Llais Llafur

Meythyr Peace Conference. Mr Samuel has addressed a letter to C B Stanton, M.P.. far Merthyr. him to use his influence to Pr<'v<?nt d.girder when the National Cotrn^ji for ('jv-il Liberties hold a con- ference in tfH, U)Wn on Saturday. Ta. i^Jiollv oppose to t>e view of the cottni-Tr, Mr SanitieJ sayd -o is MnwillifiP t<), suppress the meeting, be- cauSe the right of free speech and oi free f?tt?'?" of ??? policy of tile Q?.???ent 16 ?f gr?t import aa<? ()' f' in time of war, a.nd because I evm do not "13:nt the world to be misled i to that there is a pacifist -jt movement in country of so fannid able a nature that the Government findfc it Jieo<^3ary to suppress it. Mr Samuel added that he hoped Mr gtanton would be willing a.nd able to induco hIS supporters to ignore the .canfert"Ilro atiti deprive it of the ad- vert.imen.t Wùllch disturbances alone would ve ?- w<?!d ?St? anto? has ropUcJ tbat he will urge the people of Merthyr to have nothing to do with the confer- etoce.

OFFERING MONEY FOR PROFIT. SOVEREIGNS AT TWENTY-ONE SHILLINGS EACH. An nmiKiial case came before the Stratford Renoh when Arthur Le Sadd, pawnbroker and jeweller, Itford, was summoned for using gold coins, other- wise than for currency, and contrary to the Defence of the Realm Regula- tions. According to the police evidence de- fendant was showing five George V. sovereigns in his window on a card, JE1 Is. each, while on a second card thsre was a. half-sovereign marked 10s.6d. Defendant pleaded that he did not know he was doing anything wrong, and the Benah, accepting the plea, imposed a. fine of 40s. The police Asked that the coins should 1JG paid into tho bank and defemdant repaid in paper, and this was done, the ehairman observing, "But not 21 shillings for a sovereign."

WEST WALES AND METAL IN- DUSTRY. Mr F. W. Gilbertson, the president, was unable, owing to ill-health, to attend the ninth annual meeting cf the Royal Jubilee Metal Exchange at jgwnsea on Tuesday, and was, there- fore unable to doliverbis resume of the conditions in the nietal.in-dustry. Mr George Rowe presided. The financial report presented by the secretary (Mr J. D. Davies) stated that owing to the war and the consequent decrease in subscriptions, there was a net loss of £ 46—the total charges being JC866. Mr F. W. Gilbertson was re-elected president. Sir John Llew- elyn, the mayor of Swansea (Alder- man D., Davies). and Sir Griffith Thomas were re-elected vice-presidents and the committee were re-elected. It was decided that in future the Ex- change should open from 2,30 to four •w'clock on Tuesdays.

