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Political Notes By F. W. Jowett, M.P. P.M. AfJD PEACE TERMS. With the instinct of the true demagague the Prime Minister 's*s on repeating his mislead- ing reference to the peace terms which he pre- tends thaT lie offered to the enemy more than six months ago. Although he has been pressed over and over agai n to say when he madt- the offer, and what were the terms he offered. lie does not answer. Indeed, he cannot answer without entangling himself in an effort to prove a .statement which is. in effect, a falsehood. The simple fact is that it has become necessary to impress it upon the mind of the people of this country that the enemy has refused to consider terms of peace definitely stated by the Allies. This impression Mr. Lloyd George creates and spreads by repeatedly referring to a u offer which,, in fact, was never made. HIS ONLY POSSIBLE OFFER The only reference to peace terms which Mr. Lloyd George can even pretend would give him the right to Aiiiy lie had offered peace terms is contained in his speech to the Labour Confer- ence in January last. That speech was made when Mr. Lloyd George was showing signs of uneasiness as to the military situation. The Versailles Conference between the Allied Gov- ernments had not then been held, but it was due to take place shortly afetrwards. The atti- tude of La bour in this country was becoming increasingly critical of the Government in c re- gard to its refusal to state its war aims. Con- sequently. Mr. Lloyd George endeavoured at the Labour Conference in question to accom- plish two objects, namely, to disarm Labour op- position, and. to moderate the demands of France and Italy. He accomplished the first of these objects, for the time being, but he failed miserably with regard to the second. For the first time he treated the question of Alsace Lor- raine as if it were one for "reconsideration" and implied that it was not intended to con- tinue the war until the two provinces are ceded by Germany to France. ANtl V-ACUE TANCUACE. -1 The vague language in which Mr. Lloyd George at the Labour Conference last January referred to all disputed war aims, stating only in clear language that Belgium. Serbia and Montenegro must be restored, completely silenced the opposition of all except a small sec- tion of his critics in the Labour Party. When, however, the Allied Governments met at Ver- sailles either Mr. Lloyd George failed to per- suade France and Italy to moderate their de- mands or he did not try to do so, for the Ver- sailles Conference proclaimed to all the world that the war must be prosecuted with the ut- most vigour and left it a.t that. The significance of this re-affirmation of the knock-out blow policy was all the more marked by reason of the fact that in the interval between, Mr. Lloyd George's speech at the Labour Conference and the Versailles re-affirmation of the knock-out blow policy the spokesmen for the Central Powers had made serious and conciliatory re- plies to President Wilson's definition of Ameri- can War Aims. AVOIDINC THE ISSUE. I The position, therefore, is that Mr. Lloyd George stated no peace terms at the Labour Conference hut only refrained from re-stating the more extreme demands of the Allies. What- ever encouragement there was to be found at the time in this avoidance of the main points in dispute, the Versailles Conference, in the name of all the Allied Governments, put an end to it. The Lloyd George speech in January last con- tained no peace offer hut it misled and silencer most of the Labour critics. ic was the Ver- sailles Conference spoke for the Allies and its decision was to fight to a finish and onei no terms whatever. Mr. Llqyd George persist- ently ignores this fact and keeps on repeating his allusion to an offer which he never made in the expectation that the British public will lw- lieve it was made and hold the enemy respon- sibly for continuing the war. A PICTURE In -his recent speech at Manchester Mr. Lloyd George made a confession which the re- latives of soldiers who fell during the last Ger- man offensive will read with feelings of deep indignation if they realise what it means. He confesseil that when the British were being killed, wounded and captured in enormous num- bers by overpowering masses of German troops in March and April last, there were ample re- serves in this country. He felt, grateful, he said, to the critics in this country who assumed that the Army had no reserves and blamed the Government for neglect. As a matter of fact." Mr. Lloyd George went on to say, we have poured in hundreds of thousands of troops since March 21st." But why was the Army in France allowed to face the German attack without reserves to fall back upon. or to re- inforce it, when the reserves were trained and ready beforehand If some skilful artist would rise to the occasion and give the world a vivid impression of what Mr. Lloyd George's confes- sion really means it would help the people to understand things. A picture, say. showing BrItIsh "oldie } ldo British sold iers holding their positions on Kexn- mell Hill, reeling from exh austion, some of them wounded and bleeding but still working their machine gune to delay the rush of the on- coming enemy; around and about them, dead men and men wounded and writhing in agony, and, in the background, Mr. Llovd George. Prime Minister, winking his eye in his artful dodger style and directing attention with the thumb of a half-closed hand over his shoulder to a corner of the picture where stands ready the je-inforeements that did not arrive in time to save the men, but came later to win back the positions they had given their lives in vain to hold. Such a picture wou Id be worth much as a corrective to the picture films show n by the War Information Department. AND ITS MEANING. When 1 read that Mr. Lloyd George was < nly deceiving the Germans and merely pretending they were no reserves when our men were out- numbered last March. I recalled a pencilled mes- sage ] had seen from a Commanding Officer to a junior officer who had been left to hold a post against the advancing 4171CIMy. Maintain your present position." it said. Do not expect —— to join you. You have all done splendidly. lte- inforcements may come soon." The pencilled message was sent home by its recipient to give discreet warning that no further message r. ight be sent by that particular soldier. Now we know that the re-inforcements might have been there but were intended not to save the Kemmell Hill and other positions and the men who were holding them, but to win the positi ms back again after they had been lost. L.C.'s ELECTION PREPARATIONS. I So Mr. Lloyd George i> adopting the \ellcw press habit of speaking of the party that to bring peace, if this is possible, by mems of an honest declaration of intentions founded < n Justice and Reason—not, for example, .-ttemj.t- ing to force adherence to principles on em my governments which we ourselves refuse to ob- serve—as Bolshevists. This seems to indicate that he is preparing the ground for a general election. One passage of his Manchester speech gives a. further clue TO the thought of Mr. Lloyd George on the present situation. I will quote it:— "There are disturbing svmptoms all over 14u •ope which w. at home would be wise to ] take note of and provide against. II ave been scanning the horizon and I can see flashes on the sky which indicate to me that there are atmospheric disturbances in the social and economic- world." A RED LICHT OBSERVED. I Mr. Lloyd George sees the red light. It shows him there are rocks a head, from which the pos- sessing classes will not- easily steer clear. Al- ready he is dividing the people according to a convenient classification of his own. There are those who recognise that "to enable the nation to bear the gigantic burden of debt which the war will impose upon it they must produce things in abundance, and that with this object rich and poor must work together. The rest of the people, who think not merely of producing things but of distributing them fairly." are Bol- sheviks. These he proceeds to describe in his usual slap-dash Limehouse manner. "The Bol- sheviks," says Mr. Lloyd George, began with distribution and ended with distribution. Pro- duction did not concern them." And Mr. Lloyd George knew when lie said this that the British policy in Russia is to cut off the bread supply from the twople by holding the railway line from Siberia and making the problem of dis- tribution. even of bread, an almost impossible one. The main object of British policy is to overthrow the BoJsheviks by cutting off the sup- plies of the Russian people so that the people will revolt against a Government which cannot give them bread. Then Mr. Lloyd George points to the country he and his like are tormenting, and to the Bolsheviks whom he wickedly and wrongfully accuses of responsibility as the awful ,effect and cause which people here wlJO do not agree with him would repeat in this country. LABOUR'S PROMISED BURDEN. I -Jr. Lloyd Georges suggestion is that by nwrdy producing tilings in abundance, in a spirit of unity ami brotherhood with those who hold the nation in pawn. Labour will be able to bear the gigantic burden of interest which he hopes to be abb- to lay upon it after the war. True. Mr. Lloyd George did not say. in plain language, that \Labour, in the much to he de- sired "spirit of unity and brotherhood," would he expected to hear tlic- 1.)iirdein-it was the "nation," he said would have to bear it—but he knows that Labour is the beast of burden on which the load will have been laid of the "spirit of unity and brotherhood" prevails be- tween his friends and the workers. THE OUTLAWED SOVIET. I The Soviet Government is to be outlawed among civilized nations. And the reason alleged for it is that Captain Cromie has been killed after he Iwd llimself killed three Russians with his own hand. There is, consequently, a great cry for vengeance in the yellow press. One could see some excuse for this if indignation had also been shown for other murders. But