Pioneer

Conscience & Compulsion. SEE PAGE 7

Navvy Pat's Views. i- — I'm fair puzzled where to öegi," said: lJat. when we had got shaken down into our places. "Things won't come right, an' I feel as if I was talkin' to a ton ov ravelled cord "an' tellin" it to unravel an make itself up into tidy Id.. 2d.. or 6d. balls. Just a wut-d about the insurance question. It's all corect that premium payers get back 3d. for ivry shillin' they pay, an' 1 that makes the insurance busin- ess wan ov the best ov investments for capital: but them dirty tricks I mentioned IP.Tigs to the agents an' managers the com- panies ginerrally act squar) ban-in' wan or two shaky wans; but there's not enuff genu me business in the land for the swarm of collectors to make a livin' out of, an' the temptations to fill tlieir books with illegal business and sell 'em is strong, for it's hard weary work to build up honest business. Insurance shud be Guvvernment wurk wanst we get shut of ;t,lttyd George; he'd spoil it. Labour has declared agin Conscription wid a. majority ov a million an' a half. an' Labour is to to "Win the rrzr, tkere's to be no strikes an' no demands for higher wages, an' if the Guvvernment forces Conscription on us it's to De down tools. Well, that looks rather mixed up, don't it? Yet all that air more has been passed at Labour meet- in's lately. Let us investigate. Guvrernment an' our leaders all said that whin the miners' 1915 settlement was signed there was to oe no more advances till the war was finished, but a few week after there was 5 per cent. knocked off our 30 5-6th per cent. funny, isn't it? The 4-id. loaf of two years ago is 9d. and 9?d. now; fish that was 3d. an' 4d. a pound two years ago is now 8d. an' 9d. an' them that used to treat themselves to a salmon cut- let wanst or twice a year has to content theh-selves wid finny haddock. The common salt toe rag that used to be 3d is 6d now, an' kip- pers, wance lid and 2d the pair, is now 5d an' (id, Meat that used to be 6d to 8d per lb. is now 1 Pork has risen from 8d or 9d to 1/3; bacon, wance lOd, now 1/4; butter. lOd or 1/ is noii- 11.17 or 1/8; tea at 4d. a Jib. s 7d: cheese used to be 6d, but ye can't get it under 1/- now. an' ye can't come within »m«lliir distance of a bit of gorgonzola at all, at all. For milk they haven't rose the price, bmt they've got smaller measures, and three- ha'p.t.h. won't go so lar as a penn'orth used to; jam is riz 3d to 6d on a 9d jar, an' soap itself Id a. pound. Potatoes has got off aisy wi 11 Id 0U 71L rise, but all the rest has nearly doubled br over doubled -so "that our food oost iias riz 75 per cent. an' clothing 50 per cent, at least: an' agin that we have a war boflus ov Yet the Guvvernment an' our leaders says, 'No i, Is,,I n Now let's see what the Guvvernment says V) some of the other citizens. The ship owners have risen their freights to three or four times what they used to be: I believe much more than that. an' that's why all food that OHms o.-er the water has risen so much—an' the Guvvernment hasn't stopped them. The munition factories are allowed to make large profits within very wide limits, and businesses takur Guvvernment contracts have also a wide limit hut for the rest they do as they like, an' the wurkin' man has to pay,N>ut no extra profits on his labour for him only a tax if he m?,ke-s 12s a week Where is the sense ov all this, and how are our Labour leaders trying to get us out ov the muddle? Why! dock us 6d a week per man. 3(1 per hoy fit- 20 weeks or so to get ambul- ances for the wounded. The Guvvernmen can't afford to waste money on the wounded, who arc no use to them, so let us pinch our- selves to get the wounded fit for the firin' line agin..That will perhaps save us from Conscription. I can see no record of ennv Labour movement for the purpose of aisin' the struggle for existence under the intolerable burdens that our capitalists have laid on our shoulders, with the- war for its excuse. "Labour leaders are light in—no, that's the wrong serm they are shouting agin Conscrip- tion some shoutin' agin war; some are for •learin' Labour members out ov the Cabinet; some for shoving a lot more Labour members into it: and all look to the patient, long- sluffering wurkin' man for support to their various fads. Now war is a cuirse, oum whin or where it