Pioneer

I Appreciation of a Great Socialist. PAGE 2.

Political Notes I-V- By F. W. Jowett, M.P. A MEAN TRICK. The Government is very anxious just now to enlist the services of leading Labour men for a united effort to check the successive demands of organised Labour for increased wages. Requests are being made privately for this form of assist- ance, and Air. G. A. Barnes appears to be one of the prime movers in the matter. The Press is doing its part by constantly repeating the as- sertion that the present inflated price of com- modities is the result of recent increases in wages. This is a convenient theory for those who wish to throw the responsibility for the in- creased cost of living on to the worker, but it will not bear examination. THE REAL EXPLANATION. The chief cause of the increase in tie price of commodities is fabricated credit-book entries in bankers' offices, which are oounted as if they were real loans. But they are not real loans. There is only a real loan if the lender reduces his spending power to the amount of the loan and pasSes-ft corresponding amount of spending power on to the borrower. The banks that pre- tend to lend their money for the convenience of the Government, however, do not decrease their spending power, nor are their customers' bal- ances reduced by the transaction, all that hap- pens is that a constant stream of interest bear- ing paper is created, for which neither goods nor services have been given in exchange. ft: INFLATED CURRENCY. One of the results of the financial operations above-mentioned is that the currency has become enormously inflated and, consequently, more of it, in the form of currency notes and metal coins is required by, or on behalf of, each individual consumer to purchase in a market which is- re- stricted in supplies of goods owing to the waste of a woHd-wide war. Prices crone up by leaps and bounds to the great joy of the money- lender and tho profiteer, who look confidently for an ever increasing flow of other peoples' earnings, in the shape of interest on their ac- cumulating bank balances, to the advantage of themselves and their descendants. If the Gov- ernment had taken the money it required, in the form of taxes or levies, from those who can afford to pay, there would have been no neces- sity for dummy loans resulting in inflated cur- rency. Therefore, the Government, being itself responsible for the demand for increased wages to meet the additional cost. In these circum- stances it can be no business of a. Labour leader to help the Government to keep wages in check. THIMBLE-RIGGING FINANCE. I As bearing on this matter of fabricated credit, which plays such an important part in causing high prices, some figures given by Mr. Bonar Law in the House of Commons recontly are most instructive. Mr. Law stated, in reply to a question put to him by Mr. Arnold, that the na- tional expenditure for the ten weeks ending December 8th, was £ 538,731,000. Of this, there was met from revenue (i.e., taxes in one form or another) £ 109,977,000. The proceeds of National War Bonds (for the most part real and not fictitious loans) paid into the exchequer were £ 130,530,000. The balance provided from other sources in the ten weeks refened to was £ 298.224,000. Of this balance t38,000,000 was financed by borrowing on Ways and Means from the Bank of England, which is merely a paper transaction. The remainder of the deficit was presumably met by the issue of Treasury Bills, which is, also, almost entirely a paper transac- tion, because the bills are mostly taken up by banks which only make book entries in return for them. In the short period of ten weeks, therefore, dummy loans were arranged to the amount of £298,000,000 or about that sum, on the shadowy foundation of which loans currency have been issued in a plentiful stream, whilst, on the other hand, the stock of commodities available for purchase has been constantly de- creasing. And yet, the thimble-rigging gang of financiers* and profiteers, who have performed this mean trick at the expense of the workers of the community, have the audacity to assert that recent wage advances are the cause, and not the effect, of high prices. d. 001.00 BUT A CHANGE IS IMMINENT. I Ever since the war began the Government has allowed financiers and profiteers to rob and plun- der the community with little more than a pre- tence of preventive action. The result has been as I have just endeavoured to describe. if how- ever, the recent food conference may be taken as representing the temper of the people, the Government will not be allowed to play the old game much longer. Mr. Clynes, with all his persuasive ability at conferences, would have been unable to make any impress-ion on the dele- gates if he had not declared that Lord Rhondda intended to see that, every householder should be able to go to his accustomed shop and that there he should be registered and there obtain his share, however small it