Llais Llafur

GOVERNMENT AND MINERS' DEMANDS Unsatisfactory Interviews I THE PROBABLE OUTCOME I (By Vernon Hartshorn.) I 7 1 The mterviews this week between tha Executive Council of the Miners' Federa- tion and the Prime Minister and Home Secretary have a highly important bear- ing upon the proposals for a co-operative understanding between the Miners' Federation, the National Union of Rail- waymen, and the Transport Workers' -Federation. The attitude adopted by the Prime Minister upon the proposals put forward by the Miners' Federation with regard to amendments in the Minimum Wage Act and the extension of the Act so that it may include the surfacemen employed at the collieries in the country ought to throw a flood of light upon the industrial situation and its relation to political partIes. The Prime Minister tells us that no reason has been given, why the surface workers should be brought under the Act, and he adds I do not at present see any answer to the question that if we were to ex- tend it to the stokers, screenmen, and labourers working on the pit surface, how could we deny a similar privilege to the same class of labour working in connection with factories and on the land. There is no possible line of de- marcation in point of principle or policy between these classes of work- men. ARTIFICIAL DISTINCTION I Une has only to study these words in connection with the circumstances in which they are uttered to realise that this is the statement of a, lawyer politician setting up artificial distinction for the purposes of political expediency. It is an illuminating revelation of the fact that the Government have no ciear and logical constructive policy for dealing with the minimum wage question on a national scale. The whole of the recent history of the minimum wage campaign, both by the Labour Party in the House of Com- mons and by the Trade Unions outside proves that the principle of a minimum wage for the working classes is not an intrinsic part of the economic or political theories of the Government, but will only -be adopted by them in face of extreme pressure and for purposes of political ex- pediency. "THIS ARGUMENT WILL NOT I DO." The Prime Minister is now, in order to obstruct all extension of the minimum wage benefits to other workmen, setting up the highilv artificial contention that underground workers are a special class with a special claim to the minimum wage, a claim which the surface workers have not proved they possess. This line of argument will not do. It rooks with a spirit of political expediency which must repel not only the working classes but all sincere and logical social reformers as well. The claim of the workers that the wage system shall be governed by the principle of a legal minimum is based upon the natural right of all to a secure minimum standard of comfort. That is a universal principle which admits of no exceptions. There may be differences which justify the grading of the mini- mum rates for different classes of work- men. These were recognised in the schedule of minimum rates drawn up by the Miners' Federation prior to the national strike. Owing to the arduous and dangerous nature of their calling underground workmen may be entitled to higher minimum rates than, surface workers. But the principle of the mini- mum applied to all. That the arguments of the Prime Minister are inspired by political expediency is proved by the proposals of the Government with regard to agricultural labourers. POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY. I It is proposed to give these men a mini- mum wage. On what grounds can it be argued that agricultural labourers should have preferential treatment over the col- ciery surface workers? Is not the dis- tinction again highly artificial ? Does not the distinction point to political ex- pediency, and the absence of a clear constructive and comprehensive theory of wage reform? When the higher cost of living in the industrial districts is taken into consideration—the higher rents and so forth—there can be no doubt that many of the colliery surface workers are as badly off as the agricultural labour- er. But the, Government draws a great deal of its support from the great cap- tains of industry in the country, from the owners of mines, factories, etc. On the other lumid, the great landed pro- prietors are, in the main, opponents of the Government. The votes of the agri- cultural labourers have to be won for use against the landlords. Thus the minimum wage is used as a political ex- pedient instead of being applied by Par- liament as one of the guiding principles of wage reform. The lesson the workers have to lea rn from the political outlook of the Prime Minister is that, pending the time when the Labour party Z;.Il have acquired a sufficient numerical strength to enable it to compel Parlia- ment to accept the minimum wage prin- ciple as something to be applied generally to wage employment, the workmen must rely mainly upon the strength of their Trade Unions to win recognition for their claims. As far as the Government is con- cerned, the claim of the colliery surface- men to a minimum wage remains in the same position as the claim of the vast "bulk of the workers. POLICY OF THE WORKERS .11 .¿. The common interests of we majority -of the workers in this question thus be- come clearer, and the result will be to hurry on the !)lan for a common under- standing between the Trade Unaons in -support of one another's demands. The same considerations apply to the eight hours' question. The Home Secretary asked the deputation from the Miners' Federation, who approached him with a proposal to extend the Eight H^rs Act to colliery surfacemen, to wait for his Iw to the Trade Union Congress de- putation which would wait on him shortly to discus the general <1^™- His answ,efr then would apply to the col- 'liery surface wOTk«S in oom= with ^l thyo?er worker, of   interests of the worker, on  questions are thus common practically to all. The Governments ideas are not too favou?le to the demands n0^ we made by the Trade Unions. WhaJt |e1^ have to do, therefore, is to  our strength and apply more pressure, so rocotlimad at bottom of next column.)

