Llais Llafur

The failure of John Charles I-libbereil, a ware houseman, which was dealt with at Nottingham Bankruptcy Court on Fri- day, revealed that although he had nover received a salary of more than jB153 a year he had speculated in property to the extent of nearly £ 19,000.

The Swansea Corporation have put in claims for about £ 1,000 fcr damage al- leged to have been caused to the corpora- tion dwellings at TrewJ-ddfa by under- ground workings.

Unfortunately, writes an occasiona l cor- respondent in Japan, there is no Labour press in our country. No trades unions exist here, in the European sense of the word since the Government has stood in the way of the establishing of same or have brutally crushed such organisations as might have sprung up here and llu:;o. Strikes are regarded as conspiracies, and all those inviting the workers to strike are punished by heavy penalties or by deprivation oi civil rights. The same course is pprsued in the treatment of the lo-weir classes, as was common in England, during the reign of George III., doubtless with the same re- sult. In spite of this, fresh strikes are continually breaking out, which are, however, quickly crushed out. All wages are exceptionally low. The average in- ccme for a factory workers seldom ex coeds 40[:. per month. The young girls in the silk factorus have to work 13 to 14 hours daily, whilst in the weaving shed s the working-time is no less than 14 to 16 hours. Parliament poseed a, Factory Act two years ago it is true—presumably as an- other step in their "process of civilisa- tion"-but t he precaution was taken, to make the law first valid in 1915. It is questionable whether, having regard to our backward conditions, the law will actually come into force upon the stipu- lated date, although the rapidly increas- ing industry urgently demands that regu- lations for the protection of the workers be put into operation. This lie,, not en- tirely beyond the intereste, of the em. pi eve re themselves. A whole crowd of press regulations, have been issued since the time of the last political plots. When, recently, a high official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was assasinated, the Governor prohibited the publication of any ac- counts in connection wth the matter. At the same time the Courts of Justice were authorised through a new law to inflict- penalties under the Press Act. In a few days 18 newspapers were fined glJmS varying 200 and 800 yen (1 yen, 2s.)-for Japan very high sums. The manage- ments of the newspapers concerned held a meeting at which protest was; raised against the whole of the proceedings of the Authorities, and those present pledged themselves to strive towards a reform of the Press Act.

