Llais Llafur

I FARM HANDS ENGAGED ON I PLEASURE GARDENS. "In some instances, private resi- dents, so far from releasing their em ployee? with agncu1tural knowledge i to work on the land, are adualJy on-- gaginng skdIed farm hnd. to attend to ple??ure gardens and similar w0rk writes Lord Selbourne, President of the Board of Agriculture. He urges that is a patriotic duty to dispense with the services of all em- ployees available for fa.rm work.

— LIEUT. RICHARD'S ILLNESS It is announce that Li('ntennt T? R?.?rds. ?on <.f Mr T. ?R?'?J.?? M.P. i seriously il1. He is r thT?e of Mr R.r.harr? Ls's .?s who have joined. the colours He was recenJ tly'T ?nvahded home from the fr??t -,ljl4 taken ? a I??dnn h?mta) .u??'" from sIwek and complications

 T;uA!i?- Minii M i I ?, i ??g??o?ccnk:c??.C78-ks.

TO DEATH OR VICTORY. ———.——— MR JOHN HODGE AT LLANELLY. ON WAR AND TRADE UNIONISM. Speaking at Llanelly, Mr John Hodge, M.P., said that whilo in France he was asked by the French people, "Will England stay till the end ?" His reply was that the people who diubted that did not understand what was the characteristic of the I British race. He assured them that when the British bulldog got his teeth in there was no letting go; it was death or victory. (Applause). When we thought of war upon innocent people., the sinking of the Lnsitania, and drowning of defenceless women and children, and the crowning horror of all, the murder of Nurse Cavell, our arms were strengthened in the resolu- tion that never could the sword be laid aside till there had been repara- tion. full and complete, for all the horrors wrought. (Applause). Dealing with the Trade Union ques- tion. Mr Hodge emphasised the im- portance of amalgamation of the unions in the tinplate and steel in- tries. At a conference which was ,q a week ago an agreement was arrived at whereby amalgamation would ultimately be effected. A scheme which had been decided upon would be considered h- the executive, and would if it were agreed to, be submitted to the members of the various societies in a very short time.

"UST GLAMORGAN MINERS MR HUBERT JENKINS AND A I MORATORIUM. Addressing a public meeting at Y&- tradmynach, held in connection with the East Glamorgan Labour party, Mr Hubert Jenkins, J.P., said the Govern ment did the right thing in taking over the railways, and had they done the same thing with shipping the high freights and other grievances could have been avoided. Touching upon the calling up of the married groups under Lord Derby's scheme, the speaker urged that the Government instead of declaring a moratorium on rents, insurances, etc., should make provision for paying these charges while the breadwinner was in the ser- vice of his country, and that on his return to civil life he should be en- abled to start clear of any debt. Under the suggested moratorium, said Mr. Jenkins, rent arrears might accu- mulate to a. figure such as would take years to wipe off. -OP

BLOCKADE TIGHTENED. BRITISH ACTION FOLLOWING MOEWE'S EXPLOITS. In ponsequence of the incident of the Moewe the British blockade has been tightened. It is now impossible for the enemy ships to break through, although disguised as neutral ships. The British Government have sent to tho Scandinavian Government com- munications containing new arrange- ments relating to the inspection of neutral ships. In future neutral ships which do not stop when signalled by the British patrol ships may be fired on.

3 078 CONTROLLED FACTOR IES. The Minister of Munitions announces he has made further orders under sec- tion 4 of the Munitions of War Act, 1915, under which 26 additional ostab- lishments have been declared controlled establishments under the Act. A total of 3,078 establishments has now been declared as controlled under the Act.

