Pioneer

THE PALACE. I Manager, Hall-Jones. Comfort, Refinement and Amusement. Monday to Wednesday next, three great attractions. A genuine Parisian Comedy in two acts— DON'T TEMPT ME A fine Drama in three acts—THE REAPING. Featuring Lilian Drew and Ri hard Travers. The Great Serial—THE BROKEN COIN, Episode 10. Next Thursday to Saturday three days only. Another tremendous production—THE MIRACLE Next Thursday to SaturDdaIyV, INITY OF MOTHERHOOD A visualisation of the most natural OF LIFE, or THE thoughts in life. Womanly love, passion, hate interwoven, formmg an exquisite picture that beggars description. Children's Special Entertainment every Saturday morning at 10.15. Id., 2d. and 3d. The Most Fascinating Entertainment To-day Merthyr Electric Theatre Manager J. BOWEN. The Highest Pinnacle of Motion Picture Production. to Monday to Wednesday, March 27th to 29th- Beautiful Margarita Fischer in a wonderful Film Drama (four reels)— HER HEART'S DESIRE Magnificent Setting. Superb action. Perfect Photography. THE WAY OF A MOTHER. Exclusive. Love of her Boy ruled her life. Thursday to Saturday, March 30th, 31st & April 1st- The House of a Thousand Candles Full of real pulsating life. Comedy Drama. Five parts. From the book and play by Meredith Nicholson. The scenes are dreams of beauty. A humorous and sensational story, in which the search for hidden securities, worth a million of money, provides plenty of fun and excitement. EX-CONVICT 4287. A touchy Exclusive Drama. Two parts. Full of interest. urn- In Addition Grand All-Star Programme. Prices—3d., 6d 9d. & 1/- Continuous-2.30 to 10.30 p.m. yBMOBBKanHHIIIIIHIBI liOBHmm II [THEATRE R0YAI I J AND EMPIRE PALACE9 MERTHYR. —? ?! 1 ?6?5. TWICE NIGHTLY. 8.45. I | Monday, March 27th. 1916. and during the Week. | J. ALEXANDER'8 I 9 Empire Opera Singers | i Includi!J. Ae(!I-kn2Cducti!omtnation f of Operatic Vocalists, in a Unique and Original Act, featuring their Famous Pot-Pourri of ■ Excerpts from Great Masters. Melodious Music Haunting Harmony Beautiful Ballads B ? The Great Boxing Contest for the Fly- weight Championship of Great Bri in and I N the Lonsdale Championship Challenge Belt—JIMMY WILDE (Tylorstown) v. YOUNG I8 1 SYMONDS (Plymouth). t ? FRANK E. MELVILLE, Light Comedian. BLANCHE RAY, Burlesque Artiste. |  THE PIQUAYS, introducing the greatest Upside-down Ragtime Sand Dance ever seen. 8 t Miss MAGGIE CLIFTON & PARTNER in a Novel Equilibristic and Herculean j  Gymnastic Act. n I The Ever Popular Comedians-THE NEW MACS, who create laughter. I PRICES AS USUAL. L. It .It II .J TYPEWRITERS I Stocktaking Sale of Second-hand Machines, Genuine Bargain Prices, all makes from 30/ I Write for Lists. Remington, Ño. 5, Foolscap Carriage, dear Work, very reliable, perfect, 45/ Hammond Ideal, Visible Writing, Bck- spaœr, Interchangeable Type, perfect, 55/ Yost, Double Keyboard, beautiful work, per- fect, 60/ Fox, Brief, Visible Writing, 2-colotir, Tabula- tor, Modern Machine, perfect, only j65 10s. worth double. Moiircb, Visible Writing, Foolscap Car- riage. Tabulator, excellent condition, bargam at £6 10s. All sent on Approval. L. W. WAKEFIELD AND CO., NEWHALL HILL, BIRMINGHAM. THERE IS ONLY I ONE OINTMENT THAT CURES I And this is supplied by Chemists and the I MANNINA OINTMENT CO., FISHGUARD, I And is sold in Three Strengths-I. 2 & 3.

