Pioneer

Abercynon Notes One Union Movement. I A meeting to popularise-the movement for One Union for All Railwaymen was held in the Lesser Hall. Abercynon, on Sunday last. Mr. Francis Gibbon, of the Railway Clerks' Associa- tion, took the Chair. Mr. M. J. Fahy briefly outlined the objects and methods of the One Union Movement. Mr. C. T. Chambers, R.C.A.. following with a short speech showing the need for unity. Mr. T. J. Hargesto A.S.L.E. A* F.. gave a report of the work done throughout South Wales during the last four months, and Mr. W, Collier, N.U.R., followed with a speech which showed the imperative need of unity to combat the combination of capital. Question time was lively, but the chairman and speakers were found to be able to stand against all comers. I.L.P. I Miss Minnie Pallister is starting her work as Organiser for the T.L.P. with a fortnight in the -4herdare and Merthyr Federation. On Monday she visited Abercynon. In the afternoon she trudged round through the pouring rain to visit a numher of sympathisers. In the evening a special branch meeting was held. and despite the rain. some of those she called upon turned up and we had art interesting evenfiftg. Wê want sympathisers to become members and help in the work for Socialism. Will those readers who are not members consider the advisability of pining at once P

I !ôi :lMidRhondda Notes The Absentees' Committees and the Output. The question of fornmrg the absentees com- mittees is likely to become a burning question once more in the Rhondda. A great deal of dis- satisfaction is prevalent, amongst the rank and file over the fact that the miners' leaders have taken upon themselves the responsibility of ad- vising the miners to form committees to func- tion as a court, in which the workers are sup- posed to sit as judges of their fellow workers, and this while no power of management of the collieries is conceded. Any poor checkweigher that suggests to a colliery official that he ought to do certain things is immediately removed for interfering with the management. It is high tinre that the workers should have a say in the llIallagelllent oftll collieries as well as to sit in a court of judgment on themselves. Colliery officials in virtue of their office are not so much concerned about the output of coal as they are about the output of profits. Hundreds of in- stances can be given when men could have worked if it was not that the colliery officials found that it would not produce dividends. The coalownetis are concerned about- the output only in so far as it affects the dividends. Food Shortage. I ne statement of lr. R. J. Rhys regarding the food has caused a great deal of feeling in the Mid-Rhondda area. Many of our men de- clare that the five ounces of butter is only suffi- cient for about half the week, and that the ma- jority are on three or four days every week ob- liged to go to work with dry bread in their boxes. Most of the men regard the suggestion of having pithead restaurants as a joke, and suggest that the idea must have been born in the mind of someone who was out for a. new job. No compla int has been made that the present medium of distribution is in any way unable to effectively distribute all the food which is a-vaiT- ablc. The trouble is not* with the machinery of distribution, but the supply. To have restau- rants on the pit-top will not increase the sup- ply: we slifil still have the same grievance. An empty restaurant on top of the pit can hardly be considered an improvement on an empty shop by the house. What is really wanted is not more shops or restaurants but a better supply, if possible, and a more equitable distribution than is carried on under the rationing scheme. There are grounds for suspicion that under the present rationing scheme some shopkeepers as well as customers are able to obtain a far larger quan- tity proportionally than others, and one con- tinually hears the rumour that certain shop- keepers are able to supply to some of their fa- vourites a considerable quantity over and above what the rationing scheme stipulates. Whether such rumours are true or not, we cannot say. One thing issevident. and that is, that such ru- mours are creating discontent. The Food Com- mittee should lose no time in remedying any in- equalities that may exist.