THE FOOD SUPPLY. I I  VIGOROUS ACTION AT LAST.  | I tirr^ House of Com- ni:»;K) .stated in reply to Captain Bath- ur.;t, that since the s hort harvests abroad, the developacnt of submarine activity, t-,cid the b.d weather of the last two maaths had made it clear that a very t-pecial effort must be niada to main tain hoiuo f(j(,d production, it had been a-i- ranged that farm workers .should not be, taksn into the Army until January 1 m thji case of ordinary labour, and April 1 in the ca.o of men employed on mi;k proiuc.icn. Toe organisation foT a-s stng agricul- turo through war agricultural and mj-inen's county and disuict committees had b<«ci reviewed and strengthened, and j the different bodies had b=:cn brought inl-o closer co-operat on. All urban authorities w-tr-e being given powers of taking unfccupkd land compukorily, whether within, or without their areas, for allotment cultivation, and were being urged to uss thei-e fK>we-r eii,,r,et Ically at once, 'l he War Offiec wa's being assisted in work n., out schemop, for contracting viith fanners f.,r thd cultivation of cer- taia <Topa next year, aved Lj-id manures bei.ii.g supplitKl if iteonsary. Arrangements were biii;.g made for the errploymen-t of German prisoners to sup- p! iraent is-bo-Lr left on farrnfl, the pre- Y:(JUS eonditi sus us to areas and numbers having been withdrawn. This was being pressed for was di very actively. It was h/jpod, thjTiugii local :en<\ies, to bring pressure upon cny farm- rs who might net be willing to einploy this or ether available types, of labour, wi that the .maximum amount of lnbour might bo employed upon the existing arable area. It was, believed that more prisoner labour migiht be made available than ws re- quirid on farms, nnd, if t-o, this would be employed con br:Jigir.g i:jider cultivation of ].a::d -s w(i-e t,-) yield a crop next "year. They hoped to niako itrlu.kl,gem,,n4a with the Ministry 01 Mwiitiow for ir-creasing the output of implement- and machinery. As to obte/ining motor ploughs and trarlors frcm America, Brit sh firms now had mere on vrdur than could be sup- p.! i,o»d. Inquirkp were bp,in.g made whether the output of tractors suitable for BritiiSi conditions oc^u.ld be quickly stimulated, tliev would be procured if possible. The labour quc tion with re. to the position of the essential sklled n]«i now on farms after Jan. 1 was still being considered with the War Office. and the President of the board was of the opinion that it would not be safe to tcke more men except in cases where there were still men above the agreed scale, or On substituting capable men with agricultural experience. He be- lieved that it would be necessary to .fiupplemf.int this sonrce of labour by giving home-service men extended fur- lough for seeding operations if produc- tion was to be maintained. He was, how. ever, willing ajid ajixi cuR to arrange that if labour now likely to be taken in January was left this should only be done where the farmer would guarantee to cultivate certain areas for the most essfwtiai food supplies.

WOMEN AS BANKERS I I THEIR SUCCESSES IN RECENT I EXAMINATIONS. In the recently published Govern- ment scheme for a British trade bank occurred the phrase "It is fair to assume tfoai women will in future take a share in purely clerical work. The Federation of Women Workers, how- ever, thinks they should not be oon- fined to clerical work, and brings out the following facts:— A woman has been appointed nianager of a branch of the London City and Midland Bank. Others aro being trained for similar posts. At the exajtruB. folio-w-ing tlio Gil- bart lectures on banking at King's College four of the 22 candidates gaining over 80 per cenit, of marks were women. One, Miss Rose Kingston (of the head offioo of the London and South Western Bank) gained the first place, with a note of approbation from the examiner. SiT John Paget. Seven women from the same bank gained prizes or certificates.

USE OF SUGAR t I MR RUNCIMAN AND MANUFAC- TURING CONFECTIONERS Mr Runcimon. the President of the Board of Trade, had a further con- ferenco with representatives of the manufacturing confectioners on Wed- nesday to discuss projjosals for the restriction of the use of sugar in con- fectiomery, and of the sale of the more expensive kinds of sweetmeats. The proceedings were private.