PONTYPRIDD, I Otjk Spmpathibs.—-It is with extreme regret we have to announce a serious accident to Mr. Fred Jenkins, Secretary of the Pontypridd LHP., which occurred at the Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd, last Friday, through a fall at the coal face. He was pinned by a large stone, and. suffered severely in his back. Mr. Doughs pnd friends speedily extracted him at great risk to themselves, and afterwards removed him to the,, Cottage Hospital, Pontypridd. Seell. by our II correspondent on Sunday, he was as well as could be expected, and his wish for the current issue of the Pign&er was gratified at the same time. The I.L.P. Branch the same evening passed a vote of sympathy, and wish for aj speedy recovery. WOMAN LABOUR IN BAKERIES.—The influx ofi female labour into bakeries. etc., is causing the various Trades Unions catering for this cljtss to try to organise them. Recently Mrs. W. S. Seholefield (Cardiff) and a lady friend visited Pontypridd, and spoke to several fe- lliaJ6 employees, and it is hoped to organise them early. The organisers m question des- cribed their pay as disgraceful. SAO F-z s .-News agents from all parts are expected to attend Pontypridd on the 30th inst., when the annual meeting of the South Wales Federation is being held. A tea and en- tertainment follow at Hopkin Morgan's Cafe. —————————————

I or The Palaee. Three special exclusive attractions are to be seen at fchis House during the remainder of this week. The first is The Dream Dance," a I drama by Leon D. Kent in 3 parts—a story of Paris, art and love. This is followed by a drama of the stage featuring Nell Oraig, J. B. Trotten and Ernest Maupsun, and is entitled The Awakening Hour," in 3 acts. The next is a comedy with the attractive title of The Elopement of Venus," being the story of a mo- del a statue, and a town improvement com- mittee, and the scene is Paris before the war— II a picture that will cause e.ndless amusement. On Monday next the programme includes three exclusive pietares--the first being" The Heaping," in 3 acts, a story of sin and its con- sequences, featuring Lillian Drew and Richard Travers, a charming story that will please all. This drama is followed by a Parisian comedy in 2 parts, "Don't Tempt Me," and is calculated to amuse and provoke to laughter the most serious-minded. It is a tonic for business wear- ied folk. A further episode of the popular Lucille Love Serial, The Broken Coin," will be snown. This i's the tenth, and will pfrove stilI more interesting. I The Miracle of Life." A in nager Hall-Jones has secured what will be considered the greatest effort in screen symbol- ism a veritable poem in pictures; and a work of art. A revelation in the cinematograph art, this photo-play is one of the most beautiful pic- tures America has yet sent to this country. The Miracle of Life, or the Divinity of Mo- therhood," as the title suggests, is the story of a woman who desires to shirk the responsibilities, of motherhood, and who, in a dream, is taught a lesson which has found expression in the fol- j lowing:— J Tha,t-ilT God! it was a warning, enveloped in a dream. Anil not my real existence, in the terror (i have seen; I What joy to live—and take with gladdened i heart, A woman's burden in the world, a place in: Life's great part." Patrons should note that this great picture* can only be seen at the Palace, and for three! days only, commencing next Thursday. The Manager advises all who can to try and see this picture in comfort in the afternoon. Every young woman should make an effort to see the picture, which will afford both pleasure and pront. In future seats will not be booked in advance. All who desire seats should make an effort to get to the Palace early any evening. The clock on at the entrance will indicate time picture is showing. J t-?i-,qe pief,-Lire is shov,,i-n'-

PRINTING SENT TO PRIVATE COMPANIESI means Profit for Individual Owners. ¡ When WE do your work, the Profit Ij comes in, the PROPAGATION OF SOCIALISM AND 'I TRADES UNIONISM. Think it Ove" 11 Think it Over? PEACE! PEACE! PEACE! TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS Will be held at BENTLEY'S HALL, MERTHYR As f,.)Ilows Sunday Evening, March 26th. Speakers:—Messrs. Wo H, EVANS & T, T, JENKINS Merthyr. Abercanaid. Monday Evening, March 27. Speaker MR. GUY A. ALDRED, Editor, The Spur," London. Subject DOES PEACE MATTER." Chair will be taken at both meetings at 7.45. Admission Free. Collection. YOU MUST HEAR GUY A. ALDRED Editor, The Spur," London, at BENTLEY'S HALL, MERTHYR On MONDAY, MARCH 27th, at 8 p.m. Subject—"Does Peace Matter ? AND AT Berni's Hall, Union Street, Dowlais. Tuesday, March 28th, at 7.30 p.m. Subject "Anarchism and Socialism." Wednesday, March 29th, at 7.30 p.m. Subject—"Marx and the Anarchists." Admission Frte. Collection#. Questions and Discussion Invited.

