Pioneer

Eleven Deputies Censored. I The extent of the conversion of French Social- ism to a real conviction of its mission eand I methods may to some extent be gleaned from the decision that has come out of the long deli- berations of the committee elected by the Na- tional Congress of the Party to enquire into the conduct of the eleven deputies who voted for the war credits. The new majority and the Right minority agreed to a compromise vote of censure upon the eleven, and no further action against them, but at the same time it has been decided that any Socialist deputy voting for the credits in future, or voting for the ratification of the "Peace" Treaty shall by the act cease to be a member of the Party. The extreme Left wing refused to accept this decision and moved the expulsion of the eleven deputies, but Con- gress took the milder course recommended by the committee and instructed the Executive to enforce it by a vote of 1,427 against 490—the latter number cast, of course, for the extreme Left motion. There were also two abstentions. M. Albert Thomas, who had previously an- neunced his intention of voting for the ratifica- tion of the Peace Treaty, accepted the decision of the Party. That, of course, does not indicate whether M. Thomas will refrain from voting and continue membership of the Party, or will follow his previously expressed intention of voting for the ratification, and automatically expel himself from the Party.

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The Dowlais Distress. DOWLAIS is in truth to-day a city of the damned. The remorselessness with which the steel-owners have conducted their fight against the demands of the skilled steel-producers for three months and more, and the constant consequent break- down of employment among the subsidiary workers, although failing to break the spirit or determination of the men, is coming perilously near to breaking their hearts, and undermining the health of themselves and their loved ones. As to the ultimate solution that will alone re- move from despotic and irresponsible hands this terrible power of sowing broadcast misery and debt and a heritage of impoverished health, we have before expressed ourselves—nothing .short of socialisation can eliminate these episodes from our civilisation. The question at the moment is not one of ultimate solutions, however, but one of organisation of all the forces available for the alleviation of the distress that is so manifestly observable on every hand in the steel-town of Dowlais. With the passing of the weeks the circle oi misery is bound to spread ever wider and wider, and even if the present strike was concluded, the notices served on the remaining workers in the works to cease contracts this week-end and join the great army of our local unemployed, withdrawn and work resumed at the earliest moment, there would still be a period of abject poverty ahead of DoAN-lais i period that cannot be bridged, before the end of year brings out the unskilled workers whose notices to terminate their agreements under the Sliding Scale ii-ill work out towards the end of the year. Every indication is one of vicious class warfare waged mercilessly—and the conse- quence cannot but be disquieting to everyone touched with the least spark of humanity. Al- ready we understand that some small, disorgan- ised agencies have been at work seeking to col- lect sums for distribution amongst the most dis- tressed cases. That is good so far as it goes, though we sincerely legret to learn that in many cases donations have been made conditional upon an undertaking that no part of the particular donations shall go to the I elief of the family of a striker. But it does not go far enough. Face to face with an ocean of poverty, sporadic charity effort takes on the aspect of ladling an ocean with bucket, The ne«d is for a respon- sible centralised effort, with properly organised channels of appeal, and a complete machine of distribution. The task we believe is in process of consummation. A Central Committee of the unions chiefly affected, and co-related organisa- tions is being mooted amongst the men. That way alone lies promise of effectively dealing with the problem, until such time as the neces- sary powers may have been obtained to open re- lief works for the men. The need is urgent, and the Committee should be drafted at once, and duly authorised appeals directed to the organised workers of the whole locality through those or- ganisations. The two miners districts imme- diately contiguous are prepared to get to work, we understand, at once; .and unquestionably the railwaymen and lesser industries of the town will levy themselves once tlie machinery is run- ning, and the appeal properly addressed to them by the steel trades unions. The churches, too, are doing what little they can to assist. But it is through the unions that the field can be best surveyed, the forces organised and the work most effectively done. We trust that the Com- mittee will materialise quickly, and that the workers of the whole South Wales area will be aroused to a consciousness that the steelworkers of Dowlais are part and parcel of the great working-cla-sis movement, and that by their stub- born resistance to the vested interests of conso- lidated Capital in this fight, they are waging the war of the whole working class. j

