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Political Notes By F. W. Jowett. THE UNSPEAKABLE BOLSHEVIK. Mr. L uiin (Lab.) invited the Foreign Office (House of Commons, June 3rd) to publish an account of the educational system established by the Russian Socialist Government. Informa- tion on this subject is available, and if the Gov- ernment would publish it the people of this country would then know that since the Soviet Government came into existence there has been an enormous amount of progress made in the establishment of educational institutions in Rus- sia. Schools, universities and libraries have been multiplied in towns and villages. In Octo- ber, 1917, there were 23 libraries in Petrograd. When Mr. Arthur Ransom was in Russia for six weeks during the present year, there were 49. In Moscow the number of public libraries had increased in the same period from 30 to 85. In Moscow alone the list of educational institu- tions, not including schools, had increased from 369 to 1,397. The information available would also show that where t-IiM'e used to be six uni- versities there are now sixteen, and that the Soviet Government (against which Koltchak. Denekin and Mannerheiin are titrhting in the interests of Capitalism, with the help of British munitions and of the starvation blockade) think first of the children when food is in question. The children are fed in the schools so far as it it possible to feed them, and those who are most in need are supplied with clothes and footwear. If information of this sort were supplied to the British public, the effect of the Government pub- lications dealing with the alleged atrocities would be diminished. I herefore, the answer to Mr. Lunn's request was in the negative. THE LIE DIRECT. In order to support the lie that Koltchak is being supported against the Soviet Government in the interests of the people of Russia, it has been asserted that the Soviet Government re- fused the offer of food which Dr. Nansen was willing to convey. The fact is that the refusal came from the Russian Political Conference in Paris, who turned the proposal down on the ground that if food were conveyed to the people '•vif J u! a.re^ t'ynt.volb'd I):, :h.. Sovie t tiietit, it would deprive Koltehak of the assist- ance which starvation gives to his military oper- ations. The Soviet Government never did re- fuse the offer of food. It simply asked for further information concerning the terms on which the food was offered. This is not sur- prising, seeing that one of the terms of the offer that the Soviet Government should cease fiirhting, whilst nothiiig was said as to whether Koltehak, Mannerheini and others were at liberty to go on attacking it. Although the facts are as they are here stated, yet when Col. Wedgewood asked the Foreign Secretary (June 3rd) a question, with the object of showi ng that the enemies of the Soviet Government were re- sponsible for the vefusal of Dr. Nansen's food proposal, his understrapper, Mr. Harmsworth, fenced the question with the reply that no com- munication relating to Dr. Nansen's proposal had been sent to Koltehak. He said nothing about the interference of Koltchak's friends and supporters in Paris. THE THIEVES' KITCHEN. The French, British and Italian premiers, along with President Wilson, are getting more hopelessly entangled in the web into which Secret Treaties, diplomatic lies, deceit and hvpo- cracy have enmeshed them. Not one of them can brin? the others to d?at openly and 1101 'It v with the questions before them, because they are all of them too deeply involved in responsibility for the present situation. To hide their failure and mask their tortuous proceedings, false re- ports of what is taking phtceiu Russia. Hun- gary, Germany and elsewhere are sent over to this country like clouds of poison gas to poison the minds of the people. Ministers stand at the table of the House of Commons and prevaricate, plead ignorance, or give contradictory answers to plain questions. Any rascally Government which is carrying on a campaign in Kurope that for the moment seems to further the plans fa- voured in the Thieves' Kitchen at Paris is de- fended or excused, whatever its (omtuct may be. by Ministers of State. Whoever is with the men of the Thieves' Kitchen is right. Whoever is acainst the men of the Thieves' Kitchen ctoinot be otherwise than wrong. I A ROYALIST INTRIGUE. There was a notable little episode in Parlia- ment (June 3rd) which related to the ex-Empress Marie, the mother of the late Czar. She is one of the privileged Russians, and is allowed to stay here, although others who are not in the least degree responsible for the action of "the present or past rulers of Russia are deported. The ex-Empress is already taking advantage of her stay in this country by getting into touch with Russian officers. The object is not difficult to surmise. Col. Wedgwocxl invited the atten- tion f the Prime Minister to the translation of a document which is being