Pioneer

THE C.L.C. AND  AND I THE I.L.P. i  PAGE 3. 1 I

Untrue Statements Cause Confusion. MR. WALTER LEWIS COMMENTS ON I TREDEGAR STRIKE. Mr. Walter Lewis, J.P., miners agent, report- ing to a. meeting of the Rhymney Valley Dis- trict of Miners on Saturday, referred to the Tredegar strike, and said that so much confusion had been caused by untruthful statements, and so much blame attached to certain innocent people and Federation officials in that district that it was well to give the full facts. He strongly defended the action of the Central Exe- cutive and his own as age-nt for the McLaren Colliery workmen. It should not be understood that, his sympatity was not with the workmen in their demand. In fact, he was wholeheartedly with the workmen and against the conduct of Mr. Tallis and Mr. John Evans. The district I meeting decided to place Mr. Lewis' report .on record in an official report. Mr. Tom Matthews. checkweigher, Abertysswg, said that no blame was attached to any officials of the Rhymney Valley District in connection with the strike. Two delegates representing the Abertysswg Lodge attended and appealed for a donation to relieve acute distress said to prevail among the children of the Abertysswg workmen who had been on strike. The delegates, in their acb dresses, frankly admitted that the whole thing was and that the appeal was simply for the sake of innocent children. The district decided to make an immediate grant. Mr. Alhert Thomas, J.P. (sub-agent and secre- tary), and Mr. T. Matthews reported on the national conference of miners.

MERTHYR I.L.P. I Members are requested to attend a Special Branch Meeting on Tuesday net, at 7.30 p.m. I Business very important.