HOUSING IN SWANSEA j MORE REMARKABLE DIS- CLOSURES 6s. PER WEEK FOR A KITCHEN At the meeting of the Swansea Housing Committee on Friday evening, Mr P. Molyneux (vice-chairman) presiding, the Medical Officer (Dr. Evans) recommended closing Orders in res pect of certain houses in Foxhole Road, Graig Street, Morris- ton, and Greenhill Street. The com- mittee decided to visit the spots before coming to a decision. Alderman T. Merrells alleged that pressure had been brought to bear upon members "with regard to certain premises in WaJlsaJl-square. This was strongly denied, and the Chairman said rather than submit to such reflection he would prefer to re- sign. Alderman Merrells said he h.?'; sent a petition to the Local GovernBoard to send down an inspector and see the property. Mr Bassett said the overcrowding in some quarters of the town was very bad. There were six and seven roomed with a family in each, and each roorii occupied was contributing a renLa) of 4s.6di. a week. Alderman Merrells said he know of a family living in a kitchen and pa)ing 6s. a week rent. There were 43 people living in one house on the Strand, and the rentals came to 30s. a week. Mr Bassett said he understood the rents paid by families in ore house amounted to Z100 a year, and probably that house was only assessed at IDs. a week. Alderman Merrells said a goo.| vna:-v of the people would be far better off in the workhouse. The discussion then drop )c ].

GOVERNMENT WORKERS' DEMAND. THIRTY SHILLINGS MINIMUM j WAGE. In the war declared by Government I workers on any Government that re- fuses to consider a minimum wage of 30s. a week the first engagement has taken place in Trafalgar-square, Lon- don. A huge demonstration of many thou- sands of men and women workers em- ployed in the Government service as- sembled to assert their demand for common justice, and throughout the proceedings there was an air of deter- mination which showed how thoroughly intent was the great ordinary human claims of those whom it employs. At the Square Labour leaders ad- dressed the crowds from three sides of the column. At the conclusion there was a scene of great enthusiasm when, at the sound of a bugle, the following resolution was put simultaneously from all the platforms and carried amid round after round of cheers:— "That this mass meeting of Govern- ment workers hereby calls upon the Government to concede immediately to all its employees a .30s. minimum wage and a 15 per cent. increase to all piece and day workers to meet the great in- crease in the cost of living during re- cent years, and further calls upon the Prime Minister, with the heads of all spending departments, to meet in con- ferences representatives of the men, elected by the Woolwich Trades and Labour Council and the United Govern- ment Workers' Federation, who will urge the above reasonable demand. This meeting further pledges itself to con- tinue the agitation and use every means in its power to secure this overdue modicum of justice." There was a big array of speakers, among whom was Mr. Will Crooks, M.P., aptly described as "one of the old champions of the thirty bob." "Who are you ?" he asked the crowd. "You are told that you are the liberty loving sons of fathers who fought and bled for an empire on which the sun never sets. Then you go home and sit in your smoky back rooms and tell that to the missus. She says 'Yes, that's all very well, but you can't feed the kids on it.' STARVATION, BUT CONSTANT. I Mr. Crooks told of an occasion on which he went to inspect a Govern- ment workers' factory. Women were employed there as a kind of compen- sation because they were the widows of men who had died for their country, women with large families who had been given the preference and were be- ing paid lis. a week. "I said to the man who was showing me round," remarked Mr. Crooks, "that it was starvation. 'But,' was his reply, 'it's constant.' "The children are more important to the nation than all the Dreadnoughts that were ever laid down. It takes 2s. 3d. to feed a poor-law child under a dietary order approved by the Pre- sident of the Local Government Board and passed by Parliament. A man or a woman may be fed under the same order for 5s. a week, so that a bill for a man, his wife, and four kids would come to 19s. Take that standard for yourselves, and then see how much you have got left out of 23s. 8d. for rent and everything else."