NEWS FROM ALL QUARTERS The Week at Home and Abroad EVADING DEATH DUTIES It was anounced on Saturday that the Marquis of Lansdowne has made over all his Scottish estates to the Earl of Kerry, his heir, and to Lord Charles Fitzmauriee, his second son. Lord Charles Fitzmaurice, who is one of the King's senior equerries, will succeed to the greater part of the estates, in- cluding Meikleour (Perthshire), the most extensive. The estates include the Kineff and Pitcarry properties in Kincardine. Besides his Scottish pro- perty Lord Lansdowne owns 11,145 acres in Wiltshire and 124,368 acres in Ireland. The family fortunes date from the confiscation of Irish lands for distribution among Cromwell's soldiers. FILM FACTORY EXPLOSION A disastrous fire occurred on Friday at a film factory situated at the Mariahilferstrasse, Vienna. It was due to the explosion of petrol, with which the films are cleaned. Two workgirls perished in the flames, two others received grave burns, and a fifth escaped, but lost her reason. The fire was only extinguished after two hours' work by all the fire brigades of Vienna. I LONDON MURDER MYSTERY. Up to the present there has been no elucidation of the mystery surround- ing the murder of Willie Starchfield, the seven year old boy, who last week- end was found dead under the seat in a Shorediteh train. The circumstances point to strangulation, but there is absolutely no clue as to when, where or by whom the crime was committed, nor can there be any motive for it. The whole affair appears to be completely baffling. I TERRIBLE LONDON EXPLOSION By an explosion occurring on Satur- day morning a house in Langford plaee, Loudoun road, N.W., was wrecked, and the aged occupant, Mrs. Meeson was so severely injured that she had to be removed to St. Mary's Hospital. The house is a small detached villa. the first in the street, and Mrs. Mee- son lived there alone, unattended by servants. She is said to be very eecen- tric, and to be possessed of considerable means. VICTOR GRA-YSON'S AFFAIRS. On the application of Mr. W. B. Glasier, a receiving order has been made at the Bankruptcy Counrt under a petition presented against Mr. A. Victor Grayson, the Socialist, described as lato Cleveland-mansions, Brixton, S.W. The petitioning creditor's claim wm for £101 in respect of money lent. Mr. Grayson has, after a. long alienee from the platform, again commenced to take speaking engagements. THE GERMAN CROWN PRINCE. 1 The German Crown Prince forms the subject of an interesting statement in a German newspaper. According to that journal, the reason for the transfer of the Crown Prince from Danzic to the General Staff was the unsatisfactory relations between him and his military superiors, General Von Mackensen, the commander of the 17th Army Corps, a close and trusted friend of the Emperor and Count Von Sehmettow, tho com- mander of the Hussar brigade, to which the Prince's regiment belongs. General Von Mackensen is understood to have been specially selected by the Emperor as adviser to his son, an office which, according to Danzic gossip, the general did not desire. SWANSEA'S £ 100,000 HOUSING I SCHEME. It was reported a,t a meeting of the Corporation of Swansea Housing Com- mittee that the first batch of workers' dwellings at Town-hill had been com- menced. These will be completed in three months, when an inspection will be carried out and any shortcomings will be remedied. In all, 500 houses are to bo erected at a cost of over £ 100,000, and a special tramway will ensure ready access to and from the dwellings. The houses will consist of three types and the rents will vary from 5s. 6d. to 8s. per week. The dwel- lings will all contain batli-rooms. THE DUBLIN ATROCITIES. Graphic stories of "Bloody Sunday" (August 31). when, it will be recalled, more than 400 persons were injured in the police baton attack were told at the Dublin Police Inquiry. A dramatic incident was the exhibition by a wit- ness of the clothes he wore at the time of the police baton attack in O'Connell- street on Sunday, August 31. The clothes were bloodstained. This witness, a shopkeeper, who had no concern with the Labour troubles, received four blows with batons, and was disabled for five weeks in consequence. Mr. Thomas Macdonough, a lecturer in the National University of Ireland, said he saw the police baton old women. He heard tho continual rattle of batons on heads TRADE UNION SPIES. I The probable introduction into Eng- land of the American spy system, in reference to Labour disputes, has been pointed to by an advertisement that appeared in the Press a short time ago, bearing the name of the notorious American dectective, W. J. Burns, who effected the arrest of the Brothers Mac- Namara and secured the praise of Pre- sident Roosevelt (says the "News Bulletin" of the Dock and Riverside Workers' Union). This matter concerns all Trades Unionists, and our members should make a point of reading the articles that are to appear in "Justice" on January 15. on "The Spy System in the Trade Unions," by Mr. W. H. Leffingwell. He was private secretary to the superintendent of one of the largest trusts in the United States, and it was his particular duty to handle spy reports. MISS PANKHURT RELEASED. Miss Sylvia Pankhurst has been re- leased from Holloway Prison. She was arrested a week ago, and was on hunger strike throughout. Miss Pankhurst. was in a state of absolute colla.pse, and her position is considered to be very serious. WELSH COLLEGE EXPLOSION. A loud explosion occurred on Satur- day night in St. Michael's Theological College, Llandaff, near Cardiff. Investi- gation showed that there had been a great leakage of gas in the sub-warden's quarters. The gas had filled a consider- able part of the college and had become ignited by the by-pass of an incande- scent la.mp. A number of walls were blown out, and considerable damage was done to the interior of the college. A SEQUEL TO CADEBY. The Doncaster West Riding magis- trates dismissed summonses against three principal officials of the Cadeby Colliery, where the great disaster oc- curred in July. 1912, for not widening the main roads, as required by the Mines Act, 1911. The prosecution was instituted by the Home Office. The de- fence was that, in view of the explosion and the coal strike, the company had not had sufficient time to complete the work, and that they were proceeding with it as fast as they could. SHIPBUILDERS COMBINE. The efforts to produce a workable scheme for the fusion of the Boiler- makers' Society with the Shipwrights' Society have been sufficiently suoeessful to justify the summoning of a meeting of the committees to make the neces- sary arrangements for putting tho scheme into operation. It is proposed that, so far as State insurance and friendly society work are concerned, the societies shall retain their separate- existence. Trade movements and all matters affecting the Unions jointly arc to be managed by a joint ojnunit- tiee. The ocmbined membo-ship of two Unions is over 90,000, and it is prop(?od to e.?bH?h a 6?h:.ii;? fund 0f ;c4oO.ooo fo. of :?bout f 400,030 for d?u?' nunx?'?. ? FATALITY AT BAHGOED. vi William Robinson, an aged workman, J engaged ai; a coal washer at the PowcA j Dylfryn Collieries, Bargoed, while go- <i ing to work wa,6 run over by an oufc.i.er v on the co'lierv siding and faialiv ir- j jured. L&st summw li^binson's son was killed in the colliery, while some time previously his son-in-law mot his death # in the mine. ■