the murders of the Germans Yon Mirbach and Von Eichorn were not only excused but were openly defended in this country. The attempt on Lenin's life gave only feelings of delight and appreciation to those who are loudest in their denunciation of the inur<Vr of ( aptain Cromie. Moreover, there is the snooting of three mem- bers of the Kemski Soviet to be explained. They were shot because they refut to recognise the counter revolutionarv organisation set up under British Atithot. Itv. The fact is that the British Government and the Allies are ba(-king- among other parties in Russia—the party which has always approved and decreed assassination of its opponents. TVhatever mav he said of the Bolsheviks they have never sought to obtain their objects by the policy of treacherously as- sassinating their opponents. If, as is to be ex- pected, such horrible methods are now being more extensively practiced, the Allied Govern- ments. having given their support to the party in Russia- which they were well aware worked avowedly by those methods, have not much right to complain.

Forward the Traffic Men. I AFAN VALLEY DISTRICT CONFERENCE OPEN THE ATTACK ON UNDER PAYMENT. TO THE I Dear Sit-We should esteem it a big favour if you would include this report in the columns of your real Laoour \HTkIy, the"" Pioneer." The traffic-men connected with the Afan Valley aud the adjacent. district hold a very successful meeting at Cwmavon, on Thursday evening, September 12th. when a large number of hauliers and riders, etc.. attended, and demonstrated splendid enthusiasm and determination to push forward the agitation for a new agreement for trafifcmen. There were also present other grades of workmen connected with the collieries, w ho expressed their satisfaction and support for the movement now afoot to bring about a general improvement in the standards for the transport workers m the coal mines. THE END OF THE HAULIER. At the outset of the meeting Mr. Aneurin Phillips, the acting chairman, who has initiated this movement, stated that a.s these were other grades of M iners I)resent-whicli "-as most gt a- titying—he should h. pleased if the .ueoting would appoint )lr..JallJS Burford, of the Du/fryn Lodge, to the Chair for that evening. This was moved and seconded and upon being put to the meeting Mr. Burford was elected with applause. The newly appointed chairman on opening the meeting expressed his thanks, and said that he had come there because he was fully in consonance with the need for a new agreement giving better terms to the men. Having established the right to live, then he was out to establish the other corollary, the right to a full and a human life, which could not be se- cured by the present wages paid considering the high cost of living, He then pointed out the fact that trafficmen were in their prime of life, quite strong and nimble, but when they got older and stiff they were unable to jump about, etc., and would eventually find them- selves upon the scrap-heap or in the gob-hole earning the lowest wages. Therefore we had a special claim for a reasonably 9!I)W. RENEWED REQUEST. I The secretary explained the work already done, the large number of lodges who bad al- ready endorsed our programme, and pointed out the number of districts which had agreed to give their support to whatever constitutional steps were necessary to bring this issue to suc- cess. He also suggested that those lodges should again be asked to renew their request to the K.C. at Cardiff, and should also bring it before the respective district meetings. LODGES TO INITIATE MOVEMENT. I After intelligent and calm deliberation the meeting unanimously agreed to approach the respective1 lodges within the district to pass a resolution calling upon the E.C. to convene a conference within six weeks, otherwise another meeting of all traffiemen would be called to con- sider what steps should be taken to effect a general conference of the trafficmen throughout South Wales, to discuss the imperative need for a new agreement. LINKINC UP. I It was also agreed that two delegates should he appointed to attend a conference held at Swansea, last Saturday, the 14th, to consider the question of a joint campaign between the Dow- lais. Anthracite, Western and the Afan and Maesteg Districts, of the federation. The two delegates appointed were Aneurin Phillips and David Da vies. The secretary ex- plained that he wonld be unable to attend on Saturday. 10 conclusion, one can safely say after being i'n that meeting that titc. traffiemen have awakened and are ready to use their industrial power to obtain their legitimate dues should the powers that be indicate their usual stubborn- ness and unreasonableness. One pleasing fea- ture of the meeting was the presence of Mr. David Rees, alias "Buller," who has been dis- charged from the Army. With the co-operation of such a fine stalwart, who has always been able to rally the trafficmen, there is every hope of success.— W e remain, yours fraternally, ( ANKFRTN PHILLIPS, Chairman. I T. MAIN WARING. Secretary.

