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Roiitieal Notes By F., W. Jowett, M.P. A CORRECTION. I Either through clumsy expression on my part or the misreading of my copy" by the prin- t-er a pasfltge in one of my noted of last week stated that the Central Powers arc not in- triguing against the Bolsheviks in Russia. This is not what I intended to say. What I intended to say was that the Central Powers have opposed the Bolsheviks by force in the past although it is not certain that they are doing so now, but that they are irttriguing to the same end. LIKE VULTURES AROUND. I What the Allies are trying to secure by the policy of armed co-operation- with every body of malcontents they can discover in Russia is the substitution of the Soviet form of Government by some other form of Government which will enable them to get Russia back into the war and to extract security for the investments of Allied G overnment-s and their capitalist subjects. I The reason why Germany is not at present fighting the "Bolsheviks is that the Bolsheviks have agreed to pay the amount which Germany estimates the capitalists of the Central Powers have lost by the revolution and the subsequent action of the Bolsheviks. The amount agreed upon ik)i, payment to the Central Powers by "Russia is £ 250,000,000. and. for the Ukraine, £ 50,000,000. There is a time limit fixed in the agreement within which payment must be made. It is almost certain that the agreement cannot be kept by Russia, in which case Germany, if she has forces to spare, will again resume mili- tary operations. At'present-Germany, along with the Cossacks and the Czechs and the rest, are holding up the food supplies of the people. In point of fact all the capitalist governments of Europe are clawing at the quivering and pros- trade body of Russia, the first of the great na- tions to fall a helpless victim to the war which was to give freedom and self-determinniion to the people of all countries. A QUERY. I It was not possible for me to say much in the way of comment of the Russian Soviet system last week. My chief PUrpo.se was TO state what the system is so far as that is possihle with the information at present available. t feel. how- ever, that I must: express my views on one or Jtwo points which are of great importance be- cause they are closely relatert to issues that will probably have,to be dealt with in this coun- try before very long. For instance, there is the question of parliamentary government. As I said last week. parliamentary government, in its present form. is becoming increasingly defec- tive as. the transactions of State departments, extend and become more complicated. More- over, during this war the capitalist system has been'tried in a great national emergency and found wanting. Therefore, it is safe to assume that the system of public ownership will be ex- tended in future, and as this means, so far as national services are concerned, some form of State ownership, parliamentary government will become less effective for its purpose than ever. Does the Soviet form of Government afford a ( better means of control over the extending acti- vities of public departments engaged in the ad- ministrat-ive*work of the nation than it is pos- sible to obtain by means of parhamentarv gov- 0 ernment ? THE SOVIET WEAKNESS. I If I did not think it. possible to make drastic I and far-reaching changes in the present parlia- mentarv system without affecting what T believe to be its democratic strength I should be in- clined to answer the above question in the affirmative. The democratic strength of the (iir(-(-t contact with the people. It is true that the Soviet sys- tem is one that may be expected to function as a means of action. The .National Soviet through its executive of 300 members working in com- mittees—if this is part of the plan. as. judging from fragmentary references, it appears to will take an active part in carrying on the busi- ness of the nation. But the National Soviet thas no direct connection with the people. It is elected hy the Local Soviets whirl). therefore.* provide the link which alone connects the Na- tional Soviet with the people. NOMINAL POWER. Under the system of I nrliMtnentary (Govern- ment the national assembly is, at intervals, brought into direct contact with the people. From the people it derives its .power. Where the parliamentary system fails as compared with the intentions of the Soviet system is that the function.of Parliament, so far as the adminis- tration of the nation's business is concerned, is to criticise the Ministers who are sup- posed to eolitt.(, l t l l,- posed to control the various departments for what they have done or left undone. There is also the power to express disapproval of Minis- ters on the ground that they have failed in their duty, but as the exercise of this power would result in their resignation, arid, their substitu- tion by other Ministers holding the views of the party in a minority in Parliament, the power is more nominal than real. THE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE. I i I J5ui oerore we in tins country cienae to saci i- fioe the valuable democratic possession which direct contact with Parliament has put into the hands of the people we ought to consider whether it, is not possible to obtain through the Parliamentary system that effective control over the administration of public business which is the object of'thl' Soviet system. I am convinced that it. is possible and the way to do it is to scrap the old system of Ministerial-control which has become a sham (for no single person