Pioneer

Merthyr's Response. S ATTESTATIONS LESS THAN A THIRD OF THE ELIGIBLES. No specfiic figures of the result of the canvas Tinder Lord Derby's scheme in the Merthyr Bo- roughs are available, but we are &ble to state that olit of the whole number called upon, a little less than one third have attested, and of that number less than 50 per cent. were mar- ried men said the Western Mail" last Friday. Of those who have attested m the first tour groups, 90 have made claims for exemp- tIOn, and these have already been considered  sifted by the advisory committee, and will £hortly be dealt with by the tribunals.

PLEASE MENTION THE PIONEER WHEN ANSWERING ADVERTS. ■

Are Our Extradition Laws to be I "Reformed?" (To the Editor of the PIONEER.) I Dear Sir,—The following passage appears in The Railway .Review of August 20, 1915:- — Transport workers can form no Trade Unions in Russia. The British Unions protes- ted loudly in 1913, when Adamovitch and some other prominent workers of the non- permitted Russian Seamen's Union were ar- rested in Egypt and delivered to Russia. But the protests were of no use. After 18 months' imprisonment awaiting trial, Adamovitdi and his comrades, 67 in all, were tried in Odessa, One was condemned to 10 years' Katroga (he had been in deportation previously, and had fled), two to four years' Katroga each, 15 to lifelong deportation, others to minor punish- ments, 11 were acquitted. And thus it hap- pens that the best workers of the Russian Seamen's Union are now in Katorga, or de- portation. And their British comrades shall not forget them, nor their other fellow-work- ers and fellow-sufferers. The war has made the conditions in Russia worse still than before. Martial law reigns, military authorities and military courts are raging. Most of the Trade Unions and Trade Unions' papers that existed in 1914 were suppressed. In the working-class dist- ricts wholesale arrests occur constantly. The prisons are more full than ever. Previously, the Trade Union workers were often senten- ced to deportation; now they are sentenced even to Katorga. The article, written by Mr. George Tehitch- eirine, Hon. Secretary of The Russian Politi- cal Prisoners' and Exiles' Relief Committee in London," and re-printed as an official leaflet for the Committee, has been widely distributed among branches of various Trade Unions. I should be grateful if you would kindly al- low me to state in your columns my reasons for wishing to draw the attention of Trade Un- ionists to the above passage. For some years past, I have had points of contact with the Russian Labour Movement, and during the past seven months, I have given much time and thought to the still closer study of the movement, from which my work as as- sistant secretary of the above Committee has given me many special opportunities. Those months have been an anxious time, with experiences of disquieting character, and I have frequently wondered whether in the over- whelming reaction, which one feels is now clos- ing in upon us, we shall be called upon to sub- mit to such a reform of our extradition laws, as will serioifsly interfere with the right of asylum which Russian political refugees have hitherto enjoyed in Britain. That such fears are not groundless, the following facts will show: In the early part of the war, after the fall of Antwerp, the headquarters of the Russian Seamen's V, iiio-n were removed from that city to London. The Secretary is Mr. D. Anitchkine, who in 1913 was a delegate to the International rransjuirt Workers' Conference m London. On Monday, December 20 last, three police raids were made simultaneously on the lodgings of M. G. Tcliitcheinne, on the offices of the Seamen's Union, and on the residence of its Secretary. From all three places papers were taken away, and from the Union Offices official papers were taken, including the names of people resi- dent in Russia" who were either members of or sympathisers with the Union—and above, be it noted, we read the significant words: -"Trans- port workers can form no Trade Union in Russia." Further, in the article in the "Railway Re- view of August 28, and in articles from the same pen in other Trade Union journals, and also from Russian newspapers, even during re- cent months, we learn of sentences to hard la- hour prisons, and to exile in remote Siberia, which have followed efforts on the part of Rus- sian workers to form Trade Unions. iNone of those papers have yet been returned'. The police are still keeping guard, especially, over the movements and residence of Mr. Anitchkine, to whom the police stated that he wofld be free until the holidays are over. One' wonders what the next step will be. Very respectfully I submit that the credit of. I hc, British Trade Union movement demands, that the British Authorities should, in the name of the Trade Union movement as a whole, be requested to furnish a reason for this a.t- tention on the part of the police to those two; Russian resident in Britain one a Secretary] of a Trade Union, purely industrial in its aims and constitutions, and taking no part whatever m political activities—the other a man who i& well known to the Labour Movements in various countries, as one leaving behind him a recor a of years of devoted service to the Russian Lab-< our Movement. Further, the workers of Russia, who, in face* of terrible odds, are struggling to build up a Labour movement in that country, ought to be able to feel that the organised workers of Bri- tain have so much of the class solidarity that thev will not allow the names of Russian sub- jects who are. members of or sympathisers with' a Union which is prohibited in Russia, to fall into the hands of the police controlled either by Tsarism or British Capitalism. One serious nature of the raid is that among Mr. Tchitchemne's papers which are now in the possession of the police, are lists of names, of Russian exiles in England, most of them, very poor, who have been collecting halfpennies' and pennies among their equally poor Russian fnends in England on behalf of the funds of, Mr. 1 chitoheinrie's Committee. In spite of what 1 have learnt of the tyranny of the Russian Government towards workers in the Labour, Movement, I wondered whether it was in a FREE country that I heard a highly educated, though very poor Russian woman bewail her stupidity and lack of foresight, in that she had collected for the funds in her married name— For," said she sadly, neither my husband, nor I can now return to Russia, seeing that my name is known to the authorities as that of one who has worked for this Committee." I commend this matter to the careful atten- tion of the South Wales Miners. I Be,bBl ■„ M. BRIDGES-ADAMS. Be, b?I House.

