Llais Llafur

FOOD SUPPLIES OF THE NATION. I The Plans of the Government. PRETENTION OF PANIC. INSURANCE AGAINST "0 RISKS. In the House of Conmions on Tues- day the Prime Minister made an im- porta-nt statement as to the govern- ment's intention not only to safeguard the country's food supplies, but also ) to take in hand the equally important ) problem of distribution. Mr. Lloyd George outlined the Gov- ernment'a scheme to guarantee the insur- ance of all British shipping and cargoes, both coming into and leaving the country, so as to ensure our oversea, supplies of both food and raw material, and to limit stoppage of employment as far as possi- ble. This bold step had been taken on the recommendation of shipowners, insurance experts, after consultation, with a sub- committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence. It should allay alarm and en- sure that our oversea trade alike in food- stuffs, raw materials, and manufactures will suffer the minimum of interruption. The new State Insurance Office, under the directions of an advisory committee of business men, was opened on Tuesday. LABOUR MEMBER'S QUESTION ON I PRICES. Mr. Arthur Henderson (Labour, Barn- ard Castle) considered the scheme excel- lent for that purpose, but (it- iivil to know what steps were to be taken after the cargoes had reached this country. Mem- bers must all be aware of the fact that before many days were over there would be tens of thousands of people in the country, especially if prices rose, who would be reduced to veritable starvation. If it was essential to look after the in- terests of shipping in order that they might have cargoes landed, and thereby to have supplied the food which money could buy, he wanted to ask were they net equally under an obligation to take the organisation a step further, and to see that there were not thousands of peo- ple who were brought t: a condition of starvation through no fdult^of their own, but because they had been oompuborily unemployed. As he was apprehensive that the House might close jn a. day or two, and might be closed for some time, he wanted to make a strong appeal to the Prime Min- ister to give them some hope that this aspect of this great and important ques- tion would receive very serious consider- i at ion before the House rose, and that some scheme of organisation to deal with the starvation of the people should be intimated to the House. Mr. Lloyd George said he did not think his hon. friend was present when he had been asked a question on that subject. He had stated that it was now, and had for some days been, under the considera- tion of the Government. Mr. A. Henderson said he would ask the Prime Minister whether he would make a statement on the subject before this part of the session closed. Mr. Asquith In response to the ap- peal of my hon. friend, may I say that the Government are looking upon all these matters as being more or lees inter- dependent. We yesterday obtained the assent of the House to a Bill which will, I believe, set free our produce markets fom the ineubus and fetters from which, if the law remains as it was, very serious resul ts would have followed, and more to the working class than any class of the community. We have to-day gone a step further in the measure which the Chan- cellor of the Excheauer has outlined. We are providing the best security which long and deliberate consideration can suggest for the free influx from all ouar- j ters of the earth of the food and material on which our population and industries depend. (Hear, hear). I quite agree with m" hon. friend that those two steps, important as they are, would not be adequate to the emergencies which, unhappily, we have now to con- template—unless we went one step fur- ther and contemplated the problem of distribution. (Hear, hear). In regard 1 to that, I can assure my hon. friend that it has been engaging our most anxious attention for days past, and we shall hope in the course of two or three days to submit to the House proposals will Te- gard to the matter which complete the scheme in all its outlines. (Cheeis).

A NATIONAL SERVICE. (To the Editor.) I Sir.—At the present crisis will the co- operative movement step in and play its part to the fullest of its power in check- ing the rise in prices! In this country the State can do much, and we hope will do all that it can, but the State cannot do all; there ia a great sphere of distributive security which only voluntary enterprise can economically and efficiently deal with. Will the co-operative societies lose not a day now, and do a national service J There will be a burden of taxation to meet war risks, if not war, but unless immediate efforts are made by such far- seeing concerted action as the co-operative movement can take there will be a far heavier tax on working men and women in the form of scarcity profits to pro duoers, and still more to middlemen. Other commercial individualist mvl joint stock productive and distributive organisations must be urged no less to play their part at this time, but let the co-operative movement, 80 far as is in its power, give a lead in this matter. W. G. S. ADAMS, (Gladstone Professor of Political Theory and Institutions). All Soule College, Oxford, Aug. 4.