Tonyrefail Notes. I Lecture. A lecture entitled" Tbe City of Cam and the City of God" was delivered at Penygraig by the Rev. W.T.Nicholas, formerly of Glais. He described how the present day civilization cor- responded closely to the City of Cain, which was built on violence and jealousy. On the other hand, the City of God was based on co-operation and good will in all departments of life. The characteristics of the two types of civilizations were described vividly and faithfully—the pre- sent one being a house built on the sand and proved to be bankrupt. He showed how man was only valued for the amount of wealth he could create, and his labour-power but a commo- dity. In the new civilization man would be valued because he was a man-production would then have but one object—to meet the material needs of men, and not for private gajn. The lecture was instructive and interesting, and it is to be deplored that the attendance was so meagre when we consider that it was a free lec- ture and that it was held in one of the most populous spots in the Rhondda Valley. The Pioneer League. r IIckr the.auspices of the Pioneer League of Tony retail a paper entitled "The Russian was read fry Comrade Thomas Young. He gave us an outline of the lilstot- v of the workers and Socialists of Russia from the beginning to the present day. The paper was highly instructive and gave much en- lightenment- in the trend and activity of the workers of Russia. We had what' we believe a true_ conception of the revolution and the much talked of "Bolshevik" movement. In our opinion this paper wa>> one of the hesr delivered by Comrade Young. A Suggestion. I 1 Now the holidays are fiver we appeal for re- newed yigouf and activity in connection with the pi to carry on the propa- ganda of Labour literature in the district. There is much work to be done, and not one of us can afford to be indifferent or inactive. Now is the time to work. We earnestly appeal to all the present members to rally together? and present It t i t(, H (, f oi? i themselves at the Reform Bookshop every Sun- day morning at 11 o'clock punctually. Can we double the menlbership" of active workers during the winter months.1' We are in need of more workers now. Certainly we could each invite one of our numerous readers in the locality to become air active worker—not only men,.but women sympathisers as well. Increased Rents., I A meeting of the Coed Ely workmen was held at the Cinema, Tonyrefail, on Sunday, Septem- ber 1st, when the question of increased rents was discussed. It was pointed out that the landlords were taking advantage of the in- creased rates to impose increased rents. In one case where the rates had been raised twopence in the pound, the landlord asked for two shil- lings increase per month in rent, to cover the increased rates. In another case the landlord disked for 8/- a month increase. A resolution was passed giving plenary powers to the district, delegate to deal with the matter in the district meeting. The Bye-Products Dispute. I Mr. Arthur Jones then gave a report to the above meeting on the effort made by the. Coed Ely Company to reduce the rates of the loco. and crane drivers both cases are at present in the hands of the Dispute Committee. He also reported that he was called upon to give an ac- count of the conduct of the Lodge in inducing the workers of the bye-products to leave their own union and join the M.F.G.B. This has caused a great deal of controversy with the Bye- Product Workers' Union, and they accuse the miners lodge of being selfish and wanting to use the bye-product workers for fighting the miners' battles.

I Matt Giles at Dowlais. I ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING OF WORKERS' UNION. I I TRADES UNIONISM AND SOCIALISM THE ONLY WAY. Mr. Matt Giles, the Divisional Organiser of the Workers' Union, addressed a large mass meeting of the Dowlais members on Sunday. The Workers' Union is not only a potent factor in the country but it is also in Dowlais. Even five years ago it was an infant in numbers compared to what it is now. Its success has been pheno- menal. Mr. Dan Evans in his opening remarks dealt with the object of the meeting. The-meet- ing was called -to discuss the Whitley Report and its bearing on the future of the working classes. I hope," said Mr. Evans, after re- ferring to the fact that the Derby Congress had voted in favour of the Whitley Rport, tbat the deliberations of the delegates at the Trade Union Congress will be stepping stones to greater things in the future. If control is good enough in war time it is good enough in peace time—(cheers)—but it must be a diiferent con- trol in peace time." If any shareholder in any industry was not satisfied with 5 per cent. in- terest he did not know what was good enough for llilll. Tremendous problems lay ahead for the trades union movement, that was why he was a strong advocate of falling in with the views of the Whitley report. Referring to the growth of the idle clashes he said: "The work- ing classes have had to stand jdly by practically helpless while the Government of our country assist these plunderers' in the greatest financial and profiteering ramp the world has ever known, carried on whilst millious of their fellow men faced the unspeakable horrors of modern war. To the wor kers* 1 say Stand firm by your trades union and your trades union will stand firmly by you." (Applause.) THINK, AND KEEP ON THINKINC. Mr. Giles, an old trade union leader and Socialist, after speaking eulogistically of the chairman's address said: It appears to me the chairman has thought out things for himself. If we could get all members of the working classes to just sit down at home some day and put to themselves the question as to why are we poor and try to reply to it.then possibly we would have a tremendous inflow of membership to the trade unions of" this country, as a result of putting that question. We trade union officials are blamed for not doing this and not doing that. We are but men just as you are. We make mistakes hut we cannot do everything. We try. however, to do the best we can with the material at our disposal. We can only act in so far as we are