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A Reply to the Anarchists. I SPANISH REPLY TO "FAILURE OF I PARLIAMENTARY SOCIALISM." ANARCHY A METAPHYSICAL ABSTRAC-I TION. The following article, written by a member of the Grupo Solialista Espanol, Dowlais, is confessedly an answer to our article on the Failure of Parliamentary Socialism," written for us a fortnight ago by Senor Frank Torrez. My task, as in that article, has been merely that of a sub-editor, and while I may have had to tone down some of the harsh expressions many will have to stand. It is difficult here in England to understand the Spanish view point in politics. Without our long evolving democratic Govern- ment, which as constitutional authorities agree is practically indigimous to our soil from the English invasion of Britain, and with a gener- ally corrupt national government more and more of the Spanish thinkers amongst the working classes have turned away from the political machine. Socialism has, of late, made progress, great progress, and ultimately, with a revised constitution and the secret ballot, it will tri- umph even in Spain, but at the moment the Syndicalists and Anarchists look with distrust on the Marxians, who in turn do not like the other two, and all three hate and are hated by the Clerics. Trades Unionism is weak, and the whole position is acute with difficulties that are incomprehensible to us, and is lamentable since, as the parties recognise, it means the diffusion of the energies that should go for advancement, in mutual recriminations. That, to my mind, is the secret of the intensity of feeling that runs through this article, and which is but the reflex of the actually existent feeling in the groups themselves. A goose pen may be a little strange to Eng- lish ears, b,ut it is a title which we apply to those who make any kind of useless effort to satisfy a futile vanity, and in this case we apply it to that school of thought for which Mr. Franc Torez so recently stood in your columns. A school that in its foolish ignorance endeavours to convey the impression that the Anarchist of to-day is the pure, undefiled des- cendant of they who prepared the way for the coming of Socialism. The banner of Socialism, beneath the red folds of which I am proud to march, to-day flies bravely throughout the cbuntries of the world. It is the summit of the highest mounts that Democracy has climbed—in the forefront ever, heights that the black bettles of Anarchy will never mount. Anarchy, despite its coating of metaphysical pseudo-historical sugar, must ever speak of So- cialism with a poisoned tongue; a tongue tlmt seeks to belittle the greatest ideal to whick hu- manity can aspire-; and this is the ofLence of Mr. Franc Torez, either this or an unlimited effrontery in dealing with a thing of which he is singularly ignorant. For the sake Of the writers in our valiant paper, the PIONEER, as well as for the good name of my fellow-countrymen, I feel it incum- bent to reply to Torez, who has been character- ised Vy our eminent comrade, Dr. Vera, when he says: "It is innate in the human being not to pass unknown. He who cannot distinguish himself rightly wants to distinguish himself wrongly, rather than to pa.ss unknown." It is right, of course, for a man of education to use good manners and better language to- wards those they do not know, and for the sake of these sound principles we may be led to falsify what is .dearest to us—truth. He who says as often as he can, "Man is ungovernable, and for that reason I do what I like from child- hood," cannot be the "keenest Democrat." The essence of this spurious Democracy is brute force—animalism. It means that man has not yet cast aftvay the reminiscences of his earliest origins; reminis- cences that shame evolved civilisation, and deny the highest attribute of man—soul. When a man is really deserving of the name he must be ruled and governed by his conscimee, which in turn is builded upon the consciences of others; the common fulfilment of which brings into active being the sense of duty, rela- tionship, and morality. These are the funda- mentals that the Anarchists have failed to grasp, and I pity them with all my heart. They are like rudderless ships in mid-ocean, at the mercy of every wind that blows, and it is but an act of humanity to endeavour to guide this uncontrolled barque into the harbour of salva- tion. which is knowledge. Knowledge spells death to the exotic plant known as Philosophic Anarchy, a plant which can but grow in the soil