A Soldier Again. I THE STRANGE CASE OF HARRY THOMASI ENDS AT LAST. MERTHYR STIPENDIARY HEARS FRESHI EVIDENCE AND CONVICTS. After occupying the Courts in Mertliyr and the High Courts for upwards of twelve months the case of Harry Thomas, the Merthyr C.O., I who was sent home from Dartmoor without any apparent reason, was settled in the Merthyr Police Court on Friday last, when, after the ad- mission of fresh evidence ordered bv the High Court of Justice, Mr. R. A. Griffith (the sti- pendiary) found that Thomas had become sub- ject to the Army Act and handed him over to the authorities as an absentee. Mr. Giveen and Captain Stanley Evans (in- structed F. S. Simons, of Messrs. Simons, Smyth and Daniel, Merthyr) appeared for the Public Prosecutor, and Mr. Edward Roberts (Dowlais) was for defendant. Mr. V ivecn This case has been returned from I the Divisional Court of the King's Bench Divi- sion again and I think you ha.ve had a lot of I trouble with it. Stipendiary: I hope I am at the end of my trouble, now. (Laughter.) May I make a sug- gestion? trouble,^ The general facts are ancient history in this court. I have here the order of the court above in which I am directed to find upon evidence whether the conduct of the defendant was satisfactory to the Brace Committee and I suggest you go straight to that evidence. It would be more interesting for me to hear you afterwards. Mr. Giveen: This oase has been returned from he had hoped that Mr. Henry Tyrrell, K.C., M.P., a member of the Committee on Employ- ment of Conscientious Objectors, would have been able to attend the hearing but that this arrangement had been found impossible as Mr. Tyrrell was engaged in a big case in the courts, called Mr. Geoffrey Granville Whiskard, of the staff of the Home Office Committee, to give evi- dence as to the events arising from the alleged disturbances at Lyme Regis, for the admission of which the case was referred back from the High Court. Mr. Whiskard, in reply to counsel, stated lie was private secretary to Sir George Cave, the Home Secretary, and was, with a Mr. Locke, ioint-Wslaff_.ajftpai.ited to administer the Home Office Scheme for conscientious ob- jectors. The committee consisted of Mr. William Brace, M.P. (chairman), Mr. Henry Tyrrell, and Major Bristowe. In consequence of certain re- ports he saw in the newspapers as to an alleged "riot" at Lyme Regis, he got into communi- cation with" someone" in the town and was furnished with reports relative to the matter, the result of which was that he directed a letter to be written to Mr. Thomas and the other con- science men concerned in the following terms on May 19th, 1917:- THE ACCUSATION. I Sir,—I am directed by the Oommittee on the Employment of Conscientious Objectors to inform you that your name has been reported to the Committee as having occasioned a. dis- turbance at Lyme Regis on 27th of April last by provocative remarks made to wounded sol- diers. I am to ask you that if you have any explanation to make you will forward the same to the Committee as soon a-s possible." CALL UP THE MEN. I A dossier was made of the statements thus obtained from Mr. Thomas and others. The facts were laid before Mr. Tyrrell,, and after he had had the papers he endorsed them that a request should be made to the War OSce to call up the men. Before this course was acted upon by the War Office Mr. Brace's concurrence was also obtained, his private secretary signing the documents for him. Both Mr. Brace and Mr. Tyrrell had the full facte of the case before them, and the course subsequently followed was in accordance with the usual procedure of the committed. Statements from both sides were presented, and in the letter of the 19th of May the gist of the accusations against Mr. Thomas was given, and Mr. Thomas was told what he was charged with. CROSS EXAMINATION. I Mr. E. Roberts (cross-examining): Am I to understand, Mr. Whiskard, that Mr. Brace and Mr. Tyrrell were not sitting together as a Oom- jmittee when these papers were considered?— No. So that in effect what took place is. this, the papers were first put before Major Tyrrell, who endorsed them, then, at some other time, they came before Mr. Brace, who made a sort of en- dorsement?—That is so. You said that Mr. Locke had signed for Mr. Brace?—No, he did not sign for Mr. Brace. He noted on the papers that the papers kad been before Mr. Brace and he had concurred. In, the appointment of this Committee can you say what are the particular rules which are to guide the Committee in proceedings of this kind ?—There are none. The Oommittee was ap- pointed by the Home Secretary to do certain work. So that they do not hold formal meetings?— They hold formal meetings to consider matters of general policy. Although Major Tyrrell had signed the pa- pers, and Mr. Brace, they were not sent to Major Bristowe then?—Not then. The reply Thomas made in answer to your en- quiry was. in effect, a denial of the charge con- tained in the letter?—It admitted a convoca- tion with soldiers and others but denied provo- cative conversation. The Stipendiary: Have you that letter with you?—I have it here. THE DENIAL. I Mr. Roberts: I would like it to go in. I The letter was 1wn(kd UI Mr. Rol>erts. who I-etid: 1.(,gi [-(I to the disturbance at Lyme Regis we send you the fotlowin? rt,siliil(?1 of the actua l aceu lTenc() on hhf date in ques- 11 ion. *W e were aUowed on April 27th to do onr I }>[lcI;ing anù to clean the ho<M? ?cncr?IIy, as we I [I Wf.re to leave early the following morning. \Vc j had finished when we went to Lyme R-egis. As we were walking along the promenade we w?re shouted at by a few wounded soldiers and some of the town folk. These remarks we absolutely ignored and continued on our way to the end of the promenade, where we turned back. When we were approaching the soldiers their remarks became more persistent. We were deliberately accosted and compelled to stop. A few ques- tions were put to us which we answered. While this was going on the town folk gathered round and noticing signs of restlessness amongst them we left the promenade. We purposely went into the Cinema Refreshment House to avoid any further questions. Allowing, as we thought. sufficient time for the soldiers to leave the vicinity we left the Cinema to go on the beacli and read. We passed the soldiers, however, on their way home. With the exception of one man no hostile feeling was shown. We proceeded towards the beach and sat- down, where we stay- ed until tea-time. We had tea in a restaurant in town after which we went for a short walk and .separated. We would point out that for about a fortnight previous a press campaign against C.O. 's had been waged, and this showed its effect in a greatly increased antagonistic feel- ing. As an instance a cutting frora 'John Bull was exhibited for over a week in a prominent shop-window with various phrases underlined. Some of these were shouted at us on a few oc- casions, which proves that even this article was having a big effect. The knowledge that this was our last night in Lyme Regis was widely known, and we were convinced that the disturb- ance was in no way provoked by our answers to the soldiers' queries. It was with great sur- prise that we saw the newspapers' reports after- wards attributing the riot to alleged jeering on our part at. wounded soldiers. No jeering took place. We would further mention that the sol- diers have to be in their quarters at 4.30, while the actual disturbances did not commence until eight o'clock." Mr. Roberts: That letter is signed by Thomas and three others. AN USUAL CHARGE. I Mr. Roberts: There have been several de- monstrations against C.O.'s in different places? —Witness There have. And in the press they have been said to be due to jeering at wounded soldiers?—To various causes. That among others. The Committee did hot have the men before them personally ?—No; well, they did not in this instance. It depends upon circumstances. There is no written communication given to the men concerned on the decision of the Com- mittee? No; not necessarily. Mr. Giveen (re-examining): There are no particular rules regarding the Committee in these oases?— None laid down from outside. And in taking this course they were following the usual proeeedure of a busy oommittee?— Their usual proceedure. The whole of the information obtained from both sides was laid before Major Tyrrell and Mr. Brace?—The whole. And they arrived at that conclusion?—Yes. COULD NOT CONTEST. I Mr. Roberts, addressing the Court, said: In view of the decision of the High Court I am afraid I cannot contest the proceedings. They have decided that where this Committee did come to a decision then that is a matter which rightly or wrongly we have to accept. Apparent- ly there arc no instructions as to how this Com- mittee are to meet, what is a quorum, or any- thing of that kind, but they have met as Mr. Whiskard has told us; whether that is satisfac- tory I am afraid we cannot- say. But I want to say this, that Thomas all ajong-as he has put forward in that letter-has denied that he has been guilty of the charge made against him. He says it is a false charge, and he has all along been quite prepared to meet the people who have made this charge in order that it might be decided, as a matter of this kind would be decided in a court of law. The conse- quences of these charges and the Committee's method of investigating them is that these men have to suffer long terms of imprisonment out of all proportion to the charges made against them. Mr. Whiskard has admitted that when- ever demonstrations are made against conscien- tious objectors this charge of jeering at wound ed soldiers is made in the press. Thomas denies that charge and he is quite prepared to submit to investigation &o far as that matter is con- cerned. I only hopo that as to-day we must submit to being handed over to the military authorities, Thomas will be allowed to go back to Alternative Service, as he offered to do twelve months ago after the first hearing. THE DECISION. I The Stipendiary, in giving judgment, said. Now that the prosecution has seen fit to face the real issue in this case I trust that I shall be able to come to a final conclusion, and to dis- pose of the case in such a way that it may not have to conic before me again. That issue was whether the aiTangements entered into by the Army Council with the defendant, that he should be placed on certain work and c-f-ave to be subject to military sen-ice and the Army Act. had been properly and effectively termin- ated. My sense of legality would not permit me to treat a pact of that kind as a mere nullity, and I am very glad indeed to find Mr. Justice Shearman in the Court above referred to it as a solemn undertaking on the part of the gov- ernment." When the case was before me on the 29th January I said that if there was evi- dence that the Committee had decided whether the defendant had complied with the conditions imposed upon him I should have to accept that decision. To-day Mt. Whiskard. who is a mem- ber of the staff of the Committee, has given the evidence on that point. It appears that the Committee did investigate certain allegations in connection with an unfortunate incident at Lyme Regis, and came to a conclusion unfavour- able to the defendant. I think it would have been more satisfying if the defendant had been called before the Com mi tree to make his de- fence and certainly it would have been less (Continued at foot of next column).