PHILOSOPHER, PACIFIST, SOCIALIST. Death of M. Jean Jaures. BY HERBERT TRACEY. Jean Jaures dead Fate has played strange tricks in the last few days, but the summoning of that rare and radiant spirit from the stage on which he was manifestly fitted to play the supreme part at this moment of crisis is a climax to the drama of wild unreason which the world is now witnessing. The assassination of the greatest pleader for human justice and peace among the nations by a youth whose fiJmd had been unseated in the stres.s of the murderous passions which had been unloosed upon Europe during the last week is a tragic epitome of the situation which faces us. Judgment has, indeed, tied to brutish beasts and men have lost their reason. Philosopher, statesman, orator, journal- i&t, PATRIOT, PACIFIST, SOCIALIST, T jaures was me emoodiment of all the fine and noble things which are in eclipse. Only the pain and grief which his pass- ing has caused to the friends of all good causes justify the hope that these things have not been utterly defeated; these, and the memory of his inspired leadership do indeed give us ground to think that the goodwill in men has not been over- come. It seems to be clear that the assassina- tion of M. Jaures was the act of a mad- man. But it is evident, too, that the young student whose unstable mind had given way under the strain of the excite- ment of the last few days believed that, the great Socialist's propaganda against the Three Years' Service Law had in- jured France. M. Jaures, who had been attending the meeting of the Interna- tional Socialist Bureau in Brussels, called to consider the European situation, re- turned to Paris on Friday. With a num- ber of his colleagues on the staff of "L' H umanite," the French Socialist daily which he had made the most in- fluential organ of Socialist opinion in the world, he was seated in a cafe near to the editorial when the assassin fired two two shots at him through the open win- dow. He died almost immediately with- out recovering consciousness. Though he has struck down in the height of his power in his 55th year, M. Jaures had ALREADY DONE A GIANT'S WORK. tie held the unchallenged leadership of the French Socialist movement. He was certainly the greatest moral and intellec- tual force in the international movements As a personality he possessed a strangely compelling charm; he was transparently honest, disinterested, and sincere; he had an unmatched power of speech, a magi- cian's gift, which was patently the ex- pression of his commanding and lofty spirit, and not an art that he consciously practised. He had a real genius for pub- lic affairs, and was classed as a con- structive statesman in the front rang of the world's political leaders. Few men could speak with his authority or were heard with such admiration and respect. One feels now that the sum of the world's spiritual wealth has been diminished by his death, though the inspiration of his large and lofty personalty remains. It is easy to write that the world is the poorer because he is dead; but no phrases can convey the feelings with which one looked at a world robbed with such tragic swift- neea of his radiant and energising pre- sence. In his death the bright and eager spirit of hope ajuT youth faded and died too. Bom at Caetres, in Tarn, iq" 1859, M. Jaures belonged by birth and trainiug to the middle classes. He began his won- derful career as a TEACHER AND LECTURER IN PHILISOPHY in the University of Toulouse. He was only 26 when he was elected as represen- tative of his native department to the Ckamber of Deputies. He sat as a Mod- erate Republican for four years, and after failing to retain his seat in the election of 1889 he went back to his chair in the University and began those studies of social questions which led him finally to the leadership of the international Social- ist movement. He re-entered the Cham- ber in 1892, took up journalism, and flung himself with all the ardour of his passion- :1.00 nature into Socialist agitation. He seemed to possess an inexhaustible strength and an imm-ense wealth of knowledge. His was one of those rare opulent natures which seemed to grow richer and deeper the more he lavished his powers upon his work. He was, in Wordsworth's phrase, a dedicated spirit, not in any rigid, narrow, restricted sense, but because he possessed an abounding fulness of life controlled by a lofty and instructe d idealism. Of hi& triumphs as leader, advocate, debater, and orator, this is not the time to speai. The Socialist movement of the world, which was largely created by those triumphs, owes it to his memory to sum- mon. all its reserves of force and courage in this hour of desperate peril to preserve the hopes and ideals upon which his mighty soul was nourished.—"The Christian Commonwealth."