Death of Evan Roberts' Mother The announcement was made from Ammanford on Sunday night of the death of Mrs. Roberts, mother of the well known revivalist leader. It reads as follows I have just received news of the death of Mrs. Roberts, of Island House, Lough- or, the mother of Mr Evan Roberts, the noted Welsh revivalist. The news has come here in the form of a letter address- ed by Mr Dan Roberts, brother of Mr Evan Roberts, to Mr Sam Jenkins, secre- tary of the Y.M.C.A. at Ammanford, who was connected with the Welsh revival. In the letter Mr Dan Roberts says that his mother died on Friday afternoon, her death being a peaceful one- It will be remembered that Mrs. Roberta underwent an operation for cancer at the Swansea Hospital a couple of months ago, and although at the time she re- covered a little, her case on her return home was regarded as hopeless. Great sympathy is felt for the family in their bereavement. A little while ago efforts were made to get her son Mr Evan Roberts to come down from Leicester to see her, br„t they were of no avail. A full account was given in the "Western Mail" of the visit of the father to Leicester, and it was thought even then that if Mr Evan Roberts knew the condition in which his mother was he would probably be pre- vailed upon to come to see her. She had continually expressed the wish that he should be sent for. —————— ll>H

THE SALE OF HONOURS. I Light at once glaring and piquant is being thrown on the whole system of which Parliament is the culmination. Mr. Thomas Gibson Bowles, who saw long service as a Parliamentary per- sonality, has just made a sensational departure as a light-bringer in the first number of the "Candid Review," a quarterly that promises to make ene- mies fearlessly and brilliantly. "Tom- my," with appealing impartiality, ex- poses the ways and workings of the whole "machine" and the Liberal and Tory machinists, supplying positively amazing details of what the party war chests owe to the sale of "honours." The "black secrets of the party funds" are truly black on Mr. Bowles's showing. The Chief Whip looms up as a mighty bargainer, a financier of easy and ready genius. The prices vary ac- cording to circumstances and oppor- tunities; £ 50,000 to a party fund has spelled a baronetcy in due course, and though the "honour" seems dear at the price it is modest in comparison with other "deals" even thrice the sum has been paid out-nay, the round total of P,400,000 has gone for a peer- age. Brokers in the City, we are as- sured, have been known to go touting for buyers of baronetcies: the terms be- ing £ 4,000 down and £ 6,000 to be lodged at a bank in two names; a neat 10 per cent. commission going to the first who introduced a customer. There is no trouble about references or cre- dentials money is the simple test; if this is forthcoming in plenty a person of no worth or ability or public service may expect a baronetcy. We did not imagine that the busi- ness was altogether so degraded as Mr. Bowles's review suggests, and we won- der if Parliament and politics have even a few folk sufficiently sensitive and in- dependent to insist on probing the whole scandal. Or must it survive till the sorry system of which it is part shall be swept away ?- "Daily Herald."