and under the shelter of ignorance. I know how difficult it is to deal with those brought up in the school of vice, ignorance, immorality, and destruction, the four attributes of Anarchy, 'out by exposing the evils maybe we shall be able to uncover the roots of the evil, and stamp it out to the benefit of mankind, which can only come from free discussion. It is a singular thing that in our club An- archy is silent when Socialism preaches its lofty Gospel of Truth, and here I should like to say that the thing itself—Anarchy—can only flour- ish in Spain, Portuga, Italy, and the cousin states of South Ammieac-in short, it can only take root in countries where the standard of education is very low. Men blinded from birth to the light of reason accept its false north to guide them over the pathless ocean, and build their false philosophy upon its wrong principles. It is because d& its falsity and the ignorance of its votaries that it possesses within itself what we may call the faJsity of extremes—the power of drawing to itself the non-logical romantics from the one side and the wild materialists from the other. The net result of their philosophy is a theory of suicide and crime, and to their minds the most reactionary methods serve their purposes, under the hypocritical cry of The end justifies the means. They take advantage of those sunk in the deepest depths of ignorance to practice their madnesses, and when the fighting is over a rare smile of satisfaction lights their eyes, like the inacabra dance of the uncivilised round thein victims. The rioters' principles have triumphed! They are ever prepared to use an indignant language towards those who, with greater sense and discernment, place their faith in the political weapons. Whether politics at the moment are good or I bad is of little significance besides the fact of their reality. Politics are real, and as such must be faced. History, the basis of all socio- logical science, concretely proves the reality of the need for political action in the past and in the present, and no metaphysical abstractions can destroy that historic foundation upon which our Socialism is builded. The metaphysics of Anarchy are really a waste of time, because it is equivalent to attempting tie impossible task of squaring a circle. Take the narrow conception of the Anarchist when he says, Had the time wasted in politics been used in making the Revolution, how much better would it have been for mankind?" This' is as foolish as affirming the theory of gravity by climbing a ohimney and jumping into space, or as proving the truth that fire burns by put-- ting the hands of a child in the fire. Revolu- tion does not mean riots, or anything of the kind, but the transformation of things, a trans- formation that can easiest be performed through the sane use of the political machine. I agree that the transformation will be gradual, but that is entirely due to ourselves. We do not know yet how to use the powers that lie in the hidden forces behiad us. To take a simple illustration. Everyone knows how useful a knife is to cut bread, cheese, and to serve mny useful purposes, and how dangerous it may prove in the hand of a child or a homicidal lunatic. Yet that latter is exactly what we have done with politics- allowed them to pass into the hands of our enemies. Doesn't reason tell us that politics that have served the possessing classses so well since feudalism till to-day could equally well serve the workiag classes? When we are at the beginning of the end of capitalism, shall we not then feel the impera- tive need of a strong Democratic Government to orga-nise a force against the defeated classes, for it would be stupid to suppose that these peo- ple will admit defeat without attempting re- venge? Therefore, political revolution must necessarily precede social revolution, in spite of the few deluded Anarchists who think other- wise. To speak in slighting tones of the Socialists who shook hands as brothers now fighting in the opposing camps of militarism is to cast stones when one's house is of glass, for it is not hard to find partituarly brilliant stars in the Anarchist firmament who are doing the same thing. Finally, I. would close with a challenge to Mr. Torez to visit the Socialist Club at Dowlais where our group would be pleased to give him a hearing on the subject in his own tongue, and answer him. This challenge is open to all the Anarchists. The Red Flag of Socialism is hoisted in our club; I challenge anyone to bring it down. PIO VIVIAN. I