TTN-SHILLINO NTES ANTICIPATED ISSUE ON FRIDAY Statements to the effect that them would be insufficient time to engrave an issue of notes of email denomina- tions this week are devoid of founda- t ion. The Bank of England do&s its own printing. The chief difficulty wouofd be the supply of the special wmd-rtunked paper, and a s-cjbelent supply this be available for o-f nü.- of various de- nominations different from any EC* eirexilating. 10s. and £ 1 notes were put into circulation when the banks opened on Friday morning.

Lierapnon Bine Serges are registered by a G. C. DEAN, The Tailor + Thoroughly shrank and tested by Special. Shrinkers, and guaranteed to stand any + ♦ climate. + ♦ The Suit, to Order, cut by our own Ex- + pert Cutters and made in the Town. 114 ♦ 35/ 37/6, 42/45/-O°/-» 55/ 63/- /J Return fare paid within 20 T ? miles of Swansea to any custo- ? < mer placing an order for a Suit v or Raincoat, upon prodaction of Railway Ticket. Please Note the Address » J 22, Castle Street, Swansea.

A "LLAIS" MAN IN BELGIUM. GRAPHIC SCENES FROM THE WAR AREA. THE RUSII FROM THE CONTINENT. Last week-end, Mr G. A. Greenwood, of the reporting staff of the "Llais," -together with three friends, proceeded to Belgium, for their holidays. At that time there was of course little thought that they were heading for the verv maelstrom of the war. Mr Greenwood and one of his friends managed to get back to London on 'Tuesday ,but the events which were packed into the three days since his departure from the metropolis, would suffice for a fairly long holiday, and will, we feel &ure, be read with much interest. Mr Greenwood writes:— Cosmopolitan London has fully de- monstrated its cosmopolitan features during the days leading up to the pre- sent European crisis, and those who were privileged to be at Liverpool Street station on Saturday evening Uast will not soon forget the remark- able sights on that occasion. TOURISTS AND RESERVISTS AT I LIVERPOOL STREET STATION. I This great continental railway centre was literally packed with eager, ex- cited, gesticulating and desperate foreign-efs bent upon reaching their own country at whatever cost. Here were Austrian, German and Dutch re- servists, summoned to the fighting line, and there were hundreds of tour- lists anxious to know whether their pla-ns for viewing the sights of the Continent held good Hundreds were greatly disappointed. No Hamburg or Hook of Holland boats were sailing, .and a large number of tourists were compelled to abandon their proposed tours. A good many Germans and Austrians. particularly desirous of getting to their respective countries took passage on our boat, the "Dres- den," bound for Antwerp. The train was crowded, and upon -embarking we discovered that the passengers included a very consider- able proportion of Germans. The conditions of embarkation were interesting. Sentries, fully armed, paraded the quay, and upon getting ,away from the harbour the "Dresden," along with other boats, was subjected to a long and careful scrutiny by the (searchlights. ANXIOUS FOREIGNERS. I The conversation on board was ,maturally wholly monopolised by the ,developments in the European situa- tion. The air was full of rumours, and a good number of those on board, especially the Germans, viewed the situation with grave misgivings. They had been told all manner of things, in- cluding such stories as that they -would never be allowed to land in Bel- gium that they would be taken prisoners upon arrival, etc., etc. Many placed full confidence in these stories, .and particularly sad was the case of •a, young lad travelling with his sister. They were desirious of reaching their home in Alsace-Lorraine, and whilst we all did our little best to inspire them with hope and confidence, we realised to the full the grave diffi- culties with which they, were faced. Contrary to our expectations we I ,crossed the North Sea without the slightest interruption, and after dropping passengers at Flushing, wo proceeded to Antwerp, reaching the quay at 8 a.m. Sunday morning, after a nine hours journey. We landed without difficulty, bid farewell to friends made on board whom we shall probably never see .again, and inquired for our hotel. Here our really interesting experiences .commenced. Soldiers were to be seen in every part of the town. A CITY IN WAR TIME. I The entire country is under moDinsa- tion, and at every street