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STATE RAILWAYS Private Monopoly Con- demned by all Parties. I STRONG PLEA FROM LABOUR MEN Representatives of all schools of thought in politics and economics gathered in the Memorial Hall, London in support of a movement for the nationalisation of railways. Delegates numbering 615 were pre- sent from Labour, Liberal and Con- servative Associations, Socialist Socie- ties, Chamber of Commerce, trade, agri- cultural, co-operative societies and Trade Unions, and a resolution urging the Government to take up the ques- tion at the earliest possible opportuni- ty were passed with but two dissen- tients. Sir J. Compton Rickett, M.P., who presided, said there had of late been a noticable tendency in every political party towards the socialising of the State, and one of the first efforts in this direction must be the nationalisa- tion of the railways. There were un- mistakable signs that this reform was coming. The competition between dif- ferent companies forced economies upon them which tended to encroach upon the margin of safety. Nationalisation was becoming increasingly necessary with the increasing population and the vast industrial growth of the country. Large as the sums of money involved undoubtedly were, the transfer to the State offered no practical difficulty. When once the basis of valuation was fixed an exchange of railway stock for Government stock would complete the transaction. It could be shown that not only would the position of Labour be improved, and the burdens of traders relieved, but the nation itself would gain considerable advantage, as in the case of the Post Office, from the surplus transferred to the Exchequer. STRANGLING THE NATION'S* I TRADE. Mr. Emil Davies moved:— That having regard to the impor- tance of cheap transit and transport to all sections of the community, and in view of the fact that any advan- tage that may have accrued from competition between the railways is now exhausted, this conference is of opinion that a national unified sys- tem would make for economy, better service, and public safety. Some things he said from their very nature were not regarded as ordinary commercial undertakings, because they were essential to every branch of trade activity and social life. Therefore, it had come to be recognised that such things should be administered solely from the point of view of the benefit of the community. Included in those things were roads, the regulation of coinage, the transport of parcels, let- ters, and telegrams, and in recent days telephones, and in most civilised coun- tries canals and railways. The function of a railway company was to earn dividends-thit was its first duty to its shareholders. On the whole our privately-owned railways served the community very badly. Our fares and goods rates were the dearest in the world. Cheap transit was the life-blood of a nation's trade, and the present system was strangling the na- tion's trade and the well-being of the nation too. LOSS TO AGRICULTURE. I Mr. C. Bathurst, M.P., seconded the resolution, remarking that the railway monopoly had become a great and powerful trust without any effective Government control, which control alone could safeguard the interests of the public, and especially the poorer and less organised section represented by the tradespeople and the agricultur- ists. The Board of Trade had never pos- sessed sufficient power, and the exercise of what it did possess had steadily de- creased with the increasing solidarity I of railway interests. AVERAGE WAGE—25s. I Mr. Chiozza Money, M.P., support- ing, expressed the opinion that if the railways were nationalised the Govern- ment would eliminate the follies of com- petition and bring about economy, while greatly benefiting railway work- ers. It was a monstrous thing that a nation like ours, with its great wealth, should be content to pay its railway servants an average wage of something like 25s. a week. The advantages of nationalisation were manifest. If noth- ing else, it would give them the right to complain, an inestimable advantage in itself, and to get their grievances considered, a thing they could not do now. (Hear, hear.) Mr. W. Hudson, M.P., said that in 1900 an Act dealing with the preven- tion of railway accidents was passed, but they had had the greatest difficulty in getting the regulations into opera- tion. Two of the great causes of acci- dents were the numerous classes of roll- ing stock and the different classes of brake gear. He wished them to remem- ber that the power the railway com- panies exercised was merely a borrowed ORe from the State, and the State could easily take it back. The heads of the companies had arrived at the conclu- sion that nationalisation must come. He was in favour of railway nationalisation from the commercial point of view, but he wanted it to come as soon as we had an intelligent Ministry which would ad- minister the railways for the welfare of the people who wished to be served and also of the people employed on the lines. The resolution (slightly amended) was I carried with only ten dissentients. I NINE KILLED A WEEK. I Mr. A. H. Soott, L.C.C., moved: That this conference is of opinion that a national system of railways is the only one by means of which the interests of the community can be reconciled with those of the railway workers. He said that railwaymen were being killed at :.}¡e rate of nine a week, and during the last 11 years over 200,000 men had been injured. These acci- dents were worse than in any other country, and they could be largely re- medied by a good expenditure of money. That expenditure of money could be forced from a Government; it could not be forced from a private com- pany. (Hear, hear.) Mr. G. J. Wardle seconded. He did not, he said, support railway national- isation merely as a means of helping the workers on the railways, but also because of the great advantages which would accrue to the general community. The interests of the whole community would be served and the interests of the railway workers would be reconciled with those of the public, as they were not and could not be under private enterprise. He suggested that the in- terests of 600,000 workers ought to count for something in a democratic State. Dissatisfaction with the present state of things was expressed in all quarters. Shareholders had been crying out, traders had been crying out, but among all the complaints the railway worker had lifted his voice the loudest, and had proved he had a real grievance against the present system. Mr. A. G. Walkden (secretary of the Railway Clerks' Association) said the members of his Union were overwhelm- ingly in favour of the railways being taken over by the State. At the same time they must watch over their safe- guards, one of which must be that their civil rights should be in no way inter- fered with. (Hear, hear.) The resolution was carried with two dissentients.