I Miners' Conference. I i —.— TUE CONTROL OOElt I I Anti Absentee Plan Resisted. A special conference of delegates of the. Sc_,tii VV;i.os Aimers' at Carduf discussed thJ situation which Iras arisesl in the coalfield taw- r the Government Control (li vie; Mr. James Win -tone, who pre- i-iaed ov-.r 294 dele-gates, representing 141,;)20 ui-lji, NNas supported by the liighc. Hon. W. A bran am, .M. P. (Mabon), Mr Thoe. Iticha-rds, M.P. (general secretary) Mt. Alfred Ononis (the. trtasurer), and a full exwuti ve. Mass meetings held on Sunday gave insi-rucpem to their deU'gatts, with the result that the. conference was practically unanimous on the points^ raised. The ca.ifereJice had beif. re them two matters: il) Tne new Control Older, (2) Absi'iiti eiim. As regards the Government Order to control the coaitield, the regulations have lot yet been published <Ld the executive secured the views of the whole coalfield, which. tln-T,- will convey to the Inter- D.partmental Committee. Dissatisfactk.n w«is expres s! with the tables of absenteeism drawn out by the e>alo\vnere, and tht, executive were in- structed to op-pose, pending a better un- derstanding as to the meaning of the avo.-liable absenteeism, the scheme advo- cated by the M.F.G.B. for the setting up of pit committee; with penal powers. -Air. Jam. t, W'¡rsto.r:e, in a short speech stated that the Govcraaient had conceded the 15 per cent, advance in the wage z ita pending the independent audit as to the cost of production. He was fol- lowed by Mr. W. P. Nicholas ,tho Federation solicitor) who ex plained tha counsel's opnon wcs ben?g taken on th- Gov niment Order to control the mines. Mr. Winstone stated that. so far as the Executive Couincil had gone with the matters relegated to them by the last c niferouce. certain tat.isfactory prUre1 h;:d been jm..de. but matters at. tho pre- sv.ji,t moment, were in a condition made it imperative that complete confi denoe eird understa.nding should prevail between the workmen and their leadeis. He then gave the report of the Council upon the question of s:.bsenteeis-n and the gejierel wage rate. Mr. W, P. Nkiliolas addressed the con- ference upon the effect of the Order in respect to the contractual obligations of the workmen, whether they were subject to new penalties, and the extent to which the Conciliation Board agreement was affected by the Order, and some time way spent in replying to questions frorn dele- gates. MEN AND CONTROL OF THE PITS, J The conference passed the following resolution "That this conference, having received the report of the Executive Council upon recent n-egotiatioiis relating to the general w;g0 rate controversy-the decision of the Government to take control of the working of the collieries and the granting of the 15 per cent, advance in wa resolve that we authorise the Executive Council to take any steps necessary to ascertain from the Board of Trade the full detailed effect of the Order, especial, ly the Government control of the col- lieres, and that this matter be raised at the conference if the M.F.G.B. on Wednesday; further, that the Council shall bring before the Board of Trade the desires of the minsrs upon the in- structions for an audit of the cost of productio-, and that the Council when in possession of all the information available shall call another conference." This resolution was carried practically unanimously. A deputation from the Executive left for London to lay before the Homto Sec- retary points .relative to trouble in the Ithondda with & view to adjusting dif- ferences and establishing better relations between the owners of certain collieries and the men employed thereat. ABSENTEEISM. I the alter noon session was devoted to the discussion of the M.F.G.B. resolution on absenteeism, which was as follows :— "That this conference recommends the districts to adopt the principle of local joint committees already set up to govern each colliery, such committees to hav, power to inflict fines under rules to be agreed upon by this Federation, this suggestion to be put before the men in e-a-ch district as -a recommendation, and that delegates appointed to attend the National I^abour Party Conference in Ixaidon on December 7th attend a special conierence of this Federation on Dec. 6th, with final instructions to vote, finea or penalties applicable to the men under the above resolutions to be applicable ti colliery officials where they are proved a'¡ fn-n H. It was evident that there was a strong feeling against the adoption of such a resolution, and it was contended that many collieries were working only half- time, and that the output was reducel far more by the neglect of ooalowners Lo provide trams and wagons than by the total avoidable absenteeism in the whole coalfield. Further, it was stated that no power existedito enforce the fines imposed, and that they eould only he collected by keeping back wages at the colliery offi- (Continued at' bottom of next oolumn)

Pensions & Allowances Li bou r Demands A Labour ConiVrc:>e on Pensions a.nd Aii-owa.n<< to Soldiers and Sailors Pnd tlivir Dependants was held in Glasgow on Saturday. On the motion of Mr Robert Smillie, pres dent < -f the Miners' Federation, re- solutions were adopted demanding am immediate inx-revtse c £ at least 50 per cent, on all allowances to dependants, arid a.'so zm and a. levell llg- up of the difference between soldiers and sailors. Mr Smillie said 50 per cent, increase was not. the final aim of the La bour Party, but just an emergency measure for the nicrmeirt. A conference cf Labour :1,n,] Cc- operative organivatio.rs fund attended by 1-290 delegates \<1< held at New- castle on the same subject. Resolu- tions de-ianding increased separation allowances and grants to children and increased [tensions were passed, and the Government were urged to be- -qotthi the purchasers of the whole meat ld biK-on stipolies a.nd coivry it in ships hn1"te"ed. by tho Gov rrent to establish municipal shop** r the simply of fcod stuffs, coal, in milk by local authorities. —————