may; but war is nature's first law. The smallest microbes devour one another, the larger insects devour the smaller ones; birds and some beasts and reptiles devour all in- sects the larger and stronger birds devour the smaller ones; and among- beasts the car- ttivora devour the graminivera; while man, the omnivorous, ransacks the animal an' veg- etable kingdoms for food an' delicacies. an' goes to the mineral kingdom for medicine to cure the maladies induced 'oy over-indulgence. Tooth an' claw are always busy, an' the pro- tective weapons, horn and tusk, shell armour, and the hedgehogs' prickles protects some; stings and poison fangs protect others; extra speed, sometimes extra vigilance, enable other- wise unprotected classes to escape the general massacre; and many classes survive by their superior breedin' powers aloNe; as they breed faster than their devourers can eat them. Among men, something similar prevails; the strong enslave the weak; the thinkin' brain outwits the thoughtless one; the sharps fatten on the flats; and in each civilised na- tion the whole fabric of society rises pyramid- like from the broad sol id foundation of the Workers; abuv them the small traders who live on the workers' backs; then the bigger traders,, the manufacturers, capitalists, land- owners, aristocracy, from Knight to Duke; an' on top sits a Hohenzollern, a Hapsburg, a Romanoff, a Guelph, or some other fragment of royalty. The workers till the soil and receive a bare livin', while the landowner rolls in luxury; they work in the factory for a bare livin', while the factory owners rolls in luxury; they fight and win the wars set a-going by the monarchs, aristocracy and capitalists; and the survivors end their days in the workhouse while the upper stra-ta wallow in the spoil won by the blood and toil of the worker; and all the time the worker, by simply ceasing to work, could lay the whole pyramid in ruins. At present we have a lot of the world's pyramids divided into two hostile camps, at war for the world's supremacy. Our top block, a Guelph, stripped of the powers an' privileges of the absolute monarch, an' these powers di- vided among his ministers an' statesmen, is blameless in the matter; the French, whom we may term a truncated pyramid, seeing that its royalty an' landed aristocracy are oblitera- ted, may also be excused, along with Belgium an' Servia. who stood the first shock an' the heaviest calamities of the war. How are we situated, and how are we meetin' the situation at home? The Peace party shout 'Stop the war'; but what good would that do while German's power is unbroken? It would only entail a perpetual struggle for superiority in arma- ments an' the retrenchments which the Peace party forced on Parliament from year to year found us utterly unprepared (save navally) for the struggle, and our little Army barely saved us from collapse by their super-human exertions and sacrifices. The jinti-Conscriptioii party and the crn- jolt p,I.tk, a,p d i l i e ei-n- scientious I Con- scription,' but how can the conscientious ob- jector remain and owe his safety to a line of fighting sailors in fighting warships, backed by •an army of efficient fighters, who for centuries have prevented enemies from reaching our 'homes. His conscience should send him to Belgium or Serbia, where doubtless German an' Austrian methods would develop conscientious objections to being killed, robbed, tortured or enslaved. Then for Conscription; suppose a woriSfrr with a family of 10 sons of enlistable age, and tlip nation, fighting for its existence, justly claims the lot. It is calculated that the cost of a son from birth till he ceases to be a burden is £ 400; then these 10 sons repre- sent £ 4,000 invested capital. One or two come home unhurt; a few more or less disabled, an' some return no more. Another man accumu- lates £ 4,000 in sovereigns, an' brings that to the Treasury it is gladly accepted, and 5 per ce-nt. of £ 200 a year cheerfully paid for the use of it, an' that £ 200 a year is paid year by year tiE the Guvvernment can afford to return the £4,000 in full-not a chip off the edge of one of the lot. Now, instead of 'No Conscription,' why not fight for and force the Guvvernment to impose a Conscription that would include every fit man from every family from royalty down- wards, and the