" THE CRUSADE OF THE ANGELS."|1908-06-27|Cymro a'r Celt Llundain

" THE CRUSADE OF THE ANGELS."

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THE CRUSADE OF THE ANGELS." (By EDWARD REES GRIFFITH). Despite the vicissitudes of our most versa- tile of climates, it was made evident on Sunday, that the gods do not unfavourably regard woman's great struggle for civic zn In equality and political freedom. The weather was, indeed, glorious and the sun beaming smilingly from the heavens, could not fail to gladden the heart, even of the pessimist, and fill it with rays of hope, joy, delight, and enthusiasm. Hyde Park-always a welcome refuge from the eternal rush and crush of London's traffic-seemed bent on donning its best garb for this truly momentous occasion, and its heavy leaved trees and green foliage, fresh and luxuriant, filled one with a sense of beauty, adoration and rever- ence such as Nature alone can inspire. Clouds lightly hovered in the skies above, pearly and magnificent, and nature seemed as if endeavouring to surpass herself in beauty and splendour. 'Twas, indeed, a veritable Woman's Sunday." At the pre-arranged times, seven grand processions, comprising in all some twenty thousand souls, started on their pilgrimage towards the park. Onward they proceeded along thoroughfares densely lined with respectably-apparelled spectators, carrying their banners and mottoes of purple, green and white, and marching triumphantly to the music of the bands. At the hour, which the Celtic bards, recently (and I may say, unblushingly) described as awr anterth," the floods of oratory commenced to surge forth from the twenty platforms. A crowd closely bordering on 300,000 were, being addressed simultaneously—an audience of a magnitude unparalleled in the annals of political history—and, in spite of the evidently premeditated interruptions and booings" of a certain faction, the sturdy advocates of women's rights, continued to proclaim their message, with heroic pluck and indomitable courage. A certain portion of the audience, however, appeared to be bent on mischief, and very ugly charges took place at some of the plat- forms, the whole mass of the people surging backwards and forwards-a gigantic wave of human beings; but thanks to the foresight of the police, and their commendable be- haviour in very difficult circumstances, hooliganism was kept well under control. Five o'clock arrived at last, and the signal was given for the great shout." A tre- mendous acclamation rent the air, but it seemed less like unto human voices than to the deep rumbling of the sea. The vastness of the crowd, served to entirely obliterate the human accents; but for all that, this tremendous shout shall surely re-echo through future generations, an eternal re- proach on those whose humanitarianism does not allow them to grant woman her elemen- tary rights and privileges. I was standing near the No. 8 platform, where Miss Christabel Pankurst was direct- ing her artillery of invective on her tormen- tors, and refusing to be bluffed by a ruth- less mob, when some words-which I imagine, would not be found in the King's vocabulary—fell on my ears. I turned round-evidently two persons close by were anxious to arrive at a satisfactory solution of the women's needs. But, Mike," said one, I couldn't for me dinner see why these 'ere wimmin wants the b g vote for," when the other, evidently a north country man from his -Lancashire brogue, turned sharply upon him and replied, Nor would'st tha mon, tha't neer thowt about it yet." This, I soliloquised, touches the root of the whole question. Men have not as yet seriously considered what the subjection of women means to the social welfare of the community. They have contented themselves by criti- cising tactics rather than by discussing practical reform. They have, indeed, not been averse to treat this important matter as an exception to their political creed, for whilst denouncing laisser-faire on matters appertaining to their own welfare, they have deemed it a convenient policy, and one might think, the only possible policy for the emancipation of woman Nor is apathy the only reason for, yn y dyddiau diweddaf hyn," we forsooth hear of anti-suffrage leagues-which may however be rightly placed in the same category as the House of Lords-where democracy reigns supreme! These institutions are, however, fortunately, in considerable minority, and should not be flattered by being too seriously regarded. Indifference and apathy are the great evils of the age. Division of labour" has had its marks impressed on the character of the community. People are compelled to live, what may be termed, routine life," and have aquired a kind of mental inertia, which accentuates the evil, by tending to confine them to one particular grove of existence, totally blind to other spheres of action. It is this great barrier-the barrier of custom, of prejudice, and of conservativism, that woman has to break, and Sunday's splendidly successful demonstration was certainly as yet her supremest effort.