can control a modern state department") and substi- tute for it government by committees of Parlia- ment. Parliament could adapt itself just as easily and as freely to the system of govern- ment by committees as a national Soviet can do. There therefore, no need for the Btitish peo- ple to allow their town councils and similar bodies to elect their national Parliament, which is one of the effects of the Soviet system. There- in, in my opinion, lies its weakness. DIVIDE AND RULE. With respect to the svsiem of control of in- dustry by the workpeople which the Bolshevik Government is attempting to establish in Rus- sia. I see many practical difficulties in the way of its adoption. But the practical difficulties are greater in countries where industries under capitalist control are more highly developed than they are in Russia. In countries where capi- talist control over industry is firmly rooted the Workers themselves think in terms of Capital- ism. The relations of the workers to each other have become so complicated that it seems well- nigh impossible for them to establish simple re- lations. Moreover, by long experience in the art of dividing and deluding the workers and by astute manipulation of the power that great Mealtit gives to them. the capitalist class, in a country such as ours, keeps the working class busy with internal dissension. Never was there a time when this fact was more apparent than it is at present. It is unfortunately the case that a proposal to place the whole of the re- sources of the nation at-the disposal of the people to be used for the purpose of supplying the needs of the people would not merely meet with opposition from the capitalist section of the community but, under present conditions, it would be vigorously opposed by large sections of the workers. POSSIBLE COLLAPSE OF CAPITALISM. 1 make the reservation implied by the words under present conditions," of set purpose, for who knows what may be the outcome of the present war? It may be that .the financial ruin of every one of the European belligerents will be so complete that the only way of escape from slavery for the peoples concerned will be by way of seizing the land and all the means of produc- tion and using them for the common needs of all- The presence—within sight and knowledge of millions of workers struggling for jobs and for what is left of the national produce after interest and rent charges have been met—of an idle class living on the income from their war profits-, may be an object lesson in economics that will be easily learned. In that case it would perhaps be possible to wipe the slate clean and build up a system of industrial rela- tions based simply cm the adjustment- of supply! to the ascertained need. In such circumstances it would have been well to have had the experi- ence of Russia to guide us. This much the capi- talists governments know, and the knowledge inclines them to more reckless schemes in sup- port of Capitalism which is threatened by the Russian people at i?s very heart. And? the rest of the peoples of Europe, should they see light through the financial ruin of their coun- tries by the war-and, if they decide to dis- possess their capitalists and landlords and be- gin to produce for use and not for profit-will do well to rejnember the fate of Russia and com- pound with the American and Japanese credi- tors of their late governments. At least they will be wiser if they do. BY DECREES. I do not, however, look with expectation for ;I, J have ventured to suggest as barely possible. I expect only this, that the financial burden of the war will give rise to a demand for a substantial capita) levy ou accumulated wealth. That a number of pllh- lie services and industries will pass into national <oncrol. That the workers will demand houses to live in and access to land. Control of jndusti they will seek, J forecast, graduallv. by way oi workshop committees and shop stew- ards, limited at first to a few industries, but extending tuter. But, in the beginning O.O.R.A. must go. Not for liS, as 't-et, tlioligb, is the better pljin and the simpler way, which lies through the mind and hewrt of the common people, when, at last, they have freed themselves from the innuence of eapitahst thought and the hond:?e of capitalist industry. 

A Clerk and the S.W.M.F. I ALLECED VICTIMISATION IN MERTHYR AND ITS RESULTS. A peculiar and important case of alleged vic- timisation which has been occupying the atten- tion of the Merthyr tenet's, and the Executive Committee of the Federation for some time, will be brought before tt? locd men at their mass ""?t"'H next Sunday. It appears that about a? month ago one of the clerks in the Hills-Ply- mouth Merthyr ofifce, mimed Da vies, who with several office to whom he acted as secretary, was becoming a member of the S. .M. [<. was interrogated by one of the offi- cials and subsequently dismissed with a fort- uight's pay. The Hills Plymouth workmen re- garded the dismissal as a patent case of victi misation, and proposed to give a fortnight's notice to cease work. The matter was then taken before* the S.W.M.F. Executive, who strongly advised the withholding of the service of the notices pending an attempt to refer Da- vies case. The case went before the Disputes Board at Cardiff, but it appears that the em- ployer s Representative held that it was out of their jurisdiction, anck finally, the S.W.M.F. Executive approached the CoaL Controller, to receive representatives of fhe Miners' including Mr. Noah Ablett. the local Agent—which he has consented to do some day. during the present week.