entire wealth of the country by whomsoever possessed; the man and the wealth that remain after the -war to be re- turned whence they cameP This would be logical Conscript ion. We minei-s are sin kin' our claims in view of the national crisis the Guvvernment wants us to show our loyalty by refraining from at- tempts to increase our earnings; by paying cheerfully the increased cost of everv necessity; by flocking to the trenches by economisin' on everything and by havin' as large families as possible, like insects and fishes. Now we are in the 20th Century, under 20th Century con- ditions, and must fight by 20th Century means, leaving the more advanced theories to be ad- opted in the centuries they will suit. Our logical policy is to state our claims in full to Guvvernment an' coalowners, an' force both to prove their loyalty by doing justice and to avoid embarrassment by yielding what is right; and instead of remainin' passive after each win, prepare at wance for the next demand without reference to the war; and. by continuous, un- ceasing effort win gradually what we aim for; the world supremacy to be in the hands of the world's democracy. When the foundations of each an' every pyramid in the world have cum to think identically of the situation an' the way out, then, an then only, will be the tliiie, for war abolition and universal disarma- ment

The Palace. I Manager Hall-J ones is still securing crowd- ed houses with the fine selections he is placing be re liiis patrons. This week end he will con- tinue to show that masterpiece of mirth, Charlie Shanghaied," without doubt the most laughable Chaplin comedy ever produced. liven the most sober-minded are bound to break out into a gentle smile at Charlie's in- imitable drolleries. Parents should send their children sarly on Saturday morning to see this funny man. who is the children's favourite the world over. The special exclusive picture is a comedy-drama in three acts called "Venge- ance," a really fine picture featuring Richard Iravers and Edna Mayo. A story of a corrupt political lawyer and his olaekmailing methods. Amongst other attractions there is the first of a short series of charming animal studies, "An- mal World No. I," and also a fil-e picture of "Britain's New Army, The Gazette will con- tain some very interesting war news, and the rest of the programme will be equally enter- taining. On Monday of next week "His Crucible," a drama in three acts, will be the special pic- ture, featuring John H. Cossar and Nell Craig—a picture Manager Hall-Jones has soon and can recommend as one with a strong ap- peal to all picture lovers. It is the story of a step-mother and a notorious adventuress. A further attraction is the Broken Coin," Epi- sode 3—a picture that has caught on. Patrons can always get a synopsis in order to follow up the story or to get in touch with it, should they have missed the opening episodes. The War Pictures are Jack Tar as an Athlete," and U The Grecian Navy." The rest of the programme is made up with the fine selection of dramatic and comic subjects. On Thursday of next week a very fine exclusive drama is in the bill, "Callght," be- ing the story of how a young man, in order to hide the consequences of a misdeed, plunges further into crime, is most convincingly illus- trated in this engrossing production. "Animal World, No. 2/' will be shown, and a. fine pic- ture of the Lusifania," is included in a remarkably good programme. Just one word —if you want to have a good time, visit the Palace.

I Little Tales from Spain. ■ THE AGED. I (Translated by E. PENA) I am powerful. I have accumulated in my chests immense treasures: I have studied pro- foundly the way to augment my fortune; at one time by the light of an oil lamp, at an- other by a light of the gas, and again by the light of the brilliant electric lamp. I have burdened my eye-lashes reckoning and l'e, reckoning, and counting in the solitude of the night my golden coins. My money going and coming has run the wqrkl, and returned with increase to my chests. I am old, but I can wait for death tranquil and resttful. I live full of honours. I am senator, magistrate, minister. Blessed be God who thus has rewarded my efforts. Stand aside, beggar, and leave me free. I have fought a hundred battles and irriga- ted the earth with blood. The