backed by the membership be- hind us. It is truo to say that only to the ex- tent that members of the working classes take interest in the work of emancipation can we progress at all. For the first time in the history of the Workers' Union we had become a party to the Trade [nion Congrpss. We are the se- cond biggest trade union affiliated to the Trade t nion Congress. We represent 333 thousand members not counting.the men with the colours. We are looked upon a,, very important at that congress. We have become all powerful. AMALCAMATION. ithin the next few weeks the amalgamation for trade purposes will be completed between ourselves and the National rnioll of Labour and the Municipal Employees' Association-(hear, hear)-and that for the purpose of all applica- tions for increases of wages. All legal ex- penses and control of officials will be under the government of the joint executives. And so you appreciate the work that is being done. I strongly urge you to join the unemployed sec- tion. In periods of slackness of trade when the percentage of unemployed is very large then it is essential that we provide you with unem- ployed benefits. If the working-man has no in- come coming in he must accept the pressure of the employer. I want one union for the whole of the working classes. That is the whole plo- sophy and structure of the Workers' Union. The Workers' Union is based on class membership. What we have had to put up with has built up the Workers' Union. Some of us were Ishmael- ites of the trade iiiiion.moveni-ent. We were re- fused to be taken into trade union congresses, etc.. and it was because of that position that we put the fight into it, and we are now the second strongest union in the United Kingdom; and with these two large union amalgamations we shall be the largest in the world. STRUGGLE AND ITS MEANINC. I We do not appreciate anything very much if we get it too easy, we have evidence after evi- dence of that. What we are saying is we don't want to abolish struggle but we do want tcL abolish the struggle for bread. (Applause.) What we are saying is that it is possible to eli- minate the struggle for bread, that at least shall be guaranteed to men and women the things that are necessary to human life. I have been a Socialist for more than thirty years. I am a Socialist because the present state of society hands over the control of the state to a few in- dividuals. I hare been denied the opportunity of working at all because my views were not ac- ceptable to those who hold control. Therefore, I said this thing is wrong. There is no man or woman in this world good enough to own the things the whole of the people require. We said then the community as a whole, each and every one of us,should control these things, and every member of the community should have the right to share with that wealth. I want to think things out for myself. I want to be free. You have got to take all interest in your trade union. Educate yourselves, use your intelli- gence. The working-classes have not been al- lowed to be the owners, they have only been al- lowed to be the getters. PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY. I You have got to realise that you yourselves have got to do these things. It is no use at all sending members to the House of Commons and then forgetting all about them till the next General Election. A father asked his little girl one day whether she would come for a walk, and her answer, was "I don't mind coming for a walk if you will carry me." Some members of t-lit, working class do not mind doing something so long as somebody carries them. I do not want to raise cheers by throwing out a lot of platitude. I want you to endeavour to think these things ouffor yourselves. I want to act. There lies the direction of progress. We cater for all men and women \vho work for their living. W(, I),] V" craft unions and others. There was a fill" li-lieit the craft unions would only take men in the engineering trade who had* worked their apprenticeship. Instead of them being craft union they became occupational unions. There are the unions that organise the working class on the basis of industry. The Workers' Union is based on class membership. In the introduction of machinery the craftsmen are be- coming reduced a great deal. Take the organi- sation working on the basis of industry. Take the miners. In their case that is the right policy to adopt. Theirs is a key industry in the whole country. I have no quarrel with that at all. The railwaymen again, covering a huge in- dustry those are the right lines to organise on a basis of industry. The line of demarcation is very easy to define there, but there are a hun- dred and one small initistries in the country which are impossible to organise on the basis of industry. They are too small and insignificant to be ever all-powerful. Take the lines of de- marcation in the manufacture of steel and other industries. There are so many men on the bor- der-line. so to speak, that it would be a very difficult point to discuss whether men so en- gaged were in this industry or that. It would be far more intelligent to belong to a general union that was making within its organisation plans for the departmentalisation of industry. The Workers' Union is doing that. We are now interested in 33 different industries. THE WHITLEY REPORT. The coming of the Whitley Report is making provision of industrial councils based on indus- try. representing the employers on the one side and the employees on the other. It is for far- seeing unions like the Workers* Union to re- construct its organisation from within. In taking part in the formation of Whitley com- mittees we have laid down certain conditions. The conditions are that we of the trade unions shall have the selecting of representatives on the workmen's side. These representatives shall be responsible to the* trade union and the trade union will have the right to remove them when- ever they think it desirable in the interests of trade unionism to remove them. The trade union will provide the machinery for the elec- tion of the representatives within the shop. The trade union will supply the expenses for the