Mood's Nickel Year. I QUARTER OF A MILLION FOR THE I RESERVE. The report of the Mond Nickel Company for the year ended April is a purely formal docu- ment, but the figures it contains are eloquent enough, as 20 per cent. (of which 15 was free of tax) has been paid, and £ 250,000, which is nearly equal to 28 per cent., is going to the re- serve, making that fund L450,000, or half the amount of the ordinary capital, says t,he "Man- chester Guardian." It will be remembered that the Company was reconstructed in 1914, with a view to the capital being made to correspond with the great v alue of the concern. In 1913-14 the profits, before paying the diroctors' fees, in- creased from £ 201.102 to £ 231,143, and in 1914-15 to £ 300.290. The results since then are shown below: — 19] 7-18 1916-17 1915-16 æ £ Profit 531,845 327,248 322,589 Brought forward 111,598 99,312 54.162 Available 643,443 426,560 376,75! Directors' fees 26,592 16,362 16,129 Preference dividend 68,600 68,600 58,310 Ordinary dividend 180,000 180,000 153.000 Tti r(,serl,f, 250,000 50,000 50.000 Carried forward 118.251 111.598 99,312

The Value of Study to the Labour Movement. I BY TED WILLIAMS. The value of any study to a large section of society consists in the degree in which its ap- plication improves that society. If in studying history the method of explaining social changes by industrial changes is used, and, by this means the cause of the workers' economic bondage is discovered, then, alone from this discovery will develop the understanding necessary to remove the cause. In order that the full import of this study may be realised, it is essential that the purpose of the Labour Movement receives some consider- ation. No matter in what historic epoch we may view this movement a definite purpose and dis- tinctness can be observed. In each epoch this purpose manifests itself and corresponds to cur- rent understanding. To overthrow oppression and to establish freedom and equality of oppor- tunity for all, has been the definite Labour aim throughout history. The blind struggles of slaves in the ancient world is an expression of this purpose. That these struggles resulted in irWvnv instances in the greater subjection of the slaves, and only a few instances of partial with- drawal of oppression is due to the instinctive character in which these movements originated and the spe-cific conditions which determined their activities. THE ROMAN PLEBS. k I The struggles of the Roman proletariat, in- cluding the Jews, to free themselves from the Roman yoke which incorporated itself into what ultimately became known as the Christian Movements are but manifestations of this La- bour purpose. Later we are able through the Peasants' Re- volts of the Middle Ages to decern labour in- stinctively striving to break the chains of op- pression. Here as in the early slave rebellions the conditions are not sufficiently matured to permit a conscious understanding as to the source of oppression. Hence instinctive action is characteristic of all these early movements. THE MODERN ERA. I It is with the incoming of the 19th Century that a possibility of conscious understanding arose. That ^Jue^'o^ imply that such moT? ment? as the C?rtistor fra?e Union move- ments were based upon a true conception of their relationship to social and economic forces, nevertheless the possibility for such develops with each decade. The development of the productive forces, the phenomenal advance of science, paved the way for a