report of my arms has lilled the people with terror. I have pierced with a. knife thousands of advei^-jes and obscured the light of the sun with the smoke or my cannon. I am old. but I can await rlu grateful country has filled me with crosses and riches: 1 aIM. Emperor, King, General. Blessed be God who has thus rewarded my efforts. Stand aside, beggar, and leave me free. i have deciphered the Holy Books, and de- dicated to the Lord at all hours prayers and supplications. My house is the house of the Lord. I ele- vate my voice at the solemn sound of the sono- rous organ, amongst the images skilfully sculp- tured and richly clothed, and my voice re- sounds under the high arch of immense cathe- drals. i am old, but I can await death tranquil. The faithful, grateful for my prayers, have presented me with copes covered with bril- liants, gold chalices, marble palaces, treasures without end. 1 live surrounded by honours. I am Bishop, Cardinal, Pope. Blessed be God who thus has rewarded my efforts. Stand aside, beggar, and leave me free. I have descended to the bowels of the earth to wrest from it the treasures that have brought with your rcckoningi and made it run through the world, i have squeezed in the mili the olives of the garden to extract the oil with which your table lamp was filled, and extracted from the mine the coal from which the gas was afterwards extracted; with coal the water was heated that has filled with steam the boilers of the engines that draw the trains and drive the screws of the ships that have perforated some mountains and levelled have perforated somme mountains and levelled others, and builded bridges and harbours. I have robbed the waterfall of its force and ac- cumulated in dynamos the powerful and bril- liant electricity. I have smelt the bronze of the cannon and tempered the steel of swords that have given you the victory; the harness of your horses was manufactured by me. Naked I draw out from sandy ground the diamonds that adorn your chalices; from the depths of the sea the pearls and the corals that adorn your robes. I have cut with my axe the trees from whose wood the artificers have carved your saints. I take from tha quarry the stones that form your cathedrals, and have raised on my shoulder the last ornament and placed it on the point of the needles of your Gothic temples. Miner, Farmer, Fireman, "Woodcutter and hauourer I have been. Without me. what vvoiuld your money be? The bit of your horse, the iron shoe that fits it for the road. the sour with which you goad it, I gave them to you. Withowt me, your saints of wood would be sleeping in the depths of your forests; the arclws of your cathedrals in the heart of the mounta ins your chalices of gold in the bowels of the earth; even your holy books would not exist without M-yestordav formed of wax in which to inscribe them, to-day formed of paper on which to stamp them. I have given you all, and I have nothing. I am old and cannot work; that's why I am a beggar. Will my corpse find a tomb? Nothing I owe to your God, that he rewards me like this. Stand aside, ye powerful ones, and leave the beggar free.

The Suppressed "Forward." 1 SATISFACTORY UNDERTAKINGS I GIVEN. The Minister of Munitions stabes that the I following undertaking has been signed by the editor and the solicitor to the 'Forward' newspa- per, which was suppressed at the beginning of January:- We, the undersigned, on behalf of the "Forward" Printing and Publishing Com- pany, Ltd., hereby undertake not to issue or publish any matter calculated to prejudice the military interests or safety of the coun- try in the present crisis, or to inipsde or interfere with the production or supply of munitions of war, or cause disaffection with the Munitions of War Acts, or with the po- licy of the dilution of labour, and to stipu- late with any company by which the matter is printed that in case of doubt such matter shall be submitted for approval to the Press Bureau.—Signed THOMAS JOHNSON, editor; E. ROSSLYN MITCHELL, Solicitor. A satisfactory undertaking has also been given by the directors of the Civic Press, Ltd., which printed the newspaper. In view of these undertakings permission has been given by the military &uth»rites for the newspaper to resume publication, and for the Civic Press to resume its ordinary business.