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"IS WELSH DYING OUT IN SOUTH WALES"? (BY T.F.L.). As one who has resided in South Wales for 12 years, and, during that period, visited all parts of the district in a business capacity, I claim to speak with some authority on this important and timely subject. In Monmouthshire there is a very notice- able decrease, especially in the Ebbw Vale, Brynmawr, and Pontypool districts, but in the Rhymney district there is certainly no decrease. Indeed, there is no locality in Wales which clings more tenaciously to the ancient language than the people of Rhymney and adjacent villages. In Swansea town there is not much Welsh spoken, but at Morriston, Ystalyfera, Ystrad- gynlais, and Llansamlet, in the neighbour- hood the Cymric tongue holds its own well. In Neath Welsh speaking has decreased, and, likewise, at Aberavon, but at Maesteg and Llysir and Ogmore valleys Welsh holds its ground. The Rhondda Valley also sticks well to Welsh, but there are signs of a decrease. For instance ninety per cent, of the children "played" in Welsh ten years ago; to-day there is nearly as much English, heard. This is an ominous sign. Still, the teaching of Welsh in the schools and the establish- ment of Welsh national societies is doing much to re-vitalise the language. Bridgend is as Anglicised as Brecon, the only Welsh spoken being by the visitors from the Llysir and Ogmore valleys. Llanelly like Rhymney, sticks well to Welsh. Moreover the Welsh heard at Llan- elly is superior to the Welsh spoken in many other places. Snobbery has killed Welsh at Porthcawl, but there is a fair amount to be heard in Barry. There is even less Welsh spoken at Cardiff than at Swansea. Nevertheless there is no doubt that there is more Welsh spoken in the Welsh Metropolis to-day than there was twelve or fifteen years ago, and the establish- ment of Welsh classes in the city is fraught with bright hopes for the future of the language here. Breconshire is becoming almost as Angli- cised as Radnorshire, where the peasantry speak only a rubbishy mixture of the open the gate for the ceffyl to go trwyddo type. Rural Radnorshire furnishes a startling result of wholesale Anglicising influences. At Aberystwyth town Welsh speaking is decreasing, but in the county the Cardi is as loyal to Welsh as the Rhymney and Llanelly working men are. Like Porthcawl and Brecon, snobbery is very much alive at Lampeter, where Dic- Shon-Dafydd is particularly rampant. Rural Carmarthenshire is as Welsh speak- ing as it ever was, but Caerfyrddin, like Lampeter, is also suffering from snobbery. It is a fact that the best educated Welsh- men, and the Welsh geniuses, come from the Welsh-speaking districts. This is no mere platitude, it is an indisputable fact patent to all who take the trouble to observe things. The moral is obvious.

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THE Welsh Members have drafted a Dis- establishment Bill at last, and its contents will be made known in a few days. What to do with the endowments is the chief trouble that concerns some of the lukewarm members. The cry of "confiscation" is hateful to them, and to be condemned as lukewarm Nonconformists would spell ex-i pulsion at the next election. The leaders of the Welsh Party are hoping that a strong report will be issued from the Church Com- mission but those who know the Chairman, feel that he will be too judicial to arrive at any definite conclusions. So that the Report, after all, will be no more than a reference book for contending parties THE Welsh Industries Association will hold a Grand Exhibition and Sale at the Royal Albert Hall next Tuesday and Wednes- day. On Tuesday next, the Duchess of Beaufort will open the Exhibition, at 2.30 p.m., and a large gathering of supporters and friends of the Association will be present. Nearly every county in Wales will be repre- sented at the Exhibition and during the afternoon the London Cymric Orchestra, under the direction of Mr. Edward Morgan, will give a selection of music. NEXT Thursday, Miss Llewela Davies, the well-known pianist, will give an afternoon concert at Stafford House, which has been placed at her disposal, for the occasion, by the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland. Miss Davies will be assisted by well-known vocalists, and it is expected that Society will be well represented among the audience. Tickets should be applied for without delay, and can be had from Miss Davies, or the Hall Porter at Stafford House.

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