Pioneer

The Passing of the Tramp. I FIFTY THOUSAND LESS IN I SOUTH WALES. In the "Referee," Dagonet," writing in "Mustard and Cress." says: Another interesting revelation. Popped away casually in the corner of a great daily paper I came upon the statement that since the out- break of the war the tramps in Glamorganshire and the neighbour- ing parts of Wales ha.ve decreased by 50,000. In certain districts of South Wales, notably in Tredegar, the tramp question was a burning one. Upon Tredegar, the centre of the poor law district for Ebbw Vale, Tredegar, Blaina and Nantyglo. tramps to the number of 500 would descend nightly, filling the work- houses and overflowing into lodging houses which were paid by the Bo- rough Council to take them in.. A VasT. number of tramps descended into this district day after day the whole year through, and I can say from pergonal investigation that the condition of things resulting was the last word in 1 oaths omen ess and horror. And now we are told that the war has disposed of 50,000 tramps in the tramp-haunted areas of Glamorganshire. What has happened? The tramp, from what I have seen of him, was not likely to attract the recruiting officers. Probably the shortage of labour has enabled him to get more or less permanent employment. Here is another matter upon which precise information would be inte- resting. What has happened to those 50,000 tramps?

I Born in Merthyr." I NEATH RIOTERS' MISTAKE I "The idea that Mr. Koos, against whom the demonstration was made, was a German. was erroneous, as he was born in Merthyr," said Mr. Lewis M. Thomas, the prosecuting solicitor in the case heard at Aber- avon on Tuesday, when Hy. White- head (labourer), Wm. Thomas (labour- er), Aberavon, and Wm. Rees were charged with riotous behaviour in connection with Anti-German riots at Aberavon on May 17. The charge was reduced to one of throwing stones to the danger of the public." Rees was fined 40/ and the other defend- ants 10/- each.

WORKERS! SUPPORT YOUR OWN I PAPER.

Welsh Lightweight Championship. MERTHYR MAN'S VICTORY A 20 3-minute round boxing con- test took place between Driver Joe Johns, Merthyr, and Arthur Evans, Tirphil, for a purse of L50 and a £10 silver cup, the loser to receive a L5 silver cup, took place at the Cardiff Military Tournament held at the Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday, the light-weight championship of Wales also being involved. The contest aroused a great deal of interest, and proved an excellent one throughout. Evans was the more ag- gressive boxer, but John's defence was splendid and in this way he scored very valuable points. Evans was often wild with his leads, and his blows went too high. Johns was, however, cool and determined, and had the better of his opponent when at close quarters. Still Evans might have won. for in the 17th round he got in a stinging blow with his right, but before he could administer a knock-out" the gong rang, and Johns went safely to his corner. The Merthyr man quickly recovered, and adding to his points in the three suc- ceeding rounds, was deservedly de- clared th winner.

Mayor's Serbian Fund. PRIVATE LIST. Private list: Mrs. Harrap, Gwaun. farren. 63s. Church collections: Aberfan, per Mrs. B. Thomas Aberfan Method- ist Church, 11/6; Church of Christ, 25s. Merthyr—Market Square Church 68/1; Per Mrs. Biddle-Dr. Ernest Ward, 42s; Mr. Rees Harpur, Oefrs, ios-total 52s. Bethlehem Baptist Church, Pantywain, per Mr. Robert Smith, 10s. Bethel Baptist Church, Ynysfelin. 25/2!-139s 91d. Cefn: Proceeds of tea st Oefn on May 10. organised by Mrs. Leigh ton Earle and Miss Margt. Morgan, 331a 8d. Total already collected, 9,256 3id. Conttributions in Kind. Purchased with 30 per eent. return- ed to Secretary of the Committee: — 1 case of condensed milk; 1 case Prim- roSe soap; 2 tins biscuits; 1 box con- taining cocoa and chocolate, 7 jars of meat extract. Abercanaid and Pentrebach (per Mrs.. N. F. Hankey and Mrs. W. W. Green): Contributions in kind pur- chased with 30 per cent. returned, and made by the women of Pentre- bach and Abercanaid: -12 sheets 12 pillows; 12 pillow slips; 4 shirts; 9 pviama suits 12 dusters; 12 body belts: 6 vests and 6 pants. Oyfarlhfa Ward.—Appended is a list of the collectors in the above ward, whose names were inadverently admitted last week: —Mrs. Morgan Evans. Mrs Oates, Mrs. Roberts, Mrs. Reynolds, Mrs. Dando, Mrs. Thackeray. Miss Thackeray. Mrs. Wilfrid Dando. Sister Hopewell, Mrs. W. Thomas. Mrs. Rees Evans, Miss Jenkins. Miss M. Hier. Miss Nancy Thomas, Mrs George Thomas, Mrs. Samuel, Mrs. loan Davies, M. and Master Stonier. Miss Edith Davies. Miss Violet Davies (Vicarage). Will ladies please remember the Central Committee meeting, which takes place this (Friday) evening, at 7 o'clock.

Read WAR NOTES on Page 3. Interesting and Informative.