corner and on every boulevard troops were drawn ,up for the purpose either of proceed- ing to guard the frontier, or to occupy ,,the foi-tiifca-ti*ons of this city. Sentries were stationed at every point with fixed bayonets, and reservists were rushing around to join their respective .corps at the places appointed. All public institutions were deprived .of at least part of their staffs, and hundreds of influential citizens were compelled to manage their establish- ,ments-entii,ely without servants. Our hotel proprietor had his motor car seized for Armv use. and right em- phatically did he express his mdigna- tion The citv presented a truly wonder- ful sieht throughout the morning, but at noon! when ce heard that Luxem- ?ur an Independent state, had been Sd bv the Germans, the excitment ?mo Intene. Military preparations wer??tened. and more 8Oldiers, were called for service to the frontier. Bel- ?uTnn??. to maintain her indepen- dence under any OfeUm!!tancœ, and 1? ? popu?c. were enthu??tic in their -4r ?-? ?? ao?diers. Btriiu ljU w— 1 BRITISIIERO, ADVISED TO RE- I TTTRN HOME. » the ??v wore on, the excitement inched, wd ? English citizen. we ,4deOMe-(l ii  to go tL» Enghth S?S for advice. His meMage WM  He mformed m that ttotast bip ?En?d would W. Antwerp the following day (Mondar) he did not know what time; the .ub- sequent rvice would be completely indefinite. and to be O&fo we must em- bark on Monday. We had, of course, to abandon on. tirely our proposed visit to the in- terior. we were com- pelled to submit to the circumstances, and spent the rest of the day in sight seeing in the Port. It was wonderful. An hour spent in the Central Station can never be forgotten. This magnificent building was crowded with soldiers and their civilian friends, and all the military men were given preference in their journey to Brussels. Many civilians could not go to the capital. Throughout the evening the boule- vards and cafes were crowded with citizens and visitors eagerly discussing the situation, and a passing demon- stration against a German who had made himself disagreea,ble caused a temporary sensation, none the less significant.. The average Belgian loves the German about as much as the devil loves holy water. At 11 p.m. we retired, thoroughly tired and eagerly, anticipating the events of the morrow. As will be seen, these proved to be more exciting than ever. MILITARY IN POSSESSION Next morning we 'phoned to the steamship offices and were told that we must make our way immediately after breakfast to the quay. The "Dresden" the return ship might leave at any moment, or at 10, 2 or 7—the hour was quite uncertain. As might well be expected, we lost no time in making for the docks, and the journey thither was a never to be forgotten one. Every thing was given over to military dominance, and the troops were drawn up on every boulevard. The Catholic German Bank and other German offices were guarded by cavalry, and thou- sands of people clamoured at the big banks for the withdrawal of their savings. Prices of nearly all com- modities had advanced enormously,- some 100 per cent. We eventually ar- rived at the quay at about 9.30 a.m., I and found a large crowd awaiting the sailing of the boat. The majority of them were English or had English connections, but many continental people were also anxious to embark. We waited here in suspense for some time until we were joined by a young Londoner who had been turned out of Germany. The number of passengers increased enormously during the morn- ing, and at noon numbered far more than the boat could carry. WOMEN AND CHILDREN ONLY! a f, 1 1 1_' Arter a sparse iuncn,—many couiu not even get that—we prepared to em- bark, but had again to wait for some time. Meanwhile we heard that the Germans were already over the Bel- gian frontier, and would soon be marching on Brussels! Then came the news that children (there were 300 from the boarding schools), and women only would be allowed to em- bark, but if any room remained, men would be taken. At 3 p.m., the children were taken on board, and women were also allowed to embark. Then the males were called for, and there was momentary confusion. I was at the side of the queue, and my three friends were close behind. After about a dozen men had got through I was suddenly thrust ,from the crowd into the arms of an official, and found myself on the ship. A little dazed, I naturally