sent to Russian offi- cers. urgently asking them to communicate if they wished to lie introduced to Her Majesty." Mr. Bonar Law prnfpssed to be unable to see any connection between this foregathering of ex- Imperial officers with the ex-Km press, and the restoration of Czarism in Russia but there are none so blind as those who do not wish to see. To Colonel Wedgwood's further quorv as to whether Mr. Bonar Law did not appreciate that in meeting the ex-Kmpress the object was to hrin? Russian "officers into Royahst schemes, tll:lt made no reply. Mr. Stanton, howe?'r. was more <bring. He declared outright that the ex-Empress and Russian officers in en- joyment of the right of asylum in this country (which is denied to their opponents) were as mucU**ntitl"d to the privilege of furthering t I I el' schctw^j*frE Colonel Wed?wtx?d was to carry out his schemes, which latter Mr. Stanton did not wlii(-Ii latt(?i- .N i t Stititon did not, i THE RUSSIAN LIBERATOR. To afford a semblance of justification for sup- porting Koltdw k in Russia, the Allies have asked him to give certain undertakings as to his policy if a.nd when he succeeds jn overthrowing the Soviet Government. The Note which con- vey., the request of the Allies has not been pub- lished in full for some reason or other, but it is at least clear that he was asked to say that he would summon the Constituent Assembly elected under Kerenskv in 1917 as soon as lie reaches M oscow. Koltehak has replied, but his reply has not been published in full. There appears to have been eight points mentioned in the Allied note, in which the Allies asked for satisfactory assurances, but so far as can be ascertained from the published version of Koltchak's reply, he has only accepted one of them without re- serve. He will agree to the payment of the Rus- sian national debts. This may be taken foPwhat it is worth, which is not much. A CHAMPION OF DEMOCRACY. To summoning the Kerenskv Constituent As- sembly as soon as lie gets to Moscow, Koltchak does not agree. He will summon an assembly as soon as possible, but this assurance is nor convincing except to those who wish to be con- vinced for quite other reasons than democratic ones; for Russian Cza-rdom has afforded remark- able examples of summoning Constituent As- sembles which have no value whatever as repre- sentative bodies. But the reason which Kolt- eha k gi ves for refusing to re-summon the Kerenskv Constituent Assembly is most inter- esting. He will not call it, he says, because it elected under Bolshevik influence. In point of fact, it contained a large anti-Bolshevik ma- jority. but even so, it was too Radical for Kolt- chak, for he declared Illonthslgo that he would not summon it because it was too advanced. In deed, when those members <>i the Assembly who could get together met and re-constituted' it in Siberia, Koltehak dissolved the Assembly, and shot nine of the members. The position into which the Allied government are put. by Kolt- chak's refusal to re-summon the Kerenskv Con- stituent Assembly would be embarrassing to them if they were s,ekin<r from him more than mere excuses, ror lie has now placed himself exaetly i 11 the position of the Soviet Govern- ment on the matter. The pretence has been that in dissolving the Constituent Assembly the Soviet Government had commi tted the cardinal sin which made it impossible for the Allies to enter into relation with them or even to nego- tiate with them. When asked to agree to re- summon that Constituent 'Assembly in order to justify the Allies in according him their recog- nition, Koltchak dpelinl's to do any such thing, and lie gives the very same reasons that the Bolsheviks gave, viz., that the assembly is not representative. This will not interfere with the support %] I (-Ii is being given to Koltehak, how- ever, for he stands for the re-establishment of the old social order. That makes all the differ- ence. I WHAT YOU ARE SUPPORTINC. Colonel Wedgwood was able to quote in the debate on the adjournment (House of Commons, June (kli) from the Covernment's own publica- tion, the "Weekly Survey of the Foreign Press" hi proof that Koltehak is regarded in Siberia, where he is operating, as a Czarist. The Rou- manians, Colonel Wedgwood explained, have lo,000 to 20,000 troops at present in Eastern Siberia. These troops have recently sent reso- lutions home urging that they should be allowed to return, and saying that they would not co- operate with Admiral Koltehak, who was in Western Siberia, because lie was purely Czarist in his aims, and could not be supported by mocratic troops. The same attitude has been taken by the Czecho-Slovaks. Directly they saw Koltehak in his real colours, and the new Government he had set lip, they turned against liini. Both the Roumanians and the Czecho- slovaks are being kept in Eastern Siberia, thou- sands of miles from the conflict. American troops are also occasionally referred to as if they were taking part in jhe operations in Russia, but: they