RESTRICTION OF LEAVE EFFECT ON HOME FORCES OF I PRESSURE ON RAILWAYS. Mr Forster announced, in the House of Commons on Monday, that the de- mand* upon the railways to supply personnel, rolling Flock. and locomo- tives for use in France wan so great, and rihe railways at home were so short handed, that It is necessary to t is neK-t?s,4;i,t- y t<) enrrsil t;He coeds and passenger rai l- way traftic throughout the kingdom, reducing t.h« working to war Cfoen- tials. i t,i<)-i v.,ox k-krs Nvere bedtr- re- Munition workers were beirng re- strict-ro in their week-end leave, and soldiers stationed at. home were being cafied upon to give, up their week-end lea va and Christmas leave. Draft leave for men proceeding abroad would he continued, and the &ubsti- tute far draft leave to soldiers of the Ddminions would be also given. Sol- diers going to and coming from the front wonuld not be subjected to these restrictions.

GLAMORGAN TEACHERS I BONUS VOTE OR RECORD MEET- ING AT SWANSEA A reoord meating of the teachers of all grades in West Glamorgan was heJd at Swansea on Saturday to dis- cuss the proposal of the committee of the Federation to apply to the coun- try council for 10s. per week bonUB fer a11 full-time teachers in their employ. The proceedings lasted three hours, and there was an animated discussion. Ultimately it was decided, on the casting vote of the chairman, to con- centrate tneir energies on a scale of slararies rather than on a contempor- ary bonus.

VOLUNTEERS' NEW UNIFORMS. Bradford manufacturers are already engaged in making cloth for the Volun- teera' new uniforms. It is described as khaki of a. distinct shade and different in texture from the ordinary Army material. It 18 understood that men in Sections "A" and "B" will wear the new uniforms. The old green-grey uniforms will continue to be worn, the new equip- ment being issued as it is required.

WOMAN EARNS £ 5 A WEEK. I During a discussion at Enfield Educa- tion Committee on the provision of meals for children whose mothers are working in munition factories, it was reported tha,t one woman was earning £ 5 a week. It was decided that if the statement was correct' the woman should be ordered to pay for the meals provided, and in de- fault to be prosecuted.

ces—a system -which, the Federation had always condemned. Some delegates went so far as to ad- vo(K.te ttM- abolition of the committees already in existence, but this view was not generally supported. Eventually a resolution was passed, practically unanimously, that no absen- tee committees be set up at the South Wales collieries. This completed the business of the con- ference. An attempt was made to raise the question of the attitude of the Miners' Federation towards the peace propaganda and the peace conference re- cently held at Cardiff, but the president ruled this matter cut of order.