might be." RHONDDA'S ONE WAY. -1 There is, however, only one way by which Lord Rhondda can carry out the intention to which Clynes committed him, and it is the one indi- cated by George Lansbury, who advocated the policy of commandeering the whole of the- food supplies. Strangely enough, Mr. Clynes went out of his way to ridicule this policy, although it is impossible to ensure to all their fair share by any other method. As Mr. Lallshury said, the Government is already providing for five or six millions of soldiers in this way, and for the men in the Navy as welf. The effect of this he showed by a telling illustration from the experi- ence of the Poplar Guardians, who buy their meat through the War Office at 6jd. per lb., whereas the ordinary consumer has to pay 1/6 per lb. for meat of the same quality. This sys- tem only requires to be extended in order ol I give the community complete control over the whole of the necessaries of life for the equal en- l joyment of all. Ik 2. I 1 A "TIMES" GLOAT. I I see that the Times is gloating over a veiled a-ttack made by Mr. dynes at the Oon- ference on Robert Smillie. He did not mention Mr. Smillie's name, but he referred to "» dis- tinguished member of the oonferenoe" who was offered the post of Food Controller before Lord Rhondda was appointed" on the terms that if he took the post he would have full power over the distribution and over the fixing of prices of food." He went on to insinuate that the man to whom the post was offemd-,ixd most mem- bers of the Conference knew that the man in question was Mr. Smillie—preferred to treat the Conference to the mere fag-ends of week- end platform speeches rather than undertake full responsibility with a free hand. I daresay there are many opponents of Mr. Smillie and all his worka who would have been delighted if he had taken himself away from the Miners' Federation for a while, and left other men to influence the policy of the Federation. Person- ally, I am glad he decided otbenyise. But quite apart from this important consi deration, Mr. Clynes knows very well that even Lord Rhondda has not, even yet, a free hand, although un- doubtedly the refusal of Mr. Smillie to take the post and the growing menace of disaffection among the. people has strengthened his hands. I know something of the attitude of the gan "IT "> l ci L oC Uiiiiit; vvouiu It.\C had to reliy j for his backing, and I am convinced that, being a man with a mind of his own, they would have left him in the lurch, and would have done their best to discredit him. Lord Rhondda is one of themselves and may fare better, I PETROGRA0—TAKE NOTE. Take notice of this passage, which I quote from a letter sent by the Special Correspondent of the Daily News from Petrograd. I ar- rived," says the Correspondent, im Petrograd to find that the reports of disorder appearing in the English press based mainly on wilful misre- presentation by the Opposition newspapers here. The city is more orderly than it had been for some months before the Bolsheviks took con- trol." "The present Labour Government is extremely efficient, energetic and decisive, though faced by the noisy opposition of the privileged classes, w ho, though quite unable to replace this Government by one of their own, are doing all they can to shake it by means of sabotage and libel." I A LIBEL. The Correspondent mentions, as one example of the current libels on the Bolshevik Govern- ment, the constantly reiterated statement that i they will not allow the opening of the Consti- tuent Assembly. The facts are that the Bil- sheviks are not against the opening of the As- sembly as soon as there are 400 delegates pre- sent to form a quorum. The full Assembly would consist of 800 delegates, and up to last" Friday there were only 301 properly accredited dele- gates. WHAT HAS STUNG THE YELLOW PRESS. The probable reason for all the misrepresen- tation of the Bolshevik Government and the Russian Revolution generally is disclosed of the Times Petrograd Correspondent, who is now in London. In the course of a particulaxly vioious and spiteful letter to the Times," he remarks that "The upheaval in Russia differs in all respects from the French Revolution. In France the bourgeoisie enriched themselves at the expense of the nobles. In Russia a section of the bourgeoisie is helping to transfer property to the proletariat." Apparently if the middle-class revolutionaries, Lenin, Trotsky and the rest of them, were only .spoiling the nobles for the benefit of their own class, the revolution might be tolerated, but a revolution to restore property to the producers—the working-class— it "the limit," as Lloyd George would say. No wonder the Yellow Press is stung to the point of madness. iF « ;w I A SOLD!ER'S OPNIO. õf' I It was a fortunate circumstance that the La- bour Conference on War Aims met the day fol- lowing the publication of the declaration by the Central Powers of their peace terms. With the definite