looked about with some anxiety for my friends. They were nowhere to be seen, until Mr Isaac Shepherd came along. He was the last male (beyond officials), to come aboard. The others, Mr Balm- forth (Shipley), and Mr Van der Stra- ten (London), had been pushed back, and were not allowed aboard. We two who had been more fortunate were of course, much distressed, and I de-J sired to go ashore to them, but they prevailed upon me to remain aboard. ANTWERP IN A STATE OF SIEGE My anxiety was increased b)1 the message from a reliable authority that Antwerp was declared to be in a state of seige, that the King and Queen had arrived there, accompanied by their suit and the members of the National Council, and that the Ger-, mans were still pressing into the coun- try. A conversation with the vice- counsul elicited the fact that a further boat for England would leave Antwerp that night or at noon Tuesday. If ab- solutely necessary, British citizens would be accommodated on one of the cruisers stationed at Flushing. Our friends were advised to apply to the consul for a pass to embark on the next boat, for which those possess- ing passes would be given preference. Meanwhile crowds continued to ar- rive at the quay, and were bitterly dis- appointed at not being allowed to em- bark, but a few more women and child- ren were taken on board, and at 7.30 p.m. we made preparations for setting sail. Many of the Britishers remained to see us depart, and with a cheer from them for us, and reassuring messages from us to them we left the quay. We were several times cheered by the crews of ships along the river, and for the first hour of the journey were continuously subjected to searching examination by the lights from British and Belgian warships. Having left Belgium, the passengers on board had very considerable appre- hension as to our safety in the North Sea. It was a hazardous journey, but we were guarded for the most part by British men-of-war, and arrived at Harwich at about 6 a.m. No doubt all those who part ici ;a> l in this remarkable voyage will re- member it for the rest of their lives. For twenty-four hours our ex- periences had been most exciting, and we may be pardoned, therefore if upon landing at Harwich, our pent-up ex- citement, burst and was translated into a demonstration of joy and glad- ness at finding ourselves once more on the shores of our own native land. G. A. G.

SOUTH WALES MINERS AND THE WAR. I Deeds Not Words. A meeting, called by special telegram, of the South Wales Miners' Federation was held at Cardiff on Saturday, Mr. W. Brace, M.P., presiding, to consider the suggestion by the Admiralty that the South Wales miners should work on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. There was a large attendance of n1Ïiners' representatives present, including Mr. James Winstone, vice-president of the Federation, Mr. Alfred Onions, gen- eral treasurer, and Sir. Thomas Richards, M.P., the general secretary. Considerable discussion took place on the whole of the international conditions in so far as they were known by the Council. Eventually the following reso- lution was carried unanimously :— That this Council, having at a special meeting called for the purpose" very carefully considered the present inter- national difficulties and the suggestion that the miners employed at the col- lieries supplying Admiralty contracts should work on Tuesday and Wednes- day next, two of the three days ar- ranged as holidays by the Conciliation Board, we do not consider it necessary for defensive purposes to ask the miners to work on these two days, and we decline to encourage, or in any way countenance, the policy of active inter- vention of this country in the present European coniiict. Weare also strongly of the opinion that there is no necessity for Great Bri- tain in any degree to beoome involved in the war between Austria and Servia, and we call upon the Government to continue its position of neutrality, and to use all its powers in the effort to limit the area of the present conflict and to bring it to a speedly termina- tion. Further, that as the International Miners' Congress has, at its meetings, adopted a resolution condemnatory of war between the nations represented, we think the present moment opportune for the miners in Europe to make an endeavour to enforce their views upon the Governments implicated in the con- flict and the