Pioneer

v v Gardening Notes. -I If any reader who is in a difficulty with refer- ence to his garden will write directly to the address given beneath, his questions will all oe answered free of charge, in full detail, and J'V return of post.—Editor. FLOWER CULTURES FROM SEEDS. I Soil. I Well-drained, light and moderately rich soils, from which stones and hard clods have been removed are desirable; but the surface should not be so fine as to become pasty aftet. rain. Autumn sowings must be made in ra- ther poor ground, as succulent growth wou be liable t.o injury from winter frosts. Sowing. Sow thinly broadcast, or. better still, in drills from March to June, preferably from the mid'- dle of March to mid-April for summer and autumn flowering, and during the end of July in August and September to blos-som the following spring. Cover the seeds lightly with soil, from i to } in"h lYeing ample fof me- dum-stzed varieties, while minute seeds should be sewn OIl the surface, and listhtly raked in. Atter-Care. Thin out early, since nothing weakens plants more than having to contend with others for food and air and transplirit as necessary into rle-eply-dllg and well-manured land. In shel- tered gardens with dry-soils. autumn-sown oi umps may be transferred to the flower-border during October, but in exposed situations on heavy soils they should not be moved till March. Keep free from weeds; and remove the see d-vessels before1 thev mature, to lengthen the flower ing-season, HALF-HARDY-NNUALS Sipil. Any moderately fine, rich. potting soil may be used for half-hardy annuals. 7 Sowing. Sow m pans in gantlc heat during February? I M?rch and A pri 1. in pans in cold frames fac- ing the h?outh during ea.rly Apri). or -even di- rectly on a rich and friable border quite at the end of April or in May. Cover the pens with panes of glass until germinatien is t.,o, prevent excessive evaporation. Atter-Care. If watering should become necessary, staiwi tilo pots or pans in a shallow vessel of water 1 fiti- an hour or so. Remove the sheets of glaS8 dirt!)' the st?dUngs a.pp?u'; and stand th?j pots or pan in the full Ught, vh?re air oa be freely admitted to them during mild wea-ij iher. Prick out the seedlings earlier into ot,}H, i pot8 or pns; a.ad plant tl?m out at the en of May or beginning of Jlino. when the weath i* settled and favourable. TENDER ANNUALS. Soil. A light, rich sail, freely admixed with sharp silver sand, is for successful culture. Sewing. Sow din'itio- February or March exactly as advised for half-hardy annuals, saving bha greater heat is required, After-Care, Shift the seedlings singly into small pott as soon a* possible and move them on until lfowering pots are reached. Weak liquid man- ures may be given when the pots are full of root* but such applications west be dis- continued as the plants come int-o flower. Al- low plenty of sunshine and air. Tender annuals flower nijost satisfactorily in the greenhouse or window WARDY BIENNIALS. Sowing, Harav biennials are sown 111 spring enQ. Otummer, until August. Treat as recommend •d for hanty perennials. HALF-HARRY BIENNIALS. Sowing. Sow from June to August m a frame or cool house or m pans on Otto border. After-Care, Half-hardy biennials must be pricked out into pott cp beds, and kept under glass till sprima JJilweH advanced, when they may be transferred to the open [)order. vp Treat otherwise recommended for ha.rdy itQitwuuiala. HARDY PERENNIALS. I Sail I 'Any tuoderatuLy rich, medium soil will do for sowings of hardy perennials but a good fclsrong loam, at least a foot deep, ? required for the plants. Borders intemde-d for hardy perennials should be thoroughly drained to a, depth of 3ft. bowing. I Sow from March to August, preferably pans or boxes in a close frame, with or without bottom heat, or in pans CPI' a good seed-bed in the open border. Cover the seeds lightly, and protect them fuom enemies of I I ?' I I tl V, ati?[ vi,ote.ct faoiia elle?illies () f When sown early in frames, and planted out durWig May. many perennial flowers may be induced to blossom the first season. It must not be forgotten that the seeds of some species —such as cyclamens, fraxinellas, paeonies, etc. -ometilnes remain dormant in the soil for months, .,After-Cars. Prick out the young seedlings from pot. and pans into other pots and pans before moving them to the open border; and thin out and transplant those from out-door sowings di- reetly they are large enough to handle. They should generally be transplanted oftee before hfeiHg placed in their final positions. HALF-HARDY PERENNIALS. Treatment. Treat as advised for half-hai-,Ll.,?, I sa- Ting that half-hardy