offer of evacuation of Belgium, France, Servia, Roumania, Montenegro and Italy before him Mr. Lloyd George cannot contest the deter- mination of the Labour Conference to force a declaration of the War Aims of the Allied Gov- ernments. An ever-growing number of the people of this country are in agreement with the views of the soldier who, writing to the Man- chester Guardian of Monday last, observes that "most soldiers would be more than willing to forego their crushing military victory, which is now indefinitely postponed, for the less remote satisfaction of seeing our Government make a real effort to get into touch with the saner elements of German opinion, recognise the undoubtedlv sincere efforts of the Bolshe- viks? and atop making that kind of victory-and- retribution speech whici only results in fertili- sing the poisonous weeg 01 Prussian Militarism which our armies are ighting all the time to uproot." WHAT STOPS PEACE, 15ut tor tw things I would say that the pre- sent Government wouk. probably make peace within the next few One is that the French Government 311'" still demanding the un- conditional surrender of Alsace-Lorraine, and the other is that the Government dare not face the Jingoes of this country with a peace and no an- nexations. A League of Nations, disarmament, the abolition of conscription in all countries- even if all these were provided for to make the world as safe as possible against war in the future—would count as nothing to the war-mad shoddy patriots who, protected by their age or their pretended work of national importance, are sending men in millions to agony and to de.a.th. I THE NEW FRANKENSTEIN. I The Government has, unfortunately, reared a %tor in our mi(ist monter in our midst hat will not listen to reason when the time has come at which even the Government cfen see that nothing is to be g.ied by continuing th? war- At this present ('ri?is, when men who have not gone entirely war-mad are almost brea thlæsly waiting the ?word from the Allied Governments which may either lead to an early and lasting peace or to deeper depths of hellish -r>rfare for years to come, Sir Arthur Oonan Doyle and the Yellow Press propose to food a monster in our midst with specially concocted nourishment to maintain and strengthen its passion for killing. This monster is a spirit—the spirit of hate—and the nourishment proposed to be provided for it is specially prepared literature luridly worded and illustrated, to brand a nation as cruel savages. BRITISH BARBARIANS. I And I have before me as I write a printed ex- tract from instructions issued by the Inspector- General of Police during the riots in Ceylon so recently as 1915 in which his subordinates are ordered to shoot persons on suspicion without warning, and are told that no inquest is necessary, and no steps need be, taken to report on casualties, nor to see to tie wounded." A l&j'ge numbei oi iniwttui, 'ji.-Viuo shot un- der these conditions, and, on -en occasions, the da?e& and all particulars of wlich are given, the responsible Ministers in the British Parliament denied the facts now at last admitted. More- over, the perpetrators of these outrages are not to be prosecuted. Suppose the preachers of in- ternational hat-red in enemy (xuntries should re- ply to Sir Arthur Oonan iiovle's hate literature by printing and circulating luridly-worded and illustrated versions of the treatment of British subjects by officials of the Biitish Government in Ceylon And what effect cm this deliberate cult-ivation of hatred accomplish on its authors and victims but the death of that which men call the soul, and, whatever it may be ealled, is that which distinguishes man and gives him light for his guidance.

a Bargoed Notes. I Whist Drive. I The prize-winners at the Bargoed Women's Peace Crusade whist drive were; Gents, Mr. R. Richmond (Pontypridd); ladies, Mrs. Arrow- smith gent's, "booby," Mr. Mackenzie; ladies' booby'" Mrs. B. James. I Peace Crusade Cencert. The Women's Peace Crtsade Christmas con- cert at Bargoed was a huge success. Items were rendered by Messrs. R. Horton, Moore, Wood- ward, Morgan, T. Mills, T. Phillips, A. J. Powell, Will Jones (Pengam), Ross Powell, Bert Williams; Misses Maggie Williams, Ruby Da- vies, Lena Morgan, Sybil Morgan; Mrs. Wood- ward and Mrs. Morgan. Mr. T. Phillips was at the piano and Mr. W. Jones was in the chair. I" Died of Wounds." Bombardier T. J. (Johnny) Edwards, Royal Field Artillery, who died of wounds in France on October 9th, was th son of Mrs. Wallen, 18, West-street, Bargoed, and the late Mr. W. Ed- wards. Bombardier Edwards was 21 years of age, and prior to joining the colours was engaged at the Bargoed House Coal Colliery. Boxing. At Hanbury Rink, aBrgoed, on Saturday, Con McOarthy, Aberbargoed, gave in to Tom Coates, Giltach, in the eighth of a 15-rounds contest. In an eight-round bout between Tom West and Will Coates, Gilfach, the latter was knocked out in the second round.