C.W.S. Strike' Proclaimed.' I A.U.C.E. APPEAL TO SIR C. ASKWITH. I I DIRECTORATE REFUSE TO RAISE I EMBARGO. No settlement of the C.W.S.-A.U.C.E. strike having been arrived at last Thursday, and the directors of the Society holding firmly to their refusal to recognise the A.U.C.E., the Govern- ment proclaimed the strike. Attempts were made by the union to get their members back 'on Friday pending arbitration, but the directors still refused to withdraw their embargo, and an appeal was made by the Union officials to Sir Geo. Askwith—-who had endeavoured to mediate —in a letter in which they protest against what they declared was a breach of section 19 (a) of the Munitions of War Act, 1915, by the direc- tors, in locking out their employees at their printing works. The messengers of the Execu- tive Committee brought back an answer from Sir George Askwith in the following terms:— I have heard the statement of your represen- tatives with regard to the difficulties fcf the re- sumption of work at Pelaw, Warrington, and Longsight. in t-lic Pi-intijig .section, and have ac- cordingly requested representatives of the C.W.S. to see me. urgently, on Monday. I have also called their attention to the provisions of the Munitions of War Act, 1915. Our De- partment are taking steps to expedite the hear- ing of the matter at an early date." THE COURSE AHEAD. I In conveying the contents of Sir George Ask- with's letter to a meeting of employees belong- ing to the A.l-.C.E. at the Palladium Theatre, Manchester, on Sunday afternoon, Mr. Halls- worth, the general sécretary said the Whole- sale Society, in the action they had now taken, were adopting the view that the proclamation applied to the workpeople only and not to the employers. They said they would settle the question for themselves, and that if the workers went back to work they must go as members of craft unions. The workers were submitting to the law, and they expected the Government would compel the employers to do the same. (Cheers.) The Executive Committee would go on with the policy of getting the employeet3 back to work, and at places where they were not allowed to start a register would be taken, and payment demanded from the timo' they pre- sented themselves to the time they resumed. (Renewed cheers.) I PRINTERS' REFUSAL. I In a statement which he has issued Mr. A. H. Holmes, secretary of the Printing and Allied Trades' Federation, indicates the difficulty of the position when he says: "It is exceedingly doubtful whether the printing trades will be. prepared to accept the interference of the Ministry of Munitions upon points over which they have no proper control." He adds that arrangements have been made for a small depu- tation of his Federation to be received by Sir George Askwith to put their own case- which is that unions attached to specific trades must have the right to negotiate on behalf of sections connected with their particular trades. This, of course, raises the case of the, craft unions as against the A. U .C.E., a case which re- ceived the support of the Trade Unions Con- gress last week.

Spinners Strong for Strike. I I SIR DAVID SHACKLETON SA98 STRIKE I PAY WILL BE ILLECAL. The operative spinners, at a meeting in Man- chester on Saturday, decided to ignore the ad- of* tlie; li- officials and the warning of the Government by declining to work after Saturday next because of the Cotton Control Board's de- cision to abolish the rotation system of unem- ployment. The spinners had before them on Saturday a communication from Sir David Shackleton, for- merly a weavers' official, now Permanent Secre- tary to the Ministry of Labour. In confirmation of what- he told the Spinners' Executive in Lon- don a week before, Sir David Shackleton said: By Regulation 42 of the Defence of the Realm Regulations, it is provided that if any person attempts or does an act calculated or likelv to impede, delay, or restrict the production* re- pair, or transport of war material, or -any other work necessary for the successful prosecution of the war, he shall be guilty of an offence against these regulations. Regulation 48 provides that a person who aids or abets the commission of an act prohibited by the Regulations shall be guilty of an offence against the Regulations." It was further explained to the meet.ing that a con- siderable portion of the output of the cotton mills is required for the production of war ma- terial, including aeroplanes, army tents, etc. It followed, therefore, that a strike of spinners would be calculated to impede or restrict the production of war material, and wguld be ille- gal. Sir David Shackleton added that should the strike take place, lie was advised that the payment*)!' strike money to the operatives would be an offence against the Defence of the Realm Regulations, and would subjget any persons re- sponsible for its payment to the heavy penal* es provided for offences against the Regulations. It is understood that the next step will be the immediate proclamation of the strike as ill egal. IINVOLVINC A MILLION OPERATIVES. I Although the formal announcement of the l ''proclamation of the Spinners' strike which is to commence on Saturday has not been made it is known definitely that the Government has decided upon taking that course; but the rank and file are determined to down tools to secure the retention of the rota system, and in the event of a stoppage over a million cotton opera- tives will be idle neitt week. Members of the Cotton Control Board say that the rotation system is as "dead as Queen Anne," and that the tbrept- of a strike is not likely to revive h.