DIDN'T MATTER. v Dick heard of Harry's engagement, and went round to congratulate him. "Well, old boy," cried Dick, as ho grasped his friend's hand, "my con- gratulations Is it true that you are engaged to one of the pretty Robbins twins?" "Yes," replied Harry heartily, "I ■; am happy to say it is." "But," inquired Dick, "how do yoa ever tell them apart f" "I don't try to," was the reply.

SWANSEA VALLEY RAIN- FALL. ANOTHER RECORD YEAR I Mr. James Williams, Wern House, Ystalyfera, has issued his 25th annual report of the rainfall in the Swansea Valley, which shows that during the year 1913 the rainfall was 11.82 inches more than the average for the last 20 years. The number of rainy days dur- ing the year was 211, or roughly, rain fell two out of every three days through out the year. The following table shows the number of rainy days and the amount of rain which fell in each month. Month. No. Wet Days. No. Ins. January .25 11.41 February 11 3.43 Mareh 23 11.66 April 20 10.68 May 22 4.92 June 14 4.59 July. 13 1.16 August 9 2.32 September 10 4.35 October 20 6.74 November 26 11.96 December .18 4.64 Totals 211 77.86 a .8 III GIRL KILLED BY CAT I A horrible fate, as the result of cruel- ty to an animal has befallen the five- year-old daughter of a master ma.chinist in the village of Falkenau, Saxony. The child was teasing P. big cat. She took a pieco of split wood and fastened it across the animal's tail. The cat, driven, mad by pain, sprang upon the child, tore her eyes out, scratched the flesh from her cheeks and nose, and finally bit through her throat. The girl died two houre later. An eighteen months' baby playing with a small marble in the same room was so frightened by his sister's shrieks that ho swallowed the marble and was suffocated before the mother ia-rive.(I.