The Plebs Magazine. The hundreds of C.L.C. class-students in South Wales-and isolated students perhaps even more so—will welcome a new feature of the Plebs," which is commenced in the Janu- ary number. Under the heading Our Student's Pages," Noah Ablett and Mark Starr answer questions on Economics and Industrial History, and they are to continue their replies to queries month by month. This aii-ingement has been made in response to numerous requests, and it should prove of great value. Eden and Cedar Paul (who greatly reason with Walton Newbold on the dictatorship of the proletariat") and W. H. Maimraring (on "The Chartists and the Anti-Corn Law League ") are among the other contributors to this number. The announce- ment is made that Mark Burr's "Outlines of Industrial History," originally contributed to these columns, and now published by the Plebs," under the title A Worker Looks at History," is now ready (1/H post-paid.) This and the Magazine (2d. post-paid) are obtainable from Secretary, Plebs Leagre, 127 Hamlet Gar- dens, Ravenscourt Park, London, W. (6).

FOUR MONTHS FOR.DICK W ALLHEAD.. I RESULT OF NEATH D.O.R.A. PROSECUTION. No Notes except in Memory Wailhead's Speech in His Defence- < "Statement No Fabrication of Mine." If Dick Wallhead had been proven innocent at Neath last Friday, when he appeared to answer the adjourned summonses under the De- fence of the Realm Act, there would have been all the elements for a happy fraternising of Socialists from every part of the South Wales Division. There was scarcely a valley, dis- tinguished representatives of the Socialism in which, not represented either in the ugly little police court or in its immediate vicinity. That rally of the men who matter in the movement from every part of the district, as well as front Coventry, was the finest tribute our Diok has ever had of the deep affection he has awakened in the hearts of the South Wales movement. To-day we are prouder of him than ever before. It will be remembered that when the case was opened a fortnight previously, Mr. E. J. Powell, for the public prosecutor, stated that there were four summonses taken against Wallhead under the Defence of the Realm Act Regula- tions, two of them for spreading false rumours, and for making statements likely to prejudice the recruiting, training, discipline and adminis- tration of H.M. Forces, in respect of a state- ment made in the course of a 75 minute speech at Crown Park, Briton .Ferry, on September 12 last, and two more of a similar nature in re- spect of a similar statement made at a meeting in Owmddu, Maesteg, on September 16th last. In both cases the statement complained of was, said Mr. Powell, that Mr. Wallhead had declared "Mothers, take warning; you who have sons of 18 years are under an impression that your boys are joining for the duration of the war, but that is not so. Every lad of 18 years I who joino the army to-day, joins not for the duration of the war only, but for the regular army of the future, as I know that there are posted up in every barrack room notices to the effect that every boy who joins the army will be kept for the army of the future. The commanding officers have also told them on parade, and, therefore, we have Conscription in its worst form." Police-Sergt. Williams on the same occasion declared that Wallhead had used the words ut- tered by Mr. Powell in opening, and that the women, who formed a great part of the audience, had cried Shame! at the close of the state- ment. This concluded the proceedings on that occasion, Mr. Wallhead immediately appealing for an adjournment on the ground that he had not had the slightest knowledge of what the supposed statement had been until he had heard it uttered in the box that day, and he had not, therefore, had an opportunity of preparing h defence. His application was granted. The Bench on Friday was composed as on the previous hearing, of Mr. II. B. Charles (chair- man), Ald. Hopkin Morgan, and Mr. W. Daniels, and the proceedings were taken up where they had been dropped, Mr. Wallhead, who conducted his own defence, proceeding at &nce to cross- examine P.S. Williams. I DICK'S CROSS-EXAMINATION. Mr. Wallhead asked first: How did you re- port this speech?—I sent a report in immediate- ly afterwards. Would you say I was a fluent speaker?— Fairly. I don't hesitate for words?- Y ou didn't find any difficulty in finding them. You said that I discussed the question of Syndicalism at that meeting (The Clerk: I do not think he said anything about it. I took a note of what he said and examination in chief, and I do not see it there.) Mr. Wallhead: Mr. Powell said I talked about Syndicalism and stuff of that sort." The Clerk: I am afraid you can't cross- examine the Sergeant on Mr. Powell's state- ment. Mr. Wallhead (to the Sergeant): I put it to you that you said I discussed Syndicalism ?-No, I didn't say anything about it. Did you take a verbatim report of the speech ? —No, I went straight to the station and made a written report to my superior. NO VERBATIM REPORT. I Did you take a verbatim note of what I said? —No. Did you take down bits here and there ?—Yes. Then you have no original notes?—No. How far away is the station?—Three or four minutes' walk. Do you contend that these are the exact words that I used?