Cowards' Castle or Peace- Which ? Once again the attested married men of Merthyr—the chief tools in the great betrayal of our nation 1(0 the Prussianism of Compulsion -have met and fulminated their- odious non- sense in Cowards' Castle. Once more they have travelled the old ground of single men first; and, Conscription for all, and the time has come to tell these men what we think of them and, their weakness in allowing themselves to be befooled into becoming the tools and oatspaws of the Junkeijs, whose cries they are repeating; with parrot-like stridence, and lack of under- standing. Objection has been taken to our label bv both sides. The attested married men have waxed indignant at the Cowaxd_sl Castle" headline, and have repeated, as though repe- tition were argument, We are not oowards," and good Socialists have remonstrated with us because the line was" not nice." Not nice, forsooth; too long have we studied the niceties of language, too long have we withheld the trutk for fear of hurting the tender suscepti- bilities of weak-kneed traitors to the cause of progress and humanity. We shall not apologise for, we shall justify, our label. The first and most important question is: What was the prime reason for the calling of these meetings of Cowards Cast-elites? Everyone admits that the reason is the quarrel between the attested men and Lord Derby over the interpretation of the phrase" Smgle Men First." But neitner Lord Derby nor any attested man has the right to raise that cry. Leaving at one side far the moment the anti-war plea for which! we have always stood, and the right of the in- dividual as prior to tlm of the State in mat- tel-'s cntaiillng taking of life, the oftly logical I thing for a nation to do that decides on the continuation of war is to put up with all that decision entails. btl is a mean, cowardly, inhuman and brutal thing for those who wish the war to continue to make their own partici- pation in it dependent on some oth er person being first forced to fight. So that as a. gene-j ral principle of justice the action of the- attest- ed married man can only be described as mean and cowardly. But actually the position is worse than that. These attested men, by their voluntary acceptance of the 2/9 and the khaki armlet, stated their belief publicly in the justice of this nation's cause, and the mili-, t-ary method of enforcing it. These men, be- lieving this, heard the nation's call for men and still more men, had seen married men dragged f rom their homes and single men sacci- iicing position and place and all that life held dear to vindicate- a like belief; yet they temporised. Though ilhey knew there was the call for they accepted six inches of khaki to wrap round their arms, whilst the full suit was waiting for them. We- say that every individual who accepted the armlet was a coward, and a sneak. They declared volunta- rily their belief, and after such a declaration nothing remained for those capable of baring. arms íl'T-Sp 8otiv, of age, position or state, but? to (,niIlr st ?rceit into the army. They had no? right to skulk behind other men, at whom they Hung the epithet of slacker," they have no right to-day to quibble about any pledge or its supposed fulfilment or want of fcrIfilment; their place is the army, in which they believe, and their attempt to still further put off the evil day but oonfirnls us in our first estimate of them. They are lower than worms; there is no mortal hell too deep for them. The false patriot is more abhorrent than the sneak spy of industrialism. We believe that they lent themselves to the attestation trick in the belief that they were only Government stalking horses to catch the single rn,Ir,, and that they! understood that having served that purpose, I they would save-their own miserable skins ] from danger, and now that the dupes have] become the dupped they are howling. If they were men they would say straight out that it was soldiering that they were afraid of, and would. like sensible men, seek a sane way out. We have offered them that way. Join in the Peace Campaign. Shout not for the ns- gsraudisement of the military machine with all its horrors and eaiauiities, but for Peace that will release all to the eivil life. Is it more cour- a,geous to quibble because the State has decid- ed that some unmarried men who have, what- ever the cause, fled to mine dad munitions works, sire of more utility here than in the ar- my than to state clearly and without ambiguity that you hate war, and will do what you can to bring Peace P Is it more courageous to spoilt- Ii Slacker," than to. take the :Islackei-s' chance. of a firing squad and death These patriots of the piece of khaki would have us believ-ew. We personal,\ prefer to stand by the Red Flag of Socialism; to hold tight to principles that we have preached in season and out ot season for fifteen years now, and to bear the consequences, whatever they might be. rather than to refrain from delivering the message that is ours. We are not pro-German for saying that: we are still pro-proletariat, whether that proletariat be here, there or anywhere. Internationalism is our ideal, and riiat ideal is incompatible with capitalist wars engineered by armament mongers, shipping swindlers, money monarchs, or the political paltroons who do their bidding. No, Peace is a better cry than Conscription," and it is the one we are going to use. Every fit man who does not join, automatically brands himself as slacker and coward, for if he believes not in Peace, then this war to him is just, and his place is with the men who have not skulked behind other men, but have decided to fight for their ideals. We respect the men at the front- we have nothing but contempt for the white-livered skunks who crouch in Cowards* Chstle.