I Queenlands's Progressive Legisation. STATE ENTERPRISE EXTENDING IN ALL DIRECTIONS. The Governor of Queensland at the recent opening of Parliament in the Australian State had to announce a goodly number of measures of progressive legislation for the ensuing ses- sion. These include a Health Amendment Bill, a Meat-works Bill, Brisbane Tramways Purchase Bill, a Popular Initiative and Referendum Bill, a State Iron and Steel Works Establishment Bill, a State Enterprise Bill, and an Election Amendment Bill. The State meat-shops, he proceeded, had thoroughly justified their exist- ence. A comprehensive scheme for the supply and distribution of meat to the whole State from State cattle stations wa-s contemplated. A State fish supply scheme for the supply and dis- tribution of meat to the whole State from State cattle stations was contemplated. A State fish supply scheme had been launched. The progress of the Crown land section was greater than last year's. The closest attention would be paid to the conservation and increase of forest resources by the Government State agency. The distri- btition of farm products was working well. Pro- ducer and consumer profited by the elimination of the middle-man. Notwithstanding heavy floods in the sugar ditsricts and much destruc- tion of both cane and sugar,-the yield for one year was in excess of Australian requirements. The gold output was still diminishing, but there was a marked increase in the yield of industrial metals. A Royal Commission having reporfcea in favour of establishing a State iron smelting plant capable of producing pig-iron commer- cially. steps were being taken to carry out the proposal. Oil boring was proceeding, and- a depth of 3,000 feet had been reached. A mea- sure for the extension of secondary and techni- cal education and social and temperance reform « was promised. The State establishment of baby clinics had been so .successful in Brisbane that a similar esta blishmem would be opened in other parts.