correct interpretation of historic events. All anterior movements could not be seen as instinctive efforts to obtain freedom, and the abolition of oppression. Not only could it be seen that these movements were merely instinc- tive efforts but the reasons for their apparent success or failure could also be discerned. Their failures, which were the rule, was due to the absence of understanding that freedom and equality are conditioned primarily by the stage reached in the development of the means and methods of production. Lack of understanding arose from and was conditioned by the unde- veloped productive forces. These forces bv to- day have sufficiently evolved .to permit of full consciousness as to their origin and function. Thus, if the theory of working-class emancipa- tion is derived from past events, present limita- tions, and conditions, then an extended know- ledge of history is not only valuable, but impera- tive if the workers arc to consciously grapple with Capitalism and remove the yoke of btpple THE MARCH OF PRODUCTION. I Discoveries, inventions, and institutions arise under specific conditions and commence to de- cay, become outworn or of no effect when those conditions no longer prevail. Thus at the be- ginning of the 19th Century distribution of pro- ducts is restricted owing to inadequate uans-I portation facilities. Roads had to give way to cana ls, canals to railways. Products were pro- duced in such enormous amounts that new forms of transit were absolutely essential to cope with trade and market. In 1814 Stephenson invented the Puffifng -Billy," the Stockton and Dar- lington Railway was opened in 1825, the Man- chester aud Liverpool in 1830, etc., etc. This gave a great impetus to steel and iron trades. Iron proving itself too sofe for use in railway construction necessitated the Bessemer process. From the iron and steel industry develops the coal industry as a consequence of the need for fuel for smelting purposes. With railway tran- sit evolve maritime construction and technique. Steam navigation took the. place of wind, and iron and steel took the plaee of wooden ships. Later the post and telegraph systems were in- vented. and all from the necessity of having to dispose ot labour's surplus product. Again, until the 19th Century science made but little progress. The tremendous impetus given to production during the industrial revolution necessitated a. knowledge of mechanical laws, and the composition of materials, hence scienti- fie experiments are demanded and encouraged. The laws of motion, heat, and chemical affinities, were sought and discovered, and production sped a long at a quicker pace as a consequence. THE ANALOCY. I In a somewhat similar manner the under- standing essential to the emancipation of the working class could only become possible under certain specific conditions. These conditions arc reached under and develop with capitalism. In order to realise the purpose of the labour movement, the law underlying social changes must he discovered. When the laws of econo- mic development are understood man ceases to act in that sporadic and instinctive manner but works in accord a nee with the conditions and forces which evolve and eheange from time to time. Therefore the study of history which discloses the law of development is an imperative neces- sity, if the workers are to break the bonds of oppression and usher in better days. Hence, get to business! Start a class or form a study circle. Know thyself!