perennials require protec- tie,p.. from frost during the winter SIMPLE INSECTiCIDAL PRACTICES. A great deal can be effected in prevention of I insect damage to plantsoy destroying the breeding and hiding-places of the inseots, or, ia other words, by clean culiurs. All weeds, rubbish, etc., should be destroyed; and the ground should bear nothing but growing crops. In the home garden the simplest means of destroying many enemies is the old fashioned plan of hand-picking them; and there is a risk of this excellent metteod being neglected in fa-vour of using less effective insecticides on the score of the trouble involved. nything that helps to promote the vigour of plants enables them to grow quickly smd strongly, and so to resist or recover from at- tacks that would be fatal to weakly plants. This is particularly noticeable in attacks of greenfly and similar pests. zF Fumigation is excellent in the greenhouse, some form of tobacco or a derivative of it being used. Some plants are injured by very thick tobacco smoke, and it is therefore better to fumigate lightly and often; and we have found it a good plan to repeat the fumigation the next day after the first treatment, because the insects which survive then are in a weak condition, and so are easily killed. The plants should bo dry. as wet foliage is liable to scorch. Where plants are in fioWer. and it is desirod to avoid any risks of injuring the blossoms, it is an easy matter to tie the blossoms up in paper bags Convenient ways of generating tobacco fumes are the evaporisation of an aqueous solu- tion of nicotine in a. pan over an alcohol lamp or the burning of strips of prepared nico- tine paper, this preparation being knowfil as to- bacco paper. Fumigation will not destroy the eggs of insects, and so must tie repeated when the new brood of pests appear from the eggs. It is best to do the- fumigation. on still nights, when the hOW*' is dry. and the tempera- ture stands at about 60 degrees Fht. Ferns and roses are very susceptible to injury, and must be fumigated with caution, if at all. NOTES ON LAWNS. Lawn ground is always more or less infested with seeds, and in consequence weeds usually come up quickly in newly-sown ground, even though, as sSioul# be the case, the seeds sown are absolutely free from weed seeds. Much can, however, be done to prevent weeds by the use of commercial fertilisers in preparing the land, as stable or farmyard manure is sure to be full of weed seeds. The sowing must be very thick, from 6 to 8 bushels per acre being best, as i this thickness of sowing prevents annual weeds from persisting long. Fortunately. grasses will enduce cutting oftener than will weeds, so tkat frequent mowing ,.ll be found to destroy most weeck hefore the spring that follows sowing. In old lawns occasional re-seeding and frequent mowings will keep down weeds, but specially troublesome ones can be cut off well below the surface with a long knife blade, or a little sul- phuric acid may be placed upoa their crowns. The lawns that are weediest are always those in which the herbage is thin and the obvious remedy is to induce a thick growth of turf, so squeezing out the weeds. This can be done by raking over the lawn, in late spring, when the soil is still a, little soft. sowing a liberal dressing of artificial manure, a.nd then seeding freely over the surface, which must be finally rolled down firm and level. In some lawns small areas are particularly poor and patcny, and these must be repaired yearly in the same way. Stable manure is noli a desirable dress- ing for established1 lawns. Apart from its being unsightly, it is sure to be filled with weeds. E. KEMP TOOGOOD, M',h.. F.R.Met.S., pro Toogood and Sons, The King's Seedsmen, Southampton,

A Vicar's Application, ABERDARE LAY READER PUT SACK A I MONTH. A pawnbroker, apologising lor exemption at the Aberdare Tribunal (over which Mr. Chas. Kenshole presided) for the exemption of his son. aged :20, stated that he had two shops and a large number of unredeeitied pledges. A Member I wish such a. business were dona away with altogether. The Chairman: We must not look at it in that way exactly. The apjilioatioy was refused, A. Vicar applied for exemption on behalf of a lay reader, "npon whom he was entirely de- pendent for the performance of Divine service in one of the churches." The Chairman: Perhaps Major Gray can •enlighten us ay to our position in the matter. Major Grav We cannot call a lay-reader a minister. A Member: What would he be? M:v)or Gray: Well, :m amat(ur. (Laughter.) It was stated that the lay-reader was a stud- ent for Holy Orders, and the matter post- poned for a. month.