are thousands of miles away from the light- ing. British troops, British money. British munitions and even British uniforms are being poured into Russia to help Czarists and reac- tionaries to put dow n the Soviet Government in Russia, and starve the Russian people in the in- terests capitalism and the old social order. I HE BEGAN IT! Much has been said recently of the peace terms Germany intended to impose on the Allies if the war had ended victoriously for Germany. One version of Germany's alleged peace terms has been attributed to Count Bernstoff, and another is said to have been stated by Erzberger. i The Foreign Secretary was asked to publish evi- dence of both these versions (June 5th) but llr. Harmsworth was obliged to confess that he could not affix responsibility for their alleged ut- terances on either of the persons named. All these attempts to justify conduct on the ground that the enemy would be worse if lie had the power, or that the enemy began it, in the ease of new or more deadly methods of warfare, are unconvincing. A great many people believe, for instance, that systematic bombing of open towns was begun by Germany. The facts do not justi- fy the belief, but even those who do believe il should hold their tongues now that the British Government had adopted the method as one of the ordinary usages of war. When question, were put to the Government ( June 4th) with re- gard to bombing raids on Afghan towns and vil- lages, the bombing of towns was not denied by the Secretary of Static fM' India. He said. of course, that care was taken to attack only troops and military objectives, and the bombing was done by day, but nobody can say precisely where a bomb will fall, and the Afghans cannot even retaliate in kind, for they have no aeroplanes. (Continued at foot of next column).

I Comedy of the Tanks I FIASCO AT NEATH AND CONTRETEMPTS AT MERTHYR. I FIVE PER CENT. MEMORIALS. A grateful Government has not forgotten its fire-percenters and out of the Victory lucky bag the National War Savings Association has drawn for Merthyr a tank. And a jolly good tank, too, says Major David Davies, the M.P. who handed it over to the safe keeping and custody of the mayor, the aldermen and the burgesses of Mer- thyr on Saturday evening. The triumphal pro- cession to Cyfarthfa Park was not a triumph. True, dignity was lent to it by the landaux of minor notabilities following flag bearers at its head, and avouch of picturesqueness by the uni- forms of the "Y.T.C.'s," the hoy scouts, the nursing and the ambulance associations, whilst with blaring insistence two bands heralded its coming. But there was no tank at the tail! Like the lady in the music-hall ditty, the tank (a lady,too) had dillied and dallied and tarried on the way and, when the procession merged into the crowd awaiting at the park. there was no memento of five per cent, and redemption of Capital to present to the mayor, the aldermen and the burgesses of Merthyr. So they were given music. The hands played. They played again. And again. But the mayor, the alder- men and the burgesses of Merthyr wanted their tank. Time and again were expectant faces turned in the direction of the main entrance. So many a time did disappointment mar their countenance. More orchestration. A faint snorting. All eyes Castle-wards. Some mounted police. And the tank leisurely caterpillaring up- hill. It took position. The notabilities mounted the great engine of destruction. Major Davies was thanked very nicely on behalf of the mayor, the aldermen and the burgesses of Merthyr for the tank. Not only as a memento of fin,qn(,Itf sacrifice but as a symbol of heroic sacrifices and sufferings patiently and cheerfully made and endured by the people of Merthyr in the war, did he regard the tank. Even so. Yet much talk careered later around Merthyr's million to the money-tank, "Julian." Then the little knight, the mem ber for Merthyr. He rode high on winged words and essayed a Hit at .the Labour heretics among the Councillors of the borough. Their sin is that to them a destroying iron-clad monster cannot be envisioned as a fitting memorial to the heroism and tortures of Mer- thyr's most splendid inanho.xl in the war to end war. To end war. Hands met in applause. The mayor, the aldermen and the burgesses of Mer- thyr beamed with joy. For it was a jolly good tank. And theirs! AND THE ADMIRAL WENT HOME. The best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft aglee An' leave ii,, nought hut grid an' pain for pro- mised joy. So Burns Thus Neath on Tank Saturday. The camarilla of the municipality planned a day of joy. The wishes of the townsfolk mattered nought. Theirs only to pay the pipey. Bunting, tinsel, a banquet were in the air. And a Victory circus parade. Invitations went the rounds. But the men who fought got none. And here the Jingo show scheme went aglee. The discharged soldiers and sailors mobilised voluntarily and took up rhetorical arms to wipe out the insult. The night