RAILWAY TRAIN BLINDS. A number of eases have been heard at Birmingham in which passengers weie summoned under the lighting restriction order for failing to keep the blinds of railway carriage windows lowered when travelling. The defendants were passen- gers by suburban trains, and railway de- tectives stated that the blinds were only partially drawn. In imposing fines of 10s. in each case, the magistrates said that every passenger in a railway carriage was eqrally responsible far seeing that the drawn, whether sitting ne-ir t!?' v. nr no' ? an d. in future ail \:lÜ.' :li'ab' no', :lJ. i:1. :t:(e a:J

COALFIELD MENACE. ——— STRIKE NOTICE QUESTION • — I EXECUTIVE'S RECOMMENDATION. ISSUES UNDER 1915 AGREE MENT. The South Wales coalfield appears to be on the eve of another industri-tl crisis, for the Executive Council of the South Wales Miners' Federation, on Tuesday, recommended the lodges to consider the advisability of "gl ving fourteen days' notice to terminate con- tracts in order to force a settlement of the three points of dispute arising out of the interpretation of the wllge agreement of 1915. These points are as follows: (1) Sunday night shift. (2) The bonus turn for ostlers. (3) The wage rates of surface crafts- mAn THE ISSliES DEFINED. I Since the 1915 agreement was signed the workmen have been dis- satisfied with the interpretation of the three points by the owners, and the Conciliation Board has failed to settle the differences, which are focussed in the following statement:- WORKMEN. That the Sun- day night shift is optional and of six hours' dura- tion. A bonus turn for ostlers em- ployed partly on unorning and part ay on night shifts. ew sohooulù of rates for skilled surface craftsmen. OWNERS. That it is an obligatory shift of eight hours' duration. Offer made for these ostlers of a :¡}{)nus of half a turn. to I Refusal to (:<1-" sider this new schedule. I 1 he above statement represents shortly the points in dispute. In order to arrive at a settlement it was sug- gestod at the Executive Council a week ago that Mr W. Runciman, the President of the Board of Trade, who was mainly responsible for the agree- ment of 1915, should be consulted in order that the dispute might be brought to an end. The idea of ar- I bitration was favoured in some quar* I ters. A deputation from the Council went up to the Board of Trade last, week with a view to securing an inter- view with Mr Runciman but they j failed, and when the matter was re- ported to the Council on Tuesday., considerable disappointment was ex-ij pressed. I It was pointed out that the Federa- tion, had at least done its best to secure a settlement, and it was felt that there was no justification for the Government's non-activitv. After a full dscussion it was resolved that a report of the circumstances be submitted to the annual conference of the South Wales Miners' Federation on Monday next, and that a recom- mendation be sent from the Executive Council for consideration by the Federation lodges that 14 days' notice be given in order to secure a settle- ment. I Settlement of Noil-Unionist I Qnestion. The sub-committee reported upon the;' meeting last week with Sir George j Askwith of the Board of Trade upon! the question of non-Unionists at the collieries, and submitted the terms that were recommended by the repre- sentatives of the owners and the work- men for the settlement of this matter. The Council accepted the settlement, and instructed Mr Thos. Richards, M.P., to communicate with Sir George Askwith to that effect. The following is a text of the settlement on the non- Unionist quetiti-on:- After conferences held at the re- quest of his Majesty's Government unler the chairmanship of Sir George Askwith, Chief Industrial Commission- er, with a view to preventing inter- ference with output in the South Wales coalfield on the non-Unionist question during the war, the represen- tatives of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coalowners' Association, without prejudice to the position after the war, agree that the workmen to become members of one or other of the recognised Trade Unions. The Coalowners' Association and the South Wales Miners' Federation agree that a stoppage of work on the non- Unionist question should be avoided and aro prepared to co-operate to en- sure that result. The coalowners agree that an inti- mation of the fact that the workmen emnloyed at the collieries are fr1:rd ?) h?(T?? '?"?' ?.?.. '?f f.„ C" i  of tHe recu?n? "-ra<:? Unions 1 sball be made throughout ? malficid generally, and at the several ('?llieies'l If, notwithstanding such intimation, workmen fail to become members, 0; ccase to be members, and it becomes I necessary to take special steps to deal ( with such men at an- coUiery or col- J Jieries. the Miners' Federation are to ho at liberty to apply to the Coal- owners' Association for assistance in carrying out the terms of the require- ment at the collieries in question. In the event of difficillties arising at any colliery in connection with this quest-ion, which cannot be amicably sett!ed by the co-operation of the coal, owners' and miners' representatives, it is agreed that notices to cease work shall not be tendered, nor shall any stoppage of work take place, but that the difference will be reported to the Chief Industrial Commissioner for action by his Department. On the misunderstanding that the owners agree to supplv the local agents of the Miners' Federation wIth., list of workmen at present employed, and also to supply a list once a fortnight of workmen who have left the colliery and of new workmen who have been employed, the Miners' Federation agree that show cards shall be suspend- ed during the war without Prejudice to their position after the war. In this agreement the term "work- men" does nont include colliery omcials. .Timr-fi Win«tone, Alfred Onions George Barker, Vernon Hartshorn John! Davies, Jo'hn Williams Thomas Richards. (Merthyr). General Secretary. Workmen's Representatives