-7——=—™ Childish Barmaid. I MERTHYR MAGISTRATES' COMMENTS. I James WíHiarns, licensee of the Walsh Harp Inn, Dowlais, was charged at Merthyr on Tues- day with selling intoxicating liquor to p child under the a.ge of 14 years, not in a corked and sealed bottle, and also with supplying a person on. the premises with a child in her arms. Mr. C. B. James defended. Inspector Lamb said he saw a child on .Fe b- ruary 15 coming away from the premises with four 'haif-4>int bottles mf gtout. were corked bott nob sealed. On returning to the premises with the girl he noticed two women standing on the back doarstep, one of wli- oii-i had a child in her arms. The women were then served Avitfc drink hy defendant's daughter. Defendant said he was in another part of tke premises at the time. He had given instructions to hia daughter not to supply anyone under 14 ygars of age excepting in a corked and sealed bottle, and if in doubt as. to a chi'M's age not to supply the liquor. Evidence was given by defendant's daughter, aged 16, who said she did not think the girt was under 14 years of age. She had nevor been left in sole charge of the bar. The Stipendiary (Mr. R. A. Griffith) said both summonses would be dismissed. He added that it was not a proper thing for any li- censee to leave a girl under 16 years of age at any time 81 the bar aluie. Mr. T, Andrews, one of the magistrates, said a girl of that age should not be behind the bar at all.

'Phone^J. 'Piio-ne 597. WILLIAM TRESEDER, Ltd. THE NURSERIES, CARDIFF. WREATHS, CROSSES, CUT FLfWERS, &c. I BEDDING PLANTS. Asters, Stocks, Dahlias, Marguerites, Lobelia, &c. Tela TRESIRDER, FLoRi,.T, A.-RDFFFI

I Retail Food Prices. UNITED KINGDOM AT FEB. 1, 1916. COMPARISON WITH JANUARY 1. Retail prices of food advanced about H per cent. in January, says the. Board of Trade Labour Gazette. Flour and bread increased in to the extent of about 6 per cent. d, per 3-ilb. flour and per 41b. bread. As re- gards meat, frozen mutton increased in price about 3-21 per cent. and imported beef by 2 per cent. British meat, however, did not advancel so much. The average rise in the retail price of granulated sugar, consequent on an advance in the wholesale price, amounted to about 5 per cent. Fish was dearer by about 5 per cent. on the average, cheese by 4 per cent., and mar- garine by 3 per cent. Prices of potatoes show- ed a seasonable advance of 2 per cent, and of eggs a seasonable fall of 17 per cent. Ba" con, milk, butter and tea. showed little or no change on a month ago, less than ld. per Ih. Comparison with a Year Ago, As compared with February 1. 1915. there was an average increase of 20 per cent. Fish was dearer than a. year ago by nearly 50 per cent., tea by 28 per cent., and meat by about 25 per cent. Bacon, bread, sugar, milk and cheese rose in price about 20 per cent. during the 12 months, and flour and eggs about 17 per cent. Butter prices advanced about 13 per cent., potatoes 7 per cent, on the average, with wide variations, and marga- rine 6 per cent. Comparison with July, 1914. In the following table is given a percentage comparison of the level prices at February 1, 1916. in relation to the normal prices of Julv, 1914 Percentage Increase since July, 1914. Article. Small Large Towns United ¡ Towns and King- ViUase.s dom Beef, British— Ribs 37 34 36 Thmnank — 54 40 47 B eef, Imported— Ribs .53 47 50 Thin Hank. VI 61 66 Mutton British— Legs 29 30 29 Breast 53 36 44 Mutton. Frozen— Legs 49 43 46 Hrea-st. 76 G4 70 Bacon (streaky) 35 2U 32 Fish 126 85 106 Flour (households) 55 61 58 Bread 56 46 51 Tea. 4£1 48 48 Slglr (7 granulated) 107 l} 103 Milk .31 29 30 Potatoes • 2 7* 3* 0< Jv:"> I ,)' Margarine 12 9 10 ¡ Butter— Fresh 31 36 33 28 32 30 Cheese 37 37 37 Eggs (fresh) 74 65 70 ALL AIWVE AI.ITICI.IKST 