Mane, Mens Tekel Upharsin." I THE FARCE OF THE MERTHYR TRIBUNAL." (By the Rev. W. REES, Llechryd.) The story of "The Farce of the Merthyr j Tribunal." in the Pioneer, is second to none but of that in the Gospels of the Tribunal of Jerusalem, when Jesus stood before the infer- nal Sanbedrinists and Co. There was a, divining cup, according to the legend, with the an- cient magii in the East, in which they could see the universe. The universe- can aJso be seen in the Merthyr Tydfil Tribunal. This number of the Ptonkeek should be carefully preserved for the sake of future generations, to whom it will seem incredible that there had been siicl) cical specimens of humanity, or rather ofi go- rillas and apes, a magnificent contrast, though, to the hundred young men of conscience whom they could not by any means understand. How could sueh monkeys understand anything- about the inner realities which join man to his Ma- ker. when they were even utterly unable to understand the military law aad its declara- tions? Uh-eir questions, riddles, gibes and con- undrums were foolish, futile and cruel. But "the tragic comedians have struck a more, severe blow at militarism than ever was allowed to I.L.P." They have also aroused a deeper mood of defiant and uncompromising revolt in the conscientious objectors of Merthyr and oth- ers who wave the flag of Keir Hardie with re- newed resolve. They have also already made the Torch of the Pioneer to burn with a brighter beam, and which will consume these thorns and briars of the gory desert. The time has come for a New Order of Life, for a New Religion, which must be Christian Socialism. Every man must have some religion: if he has not the religion of Christ and the Sermon on the Mount, he will have the religion of Satan and dark deceit, and he will build j,he chapels of Satan, calling Sa- tan God; and destroy all who do not worship Satan under the name of God. The religion of Jesus Christ can never be the cause of war, nor of a single martyrdom, nor of Conscrip- tion, nor of the Merthyr Tribunal. All these curses oome from the religion of Satan the outcome of the lusts and cravings of capital- ists. and the silent broodings and the deadly revenge springing from the hideous spectres of secret diplomats in the bonds of hate, bent upon building an Empire of Phantasy based up- on the bottomless pit. An Empire with a mon- strous shapes of thrones, and cabinets, and cap-! tains and pulpits and tribunal attributes, with Gargantuan dovollnng' appetites o gulp up and swallow the divinest attribute of man, even his very conscience, and thereby destroy I the Rehgion of Jesus Christ. The Religion c? Jesus Christ is Brotherhood and Freedom, where every man has no superiors or inferiors, but all. equally possess the Divine benevolencei and joy as one friendly family freely fed by the teeming Mother Earth. And even the grand robbers and tygers of capitalism, they only want to curb them with the golden bits of righteousness, with, the silver bridles of justice, \"1' tll +¡h ü '0 nx) 8,1' f a.1r pla 'Y' .nd ,dIe iron with the copper off play, an d the iron of equal welfare, which is the birthright of 'all the children of the Great Father. The religion. of brotherhood comprises polities and t I e. They are not separate, but the same on ie iand arena of life, its golden rules, and fe, "blessed visions. As the n»is]c toe grows on the nak, the religion, of Jesus grows on. brotherhood and will grow into unnorsal Socialism. Man and his conscientious rights are the first and last word of Christian Socialism. and will in future- fill the vast place now occupied by eccle- siastical, capitalistic, and militarist mansions and edifices which trample upon man and his rights. The xMLeiitnyi tribunal is among the in numera-ole signs oi the coming day of rotribu- tion and of the restoration of all The influence and the authority of the ruiers, and especially of the clergy of all denominations, are rapidly declining and falling into contempt. The turpitude of tne pulpits and their holy hypoontiCiusts, ^welled and bloated with the flesh and blood of millions, and their repugnant loathsome worship, are now