LOCAL CHAPLAIN'S WARM I WORDS OF PRAISE. Cttptttin Jomcg Evans, B.A., Non- conformist chaplain to the Welsh Di- vision, who is home at Cardiff on sick leave, has made such good progress towards recovery that he hopes to re- join this week. Captain Evans, who, prior to the war, was secretary, to the Welsh National Union of Evangelical Churches, has come home with a warm word of praise for the Welsh boys in hi& brigade. In the course of a chat he said:- "The deeds performed by some of the men deserve to be perpetrated in the annals of Wales. The men of the Welsh Brigade took to the trenches like ducks to water, and the older battalions, under which they served a few days' apprenticeship, marvelled at their steadiness and efficiency. Apart from the actual fighting in the trenches we get very exciting moments at the rear. I have been under shell fire several times at funerals. At the first funeral I conducted I was shelled off the ground, and all of ushnd to seek shelter for a time in a dug-out. Captain Evans spoke in the highest terms of the skilful care given to t.he sick and wounded, and as an illustra- tion he related the following:— "The Sunday before I came away Mr Lloyd George and Mr Bonar Law visited the IVelsh Division. On hearing that Lieutenant Hinds, son of Mr John Hinds M.P.. was lying wounded at a neighbouring hospital Mr Lloyd George motored over to see him, a,nd then hWied off to Paris to procure the as- sistance of two of the greatest special- vilisfc he could find. After they had .>.v.ined the voung officer they turned to Mr Lloyd George and said they could do nothing more for him than had been done by the surgeon in the hosoital itself. The Rev. James Evans formerly held a pastorate at Aberavon. ———— — ——-

NEW POSTER CAMPAIGN. I The hoardings with the recruiting ap- peals to single men have now given place to calls for economy, and the new poster campaign has b en entrusted to the Re ciuiting Publicity Department at White- hall. This department is receiving every day a huge post, full of congratulations and miggestiona, some practical, some a.mus- ing. The latest appeal i&sued is in dialogue form, and is headed, "What is the price I of one of your axms "I It reads C: ,vi *II*an How did you lose your arm, mv lad ? Soldier Fighting for you, sir. Civilian I'm grateful to you, my lad. Soldier Bow much are you grateful, ir ? Civilian What do you mean ? Soldier: How much money have you lent your ountry ? Civilian What has that to do with it? Soldier A let. How much is one of ,your arms worth ? Civilian I'd pay anything rather than Io.? an arm. Soldier Very well. Put the pr'?p of j S, !er Vprv v,-el?l. Put ti ,,ppr;,e (,f i t ) r.x': Li or ar Savings I Ccrti?c?t?'s. anu k'ud your money to your I oountrv. lei;-i y()ur ycur