49 44 47 Decrease. Weighted net percentage increase. The fur then- rise of 5 per cent. in the price of granulated sugar has now brought it to an average price of 4Jd. per lb., which is more than double that for July, 1914. Flour is nearly 00 pel' cent., and bread about 50 per cent. dearer than In the month before the war. Tea m nearly 50 per cent, dearer, an increase of 9d. per lb., 7d. of which is accounted for by increased duty. British meat has risen, on the whole, nearly 40 per cent., and imported meat by a much higher percentage. Cheese is 37 per cent. and bacon, milk and butter are about 30 per cent, dearer. Margarine shows a 10 per cent. rise. The price of fish varies very muck in different places, and averages more than double that for July, 1914. The changes in the prices of both potatoes and eggs are affected by seasonal infiunces Taking the country as a whole, and mak- ing allowance for the relative importance of the various articles in working class household ex- penditure, the average increase in the price of food since the beginning of war may be put at 47 par cent. This figure relates to food only, and in estimating the increased cost of living this increase must not be applied to the total family expenditure, but only to that propor- tion which is expended on food, BERLIN IN DECEMBER. During December a sligiit rise (0.8 per cent.) was recorded in retail food prices in Berlin and the general level of prices of certain of the more important articles of food was 83.4 per cent. above that of July, 1914. In arriving at these figure allowance is made for the rela- tive importance of the various articles in working class consumption. The following table is based upon returns published in the Prussian official journal "Statistische Iforrespondenz" Increase (plus) or Decrease (—) in Dec., 1915, as com- pared with Articles Nov., 1915 July, 1914 Per cent Per oen t Wheat bread No change plus 27.7 broad No chaii,-e plus 42.9 Hye flour No change plus 60:0 W heat flour No change plus 28.6 Butter phis 2.5 plus 101.2 Lard —5.8 plus 224.7 Sugar No chango plus 20.0 Coffee plus 5.3 plus 29.0 Eggs I. plus 28.6 plus 285.7 Milk Nochange plus 36.4 Beef plus 7.0 plus 70.6 Mutton plus 6.8 plus 60.8 Veal plus 6.8 plus 61.8 .Pork No change plus 72.8 Bacoi:i —16.? plus 154.2 Potatoes No chang;e No change Rice plus 10.0 plus 340.0 Split peas -3.2" plus 202.5* fJuricot beans -0.8'" plus 144.0* plus 153.3* Ali Articles together plus 0.8 plus 83.4 (weighted net per- ccntage increase) The price for December upon which this percentage is based is the average for the principal towns in Prussia, no Berlin quo- tations being given for that month. No change in price was recorded in December for 8 articles out of the 20 on the table, and decreases were recorded in the prices of lard, bacon, peas, beans and lentils. As has already been pointed out (see "Board of Trade Labour Gazette" for January, 1915, p. 7) these index numbers cannot now be said to reflect the full extent to which food prices have advanced in Berlin as a result of restric- ted supplies. At the prices recorded in the "Statistische Korrespondenz" (i.e.. the legal maximum prices) some articles—such as bread, floiu; butter, pork, and milk—arc purchasable only in strictly limited quantities while others —such as lard, beans, peas and lentils—would appear to be practicallv unobtainable. VIENNA IN DECEMBER, In December a falt of 3.3 per cent, was re- corded in the retail prices of various articles of food in Vienna, but the general level of food prices was 112.9 per cent, higher than in July, 1914. There a,re no data as to the relative im- portance of the various foods in household consumption in Vienna; and in estimating these figures it has been assumed that the same standard exists in Vienna as in Berlin. The following table is based on returns published by the Austrian Ministries of Commerce and Ag- riculture in c'arenpreisberichte" :— — Increase (plus) or Decrease (—) in Dec.. 1915, as com- pared wi tIt Articles Nov., 1915 Julv, 1.914 Per cent Per cent Beef —1.4 plus 206.7 Veal. plus 6.5 plus 63.3 Pork -5. 