pending complications, and to this end the General Secretary shall at once get into communication with the President and the secretary of the In- ternational Conference of Miners shall be immediately convened to consider the attitude to be adopted ky the, affi- liated miners in the present crisis. It \va» further resolved that a copy of this resolution be sent to the. Prime Minister and the First Lord of the Admiralty and Sir Edward Grey. The Executive again met on Monday and the Council re-affirmed its previous resolution in' every particular. WALES READY-IF NECESSARY. Mr. Vernon Harshorn, Ma est eg, was asked whether the refusal to work on Tuesday and Wednesday would be ad- hered to* in face of the grave fear that Great Britain might be involved in the war. "The policy of the executive," said Mr. Hartshorn, "will no doubt be gov- erned by the circumstances as they be- come really clear. The decision of the executive has been misrepresented. It was not in any sense and anti-patriotic diecision. The brunt of the fighting and suffering in all wars is borne by men drawn from working class homes, but the workers never have yet held back in times of real national peril. The representa- tives of labour generally the South Wales miners' leaders among them—are anxious above all things else to avoid 1r&f. "Our resolution on Saturday was passed with the earnest desire to rally the working classes, if we could, to prevent the outbreak of war, and to discounten- ance the spirit of jingoism, but the moment it becomes a question of defend- in the Motherland against any other na- tion or nations it will be found that the South Wales miners will not be lacking in a determination to co-operate with their fellow-countrymen to safeguard Bri- tain. We shall always raise our voice for the abolition of war, but that does not mean that in times of national peril we shall stand idly by and submit to other nations. If the outlook is so grave that the instant help of the Welsh miners is needed for the proper protection of the oountrv, then you may depend upon it that the help will be forthcoming. Eng- land has her faults and failings in her treatment of the workers, but not one of us wishes to come under the domination of the German Emperor." MR. A. ONIONS EXPLAINS THE POSITION. Addressing a meeting at iredegar on Monday evening, Mr. Alfred Onions (miners' agent) advised the men not to go to work on Tuesday and Wednesday. A reporter had a conversation with Mr. Onions who explained the position. He said the holidays were arranged by the Conciliation Board and agreed to before they started. The Federation had heard nothing from the Conciliation Board since then. There was no request from the Tredegar Company. By refusing to work they were simply carrying out the ar- rangements they had come to at Cardiff. Sending the bellman round was a vio- lation of that arrangement. If there were an unprovoked attack on this country nobody would be stronger than the Fed- eration to work Sundays or any other time to protect the shores and homes. but according to the information put be- fore them at Cardiff that difficulty did not now arise. The Fed- eration meeting on Saturday came to that decision, and a meeting on Monday re-affirmed it. The meeting at Tredegar was only to explain to the men, the Fed- eration's position.

I BILLETING IN SWANSEA HOTELS. A number of Swansea hotels have re- I ceived notice that they will be required to billet Territorial units a.bout to be called out.

( iCONSVXPTION OF WHEAT. I CONSUMPTION OF WHEAT, j I PREMIER AND APPEAL FOR I ECONOMY. Replying in Tuesday's Parliament- ary papers to Mr Bat-hurst. who nsked whether the Government would. if faced with a European war, consider the desirability of making appeals to the more prosperous classes in this oountrv to economise, in the interests of their poorer fellow citizens, their consumption of meat. MT Asquith say: "It is, in my opin- ion, applicable to' all classes of people and to all kinds of foodstuffs. I trust that the publicity thus given to the matter will have the effect desired." At a special meeting of the London Flour Millerg, Aaociation no change was made in the price of flour, which is 33s. for town households, whites 3s. extra. It follows, therefore, that if a baker or combination of the baking trade raises the prices of bread to the public a profit will be extorted which is not justified.