LABOUR MOVEMENT AT HOME AND ABROAD THE BULGARIAN WORKERS' FEDERATION-AFTER THE WAR A Labour correspondent sends the fol- lowing from St. Sophia :—We have to thank the zeal and spirit of self sacrifice of the members of the Bulgarian (reform- ist) Workers' Federation during the time of tho war, and also after the demobilisa- tion, for the present progress which is being made in the Bulgarian Labour movement. During the critical time, i that is, during the eleven long months over which the war extended, the whole of the publio and political life of the nation was strangled in consequence of martial law During this time no or- ganisations existed other than the Workers' Federation and the organisation of the Social Democratic Party, with which the former is associated. In spite of all difficulties, however, the work oi this organisation was continued, just as well as was possible under the circum- stances. Only 500 members remained in the whole country, and these were mostly female workers and juveniles. It was naturally impossible for these 500 mem- bers to maintain fully the trades union activities of our federations; since the persecution on the part of the Govern- ment and the employers was too great. They, however, provided assistance for the hungering families as well as for the wounded soldiers during the hard times. In spite of everything, the federations have obtained 300 new members, and notwithstanding the fact that they have paid out large sums in benefits, their funds have materially increased by 3,265 francs. Since the organ.isatioris continued to exist during the time of the war, it was comparatively easy, after the demobilisa- tion, to reorganise them. The workers who returned from the battl efield found their organisations waiting for them, and all coul dagain take their old places.. The organisations were maintained, the only thing that was lacking was men to fill them, and these had been accounted for by the eleven months' war. The work of reconstruction began with great success immediately after the war, which landed us in great financial difficulties, consequent upon the economic crisis, the great unemployment and the misery which existed among the working popu- lation. The Bulgarian Trades. Unions will nevertheless find ways and means of overcoming these difficulties. HOW THE WORKERS ARE I DOWNED IN AMERICA The "injunction" has become .one of the most important weapons of the em- ployers against trades unions, especially in America. In that country the trades unions, their leaders and members are oftimeg forbidden, under pain of a heavy penalty, to send out pickets, or to ad- dress or appeal to strike breakers, no matter where; to send out written com- munications; to take up their stand in certain streets or open spaces, or to de eribe the conditions of labour in those concerns where the workers are on strike. The most impossible and incomprehen- sible pleas on the part of the employers fall on willing ears where the judges arc concerned, and many a, struggle of the workers has been lost in consequence thereof. This judiciary excess is ilatur- ally directed against tho workers, never against the emptoyers; such injustice is-, in most cases rendered possible, through an arbitrary interpretation of the Anti- Trust Law. The Trades Union Federation has long demanded that the Trades Unions be legally and expressly excluded from tho conditions of the law mentioned. A group of members of the Senate has laid a Bill before the United States Senate to this effect, and a vigorous propaganda in favour of it has been unfolded throughout the whole country. True to the political attitude adopted by tho Federation of Labour, attempts will be made to influence all members of th- Senatei; And all those who vote against tho Bill will be shown up at the next election as being opposed to the workcr6 and their interests. It has been noticed that in other coun- tries as well, the "injunction" has also been employed; although it is hardly such a powerful weapon abroad as in America, since the workers represent a consolidated power in the political field. THE OPPOSITION OF ENGLISH RAILWAYMEN TO THE CONCILIA- I TION BOARDS. Tho old struggle of the Railwaymen against the Conciliation Boards to which onJy "active railwaymen" may belong has begun anew in all earnest. The Trades Union will now in any case force through their demands for the adm.ise.ion of Trades Union Officials to the Concilia- tion Boards, since the active members are subjected to victimisation whan they run counter to the Railway Companies. Upon a. Referendum being recently taken 124,415 of the 260,000 members cf the Railwaymen's Federation were found to be in favour of the total abolition of the Conciliation Boards, 41,680 were in fav- our of the reconstruction of same, 304 were for maintaining the present system and 16,351 will leave the matter to the Executive. It is therefore highly prob- able that the system of conciliation boards will entirely diaappear from. the railway world. THE TRADES UNIONS AS I HOLDERS OF CAPITAL I The xradee Union of 14 countries sub- mitting reports to the International Trades Unions Federation in connection with the above matter possessed, at the end of 1912, funds aggregating over America, Australia, France, etc.) then the Trades Unions may be said to pos- sess a capital of a round L2,000,000, of which amount the half is to be found in Germany and England. The effect which this capital produces has been re-' marked of late in the case of the banks of many countries. Th-e German trades unions demanded that the Deutcher (German) Bank-with which company the former do much busi- ness—recognise the right of combination among their employees, since an officer of tl.r>. newly established Bank Clerks' Organisation was subjected to victimisa- tion. Sinco the Bank refused to hear of this, the Trade Unions have withdrawn their capital, amounting to over £ 1,000,000, or a quarter of the tota' capital of the whole of tho free trader, unions. Their funds will now be in- vested with such of the greater banks, and so far as is considered necessary-- the private banks, lias recognised the right of their employers to combine over a bank signature. A number 0; reliable banks have declared themselves to do this. The whole affair created an immense sensation in the anti-socialist press. In Indiana. U.S.A.) where many American Federations have their central head; quarters, the trades unions with- drew a million dollars from the local bank in order to deposit same in other towns, since the attitude of the business world to the trades unions upon the oc- casion of tho last economic struggle had become so brutal. This should provide new propaganda material for the estab- lishing their own bank on the part of the trades unions. The Australian trades union decided to withdraw all funds from the private banks, and to invest same in the State Bank, Eince the employers are always able to inform themselves regarding the financial strength of the trades unions during economic struggles in the case of ji the former banks. I TRADE UNION SUPPRESSION IN JAPAN