2 plus 153.5 plus 800.0, Lard —4.8 plus 321.1 Milk 4.4 p;lus 51.6 Butter —7.9 plus 118.8 Margaruie plus 10.3 plus 220.0 Flour, wheat No changle'. plus 81.4 Bread, rye —9.7 plus 75.0 Rioe No change plus 466.7 Eggs No change plus 214.3 Potatoes No change —37 .5 Split peas plus 8.9 plusMO.O Haricot beans plus 3.5 plus 150.0 H;a,j,i(,ot ],)(:?an.s p??lvis 3.i) pltis -1,?)0.0 Su?ar plus 2.1 plus 10.9 AI:, Articles together —3.3 plus 112.9. (weighted) net per- centage (c Itange) The figures for December, being compared with those for the previous month. advances are seen to have taken place in the prices of 7 articles, the increases being chiefly noticeable in the case of onions (nearly 12 per cent.), margarine (10 per cent.), and split peas (9 per cent.). The effect of these rises, however, is counteracted by decreases recorded for bread, butter, pork, bacon, lard and beef. The net decrease shown above is the first In the general level of retail prices recorded for Vienna since September, 1914. The fall is. however, less significant than it would have been if maximum retail prices had not been in operation for the first time in December in res- pect of bacon and hog's fat, both of which figure largely in the Viennese dietary in normal times. ITALY IN DECEMBER. During December there was a rise of 2 per cent, in the retail prices of certain articles of food in Italy, and the general level of food prices was 31.2 per cent, higher than m July, 1.914. The percentages in the following table are based on index numbers published in the issue for- February 1 of the journal of the Italian Labour Department ("Bollettino dell' IJffieio del Lavoro). and relate to 42 towns in Italy: — increase in Dec., 1915, as eom- Articla pared with Nov. 1915 July 1914 Per cent Per cent Wheat bread 2.4 27.3 Wheat flour 0.3 37.9 Macaroni etc 3.5 38.4 Beef 3.5 60.1 Bacon 1.4 27.7 Olive Oil. 0.5 19.0 Milk I. 2.1 11.0 All Articles Together 2.0 31.2 SWITZERLAND IN DECEMBER.* Lists of current retail prices of necessaries are published regularly by the Union of Co-opera- tive Societies. In order to obtain some idea as to the effect upon household expenditure of the increases shown by the recent issues of these lists, the Swiss League for Reducing the Cost of Living has taken the prices June 1.914, September 19l5, and December 1915, and cal- culated the sum necessary to purchase the quantity of each commodity consumed in the course of a year by an average family of two adults aii4 three children under ten years of age at the prices prevailing at each of these three dates. The increase in the amount neces- sary to purchase identical quantities of the various articles at the two later dates is as shown below: — Increase in Cost of Identical Quanti- ties as compared with cost in June, Article or Groups of Articles 1914 Sep. 1915 Dec. 1915 Per cent. Per cent. Milk butter, cheese 7.5 15.1 Edible Fats and Oils 24.4 32.3 Bread and flour 38.0 37.4 Peas, beans lentils &c 61.2 30.5 Meat 23.3 23.2 Eggs 50.0 90.0 Potatoes 14.:3:t 14.3. Sugar and honey 19.2 36.7 Other foods 6.0 6.0 All foods together 20.4 26.4 Other necessaries. 19-0 22.0 Total 20.3 26.0 The extent of thft increase was not the same in all parts of the country. If, for example, | the period from June, 1914. to December, 1915, be taken, the average rise was 26 per cent, in Switzerland as a whole, whereas in the sepa.r-I ate cantons or districts it varied from 22.6 per cent. (Uri, Schwyz, Obwalcl-, and Nidwald taken together) to 35.7 per cent. (.Freiburg canton). Korrespondenz-Blatt der Sohweizsrischen Liga fur die Verbilligung der Lebenshalt- ung, December, 1915 Zurich." t Decrease.