—Yes. And you remembered them?- Yes. When I had used these words I went on to use other arguments?—Oh, yes. You spoke for 75 minutes. And you carried these particular words in your mind to the conclusion of that 75 minutes' speech ?—Yes. Would you say that you would be able to write a, 75 minutes' speech after listening to it? —-No, sir. But you would be able to take any portion of that speech?—Oh yes. Although that portion might be in the first half-hour?— Yes; particularly, if it made an im- pression on my mind. How many words were there in this particular statement?—I do not know. You do not know that there are 112 words in this statement?—I have not counted them. You say that these words made an impression. What effect did they have on your mind -I thought they were a seditious statement to make and would have an effect on recruiting. THE PROBABLE EFFECT. I am asking you what effect it would have on your mind supposing you were a member of the public?—I think it would create a feeling in my mind against the recruiting authorities. But there are no recruiting authorities now? -0h, yes there are. Every man up to His.. soldier under the law? The Clerk: I do not think there is need for the officer to answer that now. It is an argu- ment in law. You may make it as a submission, to us. Mr. Wallhead (to the Sergeant): Did I say that every man "ho believed in the war ought to be in the army ?—I do not remember. You have a remarkably good memory, you know; for you said you memorised a 75 minutes' speeoh r-You may have aaid that. At the time I made this stateemnt to which you refer was I discussing the question of de- mobilisation after the war?—I do not remember that. You remember me discussing the question of demobilisation; of bringing back of millions of men into industry ?—I do not remember that. PARTITIONING CHINA. Quite apart from these 112 words what do you remember that I said ?—I remember you using an argument against the Mesopotamia scandal; and about the partitioning of the Chinese Em- pire.. What?—You said there were treaties found in Pe+rognd regardi vr; the partitioning oi tht, Chinese Empire. That is a remarkable statement?—I believe so. You don't remember me discussing the ques- tion of demobilisation?—N o. Do you remember me saying that it would take anything from two to three years pro- bably to demobilise the men ?—I don't remem- ber. Do you remember me dealing with the ques- tion of shipping for one thing?—No, I do not remem ber that. [MOTHERS MIGHT APPEAL. Mr. Powell (cross-examining): You have been asked about the prejudical effect on recruiting. You told us in your examination in chief that there were a lot of women there. Mothers, ap- I parently?-Yes. It is to your own knowledge that mothers have appealed to Tribunals for the exemption of their gons?-Ye. Would it have a detrimental effect on them if they thought their sons were going into the army for the full period of their life?—Yes. Are you certain, positive, that the words ut- tered are the words used-Yes, sir. THE SECOND OFFICER'S EVIDENCE. P.O. Lisk said he was in company with the previous witness on the occasion of the speech, and heard Mr. Wallhead say You mothers, who have boys of 18 years of age are under the impression that when they join the army now they are joining for the duration of the war, but that is not so. They are joining for the re- gular army of the future. Notices have been posted up in every barrack room telling them so, and their commanding officers have told them so on parade. So you see we have conscription in its worat form." He wrote this in his pocket- book at home within half-aa-hour of the meet- ing's conclusion. In his opinion the speech was calculated to prejudice the recruiting, training, discipline and administration of the army. There were a lot of women in the crowd who shouted Shame! against the recruiting authorities of the country, and who were very much excited at the time. THE CROSS-EXAMINATION. Mr. Wallhead, cross-examining, was told by the witness that he did not make a report of the speech at the time of the meeting, but within half-an-hour of its termination he made it in his pocket-book, which he handed over, and in his journal. He did not submit the report to anyone. You listened carefully to the whole speech? Do you remember that I discussed the question of demobilisation ?-You did mention what you thought would happen after the war. I argued that it would take some considerable time to demobilise the army?—Yes. Two or three years?—Oh, no. You argued that there would be two or three million men and it would take some considerable time. I argued, did I not, that under the circum- stances it would be only fair to release the mar- ried men first ?—You may have done. And my argument was tending to show that very much time must elapse before the young. men could be returned to civil life ?-That was the argument. Do you remember that I said boys of 18 would be the last to be demobilised?-No! you said they would be the regular army of the future. ALL REGULARS NOW. r. "r They are regulars noww-les, we are all regu- lars now for the period of the war. Mr. Powell: What did you understand by the regular army as spoken of by Mr. Wallhead?-