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Another Huge Trust I BUILDING TRADES FIRMS COMBINE I PRICES RAISED 40 TO 100 PER CENT. I Sensational allegations regarding the formation of a super-combine of all the associations existing for the supply of building materials and requisites were the subject last week end of an interest- ing statement made by Mr P. Donald, managing director of Messrs. Rownson, Drew, and Clydesdale, Ltd., to a Press representative. "It is quite true," said Mr Donald, "that steps are being taken to form a huge combine, which will be absolutely omnipotent in supplying building mater- ials, although for all practical purposes it exista now. Its whole object is to limit manufacture and keep up the prices of materials, compelling all firms like ourselves to belong to it under the threat of cutting off supplies. That is what has been done to us. When it became known that we were making new contracts, information was telegraphed apparently to all the firms we dealt with, and in the course of the post we received 150 letters closing our account, and regretting inability to sup- ply us with goods. "The associations which it is intended to form into one huge combine have no legal existence. They are not incorpora- ted and, even if they were, they would still be shielded behind the Trade Dis- putes Act. But the working arrange- ment between them all is powerful enough to compel all smaller firms. to agree to its dictates, and it is now left to oursel ves and five other firms to fight with our backs to the wall for free com- petition. A VICIOUS ALLIANCE. I "One hears of combines in America, but it has been left to this country to prod uce the most vicious type of the kind, for not only are prices kept up, manufacture limited, competition de- stroyed, but supplies are actually stopped if you do not agree to the ar- rangement. "The prices of building materials have gone up recently from 40 to 100 per cent. There is no internal competition in the country. Rather than spend capital on their machinery firms agree to a pooling .system which enables them to obtain enormous profits for little expenditure." Mr Donald added the he intended to bring all the facts of "the extraordinary conspiracy" to the notice of the Cham- ber of Commerce.

¡ I bt O)? T ?Wt?E <))-)<'pp& l JI x ??' N° '0 ??L  WA?  ? (/?? ? ? v Jfv/ W.UtN ;g3hte -W c-c ri C. f gseavt cf L itfau." IsBuf iiol-t nutsf I faff af e rbc "O  ? Sine g>fpoppe 10. 10 Snxmsea WO protic if m ——— r r4 I ¡II I'!I '1li\i- « \Ii 111r\ f ) (f\ I f 11.! Ä:Çl'il" ¿;-l'1 dlrln¡'jl II' '<f":{,¡I ,1'1' r ¡ 0e; lit .}\¡, ¿, I a,:Ç. t t J' :< J.)\ 1 Ij t' f¡,<w. <. I "¿fj¡7 I I ..1 .àl\r '#.7,, I (' {fI; -'T: 'y:: ¡ ,q-,#, "4:¡¡¿z¡, ¥¿-, I "{:f' :=. c:' J tl'" It.d .I,I Z .lJIÇ_ f 4 F:; "A :ë ç' 'V l ¡. \?==,¡ fWfíç: ") '> /1 t \Á'"I"\ < K;-=- ,c r 1\ ¡-?J t, '<Jl\i>J 1. 1!4" ,ti (, J, rl' It =- "=:1:' 5 '¡'' r' il -o I 'Xi' -¡J.. ;s. 1.;).- '\) ¡ill' '1' .I ¡ \< !'J;¡: ;1' I. r 7_=. .f.lf 1"/ OEM "I' ?',d I, ,j t O U .J;c:q ¡ ./¡¡ '%7 ,k_l ,.¡, ¡l l 1t ¡l\t j .31! 'j {Ï,¡'d, h COOK .IIJ r t 'pjjp^ '4BY -I" f. Bv i'=.1.j' ;)' ¿ -=- "("¡;r G A ""1 I ..4ifit',rS;J" ? You can bake and boil and roast at the same time— i| prepare the whole meal at once. You will avod tlii2 weary drudgery caused by the i ashes and dirt of a coal fire. | I You will save yourself hours of fatigue j ITf The early morning meal uf the breadwinner can be f prepared quickly. I AND ALL AT A TRIFLING COST! i YOU CAN HAVE A FIRST-CLASS STOVE INSTALLED IN YOUR. HOUSE FREE OF CHARGE. *— For pHrticulatfc, drop a Post Card to the MANAGER, GAS WORKS, PONTAliDAWhJ.