disclosed to men and aageiB as never before. As the hounds fol- low the scent- of the inha,bitants of the forest to drive them from their own, so the priests an d preachers follow the mighty hunters to drive the toilers from their own inheritance. The desperate snort turns against themselves, iiie sheet anchors of ecclesiastical and ehap^-bcal pretenders are disappearing and the wind of heaven knows- them not. Men, like the Mer- thyr hundred, are rising to feel aId proclaim their responsibility • they will refuse to be trained in the cringing habits of subordination and self-distrust, they will refuse to lean upon, precedent and authority, and they will heartily despise and scorn the forcical military tribunals of the blindfolded potentates. They will con- sider for themselves their claims, their rights and destiny in relation to time and eternity, to the finite and the infinite. So the disappear- ance of the priestly, preaeherly parties, with all their sectarian castes and creeds, will not opar- ate to lessen the interest in the religion ,:¡fl Jeans, but to deepen it. Brotherhood will teach men the true meaning of patriotism, The prevalent love of country is a. false love, a. pretence of love to destroy love, calling that, is enit? hate, love which is envy, hate, revenge, and murder. It is a love which sepiarates man from man, and man from God. It is a love that has made our earth a red globe of blood, trembling in grind- ing agonies among the frightened worlds. Angels groan and bitterly weep, and the fingers of the Omnipotent hand write upon the plaiste-r of the I Babylonian walls of the profane empires, "Mme, Meiie Teke), Upharsin." I

CORRESPONDENCE. THE CHRISTIAN (?) CHURCHES. (To the Editor of the Pioneer.) Dear Sir, .New times demand new mea- sures and new men." We have fallen on an evil day. The Free Churches of Britain have clamoured for a long time for useless things. I remember the 'T Tithe War in Pembrokeshire; the farmers objected on conscientious grounds" to support a religion which they did not believe, and to maintain churches which they did not attend. When the Balfour Edu- cation Act was passed, I remember the feeling which animated the Free Churches. At that time there was nothing worth fighting for burt to repeal the Act, and to give fair play to the man who objected on conscientious grounds to the teaching of the dogmas of the Church of England to his children. In Cardiganshire, there are people to-day who are Ipoked upon as heroes, because they voted ac- cording to their conscience in 1868. We in Wales have come into the heritage of John Penry, the Welsh martyr, who, for conscience's sake. was hanged. We boast of the "Two Thousand clergymen who were turned out of the Church of England, because they obeyed the dictates of their conscience rather than the dictates of King and Parliament. We have a right to boast of these pioneers. But do we carry on their work and carry out their spirit? The most ridiculed person in Wales to-day is the conscientious objector. He is made fun of by moral imbeciles. He is jeered at by the miritary authority in the jocal Tribunals; he is pointed out in the streets as a traitor and a pro-German. The most bitter opponents to the conscientious objector are the pillars of the Free Churches. They ask questions which would disgrace the intellect of a cannibal. They cannot, for the life of them, see that a maaa. who can shoot a rabbit cannot shoot a Ger- man. To them there is no distinction between a man and a rabbit. Their logic bears the stamp of the cave, and they are oblivious of the rights of others. We know what kings have done; they have driven millions of men to the hells of war; yet a man is fined ten pounds in a Christian country for wishing the same fate to kings. Should the conscientious objector remain within the Churches? I doubt- it very much. The greatest issue of life to-dav are Peace and War Slio" Ict yotmg men remain within the churches that bless war and bless the siaughtcr of human beings? The god of the churehes is pagan, and the world is damned in the name of the Christ who came to save it. These pillars of Nonconformity shed tears