I SCENES IN LONDON. NOTES AND IMPRESSIONS OF THE WEEK. I By a London Correspondent. What a week! There has been nothing like it within living memory. London has been a smileless city. In the street, on the cars, the 'buses, in the trains, nothing was to be seen but tense drawn faces. Fears and hopes alternated, then came WAR, and an end to the terrible suspense, for we knew the worst. There has been nothing feeble or neurotic about the demeanour of Londoners; on the con- trarv, the calm dignity displayed has been in accord with the highest tra- ditions of the British character. There has been no barbaric outburst of hatred against foreigners, and except for a few thousand heady, halfling boys, the streets have been free of maffick- ers. But mafficking, unnatural off- spring of perverted patriotism and the pothouse, will come. In Trafalgar Square on Sunday a mighty crowd of the organised workers of London called with clarion voice for peace. There was the vener- able figure of Keir Hardie on the plinth, now as ever, faithful to ideals regardless of consequences to himself and as I listened to him my. thoughts travelled to a home in Paris where lay dead, murdered by a crazy "patriot," Jean Jaures, the Rupert of international Socialism. Thp?.?. were fine, brave speeches, putting with plaesion and eloquence the pleas of i. the working classes for peace. A stone's-throw away a group of feather- headed youths raised their feeble voices in "patriotic" songs. I felt the futility of the demonstra- tion. We could record our protest, no more. It is impossible to erect a breakwater in a storm; that is the work of calmer days. Dejection and gloom were the dominant notes of the demonstration. I met a Socialist who holds a high position in the Civil Ser- vice. His usual affability had given way to gravity. "What do you think of it all?" he asked, with a wave of his hand towards the plinth.' "What ■ do you?" was my evasive counter- query. "Well," he said, "I feel that if it wasn't for the stupidity of it I could lean my head against the plinth, and weep like a small schoolboy." For days little streams of foreigners called to arms had been converging on the railway termini. Some were elated. I met a little group of French- men, and they were singing: Allons enfants de la patrie Le jour de gloire est arrive. The day of glory! I remembered Sedan, and shuddered! Others, C ,r- mans for the most part, were alum and dour: no Gallic effervescence to sustain their spirits. I had just read in a newspaper that Austrians «nd Servians who sailed from Grimsby to rejoin their respective Armies had r ra- ternised among themselves. They had no quarrel. They were being rushed to fratricidal strife by forces as ir- j resistible as the rapids of N ia g ara. j resistible as the rapid of  On Sundai afternoon I found a boot.shop open. Many shops open in London on Sundays, but it is unusual to find a shop open for the sale of boots. It was near one of the great railway stations. In the windows j were placards. ) WAR BOOTS tind STRONG BOOTS FOR THE WAR. I Fritz and Jules and the others knew something of war. They knew of the boots with brown-paper soles supplied by Army contractors, and they were taking their own boots if that were possible. The shop was doing a roar- ¡ ing trade. Incidentally it was pro- viding a lesson in the patriotism of I capitalists. 1 More of capitalism and war, I went into one of the restaurants owned by a firm that pays annually about twenty per cent, in dividends. Some rpung men seated at the table next to me ordered eggs. "Sorry. Sir," said the waitress, "but a poached egg on toast costs fivepence now." Advantage had been taken of the public to raise the price by one penny. The young men "said things" to the waitress about the patriotism of her employer, and stalked indignantly out of the re- staurant Down in the East-end there are thousands to whom a poached egg is an unthinkable luxury even in the piping times of peace. When they find the price of food soaring, they won't be 3,blo to relieve their feelings by stalking out of the e- staurant. They may go to the West-End Prices of several necessities have already taken an upward jump, and a resident of Upper Norward has written j to one of the Tory newspapers giving the charges made at a local shop. They I are as follows lib. r,-ugar 21d. lib. bea. 3?d. lib. rice 2id. 1 tin of milk 'd. Currante 5d. He suggests that the upward ten- dency should be nipped in the bud. People of the lower middle classes who dwell in the suburbs are likely to be as hard hit as the people in the poorer quarters of London. (OwOavM at bottom of a«t 001.