Reaction & Ruin by General Consent. By PHILIP .FHANKFOUD, In August, 1914, the people of Britain adop- ted by general consent a policy that would sooner or later lead to ruin. True, there was a small band of real Socialists who not only foresaw that war was organised murder, and. therefore, if only from an ethical point of view this was the wrong road to tread, but they foresaw something more than that—they knew that the way to reaction and financial ruin for the multitude lay along the road which our rulers were determined we should tread. Of course, under capitalism there is always so much poverty, squalor and misery that many felt a little more or less would make small difference. Besides, the average man rea- soned, if we could capture German trade, there would be more prosperity; so the gamb- ler threw the dice, he staked his money, he backed his horse as it were, and he awaited the result. At no time during the last year and a half has either side looked like securing a complete victory, but at the beginning of the war the gamblers appeared to be getting a rlin for their money." to use a sporting phrase Here'^r} country up to Christmas, 1914, prices did not "rise v^J muc.^ ■ Indeeti, after the panic of that first w.:<"1ng A ugu, 1914, the cost of the necessities of lif&A'li u not rise more than they have often done in peace times, and not so much as they did du- ring the strike of the miners in 1912. Here a little and there a little was the motto of those who, above everything, did not want trouble while they were organising their scheme for this terrible continental orgie. Nor was the 'policy of suppress i on of free speech and of raiding Socialist papers immediately adopted; while, of course, we had to wait till November. 1914, for the infamous Defence of the Realm Act, which, as a Tory lord said, practically abolished that key to Bi-itisli- freedom-Mag-mi. C'harta. Little by little the road to reaction and ruin was paved. First came the forcing of young men into the army by economic pressure. Canvass after canvass of both em- ployer and employed led to the building up of a so-called voluntary army of 6 millions the numbers were not disclosed until it was thought necessary to bring in the Military Ser- vice Bill. Then the so-cf-!led' i.± a- lle Kealm Act was passed to give tne militarist powers to suppress free speech and to imprison speak- ers and raid Socialist papers. This was fol- lowed by an all-round rise of 40 per cent. in almost every commodity by the introduction of an unfair Budget, which placed almost the whole of the gigantic burden of this war on the lower middle and working classes. Then still further pressure was brought to bear on the young man who had escaped the eye of patriotic employers and unoccupied females. After this a. stringent lighting order was is- sued to darken streets and shop windows, which is monthly added to, which is nothing less than disastrous to the small trader, who does most of his business between 4 and 8 p.m. And for the little man who is already suffering with heavy taxes, falling off of trade due to the rise of wholesale nrices and scarcity of customers, this ordar is hard indeed. And this lighting restriction is made worse at a time when Paris, according to the "Pall Mall Gazette," has been allowed 60,000 more la.mps —the French aeronauts being of the opinion that only black darkness, and not partial darkness counts. Paris, it may be said. though nearer than London to the German lines, has never been as dark as London. And thus the reaction arise and champions of ruin go on their way rejoicing. Raids on So- cialist papers, suppression and breaking up of printing presses are only by way of a, diversion from fining and imprisoning Socialist speakers, and merely afford a relief to the never-ending chronicle of the rise in the price of bread, patent medicine, clothes, string, fruit, meat, biscuits, notepaper, household requisites. And be it understood, the small trader reaps no- thing from these advances from which the wholesale people extort a large profit. He loses by obtaining few customers and less profit on what he does sell. And thus the reactionaries and champions of be introduced. For the Government were not satisfied with the ruin and muddle they had initiated. By and bye they will have to make peace. The people once more will return to their normal state, and when the conflict is over demand to know why all this slaughter. To meet the needs of the situation after the war, when the industrial war will commence, Con- scription is needed. In the meantime, in of- der to further cripple industry and commerce, the export of what they are pleased to call luxuries are to stop. As an instalment of this disastrous policy, paper, fruit, tobacco, furni- ture and one or two other articles are to be prohibited. Cigars are to come over. "Hur- rah from the rich.) Besides the inconveni- ence that the public will suffer at the loss of these things, let us consider what it will mean to the already hard-pressed tradesman. That splendid fruit—the oraiige--t perfect blood- cleanser. and popular amongst thousands of people, constitutes the winter fruit by which many thousand small traders help to keep their business going-not to speak of apples, grapes, etc., which all bring grist to the mill. In future (till the murder is over) the fruiterer will have practically no winter fruit to offer. (The West End shops who cater for the weal- thy, of course will find a way of supplying the rich.) Again, small printers and sta- tioners will see their profits absolutely vanish. The public will cut down their notepaper and printing expenses. As for furniture dealers and small tobacconists there is always the ar- my (if they are of military age) or the work- house (if they are not). While the long-suffer- ing public must be content to go without the medicinal remedy which various fruits offer, they must be ready to sacrifice the pleasure of reading a good book-for books will be dear— and be glad to remain ignorant, or perhaps re- sort to Answers or "Comic Cuts," while the smoker can always fill his pipe-if pipes can still be bought—with grass; and these who want furniture can utilise—we were go- ing to say orange boxes-but we suppose there will be none of these. The short-sighted policy of taxing small traders, etc., out of exist- ence by refusing to allow them to have articles to sell is demonstrated bv the fact that if these people do not make a living they can- not pay income tax, nor rates and taxes, nor subscribe to future war loans. The Government are begging us to save up our coppers to lend to them, but what with their friends, the rich sucking us dry by sending up the price of food, and with flie absurd restrictions put on trade and commerce, coupled with the taxes they themselves impose, how much has the average man to spare now? In France, fearing a revolution, they have taken over the wheat supply, fixed maximum prices of food and also controlled the prices of coal. Here the national policy is "Fortunes for the few ruin for more than seven-eighths of the masses." And this olmd policy is to be secured bv militarism and reaction. One day the people will begin to see. ne day the men who voted for Hen- derson to stay in the Cabinet whose policy is reaction and ruin, will be sorry. Fortunes from organised bloodshed for a handful, ruin, black ruin politically and economically. for the many. When will the people leai-n ?