CHAPLIN MOUSTACHE. A BADGE OF COURAGE. VISIT TO FRONT AS CURE FOR PESSIMISM. All the young British officers at the front weaiÍ" a Charl e Chapl.n mousbche-- that is the observation of a correspondent of the "N ew York Herald," who has been on a vi-sit to France. "I used to la-ugh at the Charlie Chaplin moustache,he says. "1 now look upon it as the red, brown, black, or blonde badge of courage." He mentions many little incidents to illustrate the coolness and courage which impressed him. "I saw scores of flying machthes. in- cluding several battle biplanes, and had the unique experience of holding in my hands a 241b. bomb, but when a young lieutenant told me that, if it exploded, it would kill or maim everything within a radius of fifty yards, I restored his sweetheart' to him at once. I was amazed by the sangfroid of mere boys who, in an aeroplane carrying from' 12 to 24 of these bombs, start daily and gaily forth from this aviation base over the enemy's lines into the jaws of death. All of the British aeroplanes are equipped with the latest type of machine guns, but, the avia- tors prefer the Lewis, because it is cap- able of loosing 600, as against the German machine's 400 bullets each minute. DEADLY "DARLINGS." "W hen 1 saw a sergeant drive 50 bul- lets from the Lewis and Vickers types into a circle about the size of a silver dollar I was willing to believe that these 'darlings' of my Irish friend, many of which are so light that they can be fired from the shoulder, are really responsible for the pathetic colourless statements in official communiques such as "The enemy who attempted to regain the position cap- tured yesterday by us, was stopped by th" fire of our machine-guns. Describing the firing of a naval 6-inoh gun, the correspond: nt writes ''With lightning-Lke rapidity the gun was un- masked, and after a study of the aero- plane map, which revealed the mark with- in the enemy's lines, the gun was loaded, and the squad stood at attention. k"Ilea.iv, sir,' said the sergeant. "The lieutenant stepped forward, and after a brief examination and several de- pressions of the piece to get the exact range, retired two paces to the rear, and barked out the order 'Fire The noise made by the discharge of the shell was terrific—my ears buzzed for hours after- ward—but the little lieutenant stood un- ruffled among his men. "'Get the observer's report,' was his order. And through a field telegraph near by came the welcome news that the shot had scored a hit. Then I saw a British 9-2—a heavy, short-barralled gun of remi- howitz&r type-in action. The lieutenant here also wore one of the giddy Charlie Chaplins, and was as cool as if he had been to the wars for years. As a matter of fact, less than two years ago he was a junior clerk in a big London bank." BOY COMMANDER. The correspondent mentions that the men of a gloriou.s regiment lost so heavily during a famous fight that a boy who left Canada as a lance-corporal is now Lieut.- Colonel and Battalion Commander. He was greatly impressed by the high spirits of the wounded. "I saw two young soldiers who had reached the hospital with both ]egs smashed, now moving about slowly with- out crutches, and were in such high spirits that one actually challenged the other to a foot race. A German sergeant- major, 'Fritz' he is called by all, who, though only 22 years of age, won the Iron Cross, is a patient as the result of arriving i na British trench at about the time a German minnenwarfer exploded there. Fritz, who is as tenderly cared for as if he were a Briton-this applies to the treatment of all German wounded prison- ers-will probably regain the use of his legs soon, but naturally he is not anxious I to leave a place where he is so well treated. "I ha.d a chat with a little beardless officer boy who, wounded in the head and with the sight of one eye gone for evel, warmed the hearts of everyone who looked upon him with what the song calls 'the sunshine of his smile.' "'How do you feel, lieutenant?' I ven- tured. "'Topping,' said the la,d. 'The B-,rclies got me in the held. a.nd I suppose I will be a Johnny with one glass eye; but I en s-ee England with the other, and when 1 m fit again I want another chance at the Bodies to get some of my own bck.' "I recommend the pessimists who have been demanding the heads of Lord Kit- chner, M. Asquith, Sir Edward Grev, and Mr. Balfour, and shrieking that the Government mrst go (says the corrc-por- dent), to flip over to the British bases in Frunco. study the organisation that has he:1 evolve:' frvr. r.uo?t othinz witVn twenty months, and I feel certain that i h' net forth th?v will hold their Of!?-e unH' eoded,"