upkeep of them. We are going to be perfectly, clear and refuse to be trampled in any .way by either Government or employers paying expenses for us. 1 want to say that we as a trade union want to pay the piper and then we will be able to call the tune. I am very glad to learn that you are already adopting the suggestion of shop stewards. See to it that these shop stewards are YOUR representatives in each shop or de- partment. The man who is working in the shop is able to deal with the technical difficulties that arise in the shop. but you arc to see to it that you retain the right rto remove a shop ste- ward if you think it necessary.. You have no democracy unless you have control. I recom- mend our members to take part n these coun- cils because it is the first step to the working- class having additional control. Your right place is in the Worked' Union. I am prepared to claim that it was the Workers' Union that brought about the change in the Dowlais steel- works.. The 1911 strike was the result of the educational work of the Workers' Union. Within three days you had won your charter, and that was a tremendous step forward when you re- member that a powerful trade union branch secretary was walking about- Dowlais and with all their strength could not get him reinstated until the Workers' Union came on strike. The assistance our old friend Hardie gave us in drawing the attention of Parliament to the fact that this company was not paying the wages of the Fair Wages Clause was of great value. So far as we are concerned we are prepared to put the best brains we have at your disposal. Al- though I agree with compulsory arbitration during these abnormal times as soon as we get back to normal times I want it removed in your right to withdraw your labour if necessary. 1 have had to say these things because there-have been attempts by the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation to induce our members to leave the Workers' Union and get to theirs. We are able to do as much for you as the Iron and Steel Trades Confederation can do and. as long as you a re ,pre pa red to remain loyal to the Workers' Union we are prepared to remain loyal to you. We are prepared to co-operate with anybody to improve the conditions of our mem- bers. Let them put up a joint council instead and we will be members of it to-morrow. I am not prepared to go to any district to induce members of other unions to come. into mine. There is no standing still in this world. The Workers' Union is going ahead. We are not going to be satisfied with 550 thousand, we are I out to top the million.

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I LABOUR'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE TEACHERS. I TO THE EDITOR. Co Sir,-—In your last issue. Comrade Francis, at a meeting of the Education Authority, is re- ported to have said, as the view of the Labour Party in that authority, that "they failed to see why a secondary school teacher should have seven weeks' vacation and an elementary school teacher only four when it was realised that thousands of people had no holiday at all." Surely the view of the Labour Party. as voiced by Comrade Francis is opposed directly to La- hour principles. The view of tnany readers is that he commences at the wrong end, and in- stead of preventing the secondary school teachers obtaining what they believe to be their due, he should have gone in for an extension of the vacation of the elementary school teachers, and the provision of holidays, fully paid, for all workers. I should like to see Mr. Francis him- self enjoying a seven-weeks' vacation at full professional remuneration. It would give him time to re-consider some of the things he talks- about. J. SHARPE.

I, NOW THEN TREHARRIS! TO THE EDITOR. Dear Sir.—I shall be very much obliged if you will kindly insert the following few words in: the "Pioneer." I am anxious to know what has become of the Treharris Ward Committee- (Trades and Labour Council) since it was adopt- ed a few months ago by the workers. So far we have not yet seen the fruits of its labours, have had no reports and have had only one pub- lic meeting addressed by Mr. James Winstone. the Labour candidate for Merthyr Borough. There is at the present time rumours in the air øJ. a General Eleven in November, if such a thing happens the Labour cause here will be hopelessly at sea. The local Liberal Party are- commencing operations in good style. We had the pleasure of hearing Sir Edgar Jones, M.P., and Mr. Caradoc Rees, M.P.. address an audi- ence at, the Palace last week, and at the close one of the members of the inactive Ward Com- mittee was introduced to the above-named gen- a tlemen. There is plenty of work for each indi- vidual member of the Ward Committer to do for their own cause. Why it isn't done I am at a loss to understand. The workmen ought to calf another general meeting to consider the advisa- bility of choosing another Ward Committee who would luffe the cause of the workers at heart, who would be active, and help to foster the can- didature of Mr. J. Winstone and not hinder it, and to draw up a series of meetings for the- winter to enable the workers to hear a little of the workers' cause. Mr. Will Harris, secretary of the Merthyr Trades and Labour Council had bettter enquire to see what is the cause of this laxity at Treharris. The result of the Morrell and Winstone ballot should have proved to. everyone the need for an active committee to- work on behalf of our candidature. I can truthfully say that the personnel of the present Ward Committee is not of the right sort to help. Mr. Winstone to win the seat. We need a thorough shaking up oii(i plenty of meetings to give us information, etc.. so as to be ready for the election, whenever it comes. Trusting that these few words, penned by a novice, will be the means of waking up a few of the Treharris stalwarts to activity, and to arouse the workers from tfceir dormant state.—Yours- faithfully, INTERESTED. Treharris. Printed and Published by the National Labour- Press, Ltd., at the Labour Pi6neer Press Williams' Square, Merthyr Tydfil, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14th. 18.