Compulsion and its Effect! p III- f'%7 f!>r upok. iuinarti-tj. i7"- jrv INCOMPATIBLE ALLIANCE OF RELIGION AND MiLiTARiSM. Is it not a fact that a people who are gov- yrned by an iron rule are generally more deg- raded than a people that is free from compul- sory military servicer' ii the stories of the crimes committed by the German Army arto true, then they are to be more pittied than blamed, because having been governed bv the it-oil rule of Conscription they have had" no higher aim than to study how best to destroy human life. I would be pleased if some kind friend would define the difference between the military policy of the different forces who are at war. Is one class of militarism more hu- mane than another? Each force has the best guns and the myvfiuu* they can put on thB held, HJd ». at destroying haman life: then what difference is there? In my opinion theie is no difference; it is simply a matter of grabbing at each other's throats for supremacy. How many mothers in our country at the present time are broken-hearted because of the loss of their bov" How many more are la- menting the thought that their boys will be compelled to join the Army? And how many boys have we in our country who are so femin- ine in their character that they have not got the courage to face a childish quarrel, much less to face such a terrible war as we are ex- periencing at the p-reseiat time!' How many conscientious boys are there whose reverence for the saeredness of human life and the highest moral and spiritual principles is such that they would rather sacrifice ther own lives than go and commit murder. Yet because they are of military age they are to be compelled to serve. What are we to expect of the genera- tions that are to be if we are to be governed by the iron rule of militarism ? What of the religious life of our nation? Because Christian- ity and Militarism cannot for ever be banded in alliance. If Militarism is to rule, then our Sunday Schools should be turned into army acadamies and our churches into military lec- ture halls. It will be most inconsistent for our religious ministers to preach and teach Love your neighbour as yourself" on SuB- day and spend the other six days of the week i. training our lads to fight and our girls to make munitions to destroy our neighbours. How contrary to the teaching of the Great Master Teacher, for almost his last words to Peter in the Garden of Gethsamane were: "Put up agam thy sword into his place, for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword."—Matthew 26, 52. Ye people of the nation. Seek ye yourselves to save From the irony of Conscription Or aught that will enslave. The God of Love will help you If to Him your prayers ascend, And then, in freedom's sunshine. Your souls shall cry "Amen." J. BROOKS.

Bargoed and District Trades and Labour Council. A meeting of tthe above was held at tha Workmen's Institute, Bargoed on February 1— Mr. W. T. Lloyd, president, in the chair. Mr. Tom Matthews gave an address on the Rent Bill, explaining its operation and e feet on the worker". Mr. Richard Walters gave an address on the assessments now being put forward :1'.} district. Coun. John Jones explained the powers of overseers and assistant overseers and ass-s- ment committees. A resolution was passed to hold a demonstra- tion on Trafalgar Square, Bargoed, weather permitting, and a procession of tenants and housewives to start from the pierhead at 6.30, and another to start from the Post Office, Gilfach, at the same time, to meet at the Square, when several local gentlemen will speak and explain the working of the Rent Bill, etc.

PLEASE MENTION THE PIONEER WHEN ANSWERING ADVERTS. I a