Trades Congress and Tom Mooney. NEW TRIAL UNANIMOUSLY DEMANDED. AN ILLUMINATINC LEAFLET. • It was pretty generally conceded in the Trades Union Congress on Friday that one of the best short speeches of Congress was that delivered by Mr. John E. Davidson in moving an emergency Tom Mooney Appeal" motion. Mr. Davidson handled the ease with masterly skill, marshalling the terrible facts of the San Francisco ravish- ment of justice; and Congress was unanimously and heartily with him, and with Mr. Robert Smillie, who seconded, when they sat down. The resolution which was carried unanimously read: That this conference representing four- and-a-half million workers in Great Britain desires to associate itself with the 37th Con- vention of the American Federation of Labour in its urgent request that new trials be given to Thomas J. Mooney and others accused in connection with the San Francisco bomb out- rages, in order to avoid a grave miscarriage of justice: and further respectfully request the active and immediate intervention of the Pre- j sident of. the United States and Governor Stephens in giving effect to this resolution; and that a cablegram be sent .to the President of the United States of America." Mooney"s brother was present informing the British unionists on the case. and the following leaflet which was freely distributed amongst the delegates is worth reproducing, because of its value in showing the character of Mooney and the shameless way in which witnesses were col- lected to do him to death; TOM MOONEY'S 7TPPEAL To the International Labour Movement as h2 entered the death cell on the 17th July. 191S, at San Quentin Prison, California. My arrival here to-day should be the signal to Labour throughout the world to rally all its fprces. This is my only hope. The Supreme Court of California closed its de- cision with the following outrageous declara- tion :— If obligations be violated and perjured tes- timony produced or material evidence suppressed by either in so far as the judgment is concerned, the injured party is without remedy." I say-organised Labour has a remedy and they will apply it if there is not redress coming and immediately. I quote from the resolution adopt-ed unanimously at the convention of the American Federation of Labour at their convention in St. Paul, last June:— "We will do anything necessary to prevent Mooney's execution in the present status of the c-tsc, and to assure to him the right of a fair and speedy and impartial trial." The court in replying to the charges of fraud and perjury said the charges were very weak. To this I say that these charges of fraud were the only reasons for two juries of twelve citi- zens acquitting Mrs. Mooney" and Israel Wein- berg on similar indictments involving the same charges as in the farce trial in which I was un- justly convicted. Were I to receive a new trial in the light of this fraud every honest person knows that the result would be an acquittal. These broad cloth bandits fear more a new trial for me than I fear the gallows. Tom Mocftey extracts from the San Francisco Bulle- tin, July 17th, 1918. From The Irish World," New York. Hon. Frank P. Walsh. Chairman of the American War Labour Board. To paraphrase it as it were, the battle cry of the French heroes on the Western Front. They shall not pass." Through this means, the workers of our country serving in the Industrial trenches, backed as they are by the workers of the civilized world, are but making articulate their battle cry. "Mooney Shan Not be Killed," OXMAN'S PERJURY LETTERS I (Note his spelling) I That were brought to light after Mooney was > Sentenced to be Hung- By an old friend of Oxmans. in the State of Illinois, 2,000 miles away from California, ask- ing Regal to come out to California to help to hang five Trade Unionists, as an expert witness. 'But Regall and his mother refused to do this, and did not give their old friend away until after Tom Mooney had been sentenced to hang. Regal turned the letters over to the Machinists (A.S.E.) of America, who in turn had them ex- ported by an U.S.A. handwriting and photogra- phic expert, and they were never denied by Ox- man or the prosecution. (Oxman's Letters). Mr. Ed Riggall Grayville 111 -5 Dear Ed has been a Long time sence f hurd from you lhave a chance for you to cum to San Frico as a Expurt Wittness in a very important case you will only hafto anseur 3 & 4 questiones and I will Post you on them you will get mile- age and all that a witness can draw Proply 100 in the cTearr so if you will come ans me quick in care of this Hotel and I will manage the Bal- ance it is all ok but I need a wittness. Let me no if you can come Jan 3 is the dait set for trile Pleas keep this confidential Answer hear—Yours Truly F. C. OXMAN Mr. F. E. Rigall Dec. 18.1916 Grayville II Dear Ed—Your Telegram Received I will wire you Transportation in Plenty of time allso Expce money will Route you by Chicago Omaha r. P. Ogden S. P. to San Frico I thought you can make the Trip and sek- California and save a letje money As you will Be allowed to collect 10c Per mile from the state which will Be about 100 Besids I can get your Expences and you will! only hafto Say you seen me on July 22 in San Frisco and that will Be Easey dun. I will try and meet you on the wa out and Tolk it over the state of California will Pay you but I will attend to the Expcs The case wont oome up untill Jan 3 or 4 1917 so start about 29 off this month .you know that the silent Road is the one and say nuthing to any Body the fewer People no it the Bettor when you ariv Registure as Evana- ville Ind little more inilege Yours truly. F. C. OXMAN. Will you want to Return by Los Angeles oan Route you that way Mrs. J. D. Riggal 12-26-1916 Grayville (Xmas) Dear Mrs. Riga!