before the Great Day sa w a huge de- monstration of indignation. They had a tank, a dummy monster. Aloft were borne many ban- ners. Five per (ent. investors march to-mor-l low; the fighters march to-mgh,t." "A million I Dead. Have they died in vain?" "Over the top on Novem ber ] (this the date of the forth- coming Town Council elections). We did our bit—not for £ s. d." These the messages of the banners. Scathingly and roundly denounced at the subsequent meeting on the Fair Field was the camarilla by the protestants. It was a grand show. O yez! () ,(';I,! Oyez!" Next morning the luirgesses of the ancient borough were informed by street crier that the civic oircus and the great feasting were off. The band that was to gladden the Jingo heart with martial strains was sent: home. The admiral arrived to find no show and promptly steered his course back to London Town—full speed ahead. The tank? In the dark hours of the night it had been removed, unheralded and unsung, to its resting base at the Victory Gardens.

I Welsh I.L.P. Conference I MERTHYR'S N.A.C. REPRESENTATION RESOLUTION CARRIED. The annual conference of the Welsh division of the Independent La bour Party was held at Porthcaw 1, on Wliit-Monday. Mr. G. L. Jones (Swansea) presiding. The chairman and secretary of the local La- bour Party extended a hearty welcome to the de- legates, and it was gratifying to hear from their speeches of the growth of the Labour Party even in a fashionable watering place like Porth- cawl. After the appointment of the standing orders committee and tellers, a letter from Councillor Morgan Jones, now in the hands of the military at Aldershot, was read. It was an exhortation II tp continue to work wholeheartedly in the cause, and one felt how much he would have liked to have been present. A resolution of thanks and appreciation to our imprisoned comrade was unanimously passed. and his immediate release was demandea. Chairman's address was brief—but en- couraging. Progress had been made during the year; the party was in a healthy state and, with the appointment of a full-time organising secretary, it was confidently expected that mcuh more progress would be made in the future. The divisional council's report was then con- sidered, and the record of satisfactory effort was received. That Mr. John Watt, who had been divisional secretary for eight years, was retiring was noted with real regret; and, on the motion of Mr. Jolin VecTden (Cardiff) a resolution to place on record deep appreciation of his invalu- able services was received enthusiastically. Mr. Ivor Thomas (Briton Ferry) seconded in an ap- propriate speech, reminiscent and eulogistic of ITie work of Mr. Watt, and the resolution was I unanimously passed, with tlie addition that the district council be instructed to give it more tangible form by making a suitabV presentation at .1 rea l social gatKering. Mr. Ivor Thomas (the N.A.C. representative for the district) gave an informative report of the work of the N.A.C. Questions arose as to the relation of the Party to other bodies, which were answered by Mr. Thomas to the general satisfaction. Miss Pallister gave a vivacious account of her organsiing experiences, and a report on "The Merthyr Pioneer" wac ably given by the Mer- ihyr delegate. The financial statement was presented by Mr. J. E. Edmunds (CarTiff), and unanimously adopted. Mr. Kelly ('!?a'ry? explained what had been done by the sub-committee appointed to deal with the applications for this position. There wero 58 applications. After much consideration a short lise of five was produced, and from this Morgan Jones had Treen fiiiilly selected to be submitted to the conference. Mr. Ivor Thomas moved that the appointments of Councillor Mor- gan Jones be endorsed. Mr. John Veddon se- conded, and the resolution was carried unani- mously." The following were elected for the next twelve months: Chairman, Mr. Emrvs Hughes (Aber- cynon) vice-chairman. Mr. Dan Griffiths (Llanelly) treasure! Mr. J. E. Edmunds ( 'Czi! diff). Miss Pallister was elected as delegate to the Labour Party conference. YarioHs resolutions were considered, and passed—the most controversial being that of Merthyr Branch :— That this conference records its conviction that in the interests of the movement- in general it is undesirable tha~ divisional re- presentatives on the N.A.C. should bold that office for a longer period of unbroken service than three years." This was finally carried by a small majority. Mr. John Veddon endeavoured to raise severa l resolutions, the chief being one of protest against the continuance of the blockade which involved the starvation of the greater part of Europe—particularly amongst women and chil- dren, whose condition was most pitiable. This was considered the specific work of the Party: but it was obvious that the deepest sympathy existed as to the necessity of feeding the starving women and children, and it was hoped that delegates would raise the matter in their branches.