Read WAR NOTES on Pac. IS. Interesting and Informative.

OUR 10000 SHILLING FUND. HELP "THE PIONEER." THE PAPER WHICH HAS HELPED YOU. SUPPLY US WITH THE AMMUNITION. AND INSURE YOUR OWN INTERESTS. We believe there must be thousands of workers in South Wales willing and anxious to help the "Pioneer," but who are not able to take up £1 shares, and to enable those workers to gratify their desire to help, the Management Committee have decided to open a 10,000 Shilling Fund, all receipts to be published weekly through the col- umns of our paper. The Pioneer" has rendered valu- able service to the working class movement, and we are quite sure this appeal for 10,000 Shillings to ex- pand its influence will meet with a hearty response. There is no need for us to to point out the absolute necessity of Labour owning and controlling a press of its own. The workers know that to fur- ther their cause it has been necessary to couple political with industrial ef- fort, and keenly alive as they are to the necessity of representation on mu- nicipal and national bodies, they must see how essential it is to their inte- rests that a newspaper, dedicated to the Labour cause, should be firmly en- trenched on a sound financial basis. To accomplish this, the Labour Pioneer Press, Ltd., was started, and although the £1 Shares have been taken up to a very gratifying extent, more money is urgently needed to carry on the good fight. All Trades Unionists should see that their Unions make an investment, as Trade Unions have the legal right to invest their funds in a trading concern providing their rules give them autho- rity to do so. Meanwhile we want 2500 to ex- pand the circle of our influence, to meet obligations, and leave a margin for future development. Every single shilling given to this fund, or every JE1 invested as a Share, is money well spent on the part of the workers. Why is it? Because the truce at present ex- isting between capitalist and worker is only for the duration of the war. When this horrible war is over, the same conditions will be again revert- ed to, and the worker will find the fight for better conditions probably more intensified than ever. In the days to come Laobur will feel the need for a press more than ever it did. It therefore behoves all our readers to do all possible to bring this appeal to a successful issue. We suggest that Trades Unions, I.L.P., and S.D.P. branches, and Co- operative Societies should take up subscription lists and canvass their members. To help strengthen the "Pioneer" and to add to its expansion is one of the methods you can use to help your own cause, and thereby benefit your- selves individually. Help yourself by helping the Pioneer." HENRY EVANS, Chairman. MATT LEWIS, Vice-Chairman. HARRY MORRIS, Secretary. JOHN BARR, Treasurer.

Appeal to the Public. I "SHOP EARLY." I The Distribution Trades Committee issues the following "Appeal to the Shopping Publio" from the Home Of- fice: "As the Prime Minister stated in his recent speech at the Westminster Palace Hotel, the distributing trades have already contributed a very large number of men to the national ser- vices, and it is hoped that still larger numbers will be forthcoming in the near future in response to the fur- ther appeal of the military authori- ties. It is no easy matter for employ- ers to replace their enlisted assistants and it is, therefore, clearly unreason- able to expect the same efficiency and promptitude in serving cutomers as before the war. We appeal to the shopping public to co-operate with the employers and their assistants in the patriotic endeavours they are making by complying with the follow- ing Ruggestions: Shop as early as possible in the day. Do not expect immediate service during busy hours. Carry home small purchases. Where goods cannot conveniently be taken home, give option of de- livery on the following day. Send orders in writing where practicable and as long as possible in advance. The publio have shown themselves very willing to make those sacrifices of personal convenience which are incumbent on every citizen at this time of national crisis, and we are confident our appeal will meet with a cheerful response.

Merthyr Mayor's Ambu- lance Car Fund. Since the last list of subscriptions, the Mayor has received the following donations, viz.: — Proceeds of concert by the Trehar- ris Boys' and Woodlands Schools, 930 Proceeds of whist drive and dance by the Abercanaid and Pentrebach Schools, £ 21 4s. Girls of the Inter- mediate School, Merthyr, per Miss Gornall, JE5; Messrs. D. Williams & Co., Taff Vale Brewery, Merthyr, £ 3 3s. ■ Management Staff, Foremen and Chargemen of the Ivor Works per Mr. W. R.Jones, £ 2 14s.; Coun. Marsh, Merthyr Vale, £ 1 Is.; Mr. R. A. Griffith, Stipendiary Magistrate, Mer- thyr, zCl Is.; Coun. E. Edwards, Qua ker's Yai-d, tl Is.; MeSsrs. A. Buchan and Co., The Brewery, Rhymney, JE1 Is.; Ald. W Lewis, Treharris, 1/6; Miss J. E. Edwards, Troedybryn. Merthyr, 10/ Mr. Harris HimeJ- stein, 6 The Avenue, Merthyr, 7/6; Mr. T. Griffiths, Bristol House, Llan- saint, near Kidwelly, 5/ Mrs. J. Williams, grocer, 4 Upper Union St., Dowlais. 2/6; Mr. T. Lewis, The Lodge, Dowlais House, Dowlais, 2/ Total subscriptions to date, P-211 2s. Id. JOHN DAVIES, Mayor. I May 27, 1915.