—As I am sending Ed Trans- p-ertat-ion to morrow 26 It might be that I can use you allso about the 10. If so I can obtain you a ticket that you can see California if you would like the Trip Adress me care this Hotell tell F E. to see nuthing untill he see me can probly use a extry witness Been a long time I dont see you.—Yours Twuly F. C. OXMAN I PRESIDENT URGES NEW TRIAL FCFR MOONEY. The White House. Washington, January 22, 1918. My Dear Governor Stephens. Will you permit a. suggestion from me in these troubled times, which perhaps I should feel hardly justified in other circumstances? The suggestion is this: Would it not be poa- I sible to postpone the execution of the sentence of Mooney until he can be tried upon one of the, other indictments against him. in order to give ftyil weight, and consideration to the important changes which I understand have taken place in the evidence against him r I urge this very respectfully, indeed, but very earnestly, because the case has assumed inter- rJational i mportaTlce, and I feel free to make the suggestion because I ám sure that you are as anxiou6 as anyone can be to have no doubt or occasion of criticism of any sort attach itself to the case.—Cordially and sine#ely yours, WOODRO W.WILSON. I THE POLITICAL SITUATION IS AS FOLLOWS:— I Governor Stephen's is running for re-election to be held in November .-o that, if he is not elected he still has t-bcr> nee to hang Mooney elected he still has U'.? cb nee to hang Mooney u? the IV. IX !•«..1.. ,i. ana persecutor of Mooney, is also running for Governor, so that \f he gets in he can complete the job for the Chamber of Commerce and hang him. Further information from the Interna- tional Workers' Defence League, Edward Dolan, Secretary, 210 Russ Buildings, San Francisco.

Secondary School Results. STARTLING STATEMENT BY MERTHYR'S DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION. "Extremely bad" was the opinion expressed by Mr. Rhys Elias (Director of Education) at Wednesday's meeting of the Merthyr Secondary Schools Committee on the results obtained by girls at the Cyfarthfa Castle Secondary Schools in recent examinations. Of nine candidates for the senior certificate of the Oxford Examination only five were successful, and each of the fifteeii pupils who sat to qualify for admission to a training college failed. The only apparent ex- planation, said Mr, Elias. was that the members of the staff had not applied themselves seriously to the duties for which they had been engaged, andt the fact that the pupils did reasonably well in "history" indicated that the talent of the candidates was not at fault but rather proved that the mistresses responsible for the other sub- jects had been lacking in the preparation of their pupils. Summarising the results he described the* papers in Latin, Mathematics. Drawing, Needlewark, Botany and English as c. bad," Welsh and French. fair," and history, "satis- factot-v." In the resultant discussion Mr. H. M. Lloyd suggested that the mistresses at the school pos- sessed capacity for teaching but lacked enthu- siasm and Mrs. M. A. Edmunds favoured the dismissal of any teachers found inefficient. Miss C. New ton. headmistress of the schools, denied "slackness" amongst her assistants al- though the whole hod; she said, was inexperi- enced. The school was inadequaetly staffed and for good results experienced mistresses were es- sential. Fifteen of the girls entered the exami- nation against her judgment and on their own responsibility. Only seven stood a chance of success and five of these had passed. Mr. Wm Jones (Treharris): Ask them to join the Land Army. That is the best place for them and then get a new staff altogether. (Laughter.) A special sub-committee was appointed to in- vestigate the matter.

Liberals and the League. ROCHDALE EXECUTIVE RESOLUTION. The Executive Committees of the Rochdale Reform and Royton Division Liberal Associa- tions are submitting the following resolution to the National Liberal Federation for discussion at their General Committee meeting to be held in Manchester on September 26tb and 27th:— That the General Committee of the National Liberal Federation, believing that it is neces- sary for the security of civilisation and the pro- gress of mankind that some means other than war shoulfl be found to prevent, and settle dis- putes and to establish and maintain public right among nations, is of opinion that a League of Nations be formed to carry out these objects and for the purpose of mutual defence and the observation of treaties and international law." The two Committees are also sending the fol- lowing resolution to the President of the Local Government Board: That. this Committee urges upon the Local Government Board "the necessity of making it compulsory for registra- tion officers. to arrange for a house-to-house sur- vey when compiling the next re(-,ist,-r."