I Soviet Government I ITS PEACE TERMS TO THE ALLIES. I A Russian wireless from Moscow reports that Jsvestia (All-Riissiiii Executive Committee), has published the text of the Peace Terms which the American Government arranged was to be submitted by the Allies to all existing Russian Governments. This wireless is dated May 23rd. William Bullitt, a member the American Delegation in Paris, who visited Moscow in March, 1919, was informed by the Soviet Gov- ernment of its willingness to accept "the ap- pended terms, should they be offered' officially before April 10th. The terms demand that:— 1. An armistice be signed. I 2. A Conference be summoned to sign peace terms which permit each Government to remain in power as at present, and that all attempts to overthrow the other Governments be terminated. 3. The Allies raise the present blockade of Russia and re-establish commercial and diplo- matic relations with her. 1. All political offenders be pardoned. •"). All Governments of the former Russian Empire acknowledge their financial obligations, and that the Russian gold seized by the Czechs in Kazan and that confiscated by the Allies from Germanv be devoted to the payment of debts. 6. All ied and foreign troops be recalled from Russia and that all support of counter-Soviet Governments cease.

I Social Revolution in Wales I BOOM THE MOVEMENT, SAYS EMRYS I HUCHES. I SICNIFICANT SICNS IN THE NORTH. I have been elected chairman of the Welsh In- dependent Labour Party for the eoming year, and I am losing no time in making this appeal to you. I was chosen not because of aziv service I have rendered in the administrative and or- ganising work of the party, but because of the nofon?y I have ohtained through having been )!i pDson for thr?. years as a conscientious ob- jector. tile. "'Martyrdom," says Bernard Shaw, "is the only ? ay anyone can become famous without havn)? abHjty." Ihe next 'ear is goin? to be one of the most important ?cars in the history of the Socialist Movement of Great Britain and the world. From all countries conies the same news of discontent, tlie same news of industrial unrest, the same news of revolution, of the efforts of the organised workers to change the conditions of economic slavery in which tliev live The whole of Europe," said Maxim Gorki, "will soon be ablaze." Never was it more imperative that Socialists should stand to- gether preaching the principles that alone can pi-lii(-il)les tliit alone (?an .111,ci 1)1.ifig lll)<)Ilt a better (,Iv i lisa- I lie inevitable disillusionment that follows war is fast coming, the scales are dropping from the eyes of those who have supported the militaris- tic and imperialistic governments w ho led the peoples into war and the people are yearning for the new teaching which will save them from the tragedies of the past. ILLOYD CEORCE'S WANINC POPULARITY. In Wales as in other countries this is coming about. 'P l ie i-eie l it' 1 this 's coll i ng about, The revelations of the Coal Commission, the fight against the Income Tax, the strikes in the different valleys show that the spirit of re- volt. is very much alive in the mining districts of South Wales. Right throughout the valleys the young men who have returned from the war, those who volunteered, those who were called up under the Derby Scheme, those who were combed out, all who suffered in the great war are realising that they have been deceived, they are finding out that the promises the Government made to them will never be kept, that the peo- ple who led them into the war, who carried on the war, who can't make peace, will never make the country "fit for heores to live in." They are turning to the Labour and the Socialist movements to hear what we have to say and see what we can do. We alone can tell them what is wrong with society, we alone have a message for them. in North Wales there are signs of change, the little bands of comrades scatterel among the mountain villages are continuing with their work. Lloyd George's popularity is waning, he is not now recognised as a prophet in his own country, soon North Wales will retrieve its re- putation