I The Long Trail. I — I Srnar: Capture by Ystradgvnlais Officers. Heavy Penalty for Poultry Mealing Al. the Ysl: jdgynlais Cour". on Tii- day, Mr. E. G. Beuthaa presiding, a oi s.eai.ng a tow I, V.alu.e lL. uo. th.* properiv of :\1- Isaac P. Williams, Caerooii-t, vihe.-crave, was hecad. Henry i??vi ? ?f-?u-?r). oi Bv.'?fa, Abcrcra w was Lho dk.<?'<l<utt, Mfd was r'apres-nted by Mr. D. J. CLaKe, warl. Ini-pooC-jr VV i:a,;)u> said that lln Sunday n^iur-g last, m caiueequtnoe of a pia n-t r«ieiv<d, he went to Catrbont i'. rni, Att; crave, acooTr-pajiitd by Sevgt. V\ iiiianjfi, "U company isajic P. i -l-a.i.s, they went into a iied neai- tlie HX:l, and therw ¡,w a portable i<?A! I a quarwty of bk>od, and a trail fjf hx?tprn ? in 3t)me tofb m.i\l mar the )'?; -? the fuwl h<?)?€. WitDe?s th?n traced a t-inikia" footprint across i; field towardfl the Castic Hotel, and also found an ooc.3iiio-i.al white feather. 0th-. r foot- prints \e;:e also disc-overtsd. '1 he lnt-f>cUjr continuing, taid how he to uhe Bwilfa Cottage ne. r the Kheolau being told that t'<fi.uda>v.i- ",<8 not- at home, the luspecwr the lasi-Jlady's rvermiss.on to ex- amine soaie toots in the hwuse. and then left. Ivet-uxning lat;r they found defend- .,iil,Iri, a-nd he w«.. asked to produce his bo.>t*, and w,.s told .t.h:l a fowl had been stolen from Caeibont, and that loct. prints ba.:J.' been found. Defendant wm orde red to remove his boots a.nd put Hmrthcr pii-ir on, and asked to at-company the In p.clor to tlv fowiii >u3e. The bojis compaired with the foot, prints, a-nd witnt-Ks then arrested de- fendant ;:nd charged him with the of. fence, t<o v.hk-h he said, You are •-s rong. 1 was never imir the place, I'm pure." Plaster (.J Paris casts of the footprints v.fre taken i\Vhich. were pruauced ;id, said Ow Inspector, there 're about 50 peculiarities in the p4ur of boots which were shown in the cas!fi. Crov-is-txamwied, the Insj>ector said that defendant had t:1<i him he never had a pocket knife. Similar footprints to thcae near the fowlhou^e were a!c--) found (m the canal bank. He did not pick up the feathers. There was a trail of fooipr^Ks (J1d fea-thers from the 10",1- house to defendant's home. He had also visited th? .h?m? of He,Qry Boulder on vl:slt.e.a tie h4j?-iio I I.c P. Wi.Hiams, (??rbont Farm, said that on Sunday, m <'on?pqupnce of information given by his -on, he went to the fowlhouse and found that a White Leghorn cockejel was missing. Blood, feathers and footprints were found near the poultry house, and the matter was reported to the police. He valued the bird at 12s. 6d, In cross-^xaanination oomplainant mid that the Inspector did not put the boot into the imprint. He di-a not keep any of the feathers which were in the field. He had never aeen Davies 00 the pre- mises. John Jones*. Landlord of the Castle Hotel. Abercrave, said that he saw the deforciant on Saturday in the bar of the hotel, and he left at about 9 o'elock. The hotel was about quarter of a mile from the fow'lhouc-e by zmoaa l, but across the field it Nk-ould be less. Mr. Clark submrtted that there Wiis no case to answer, and there was no direct evidence against hie client, but the Bench ruled otherwises and when charged, defendant pleaded not guilty. David Henry Davies said he earned about JE2 lOp. a week as a colliery haulier at Abercrave. He deni-e.d. that he was at Caerbont on the night of tho theft, and knew nothing oi the matter. He finished work on Saturday about 4 o'clock. but went out at 6.10 to the Rheolau, then to the Lamb and Flag, and laten- to the Gactle, where he had a cup of BovriL Crom-exan-tined by PoHoe-sergeant Wil. liaim, defendant said no one had worii the boots except himself. Sorgt. Williams Why did you go home over the canal ba.nk ?-I always go that wav. Defendant further stated that he was home on the nht in question before his landlord (Edgar Griffiths). Edgar Griffiths, collier, Bwilfa, Aber- cravp, said he had served 17 months in France. He spoke to being in company of defendant OIl Saturday night, and left him at the Lamb and Flaig, reaching home after Davies. Witness did not think that defendant had time to go to Caearbont from the time he had last Retsn him. In cross-exam ination, witness denied he was in the hotel at 9.45. If the evi- dence of Mr. Jones, of the Castle Hotel, wai to be be lieved, the man would have had enough time to -go to Caerbont. Mrs. A. Griffiths, wife of the previous witness, said that on the night in ques- tion, h er husband and defendant were in the house at 9.40. No fowls had been brought to her honle by defendant. He was not the "worse for drink, but h; was not perfectly sober. Four previous cases were proved against defendant. in winch the theft of poultry largely figured. The Bench considered it a ckar ca^e and inflicted a fine of L10, or two months imprisonment. He wae given seven days in which to pay. °j'