A "LLAIS" IMIAN OFF TO WAR I + A PERSONAL NOTE. To the Editor of "Llais Llafur." Dear Comrade.—Permit me, through the columns of the dear old "Llais," to express a note of farewell greeting to my many comrades and friends on this my departure to join my comrades of that Army which at the present moment is the cynosure of all eyjes, and which has the good wishes of ail loyal Britishers. It is with mixed feelings that I leave this district to go and take my place in the ranks of that Army which, in the course of a few days, may be called upon to show that it has lost none of the qualities which made it triumphant in the Napoleonic wars of nearly 100 years ago. I leave because of the call of that larger duty which severs husband from wife, father from child, and comrade from comrades. In the days of stress, strain and strife before us, I confidently trust that we shall be guided and controlled by cool heads and able, and whatever may, be the immediate outcome of the clash of arms that, finally, it will have been the means of advancing the day of the coming of that state of Society to which all Socialists look forward. There may be irresistible elemental forces, "as blind as Nature's cruel struggle for the survival of the fit.test" which have brought about the present deplorable and unnecessiary trouble, ) but we must live in hope that this is j but a means to an end. If this terrible situation results in the workers realizing their oneness of in- terests, and the absolute necessity of framing society on a basis whereby the producers of wealth the world over shall enjoy the fruits of their labour, it will have almost justified its terrible oc- currence. At present, however, we are face to face with an unparalleled situation, more tense and more serious than any in our national history. Under those circumstances I believe it is our duty to do all in our power to stand by; our country. We, the workers, have no quarrel with the workers of other countries; our enemies are those who exploit us in common. Would that the workers fully understood it. Un- til they do, there will be wars and rumours of wars. Rising from my uneasy couch to pen these last few words of farewell, my heart is crushed with the vision of fields running with blood, and the scuppers of warships drenched in crim- son I see the bodies of comrades lying maimed and battered and smashed and crushed; "the likeness of God" un- recognisable and unknown I hear the cry and groans of wounded, dying men and the wail of widows and little child- ren ascending. To what purpose? "And thus the heart will break vet brokenly live on The cold—the changed—perchance the dead—anew The mourn'd, the loved, the lost- too many !et how few!" And whatever may be the fruit of war, we must not forget the fact that in our mines and workshops, on the railways and docks, the sacrifice of human life is made daily-nay, hourly. I breathe the fervent hope that the Social Revolution is not far distant. Farewell, comrades and friends, and v •iy our re-union be more full of joy than our parting is of sorrow. Fraternally, Aug. 5th, 1914. W. S. COLLINS I

(Continued from preceding 4tOlumn) Sir Edward Grey made his epoc h m the H'.vi.-V' of Commons on Monday, j For the Labour par'y(, Mr Ramsav Macdoiiald, his ordinarily deep t.irie? t«ki::». a pi"oi<;v•<-)- not<\ v,-r. the Governi^ent of the verdict that posterity would pa-s on them lor par- ticipation in the Continental carnage. In the debate that followed btT, eight or nine M.P.'s attacked t-he Govern- ment unsparingly,. One of tlnve 1 am proud to say was a Welshman, Mr Llewelyn Williams. He jr, a type of Liberal not held in high regard in Labour circles, but that need net <>t f r me from saying that his speacii was one of the best, and mosi ee:rrag<» ous. uttered in the HOll: of Com- mons by a Welsh Liberal M.P. i<i years. Sir Arthur Markham, the Liberal ooalowner, supported the Government.