Trade Unionists! j 1 v Y ou are —aware tr hat, at '.1  Y ou are aware that, at this | period of the year, your Fed- I j erations and Lodges have a good | ? deal of Printing Work to give I a out, and we would ask you to a ) KEEP IN MIND I s • I The fact that every Penny of I t Pro6tmade in our Jobbing De- I Ipartment goes towards helping to I ) strengthen the "PIONEER. ( I The Paper that is run by your 1- I ) Fellow Unionists in your Interests. — I The PIONEER" imprint on your work is the I surest index to the vitality of your Trades I Unionism and its absence will, in the future, I be regarded as your failure to recognise your 1 broader duties as Trades Unionists. I m i. II II II II II 1I_1I_1l.i

I Viscount Milner. I I LEGAL POSITION OF PROPERTY I QUESTIONED. Mr. Lundoi (N., Limerick) asked the Under- Secretary for the Home Department v,?h,?th., Lord Milner had ever complied with Section 3 of the Act of 1773, under which he claimed to be a British citizen, although bom in Ger- and the son of a German subject; if manyw, hether his property stood in the same not, position as that of an alien enemy, and what steps he proposed to take in the matter. Mr. Brace: The section referred to by the hon. member was rejfeafed in 1871. Mr. Outhwaite (R-, Hanley): Can the hon. gentleman say whether Lord Milner, under German law, is a German citizen and whether he has renounced his allegiance ? The Speaker: The hon. member csfeuiot ex- pect the hon. gentleman to have a knowledge: of German law. (Laughter.)

Impending Departure of Aberdare Clerk MR. D. LLEWELLYN GRIFFITHS SE- CURES POST AT ALDERSHOT. Our Aberdare readers will learn with regret of the impending departure of their Council Clerk (Mr. D. Llewellyn Griffiths), who has accepted a similar berth at Aldershot. There were 35 applicants for the office, which also includes the clerkship of the Old Age Pensions Committee and the Vestry Committee. The sal- ary for the whole of the offices is sSoOO a year, rising to L600. Mr. Griffiths, who was articled to Mr. J. L. Wheatley, Town Clerk of Cardiff, succeeded the late Col. Thomas Phillips at Aberdare in August, 1912. He assumed the duties when the town was embarking upon an important I municipal enterprise and other schemes. During his term of office the whole of the tramway and trackless 'bus instalation was laid down; an agreement was concluded with the Merthyr Corporation for the supply of any water re- quired by the district in case of local disabil- ity to meet its needs, and an arrangement was effected with the Powell Duffrvn Company for the supply of power in bulk. Mr. Griffiths also had charge of the Bill in 1915, whereby powers were sought for the extension of the tramwaity system. Mr. Griffiths has filled a number of offices, in connection with local war relief administration, including the hon. secretaryship of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Families' Association, the Prince of Wales .Fund, the Distress Committee of the Bel- gian Refugees' Committee, the Royal Patriotic Fund, and the Aoefrdare Auxiliary Committee. In connection with the last-named committee a weekly sum of £100 is paid to the dependents of the men who have enlisted. Owing to the intricacies of the scheme governing the alloca- tion of relief, those who applied for it were often in quest of his advice and guidance, and both were ever heartily at their disposal. Dur- ing the recruiting campaign in the district he was not only the principal organiser, but was also the most frequent speaker at the meetings, and there is little question that his unremitting efforts were in no small measure responsible for the exceptional success which attended recruit- ing in the Aberdare district.

Tributes to Aberdare Clerk. At the Aberdare Council last Monday Llewelyn A t the Aberdar Council last Monday a letter was read from the clerk, Mr. D. Llewelyn Griffiths, resigning his position, in consequence oif having secured a similar post at Aldershot. The Chairman (Mr. Owen Powell) paid a tri- buife to the valuable work which Mr. Griffith* had done, and said it was their duty to see if anything could be done to retain his serviceft Consideration of the resignation was referred to a committee.

Has your name appeared in our 10,000 Shil- lings' Fund list? If not, let it be there next. week.