ARE WE DOING YOUR PRINTING? I ARe;ae the most modern equipment, and good work is quickly turned out by Trade Unionists at reasonable rates. NOTE THE ADDRESS THE LABOUR PIONEER PRESS Williams' Square, Merthyr Tydfil.

Elderly Shirkers." [ I By THOMAS THOMAS. II At the moment of writing there is a terrific battle being waged between the Germans andE French for, Verdun. The poor, deluded German ? soldiers are hurled against the French forcilica- tions with a callousness unparalleled even in tti' horrible war. The losses must be incalculable, i and still this unhmuan carn ival of blood must go on, on with a,n' ever increasing intensity,. ? whiht the ?hou)s responsible for the hOhWIIOS' shelter behind the prerogatives of rank and age. To think that such an awful state of soul- less humanity should be tolerated and per- S: petuated without hardly a dissenting protest in I Christianised Europe is enough to drive the most sanguine optimist to despair. One would almost wish that the Almighty would drown us all in anotiier deluge, from which no one wodd- escape. j Hell itself has been let loose, and the imps of" j Gclteuna ply their infernal trade with un- > limited freedom. Earth is bereft of sainu to cope with this demonical demonstration and; the feeble platitudes of pulpiteers travesty the J whole doctrine of Christian 'snopityteft m the world, or, at least, rlu- j only grain of it left is found among the men who are bearing the hardships of the fight. Among.?.' the civifian popu!ation a brutal obduracy is ob-, served, a (.,alloustie,?s dIii-i ng the.. barbaric hordes of pre-civilised days. The un-- speakable sufferings of the soldiers, the ghastl} i horrors to which they are subjected in this hellish war seem to have no modifying effect on our stay-at-home, over-age bravoes. Let our papers publish in huge head-fines: "Great slaughter among the enemy." and these bastard a patriots rejoice with an exceedingly great joy, J unmindful of the agony of our own men who — inflict the punishment, and heedless of the mil- lion bleeding hearts of the mothers an 1 wives of the fallen. No, to satisfy their inordinate appetite for blood they forcibly seize the few re- maining youths at home and unmercifully throw them into the crimson maw of the nvilitarv Jug- gema-nt. God in heaven! that "man's inliu- ,i inanity to man" should thus dominate every- f where in this twentieth century of Christianity; i that the few pacifists of every nation should be subjected to the vilest persecution, and that the standard of Christ should be immersed in the mire of a ruthless imperialism by its own bearers! How long 0 God, how long will the iniquity be tolerated P We are at war," they say, "and we must help our country to win." Ah! yes don't talk about helping your country to an honourable peace. hirst, let us crush our enemies Jet us lay them in the dust, then will be the time to discuss peace. No, no, you don't discuss peaci with a crushed foe you dictate peace, a peace that will be the prelude to au other war, And how cleverly is the whole imperialistic machinery worked! How easily the PUppdH respond to the manipulator behind the scenes! First a Compulsory Military Act to enforce single unmarried men; now to render ineffec- tive the conscience clause and refuse exemption to legitimate claims; next to bring in the mar- ried man within the toils All works so smoothly, so inevitably, so relentlessly A grunt of dissatisfaction here, protest there, then silence; and Liberty lies with an- other gash at its throat. This accumulation of evil will bring its Nem- esis. Already