The estimated population of the world is 1,623,000,000. The warring empires ond nations comprise 962,000,000.

American Socialists & Armaments. By May Wood-Simons. The question of what attitude the Socailist Party of the United States shall take on armaments is now fairly before us. The efforts of the Arma- ment Trust to increase the military strength of this country and the ne- cessity for the party to state its po- sition on the attitude it wishes this government to take when peace nego- tiations come have forced the ques- tion to the front. The peace programme formulated by the Peace Committee of the party is in the hands of every party mem- ber. As a member of that committee I voted against the position taken by the majority of the committee on the question of disarmament. There is, I believe, but one posi- tion the party can take on armament. We should stand for complete disar- mament without qualification. The first part of the programme re- lating to disarmament says: — (1) National disarmament shall be effected immediately upon the adop- tion of the peace programme by a sufficient number of nations, or nations of sufficent power so that the international police force de- veloped by the terms of the prog- ramme shall be adequate to insure the protection of the disarmed. (2) No increase in existing armar ment under any circumstances. Of this statement one can say, as a prominent professor of geology used to say to his class, "Perfectly gene- ral, perfectly meaningless, and per- fectly absurd." Lay aside the poor logic involved I in the statement and read this of i RoaEh in the "Tndep"\d('Ylt" My proposal is that the efficient civilised nations—those that are effi- cient in war as well as in peace shall join in a world league for the peace of righteousness. they shall also agree to act with the com- bined military strength of all of them against any recalcitrant nation." In other words. Roosevelt's proposal as to a league of nations, with a pooled military force is parallel with that of the proposed Socialist prog- ramme. Take the second demand for no increase of existing armaments in what is that an advance on the po- sition of the Czar of Russia when he called the Peace Conference at The Hague ? The Socialist who takes the position that Socialists must hold themselves ready to fight a war of defence must recall that every nation now at war in Europe is to its own mind fighting a war of defence. Have they not been told so by their respective governing bodies? What is the definition of a war of defence? Even Bebel found it difficult to bay just what should be considered a war of defence. If it needed anything to make plain the twaddle that this talk of a war of offence and defence can give rise to among Socialists the present war fur- nishes it, in which every nation is crying, "The blame is yours." Just here let the Socialist take note of the fact that the French Yel- low Book. the official statement of the .French Government, holds that one of the principal causes of the present war is the fear which the rul- ing class of Prussia has of the growing strength of democracy as represented by the Socialists, and there is little doubt that war that could weaken and disorganise this power of labour that menaced class rule within their own boundaries was welcome. Every country of Europe fears the strength of the Socialist movement m its own territory. The London "Times" states of England's ally Russia that the war has saved Russia from the revolt of the workers that was threatening. The Socialist, then, who votes for any armament at all will find himself before long marching with this same armament in a so-called war of defence which is. in fact, largely a war to destroy the working class movement feared more than any outside enemy by the reactionary governments. It is argued by others in defence of the peace programme as formulated that we should lose the support of many if we took a straight stand for disarmament, and that we must there fore be practical. That is a good ques- tion for the politician to raise. I doubt its truth, but whether true or not. it is not the attitude that the Socialist party can take on a great question that involves the deepest principles of the party. The Socialists of Europe have tem- porised with this matter for years. What has been the practical result ? No bloodier war in history waa ever fought than the one fought to-day and perhaps none in which more hat- red is being evolved. Again, it is argued in defence of this programme that the Socialists cannot stand for seeing this nation disarm when the rest of the great powers are armed to the tootn. that must at least stand for its remaining armed until the other powers are disarmed or have agreed to disarm. Again, no. Either we must stand for complete disarmament or we must go the whole road with the Chicago Tribune and the Armament Trust and wish the nation armed to the limit in the most up-to-date war fashion. A little armament with modern warfare will do no good. It will only be Useless in the face of better equipped nations. If it is defence through war that the Socialists believe in, let them say without quibble and stand for the preparation of the nation accordingly. But I do not believe that this is what the American Socialist move- ment stands for. I do not believe that it wishes to be oommitted to any sueh position. There is no half way measure we must take up a position against all armament. Certainly we should have learned something from the five months' war in Europe. The thing we should have learned, it seems to me, is that the Socialist Party of this country must now take as its motto—" Not one dol- lar for armament; not one man for war purposes." — From the "New York Call."

Dowlais Minister's Plucky Act. DROWNING BOY RESCUED. | Whilst a small picnic party from the GwernHwyn Sunday School, Dow- lais, were enjoying themselves at Crickhoweli on Whit-Monday, a cry for help was heard from the adjacent river. On rushing to the spot it was found that a young boy was strug- gling in the deep water. Without waiting to divest himself of his cloth- ing. the Rev. D. Admas. B.A., jumped into the water and rescued the boy. who revived after being treated on the bank. The boy, who owes his life to the plucky act of the rev. gentle- man, is the 6-year old son of Mr. J. Wilks, motor and general dealer, of Crickhoweli.