pro- gramme was provided, when the following assisted:—Mrs. E. Thissen, Misses Ethel Williams, Rachel Brazell, and Mr. Llew. R. Bowen. Mr. T D. Jones (Skettv), ac- companied.

I W.A.A.C.'s LINDER FIRE. Experience of the Welsh Contingent Letter's received in Lundon on Monday slwwed that l the W.A.A.C.'s had been under fire again, but the Welsh contia- gnt appears to have escaped r?m?rkably well. Mr. Towyn Jon?. ?t.P.. b?? h<.?rd from his daughrer. Mi?s Elsie ?Jo;?a who is in char?f of a d<:tmJ)m?nt of tL€sa girls, and ?h? hus hastened to let her father know that she and Iter friends were all right after tL ■ bombing. V> e have top-hole dug-outs," she adds in her letter, and they are absolutely bomb- proof." Miss Jones appears to have been rather ill, but silo is now free from an attack of fever.

I THOSE RUMOURS! Tide-Time, The Syrens—and the Crown Prince. The last few days have been unusually fruitful with nonsensical rumours. On i,llg the, w.-fit roudd with the milk that the English had cap- tured a quarter of a million Germans, andiust. afWr midnight Oil Monday the west-end 0) the town was buzzing with .th", inf!)rm-1ti"Il" that the German Crown Fnnh-id been prisoner! Some peirpl" actually got 0\lf of bed to enthuse! What gave eob-ur O; the rumour was that it tide-time, steamers blowing I the- r i-vreiv; wore coming into port, and some inventive mind pt e lid on it 1".ttimr that all the noise was due to | the fa that thf> German Crown Prince v> a* a 'ï}/l1()r.

For selling brandy without a licence. Thomas Pratt, manager of i1 firm of Man- [ f-ion House hn^d ,t!30

I BIRTHDAY HONOURS. 1 Awards to West Wales Officers. I The second instalment of the birthday honours, released for publication on Mon- day night, includes the naanea of several WMt Wa li-ans. Capt. Gerald Witham Vivian, R.V.. j who has been appointed a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, I is a run of Sir Arthur P. Vivian, K.C.B., one of the partners of Vivian and Sons, Swansea, a nephew of' the late Lord Swansea, and cousin to Lieut.-Col. tile Hon. Odo Vivian, D.S.O., of Bridgend. Chaplain the Rev. J. G. Lane-Davies is I an old student of St. David's College, Lampeter, and before the war was a curate at Babbaeombe, South Devon. I Acting Major C. H. Brassel, awarded the ( Military Cross, who has been twice pre- viously mentioned in dispatches, was for- merly in the electrical department of the Swansea Corporation. He is a brother of Mr. A. W. Brazel, manager of the Cardiff Employment Exchange, and a non of Mr. Brazel, of the Great West-era Railway, Swansea. Capt. J. J. Pugh Evans, double M.C.. is a son of Lady Pug-h Evans, of TorPA- grove, Aberystwyth, brother of Col. Pugh Evans, V.C., D.S.O., and a nephew of lieut.-Gen. Sir James Hills-Johnes, V.C

ART AND INDUSTRY. The Swansea. Head Teachers' Associa- tion was addressed by Mr. Grant Murray on Art in its relation to Industry" The lecturer dealt with the revi-al of art under the influence of "Puskin' and Wil- liam Morris. Tie also dealt with the ne- cessity of awakening the dormant artis- tic sense of Wales and its greater ex- pression in architecture, etc. The whole lecture teemed with information and sug- goatoon. In the discussion Mr. J. Wil- liams (Brynmill), Mr. Bea it la nd (Man. -N f r Beiiilanct Secondary), Mr. Davies (Terrace-mad), and others took part. Mir<s Stewart (Danygraig) was in the chair.

I A SWANSEA SURGEON I Mr. T. J, Thomas, of 19, Cra dock-street, has obtained the de- grees of M.B., B.S., of the University of London. Mr. Thomas Thomas was educated at the Grammar School and the Lon- don University. Pre- vious to entering the Navy as a burgeon three years ago, he was assistant casu- alty officer at King's College Hospital.