Zepp OV2 r a C .lliery Village. An I'stradgynlai. Man Describes Hu LX, r i e i1 ceo Mr J. H. Will.ams, late ol Pcnrhcs, 3rd now reisidi ".g in 'N orkshire, fiend" tiie following inter^iing isocount ol the recent vi"->it of a Zenp the eo-liory viihigo in wliich he lives. I: ii interesting to remcanber that tli-if- pai ticular Zepp wii: one (.f the nvo th.at were brought down Ecmc our at tea., 0:1 tiie return journey. Mr Wi.lLaims say" By a singular eoineidence the taik at ivhe supper table had turned [t. "ZC-, D ps and the remark was passed that thev (the Zt-posl would liave g.-wit difScutlv in finding car lime mining village in South Yorkshire. We little thought how soon our jesting wad to be turned into reality, for not manv minutes later the win- dows rattled and tho door shook. Our .first thought was that the wind w;ts responsible, but when thn ra tltl fi rg orourred again, rather more pro- • nonneed the se>cr.d time, a movn was niiide to the door to ascertain the ca\we. Fla.ches were, in tlie '.iy and thoPSO were followed by deep boo-ms as cf heavy thunder, and the ground setaied to U"t"n blo. W t realised that the Zenps were in the neighbourhood 1' I ha Special ^on.vtaoles were scon round with the order, "All light* out," and by tbit" trmo the majority of the population were in the street, taflkin-g excitedly. The I >o;n bs were now being dropped in rapid s-uwe^sion, but apparently some miles away, and J" ..J t now t r: again the car wcuid tlx. peculiar ;U11,d Hi h<V_H" V engines. This bocame lotwier and louder, and eventua1ir the aerial monster was oriel high., ittul travelling leistiTelv. The shape is familiar to all. froro pictures that have appeared in tlie pross, and there cou ld be no doubt that this was the terrible Zepp 1 The night was beautifully clear, and the sky quite light with the multitude of stars, but the Zepp K-a, at surh a distance that it, could not t>e clearly seen. The noise now died away, and the great airship appeared moticnless. and gave one the impression. of a huge vulture searching the ground for what it might devour. The now familiar noise of the engines was heard again, and the Zepp could be seen making a semi- circular turn, and the thought, "Which direction was it going to take?" wa? in everyone's mind, i Fortunately it went m. a. westerly F<)rtun-atolv it went On a we.KtorIv There was something sinister a.nd awe-inspiring in the way the huge monster moved leiisurely across the FJky. It seem-ed master of all it could .we. and one had the impression of huge eyeys looking down on one. arh even the stoutest hearted spoke iN subdued tones and had an uncomfort- abile desire to run. Run Yes, but "where ? It seemed as if one could never escape that monster who travelled where fancy took him. who was not bound to a certain pa.th by iron rails, or bv hedges and walls: he was a* free as a. bird, and could go where he wished. How could anyone escape P Most of the people decided that in the fields lay the best chance of safetv, so wrapping tJw. children up, they trudged shiveringly m the frosfty night. rp to this time the enemy had dropped no bombs in our immediate neighbourhood, but suddenJv a streak of red left the fore part of the air- slup. followed by a tremendous ex- plosion. The main idea now was to get out of range of that deathdealing thing. The Zepp continued on its westerfv course, and as the sound of the engines grew fainter and fainter, we all breathed more easilv. but coo- tin-uallv searched the sky to see if it could retum. That was the last we Raw of too airship, and although many had ex- pressed a desire to se a Zepp, no OR' who saw it is anxious to see one again. No one who ha6 not been within range of one can imagine the sensation: such a feeling must the sparrow have to see the espa-rrow hawk above him in the Rh. It, its curious to note how many people are positive The Zepp passed over them! One must attribute this to the excitement and the great diffi- culty (to the man in the street at any ra¡('!) of judging the altitude and distance awar yof a huge machine such as the Zeppelin. J. H. Williams.