the eligible married man wlis scl- J hsnly stood by while the iy-iill tarv shackles were -• riveted on the single man is beginning to feel tlw coils tightening around him; already the men left in industry are being inculcated with the unpalatable doctrine, of industrial conserip- i tion. and each man is energetically thinking, j how best to save his own skin reg'ardless of the i?esillis of his seHishness. Too well has Lord ?orthcMe the protagonist of a son iJf Bri tish lace, iaid his nets; the tish has jumped to the bait, and its futile tail wriggling will aford both amusemnt and a rich feast to l-he fisher. nut what boots it to talk like this: we are- ii war, and we must fight to the last man. the last shilling, only let it be understood that the last man must not be one of the over-age limit ciowd, nor must the last shilling come from the pocket of the patriotic wealthy. Britain's military prestige, Britannia's naval glory are more important than the people siuy aspirations. Shall the industrial slave* livand military prestige die? No! sa' v the who have no sons eligible for the Army. No! says the indomitable individual who has just passed his 41st birthday. And iwh-a,t -say those who are in the trenches? What? No! their op- inions must not be published: there-is a De- fence of the Realm Act. And all these blatant jingoes who, seoneed behind their 41 years, their priestly sanctity, or their w Ives' petticoats, who howl anathema at the opponents of war, and who demand the t sacrifice of every young man—how many of i these will champion the cause of the soldier when the wait, is over ? How many of them give a second thought to the 34,000 soldiers who have had their health destroyed in the present war through frost-bites and other evils; Mttt who are deprived any Government pension he-" cause their incapacity is not the result of wounds? How many of these patriotio despicable shirkers would not whine at the idea. of being called upon to pay towards the decent ot shattered soldiers Not a word have they uttered in protest against throwing the heroes- of the trenches on to the scrap-heap; not one appeal, to the Government about provisions for these derelicts of the military machine. Whilst in health and strength and in the jighting ranks the soldier is the best of fellows; but the moment be ceases to be useful as a pillar of shelter for these loud-mouthed patriots, God help him, for little mercy will he receive from hi-s whilom champions. Very rarely is such viftdictiveness displayed by soldiers as is manifested by the doughty over-age warriors. The soldier has experienced what modern trench warfare is. and because he knows he shows infinite tolerance. It is the man who has never fought under modern con- ditions of warfare; it is the man who knows he won't be called up to fight who revels in deeds of derring-do, and who demonstrates his bravery at peace meetings. Editors in the safe- ty of their editorial sanctums; and the de- orepits who swallow as gospel the fulminations of a prostituted press—these are the persons* wno boast- that were they young they would have joined the colours with the first; and it is these, and others of their type, who in wars of the past never risked their precious skins bv becoming soldiers. The present war has no more moral justifi- cation than previous wars. When the Outland- ers of South Africa complained against Kruger "•■ tyrrany; when British sovereign sway was threatened by savage Dervishes.; when Russia was a menace during the Crimean Wa,r--tl-ie bu- gle call to arms did not find a responsive echo in the hearts of many of these dare-devil civi- lians who are so active to-day in forcing others to fight. They say there was no necessity then. No, because others volunteered to do th' fighting. A