German Independents and Bolsheviks The Independent Socialists of Germany have taken an important step in an endeavour to pro- mote the unity of the International Socialist Movement. A communication from the central committee of the Party was read at the French Socialist Party Congress proposing that an at- tempt should be made to bring the revolutionary Socialist Parties of all countries together with a view to uniting them for effective joint action. This proposal was formulated by the executive of the Independents after discussion upon the decisions of the Lucerne Conference, and its manifesto appeals to the French Socialists to support them in the endeavour. The Indepen- dents expressed approval of the statement made by M. Longuet in an article published in the Independents' journal, "Freiheit": "If our friends in Italy, Switzerland, and especially in Russia, will renounce their unfruitful and un- healthy isolation and take their place once more before us that would suffice to reconstitute the International on a solid revolutionary basis." The Independents' manifesto points out that it is extremely necessary to make a further at- tempt to obtain full information regarding the situation in Russia, and the Third International of Moscow. Personal contact with Russian Socialists belonging to the Third International appears to be indispensable. If it is impossible to obtain passports for Russia, the Independents declare that an effort must be made to arrange for a meeting in a neutral country with in- fluential Russian comrades who count in the Government of the Soviets. It is proposed that France, England, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Hungary, and Switzerland should each appoint one or two delegates to meet in some place to be decided upon later—Switzerland, Holland, or Sweden—with a, view to conversations: the rest depends, they say, upon the result of these con- versations. They ask the French Socialists to state whether they consent to this proposal and were disposed to co-operate in carrying it out, and also to make other proposals they may think advisable for bringing about a rapproche- ment of the revolutionary forces of all coun- tries. The manifesto is signed by Crespien, President of the Independents' Party. Longuet proposed tltat the proposal should be referred to the Party's Executive for examina- tion on execution, pointing out, amid cheers, that it was intended to realise the unity of the international working classes. Renaudel de- clared that he was not opposed to this method of procedure, but asked the Congress not to forget the resolution passed at Berne, and con- firmed at Egernej to send a commission of ig-

A Socialist Dolly's Dialogues (WITH APOLOGIES TO ANTHONY HOPE.) By KATHARINE BRUCE CLASIER. "You will never stick it!" Dolly looked up from her favourite seat-,i cushion on the corner of a raised tile hearth. The tiles were full of soft green-blue lights* and made exactly the right back-ground for a fair, curly head. I don't want to stick, i hate sticky people. I mean to hold on hard for three months. Then I hope they will he holding hard on to ine." M inna was a real chum, true and wise enough to refrain from argument when she saw that Dolly had made up her mind. Is it a big house? she asked. It is an abominable house. It ought to be called Such-a-getting-up-stairs! There is a basement kitchen and a scullery and a wrong pantry all in the wrong places, and a stupid hideous off-set called a house-maid's parlour Iw- low the front-door steps. On the first lfoor there is a dining-room, a drawling-room, as Carpenter would call it and what the poor old be-starelied Professor calls his den. It is the only comfort- able room in the house. Two bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor, two dingy attics and a box-room on the third, idiotic dnrk pas- sages and awkward corners everywhere, wasting space. The house has nothing to redeem it but the sky and the plane trees outside the window. And you are going to undertake the whole work of it r M inna's eyebrows were rising in spite of herself. "I am coaxing my dear old Xurse Jenkins to come down and char with me every Friday. She has helped me run this flat while I have been putting in three wretched years as a typist ac- countant, and getting paler and thinner and crankier every month of it. Now I tell her I am going to take a turn as a muscular Christian, put on flesh, and perhaps even a fresh com- plexion, and try every one of my pet theories in —well—in a kitchen! Mi una shrugged. I guess* you'll be trying your temper first. But what special theories do you mean ? That all really useful work can be done in a way that there Is no need for a servile class at all that the whole hideous business of dirty work can and ought to be banished, not only from the homes but from the whole life of the people," cried Dolly, her words coming in a spate. "Those just to begin with." But isn't your present work useful ? Not an hour of it' Every bit of it would disappear under a sanely organised system. Any- how, I am sure no guild of craftsmen would ever ask Messrs. Hallow and Hopkins to come within a mile of them. You should hoar their painter men talk of them—or, rather, you shouldn't. The reddest of my The Ragged Trousered Phil- anthropists was mild as mild compared with my Mr. Bilson." Why is he yours? asked Minna, whose dis- approval was getting the better of her usual good temper. Because I appreciate hiin," said Dolly, sweetly. But now do ask me to describe my new master and mistress." "1 thought you said they were your relations —Uncle and Aunt." So they are, in some dim and distant, se- cond marriage, twice removed kind of fashion. But I have made it quite clear that I prefer good- sound business relations any day to wpnk not to say unhealthy ones. No, I don't want to be nasty only honest. When I called, Uncle, who is as lean and limp as a taper in a. hot August, fit the best of times, was down in the coal cellar trying to fill a bucket, and there were actual tears in his poor old eyes. Aunt has neuritis as a permanent wall of defence against any pos- sible or impossible calls upon her frail refinement for physical exertion, and they have been sub- sisting for months on tea and toast and forlorn adventures among restaurants, none of which can be reached without a dreary half-hour's tram-ride. Uncle has solemnly assured me that he is a Liberal to whom even war-time collecti- visms are as grit between his teeth. Aunt warns me that she cannot possibly explain 'our blood relationship to any of her respectable friends, but that if 1 can really light ifres and cook an eatable dinner she won't even inquire what I do with my seven evenings out a week. They have given their only son to their king and country, and can't be held responsible for their lady help's deserving to be in prison as a Conscien- tious Objector. She nearly gasped with relief when T reminded her that at least I should be doing work of National Importance." -x- Are you going to give up your flat ? not at any rate for the three months during which I am doing the holding on. f have sublet part of it furnished quite profitably, and I shall stay till- Till you have hypnotised your master and mistress into being your devoted subjects, I sup- pose," said Minna. Till J have socialised them, I hope," laughed Dolly. Anyhow, till I have found out whether Socialist theories will work." (To be continued).