over the shattered cathedrals of Europe; they dance with joy when the gutter press reports the slaughter of the men of Europe. In these cathedrals the god of war has been worshipped the rulers of every country bury their great soldiers in churches and cathedrals; torn bat- tle-flags hover over the altars of the Prince of Peace Is it possible for the god of war and the Prince of Peace to co-operate ? Let the clarion call of the new spirit reach the churches before their final doom is accomplished. The god of the -theologians is doomed and damned. He has proven himself a devil; let him go back to the hell he has created on the plains of Flanders Will any one dare to re-introduce him to the Christian Churches ? I beliere in the God who revealed Himself in Christ and still reveals Himself in every man, woman and qhikl. T cannot conceive of a God who destroys his own image in man and slaughters his own children. My mother would not do that. If God is not better than my mother, it would be better for me to worship my mother. Will the churches take heed in iime? They are making for the rocks, and nothing awaits them but destruc- tion. They deserve to be destroyed, for they lave helped and blessed the destroyers of men. Let the churches bless war. and jeer at the conscientious objector, but they ought to have the decency of refraining from d-oinc if in the name of Christ He blessed little children, and He Touched the «ick man the, hand that makes ,millions of orphans cannot hless a. single ct Ild In Pemhrokeshire, the military r-epre- 1 told a grocer's assistant that" because a ,;a ° ef 151 the shop lie ought- to kill 'ti oils scruples. And _he .Churches of Pembrokeshire collect a, laTeT sum of Money to spread the Christianity of .Ya,.es in India and Cffh i P, a, t The churches have P"! (' ( -'l nave preacned against past ivai-s; t-lie de- nounce .future wars; but they have always Messed the wars of the present. They professed to. abhor war all alfmg; but they, were blessing Imhtansm. It comes to the same thing in the end. The ultimate logic of militarism is war. Once to every man and nation Comes the moment to decade. In the war of truth with falsehoo d With the good or evil side." That moment has now arrived. The decision haft been given. The Churches have taken the side of Falsehood against Truth, and of War ag- ainst 1 eaoe. Let them pass into oblivion in the torrent of blood which they have sanctioned. I am. etc.. T. E. NICHOLAS, Congregational Minister. Llangybi, Cardiganshire..

VSTRADGYNLAIS PABISH MEETING.—A very well .attended meeting of parocnial electors was held on Mon- day evening at the Yniscedwyn Schools. The meeting was called fay the Chairman or the lansh Council—Mr. P. Griffiths—to hear evid- ence regarding the audit of the District Coun- cii s accounts. A ratepayer, in the person of Mr vVm. Morgan, Row ton House, had at- tend-eo. the- audit to lay charges against the Oouncil's Clerk-Mi.. Jestyn J-effreys-and he was now present at this ratepayers' meeting to publicly state his complaints. Most of the Dis- trict C u u i lors were present, and charges and counter-charges were made "ad lib." After a v ery he a er discussion it was finally resolved to call another meeting, on Saturday week, when it is hopod the Clerk himself will be present in person to defend himself. t The Trjbtjnal.—Owing to the fact that Mr. D- :MOirganminers' agent, had resigned his position on the Tribunal, as he was also a mem- oer oi thÇ) Colliery Recruiting Court for the Western'District the District Council met to- gether on Monday last to appoint a successor. A Her a good deal of discussion and deliberation, • they decided to appoint Mr. G. Strict, Gurnos, to the vacant position. It is worthy of note that Mr. T. P. Tolrietq (ILP), whose name also was before the Council, was turned down in favour of Mr. Strict bv the chairman's casting rote. The post vacated was a Labour post, and instead of filling it from the ranks of Lab- our the Council called in an employer of Lab- our--and an •ut-and-out Conscriptionist at that —to fill it. Developments may be esn-ected,

PLEA-SE MENTiON THE PIONEER WHEN ANSWERING ADVERTS.