BATTLE OF FIVE MILLION I SHELLS. I y 250,000 TONS OF IRON IN ^JiOUND I i-N IEAP. VERDUN. Î; j Sorn,e information on the huge con- centration of artillery by means of which th^ Germans expected to beat down the French resistance before Verdun is given by the "Petit Paris- ien." The whole of the available German artillery, it says, was transported to the region of Verdun batteries were withdrawn from Russia and Serbia. Altogether 3,000'-cannon thunder- ed when the great bombardment opened on February 21. The deluge of shells on the Franch lines was such that not a yard of ground was spared. In the town of Verdtln there fell a projectile from the (krman 80'8 evetrv four minutes' during a period of 15 hours. North of Verdun and in the vicinity of Forges certain French posi tions were for ten hours the tarffet-s of more than 100.000 shells of everv di- mension save that of the 77. which was .not employed by the Germans in this bombardment. In a comparatively small space of terrain 5.000 tons of ex- plosives fell during a. few hours.. In 15 days 5.000.000 shells ploughed the ground held by the defenders of Ver- dun. The region of Verdun has, indeed, become a veritable iron mine, since 250,000 tons of that metal" is now buried in the soil. -'1

i COAL DUST PREVENTION. TfrABON AND MR W. BR.( VISIT NEWCASTLE. A -special deputation from the Executive of the MinersVJ^aderat^on of Great Britain, including Mr Win.. Brace, Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs; Mr W. Abraham (Mabon), M.P., and Mr Hancock, M.P.. visited Newcastle on Saturday,' and descended the Washington Pit to witness a demonstration of the new colloid treatment introduced by Mr- German Bedger, until recently Ger- man lecturer at the Armstrong College Newcastle. It is claimed that the treatment completely obviates the risk of mine explosion arising from the admixture of coal dust and air. The deputation appointed a com- mittee to return to the mine a month to view the district treated in-itb the preparation.

CWMTWRCH FATALITY. COAT CAUGHT IN COGS. The Swansea Borough Coroner (Mr J. C. Morris) conducted an inquiry on' Saturday morning into the death of Ernest Nicholls (3d), labourer, of Der-' wyn Farm, Upper Cwmtwrch. Mr Hil- ditch, H.M. Inspector of Factorial; was present, and Mr Vaughan Ed- wards appeared on behalf of the Blact Mountain Silica Co., deceased's ém. ployere. Evidence of identification was given by Henry WiUiam Nicholas, 9 Cae- brvn terrace, Lland-ebie. brother. D&- ceased was a single man and lodged at the farm. loan Davies, Upper Cwmtwrch, blacksmith, and forgeman at the works said the accident happened on Wed- nesday last. Deceased was working at* the sand-crushing machine, and had a light cloth overcoat over his working clothes. At the time of the accident witness heard an unusual noise with the machinery, and when he went tb see what was the matter he saw de- ceased enta-gled in the cogs, held by his shoulder. Witness reversed 4114 machinery and released deceased. De- ceased said to him, "It was mv o2t.H In witness's opinion it was the com- bination of the overcoat and the Ir^h wind that prevailed that caused" he accident. Answering Mr Edwards witness there was sufficient protection an-- n the machine. Dr. Louden, Swansea Hospital deceased had a fractured left' arm a lacerated wound on the b. of q 1 0 .1 shoulder, and also two ribs frnctiv.xl The cause of death W&-s hemorrlm- < o the lungs and shock following the ii juries. I A verdict of "Accidental death" "all returned.

I Throate.ne.rJ tr:,r'le cv?r t''? m- ployv^ent cf T.aen at Liv-erTKV)] r i,  ? ''ta has b(spn n.T?Tted f?r t?e ti?p ? '? by the tol dieoonHrur ~e d ?? ??nnocn?