Reply to Sir George Cave. TO THB BDITOB. Sir.—On September 9th a letter from Sir George Cave to Sir W. Howell Davies, M.P., appeared in the press and announced the deci- sion of the authorities with regard to the future treatment of Conscientious Objectors. In this letter the Home Secretary foreshadows the in- tention of the Government to condemn to per- petual though modified imprisonment the 1,200. men who are known as absolutists, as soon M they huve completed a preliminary period of two years' hard labour as ordinary felons. I will not here refer to thi modern method of persecuting religious and political opinion, but Sir George Cave's letter conta-irts such amazing misstatements of fact and such cruel insinua- tions as to the motives which actuate theas men. that on behalf of the various national anti-conscription organizations I cannot allow the Home Secretary's letter to go unchallem?ed. Sir G. Cave says: I will point out that theø prisoners have, before being tined to the col- ours, failed to satisfy the tribunals of the con- scientious character of their professed objection to military service." This statement is untrue. Large numbers or these particular men were not only recognized by their Tribunals as genuine objectors, but were actually given exemption from military service, though the exemption was accompanied by conditions which they could not bring themselves to accept. Scores of young Quakers, some of whom bear historic names < and whose genuineness was never for a moment in question, were offered exemption conditional upon doing work of national importance," a condition which, contributing as it did to the organisation of the country for war purposes, they felt bound to refuse. Some were even given "absolute" exemption, as provided for in the Military Service Acts. but the "abso- lute" was subsequently changed by locaj and appeal tribunals to "conditional exemption in consequence of certain decisions of the Central Tribunal. These men thereupon refused to ac- v cept the new status and were duly arrested and imprisoned. Some abandoned their exemption voluntarily, like Mr. A. Barratt Brown, the leo- turer at the Woodbrooke (Quaker) Settlement. Some, like Mr. Corder Catchpool. wise" re- cently published bortk has been so widely and Su i:aY<wiT v r*v.sei sed Tvith the Friend?' Ambulance Unit for a while, or took up land work, until they felt obliged to abandon these activities under the compunction of conscience. Some, like Mr. J. H. Hudson, of Manchester, were offered full exemption, provided they re- mained in their existing (and pre-war) occupa- tions, but with a scrupulosity which coarser souls cannot understand, they felt unable to ao- cept even this mild condition. Sir George Cave goes on to make the follow- ing mean insinuation with regard to motive: "I do think the fact that these men have repeated- ly refused to obey military orders proves no more than that many of them prefer the quiet safety of prison to the dangers and hardships of military service." How ludicrous as well as baseless is this suggestion is proved by the fact that for the absolutist the alternatives were not the quiet safety of prison and the dangers and hardships of military service." Any one of these objectors could have taken up the Home Office Scheme and have been released within a few weeks of his first committal. As a simple matter of fact many of them were pressed and urged, almost begged, by the Central Tribunal to accept the Scheme and not to stay in prison. Unable to accept conditions which originated in Conscription, they endured the refined brutality, the -mind and body-killing isolation (called by Sir George "the quiet safety") of prison and refused the relative comfort and freedom of the Home Office Settlements. The effect of long prison sentences may be judged from the fact, admitted by the Home Secretary, that lie has already been obliged to discharge 139 out of 1,200 men, simply on ac- count of shattered health. Many have been driven insane^. many have died, either in prison or directly after release (another during the pre- sent week), others have fallen victims to tuber- culosis, while we are in possession of, and Sir George Cave has been furnished with, particu- lars of an additional 50 cases where men are suffering with serious illnqps without present prospect of release. One such man has been afflicted for months with a discharging tuber- culous abcess. He has now been told by the prison doctor that he has developed tuberculous disease of the eye. yet all that happens is that he is thrust into a "tuberculous cell." Most of the discharged men. when they come out of prison, are like persons recovering from a grave and prolonged illness. Many appear to be wrecked for life. The remaining men, those whose constitutions can stand over two years' hard labour (in some cases they have already served over 21 vears) are now to be imprisoned in Wakefield Gaol, pre- sumably for the duration of the War, under conditions comparable to internment, with the threat (acoording to the regulation already is- sued) of further punishment if they fail to p per- form their allotted penal tasks. On behalf of these men I have to say that they themselves have never asked for or desired any such modi fied or ameliorated treatment. From them comes one demand and one only, viz.: absolute exemp- tion or total discharge from prison aal the army. They are unjustly and wrongfully im- prisoned, merely because their opinions, differ from thoSt. of the majority of the nation, but they are prepared to suffer unlimited persecu- tion, if haply they may convince public opinion that, after all, there is a better way of settling your dispute with a fellow man than by hitting him in the eye or thrusting a bayonet int-o his entrall,r am. etc.. ALFRED SALTER, M.D.. J.P., (Acting Chairman, No-Conscription Fel- lowship. Chairman of the Joint Advisory Committee of the Friends' Service Com- mittee, the Fellowship of Reconciliation, and the No-Conscription Fellowship). 5 Storks Road. Bermondsey, S.E., 11th September, 1918, •