The New Ration Books. IMPORTANT NEW INSTRUCTION AN- NOUNCED AT C.W.S. MEETING. At the quarterly divisional meeting of the Co-operative Wholesale Society on Saturday (held at Cardiff, it was announced by the chair- man (Mr. Holt, of Rochdale) that with the issue of the new ration books instructions will be given by the Ministry of Food' to the Local Food Control Committees that they should ac- cept as a reason from any person desiring to change his retailer, that he formerly dealt with a particular trader, including a co-operative society. This instruction will enable members of co-operative societies who have registered for any or all rationed articles outside their own shareholding institution to rectify the posi- tion and return to the stores as their retailer and source of supply. Each individual co-oper- ator must make personal application to the Food Control Committee within his area in or- der to re-register effectively. It was important in the interests of distribution, he sa id, that members should at once take the opportunity of nominating their own society as their source of supply for any or fo.' all rationed articles. It was explained by the chairman, that the position with regard to the supply of tea to co- operative societies bad been considerably eased. The Datum period was to be removed, which would enable societies to get a quantity of tea according to present membership. Since 1914, about 250,000 new members had joined the co- operative movement, and a largo proportion of these, on account of the Datum period, had not been calculated in Government supplies to the C. W.S. This grievance, however, had been re- medied, and an extra supply of 300,000 lbs. of tea bad been guaranteed to the co-operative movement, making the total tea trade of t.he C.W.S. into 900,000 lbs. per week.

I Executive Ballot Scrutiny. NEW FIGURES ANNOUNCED. As a result of the scrutiny of the Glamorgan Lodge ballot for the selection of Central Execu- tive members on the S.W.M.F., the following revised figures have been annoiinoed: Figures Result of Differ sent in. scrutiny, enoe. 1 Banner 520 463 5Z 2 Dolling 1146 1093 .» 63 3 Rhys Evans 87a 781 98 4 Jack Hughes 2672 2127 M6 5 Dan James 566 547 19 6 W. H. Mainwaring 1223 1088 135 7 Rees M. Rees 713 646 67 8 Noah Rees 857 1100 243 9 Tom Smith 836 1023 187 Total 9406 8868

REGISTER NOW FOR TEA AT LIPTON'S The largest Tea Distributors in the World. BRANCHES & AGENCIES THROUGHOUT ———— THE UNITED KINGDOM. ———— Lip ton'8 Head Ojjicts, City Road, London. E. C. i.