.04- r [TOWN TALK At oat it oil Monday « lady charged her bruther-in-ia w with aasau.. brought in her hand <videt!oe of th e frs;1 A tooth! N O Hendy (Pontarduia.t) allotment .r1! ers are mostly woiu^n. The men-folk ir away from home, either lighting or lions makin. •—-o; — A Welsh fciddier walked eight mi Its t, the nearest dressing-station in Trance th pother day aft.-r Iteing shot through botl I legE. S-c-ritt, grit. A happy incident at a "gj luaufa at Mynyddbach was the tinging of Lan" in the presence oi the author o1 the words—"Gwyrosydd o A Swansea business woman posted fil letters last night without, affixing -tin extra halfpenny stamp <jii each. Va guess she wasn't the only one to make L mistake. — ;0 V- I Tlie average man pronounces the namt as Sal-o-me. The correct pronunciation, t we are told by one of the leading char* acters in the case is Sal-o-may. you know! — -o A party of airmen who descended in a remote spot in Carinurthcnshire (11" other day, and stayed overnight, provided <=-'Hue excitement to relieve the monotony uf country life. —:o:— One enthusiastic plot-holder has an ideal t>larecrow on his allotment- a troV which he had himself killed. An example to other birds inclined to take liberties with his allotment. o Pansy was the name of a male defendant at Neath Police Court un Aluilklily. Ills' I non-arrival having kept the Court unoccu- pied for ten minutes, inspires the c'jm- me. that he wa^ a late bloom! V — :0 :— A man in Carmarthen who has medically examined seven times, and who has to be examined once more, is anxious to know if anyone .can beat this record. Now don't all speak at once! — ;0 A member of the Swansea 1 oiice Force had a nasty shock yesterday. He was ill the police buildings when an anxious in- quirer demanded Where is the War Office ?" It transpired later -to the re- lief of the office!-— that the venue required was the War Pensioii6 Office! A Sw.. officer from a town on the Italian front eends home the following o rather nice bit of Italian English. The hospital notice-board bears an appeal tor v subscriptions in several languages, and the English version concludes;-— All diseases harboured No religions respected." Swansea Industrial School Band "f Hope cent fourteen candidates to the Temperance examination d tlie Baud of Hope Union, all of whom passed. 'I'fiey secoired five South Wales prizes, won tlie < Thomas Harrison shield, and came third for the South Wales shield. Uravo: In- dustrial 2 In the earlier days ol the war it customary to welcome home soldiers re- turning from the tr-ont with I lags ancl bunting, but the habit soon diopped. Not so, however, with Garden-street. J.a^t evening the street was betlagged ht lor Royal visit to greet one oi its returning heroes. -;0;- i A prominent man in Noiiconioviu: Nationalist, and county circles- man the Rev. J. Davies. Cadle--ts about. to l'etire from hit, pastorate after o<" ycmV service. The church and it, "ft liujl, Saron, Gendrr^, arc appealing for funds to -make the veteran a preeenlSliun l worthy of the mau o .-«| ¡It Mr. Meth Jones, in flPtn ■ uing !'i.. ferenee of delegates to select a Lal>iiir 1 candidate for tue Neath Farinuiseiiforv < Division, invited it] I Tr:tdlIlUl aid Socialist branches, C,-ojxritive S:>ciMie-, Women's Orgamsatkms nud secfions of societies" to send one delegate each. Wa-i not there some ei l.iiiping iu suc.ii m ar ra ngemen t ? I There Wa6 unusual exciUaneuf ::11:11 jUip vicinity of Iligh-street Station la-t veniiig, as a result ol which many I people will have stiff necks for a Still it was worth stoppin gasuiy Swith the crowd skywards for there was all interesting chasc by a hawk alter a, pigeon. Alld quite British like, '"lie em- pathies of the crowd w as witii the wcakt-r side. The majority of ipte will agree (hat the daylight saving scheme i- on un- doubted boon, but there is one man m Brynmill who is dissatisfied. He has to get up very early in the morning, but linds if impossible to get to bed at an early hour owing to the fact that riuuug these long evenings lie has to cha-o (us roaming children and gather them uito the fold. -"0-- The old line between sacred (ud secular is wearing very thin. At a London Sun- day School choral festival a Welsh girl was announced to sing God shall w¡¡r i away ail tears/' After much v. lnspering and signalling between the chair, voice. and piano, eamo the btartlivg auuounce- meat: Mi»s Llwddwy (or words to that ..iffect) wishes to ipg ..Cuckoo instead. Ar-d "Cuckoo" it was, very beautifully rendered. But imagine such a volte lace 20 years ago 1 — o • — A Mumbles soldier was ordered to pro- ceed with a squad of men from Cairo to another scene of activities, and was re. ceived on board ship" by a British cap- tain, who gave the men a cordial wel- come. In course of conversation the captain elicited the fact that the soldier was a son of Councillor Harry Davies, ot ) the Mumbles, and. in turn, the captain told the soldier that hv himself was a brother to. Councillor J. J Joues. also oj' the Mumbles. They had never ).1]01 bt- fore, but the captain's treatment of the party created a warm friendsh.ii betweca them. About t'ntee years ago a S\< antra man who had not donned kba ki-hø had be-n rojectcd in the first rush to the colours— was greatly pain.?d i feather by post. Even* oal ly he passed till) doctor ri(I g.)t to the front, and lias I ■since gained a commission. Recently, while home on leave, a dihlnt relatiou of his—a young woman-—admitted having eerrt the badge of cowardice, whereupon the young subaltern took a wallet ft am his pocket, extracted the same white feather, and presented it back to the 1ad. with the following remark: "Why haven't 'joa joined the W.A.A.C S. ? —: O". — A la wye.' tells in. Chambers' Journal curious story v.e have in ales about an aritient custom, shrouded in the mi.-fs of ages, under which many humble folk in years long past esta,bliahed theroselve.. as owners of landed property. The custom was for a man to enter upon a piece of waste land after sunset, and ip the cour-&« of the night to build with all sd ft four-walled structure containing in iLWb rnidst a fireplace and a chimney. Fetve#^ ishly he would applv his; energies to thtt task, so that by thoø brea-k of the fcuoeeed!- ing dawn he should have his building com- pleted and (wherein lay the chief virtu ft of his toil) a fire burning upon the hearth. with as-ending thronarh the cbim- ney- Thut smoke it was essential fonie witness should psreen-e. f?r '-? thie beinc ac?mnH<.hed.th''b?'l'ierbepame.'by*??? tuA of th.,?, r?!wbtf!il "R*rO'r th land emclo??d ?!<hiB his buildin?-