fFJT1 ')r""? „ ? I. t. 1; What Is r '¡:7.i' !o ? .Ifostrain? ä. The eye has certain tiny muscles. When objects we look at do not coaie to a sharp focus in the eye, these muscles exert themselves unduly and enable us to see clearly in spite of the defect. This means the eyes are in a more or less constant state of strain. No muscles of the body can stand a continual strain without injury. It is ft the same with the ocular muccles. They Jo.,e their elas- || ticitv and serious [ cJ:1:>cquenccs will | often foll6w. f Thernethodsof |I examination we { use are such as to j absolqtely en- j snre the correct i glasses. In this way H all strain is remov- S ed and defects of I vision remedied. If B your head aches, let fi us test your sight. Defective vision |I may be the cause. j ScicntificalSy- •, Fitted Glasses j: remove j EYESTRAII. Call in and allow 9 us to explain. | C. F. WALTERS F.S.M.C., F.I.O. QUALIFIED OPTICIAN, Oxford St., Swansea (Nearly apposite National School)

SENGHENYDD. I Further Sittings of Inquiry Board. IMPORTANT EVIDENCE Mr R. A. S. Redmayne resumed the Home Office inquiry into the Senghenydd disaster at Cardifi on Friday last, Mr Robert Smillie (National Federation of Miners) and Mr Evan Williams (chair- man South Wales Coalowners's Associa- tion) sitting as assessors. Mr D. R. Thomas, night overman, was cross-examined by Mr W. Brace, M.P. He said he did not think Senghenydd pit more dangerous than other Welsh steam collieries. Every day, he said, there were in all these collieries all th ele- ments w hich might cause an explosion. He did not believe coal dust alone could occasion an explosion. He was in fav- our of emerygency doors, but feared that water zones would not reduce the extent of explosions unless the zones were very extensive. The witness said he was not in favour of working three shifts on coal, and at Senghenydd they had prac- tically eight hours off. He favoure l periodical stoppages for cooling the mine at the gas faces. Replying to Mr Richards the witness said he never thought of the Britannic district during the time he was fighting the fire on the first day. Mr Wathen, electrician of the colliery, said that a nine-volt electric battery was used for signalling. He did not think a spark at nine volts would explode any- thing. The Commissioner Not even gun- powder?—No, sir. I have tried to make an explosion with petrol and benzine. The witness told Mr Nicholas that he was not able to read very well, and that the daily reports he supplied were writ- ten by somedy else. He would regard a current of 13 volts as dangerous. Replying to Mr Clem Edwards, M.P., the witness said the management did not depend entirely en his advice in electric- al matters. A bare wire was used for signalling. He though the present sys- tem satisfactory. Mr H. W. Schilbach, consulting elec- trical engineer, said that according to his present knowledge, ignition was pro- duced at 11.9 volts. He would be now inclined to reduce the voltage to below nine for safety. Mr Charles P. Sparks, electrical ex- pert, said the use made of electricity could not be responsible for the ex- plosion. THE ELECTRICITY DANGER. I At the adjournment on baturday ot the official inquiry into the Senghenydd mine disaster at Cardiff, the Commission- er intimated that he and Mr R-obert Smillie, together with Mr Robert Nel- son (H.M. Electrical Inspector of Mines), and Mr H. K. Beale, proposed descend- ing the mine that day. He invited Mr Watts Morgan (miners' agent) and Mr Hubert Jenkins to accompany them. Mr Nelson, giving evidence, said it had not yet been proved that nine volts ap- plied to the Senghenydd wires would ignite the gas. They had done their level best, be said, to ignite the gas at that voltage and failed. The Commissioner suggested that the signalling bells might have a larger volt- age than nine, and it had not been proved that some derangement might not have caused open sparking. Mr Nelson admitted the possibility of such derangement, but said there was no evidence that there had been any. In reply to Mr Evan Williams, he stated he would prohibit open sparking. In some pits electric apparatus is in the hands of unskilled men, and they might do something to interfere with conditions. At New Tredegar they undoubtedly got ignition with Senghenydd conditions at 131 voltage, but in his opinion the margin of safety between 9 and 131 volts was altogether inadequate. .f <——————