Political Notes By F. W. Jowett, M.P. I AN IRISH PREDICAMENT. I The tempting bait ot a plot at land apiece offered in return for military service to Irrsh- men has put the Government in difficulties. F/nglishmen, Scotsmen and Welshmen, are want- ing ^to know why they should he forced to fiirlit to protect their landlord's land and not be given a share of it; if Irishmen have land promised to I them. The Government, therefore, lil,, had to let it be known that what is meant by the offer If land to Irishmen who serve in the army and return home safely is not what the Royal Pro- clamation appeared to state. No new departure of substantial importance from the precedent Established in Ireland under the Congested Dis- tricts Board, so the public is now informed, is intended. The fact is that the Government is between the devil and the dee]) sea in this matter, for if the Irish offer is hriven effect te in substance there will be hundred s of thousan_ ds of old¡{"r" w ho have not enlisted in Ireland, will want to know why they a re Ho have none. On the other hand, if the reference in the Royal Pnx.bmatioJ1 to grants of land for returned soldiers proves not to have meant what it seem- ed to mean, then all that is being stud in Ire- land about the object of the proclamation being I merely to deceive the Irish people will appear to have been justified. AN INGENIOUS SUGGESTION. Oat' 'oT the London evening papers offers a most interesting suggestion to the Government as a meatus of extending the idea of plots of land for returned soldiers; without expense to the GOH'rnnwut, and. also, without adding to  the burdens ot' it-Iiilst, at the same time, enabling the landlords to *payjtl;eir debt to all those who have fought for the country. The suggestion is that owners of. fifty ac res and upwards should give half-an-arre apd a cottage for every fifty acYes owned to discharged sol- dier. Bud, of course, there is to I)e ii contra account due from the discharged soldier, and from the publ-ie to the patriotic landlord. The ov-ner of a thousand acres, the editor of the London evening paper ui question proceeds to explain, woitld settle on dis- cnarged soldiers, but as the ex-soldiers, or such of them as are riot partially disabled, would probably be glad to supplement- their income by working part time for the squire," the gift of the cottage would be to the landlord's interest. The public, so the suggestion runs, would do its part in making it worth the land- toi-d* while to be generous to discharged sol- diers by otiit re-adjustment of local burdens; which means more relief from local rates. This is very like the process commonly described as feeding itlie do, with its own tail. STONE DEAF NATIONAL SERVICE. I The National Service departments, under the control of Str Auckland Geddes. is .stone deaf to I all appeals for protection against excessive family hardships arising out of Military Serv ice under exceptional cotxHticn?. In F'ance much greater, consideration is shown in these matters. Fathers of iar?c- fanniics of youn? children are not taken into the army, for instance, in F-i-anc, Sir Auckland Geddes, however, refuses to take such circumstance into consideration Furthermore, with to eases where two or more sons lf?lve been killed in the war unless the mother is a widow and the son for whom protection is claimed is the lasl son remaining out of the army he will not interfere. If there is .1 male child three months old, the child is regard'Hl as the last remaining son, even if five have gone into the army and two of the five have been killed. In one case, which was the- 811 bject of a question in the House, two sons had been killed, one had !Wf'n crippled for life, « fourth was serving in France, but Sir Auck- land Geddes refused to retain the fifth on Home Service. UNFAIR DISCRIMINATION. I With regard to men of 45 and over at 'pre- sent being called up, instead of classifying them according; to their standard of fitness as com- pared with younger men, in which case they would in almost all cases be put into Grade 2 or Grade 3, they are classified separately. Men who, at to to 51 are as fit as can be expected of men of their age are put in Grade 1 and others k--s fit are plaeM in Grades j'ch?Livo to the fittest men of their age. This is a most nnf.'1il' Jl]etbed.¡ for once in the army there is every likelihood that distinctions between young men and o?d?r l men of thp same grade will not be maintained and there will be no protection for the older men. who are treated according to their Grade without regard to their age. j.R.M.'s CONCESSION FROM CHANCELLOR I .j r. nonar naw reluctantly agreed to arrange facilities for discussion of the question of separa- tion allowances for soldiers' families. Mr. J. R. M-aedonald forwarded tp- him a requisition for a day to be seb apart for a debate on the ques- tion, signed by over fifty members, and then put a question in the House on the subject. The Labour Party also backed up the request by placing a notice of motion on the order paper on the subject. In agreeing to afford facilities for discussion, however, Mr. Bcraar Law made it perfectly clear that the Government could not agree that a revision of the present scale of allowances is necessary. That it should be pos- sible for the loader of a House of Commons (reeled by the votes of working people to say, iu effect, that 12/6 a week is sufficient- to main- tain the wife of a soldier is a grave reflection on tlie working people who have so misused their votes. AN UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL. M I llw statement made recently by Ur. Ulvnes that before the system of rationing was insti- tuted 1,330,000 people were found in queues in one week alone, and that queues have since practically disappeared is a remarkable testi- mony to the soundness of the recommendations made by th« Workers' War ^Sstt^hgsacy Com- mittee long before the Government were driven to adopt the system of rationing. Not only have the food queues practically disappeared,, but the preference which the possession of money pre- viously gave to wealthy people has been de- stroyed entirely so far as some of the most es- sential articles of food are concerned. More- over, experience is being gained in regard to the supply and distribution of food, and the most economical method of collecting and distribut- ing it that is capable of being put to useful ser- v, ce the nation comes to the conclusion that production and distribution should be car- ried on for use and not for proiit. "WHITE MAN'S BURDEN." I The natives of West Africa are feeling the effect of the policy of the restriction which Par- liament has imposed to restrict their market for palm produce. They are actually receiving lower prices for their produce than they did before the war. although all the European articles they buy in exchange have risen to two or three times the pre-war price. This is the plan favoured b.v capitalist profiteers who talk of the white man's burden." INEXACTITUDE. I Mr. Macpherson, in stating the casualties re- sulting from seven air t-aids in the course of which hospitals were bombed said the casual- ties oceuring in hospitals aro not given separ- ately from those caused in the district by the name rakl." This did not prevent the news- papers describing the whole list as hospital casualties."

mystifying to me, and to others, if the decision had been communicated to the defendant be- fore he had been sent home from Dartmoor. I gather, however, that in the view of the Court above, the Committee was entitled to choose its own mode of proeeedure, and all I have to do to-day is to find on evidence whether the defend- ant's conduct was satisfaetorv to the Oommit- tee. On Mr. Whiskard 's evidence I am bound to find that is was not. Such was undoubtedly the decision of the Committee. The result is that the defendant again became subject to the Army Act, and as he did not obey the calling up notice, he must be convicted as an absentee from military service and handed over to the authorities. Mr. Roberts: I ask you not to fine in this case. The Stipendiary: It is quite useless. Mr. Giveen asked for costs and was awarded ten guineas.