of having given the greatest traitor to the world. The work is going on in North Wales, there ia.poing to be a great religious revival, not an evanescent reviva ) founded on national emotion, hut a revival whose object will be to preach revolt against the landlord and the capi- talist, the Northman joining hands with the Southman, forgetting differences of speech and custom in the great movement for human eman- cipation. I UNITY. There have never been any vital differences be- tween the various sections of the Socialist move- ment in Wales when any definite issue between Revolution and Reaction came to be faced. Y\ hen conscription came we were united in standing for the wider industrial outlook against the narrower outlook of the older school of Trade "Union thought, we are united in our op- position to the Government. Difference of opinion as to the administrative machinery of the future Socialist state exist, they will be set- tled as time goes on and when the evolution of the movement brings us up against the practical problems involved. For the present we have to concentrate out attention on propaganda against the Government's home and foreign policy, against the attempts of the remnants of the old Liberal Party to sidetrack the workers with new and attractive catch-phrases, against the at- tempts of the reactionary elements in the La- bour movement to muddle things as they have done in the past. We must not dissipate our energies in mutual criticism when we have mutual ideals. Our motto must be: "In essen- tials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity." THE CREAT PUSH.,S I During the next few months we must concen- ttrate on propaganda work. Some branches act contrary to all biological law and hibernate in the summer, they say We can't get the crowd inside these fine evenings." The crowd is right, it is following the very natural instinct for the open aid in the cool of the evening. It is cri- minal to hold meetings in a stuffy, smoky hall in the summer season. If the people will not come to the meetings inside we must go outside. I know on" hram h ,dwre those who organise the meeting first get i" to an argument with the po- liceman and then the crowd soon collects. Some districts never get meetings except on May Day. If we do not change these things victory over Capitalism is not coming very soon. With Morgan Jopes and Minnie Pallister doing the organising work every district shonld be sup- plied with speakers and meetings can he ar- tanged in most of the larger villages throughout the country. Our papers—" especially the Pioneer"—must be circulated much more, and pamphlets and leaflets must he sold and distri- buted at every meeting. We must concentrate all our efforts on the organisation of propa- ganda for the Great Push" of the Social Re- volilt-ioll.

The only conclusion to be drawn in the circum- stance is, therefore, that aeroplane bombing of towns is now recognised. THE TROOPS IN ECYPT. I The troops stationed in Egypt have made a combined demand in regard to demobilisation. Mr. Heyday (Lab.) questioned Mr. Churchill on I tlw subject (House of Commons, June 3rd) and stated that 10,000 men from all units were solemnly pledged to adopt any measures neces- sary if a satisfactory reply to th?ir demands were nQt forthcoming. Mr. ChurchiU announced a concession in reply to the question put to him, !hut whether it will have tlte (,fl,e(.,t or? not is not known at present. He promised that in addition to 14,000 of the 1914 men who were despatched from E?ypt in May, a further 1'2.00<) would be despatched in June, and that of the 191.3 men 12,000 wDuM I)o despatched in June and 18,000 in Jtdy. I GRANTS FOR THE BLIND. In reply to.request for information concern- ing the policy,.of the Local Government Board with regard W'proposals put forward in aid of the blind, Mr. Pratt, on behalf of the President [ of the Board announced (House of Commons, June 4th) that the Government had decided to make grants-in-aid of certain services for the blind, to be distributed on the advice of the present advisory committee for aiding the blind.