Irishmen in Cardifj. The United Irish Leaguers of South Wales at their meeting in Cardiff on Sunday will be asked to resolve "That this great demonstration as- sembled in the Capital of the Prime Minister's own country demands from him and the British Parliament the immediate fulfilment of their pledges to establish an Irish Parliament with the principles of political liberty for which the war was fought and thousands of Irishmen sacri- ficed. That we protest against the brutal methods adopted in Ireland apparently with the object of goading the Irish people into rebellion, so that the party of reaction and Carsonism may triumph." The motion will be moved by Mr. John Valen- tine (Executive Council of the U.I.L.), seconded by Mr. A. Marsh (Cardiff) and supported by Mr. Develin.

A War Office Lie ? With reference to the communique recently issued by the War Office in which it was stated that, after the sanguinary conflict in Kiev be- tween the Armies of Generals Petloura and Denikin, a satisfactory arrangement was come to for the avoidance of mutual hostilities and the continued prosecution of operations against the Bolsheviks, it is understood that no confirma- tion of any such arrangement has been received in Ukrainian official quarters in London, and, further, that opinion dn these quarters, based on previous information, is that no such arrange- ment is possible unless the independence of the Ukrainian Republic is acknowledged by General Den,ikin. [From the Ukraine," the organ of the

Evading The Rents Acts. I I HOW LANDLORDS ARE BEHAVINC. I I WITH ADVICE TO THE TENANTS. I I BY W. HARRIS I I (Miners' Political Organiser, Pontllanfraith). I As I find that there is a general movement on in South Wa les among house owners to evade their obligations under the various Rents Re' striction Acts, perhaps you will allow me space to draw the attention of tenants to some of the metlnxls that are being adopted in these at- tempts at evasion on the part of the house- owners. I nder the provisions of the principle act (Rents Restrictions Act, 1915) landlords are entitled to increase the rent over and above the standard rent, in the event of the rates exceed- ing the rates paid for a period which included August t hl> anI, 1914. In most districts, es- pecially in the industrial portion of South Wales the rates levied for the present six months, April 1st to September 30th, are in excess of the rate> paid for the same period in 1914, but before the landlord can increase the rent on Cottage property because of this increase of rates, lie is under an obligation first to serve four weeks' notice upon the tenant of his inten- tion to raise the rent on this account, and se- condly, he must serve upon the tenant a state- ment showing the particulars of the increased rates and increased rateable value, if any. In a large number of instances I find that land- lords are taking advantage of this Clause to in- crease rent without fulfilling the obligations placed upon them by the Act, of giving four weeks' notice and supplying the particulars mentioned in the Act. I want to emphasise that this omission is distinctly a violation of the tprm, of the Act. and every tenant is justified in refusing to pay increased rent in every case where the landlord has failed to carry out these conditions. In some cases landlords are attempt- ing to increase the rent by an amount, which in the aggi egate is greater than the amount by I which the rates have been increased. I want to emphasise that the landlord is not entitled to benefit one penny piece through an increase of rates, and a tenant who is called upon to pay an increased rent in excess of the amount by which the rates have been increased is justified in re- fusing to pay any such increase. But the most important point that T want to draw attention to is the method adopted by which a large num- ber of owners in claiming the right to increase the rent for a period for which no notice has been given. For instance, in a number of cases brought to my notice, landlords have omitted to give notice to their tenants until June, July or August, but who in making a demand on the tenant, are demanding an increase of rent to cover the period from the first of April. This they are not entitled to do. THE COVERNINC CASE. I The method to be adopted is set forth bv a de- cision of ilr. Justice Pickford in the Court of Appeal in the case of Sutton and Sons v. Hol- lerton, which judgment was given on the 26th day of June, 1918. Mr. Justice Pickford has laid it down definitely that the method to be adopted is to divide the amount of increase of rates by the number of weeks in the rating period and the landlord is only entitled to claim the weekly proportion of such increase of rates to the end of the rating period from the date on which the 28 days' notice given to the tenant ex- pires. Thus assuming that the increase of rates for the six months amounts to 26/ this for the six months, which is 26 weeks, would amount to 11- per week. Assuming the landlord does not give notice to the tenant of his intention to increase the rent until the 1st of July, the land- lord's right to increase rent does not commence until the 2^th day of July, and then he would be limited in his right to increase the rent by ] 1- per week from the 28tli of July to the 30tli of September, and he has no right to claim the 1- per week from the 1st of April to the 28th of July. I have taken steps to enforce the tenants rights in this direction in quite a num- ber of cases in Monmouthshire, and one large Colliery Company have already had to refund hifndreds of pounds to their tenants that were illegally deducted under the method above men- tioned, and proper notices have had to be served upon the tenants in accordance with the decision given by Mr. Justice Pickford, and the increased rent can only be charged from the expiry of the amended notice given to the tenants. AN ILLECAL PAYMENT. Another point I should like to emphasise is that under the provisions of the Rents Acts of 1919 landlords will be entitled to increase the rent by 10 per cent, in six months from the date of the ratification of the Peace Terms. I have had a large number of cases brought to my no- tice where the landlords are attempting to en- force that 10 per cent. increase now. This they are clearly not entitled to do, and any tenant who is being asked to pay the 10 per cent, in- crease at the present time is being asked to make an illegal payment. Another feature to be remembered in connection with this 10 per cent, increase is that when it becomes operative it will only apply so far as the standard rent is concerned, and will not apply to the gross ren? he<n payable if included in this gross rent then!" is an amount of increase on account of increase of rates. For instance, assuming that the standard rent—that is, the rent of August 3rd, 1914—be 6 per week, and 1/- per week has been added on account of increased rates, when the 10 per cent, becomes applicable, the 10 per cent. will apply to the 6/- per week standard rent and not to the 7/- per week, the rent now paid, as it should be explained that the extra 1/- per week or any like amount that has been added to the standard rent on account of in- crease of rates must be taken off should the rates come down to the amount they were on August 3rd. 1914. Another point to be remembered in connection with this 10 per cent, is that the land- lord is only entitled to recover the 10 per cent. after lie has given an opportunity to the tenant to obtain a certificate from the Sanitary Author- ity, certifying that the house is in a reasonable state of repairs and fit for human habitation, and the landlord must acquaint the tenant of his right to apply to the Sanitary Authority for such a certificate, likewise the landlord on being asked by the tenant to state the standard rent of his house, must give a certificate to the tenant certifying the amount of standard rent —that is the rent of August 3rd, 1914. Should lie fail to grant the tenant these particulars or if lie makes a false declaration with regard to these particulars, he is liable to a penalty of not exceeding £ 10 on conviction. Should any tenants feel aggrieved with regard to any of these matters appertaining to their rent, I would suggest that they immediately get into touch with the Secretary of the Trades and La- bour Councils in their area, in order to have the matter attended to, as the landlord class are acting together in these matters and it is essen- tial that the tenants should combine as well in order to defend their interests and to have the full advantage _thuri9:tls_Acts of Parliament

1 ■ Film. I The "Bolshevik" FHm. I The so-called "Anti-Bolshevik" film" Bol- shevism is having a chequered career. Before its issue it had caused trouble amongst the dis- charged men, numbers of whom took strong ex- ception to the association of their organisation, or its officials, with such a flagrant piece of poli- tical propaganda. On the rounds it is proving no happier, resentment marking its projection on the screen, and in some cases ferment rising to fisticuffs and rowdyism has resulted. Its ap- pearance at the Clapliam Majestic picture-house last week when a mob of 200 or 300 persons rushed to the theatre to raid the screen," whatever that may mean. Fortunately, there was no secret about the attempt, and it was met by a strong force of police, assisted by a few discharged men, and the war was confined to the outside of the hall, where sticks and stones cracked heads on both sides. Inside the hall, while the picture was flickering through the lantern a member of the audience protested

ACKNOWLEDGMENT. HARRIS.—Mrs. Harris and Family, of 6 King Hd?ard Villas, desire 10 thank numerous friends for their kindness, a.Iso for flowers, and letters of condolence in their sad be- reavement.