W. A. WILLIAMS, Phrenologist, can be consulted daily at the Victoria Arcade (near the Market), Swansea.

AMAZING CONDITIONS ON RUSSIAN RAILWAYS. I The recent railway disasters in Russia have exposed the miserable con- ditions under which the railway em- ployees in Russia must work. These workers are subject to the arbitrariness of their "superiors" in regard to com- mon rights, whilst they have to suffer much at the hands of the railway police. The despotism of the latter is so great that not only the lower officials and workers fall victims to it; espionage is rife and much depends whether the I officials and workers make a sufficient display of humility. The president of the Nationalist Federation, the Minis- ter Ruchlow, was responsible for the following utterance: "Drive politics out of the service and encourage patriot- ism." And now as to the economic condi- tions of the workers. We take the fol- lowing from an article in the Liberal press: A signalman received 15 roubles per month (1 rouble—2s. 2d.) a station watchman, 12 roubles, a woman work- ing on level crossing, 4 roubles; per- manent-way men, 12 to 16 roubles. A slight increase has taken place lately as there was a great scarcity of work- ers in the branch. The fluctuation among the lower officials is enormous. During the last five years the whole staff has been renewed. The security of goods is entrusted to officials who had no previous knowledge of the work, who are paid like beggars, who are beaten and have to put up with the worst of maltreatment, men who have no in- terest for their work, who have, for the most part, accidently fallen into their position and regard the same only as a, passing employment. The new Sick and Insurance Act does not extend to the railwaymen, and in the case of accidents or disablement through injuries sustained in the exe- cution of his duty, the injured person has to claim for compensation tlirough the law courts. ——————

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CORRESPONDENCE. GARDEN FENCING ON COUNCIL PROPERTY. A TENANT'S OBJECTION. To the Editor, "Llais Llafur. Sir.—I notice m the columns of your last issue, that the Pontardawe Council have unanimously decided to plant privet hedges, as fences on the above property at a total cost of L21, placing cost per fence- at 15s., which would only be. a total cost of J310 10s. Od. not £21 as only 14 fences, would he required not 28. Personally, I strongly object to a Trivet fence, firstly, because it is not suitable for so small a garden, and secondly, it poisons the ground surrounding it, and prevents sun getting to a large area, and lastly it would soon be like all other privet fences in this district,—with large holes in them so that cattle could easily walk through. I believe the chief object of the fences is to prevent careful people suffering from their neighbours neglect in leaving their gates open, a.3 the majority of gateq are more often open than cl osed. A suitable fence I suggest would be tJ-er- following, viz., three creosoted posts to each fellce w.-d two rows at least and three at most, cf strong galvanized wire, and this would make a good strong fe<nce and a cheap one. Trusting this may cause the Council t, roviso theiir dec:a:on. Heol Varteg, Ystalyf era, TENANT

(Continued from preceding oolumn). as to give the Government a chance of doing from motives of political exped- iency what they object to do on principle. The negotiations between the Miners' Federation amd the executives of the National Union of Railwaymen and Tran- sport Workers' Federation for mutual support on behalf of one another's de- mands, are progressing. The Transport Workers' executive have replied agree- ing to meet the miners. The N.U.R. will j consider the matter immediately. The obstacles which arc being placed in the path of the trade unions in their efforts to obtain reform by petitioning the Government cannot make for industrial peace.