Pioneer

DOWLAIS PRESENTATION.—Last- Saturday evening, at the Mackworth Inn, Dowlals, the workmen of No. 1 Pit (Foehriw) presented Mr Stephen Black well with a. fine silver watch* for services rendered as treasurer of the Checkweighers' Committee iipr the last 20 years and over. Mr Blackwell has worked at the above pit for close on ,150 years, and is still working as a colJtier at the face, being about the oldest collier at the pit in a, double sense. A strong repres- entation of his fellow workmen had met for the occasion, whilst Mr W. E. Davies (Chairman of the Checkweigher's Committee) presided. After a few suitable remarks from the chair, Mr John Jenkins, of Penywern. was called upon. He said he felt proud of the opportunity ex- tended to him and considered that the work- men were moving in the right direction when acknowledging services such as had been rend- ered by Mr Blackwell. He rejoiced in the step taken, and wished it to be, the com- mencement of a proper appreciation amongst the workmen of such sterling qualities as those possessed by the recipient, as well as many others who had hitherto gone unnoticed and unrecognised.—Mr David Price (checkweigher) also spoke in a similar strain, and testified, "as a witness from within," to the true and many qualities which made it impossible for him to keep silent upon the occasion.—Mr Enoch Lewis (the present treasurer) was entrusted with the work of presenting the watch. Regretting the retirement of Mr Blackwell, he felt proud nevertheless of this occasion. and to give "honour where honour was due." He had al- ways found him to 'oe a ready worker, never shunning the duties entrusted to him by the committee Thus, with a very pithy speech, the presentation was handed to Mr Blackwell with the best, wishes of all present. Mr Blackwell, labouring under emotional difficulties, respon- ded. He felt sure that the honour done to him that evening would never fade from his mem- ory, whereas he also felt warmer towards, ar,d prouder of-if that were possible—the class he belonged to than ever he did before. He greatly appreciated the present, and moreso va- lued the spirit in which it was given- the spirit of voluntary contribution. It was what a man did voluntarily that counted to his credit, and it was for this that he thanked them most heartily. The remaining part of the eve- ning was spent in entertainment. Mr E. M. Davies (checkweigher) read some penillion, which were commented upon as being very appropriate and descriptive of the recipient. Songs and solos were sung by the following: Messrs. John Jenkins and Abram Jones, Peny- wern and Dan Evans, Foohriw. With the usual vote ot thanks a most enjoyable evening was brought to a close.

I rm The Electric Theatre. I mere nas been another big week at the Electric, both from the point of view of me- ritorious picture plays and audiences. Shir- ley s name is connected with the star picture from- Monday to Wednesday, undoubtedly at- tracted a big attention, for there is a warm place in the affe-etion of every playgoer for the veteran whose list of successes includes his joint authorsiiip with Geo. R. Sims of that phe- nomenal stage play, Two Little Vagabonds." 1 ersonaliy I did not expect that a piece of work liive Her Life in London," a play writ- ten entirely for the "legitimate," and necess- arily compressed within the not extensive lim- lls of the legitimate stage," would lend itself to a very telling adaptation for the films. But I am rapidly learning to expect the unexpec- ted from the Cinema, and I must confess that the rictul-e version is, to my mind. a more thri- lnling less unnatural, more convincing story of the lire of a girl in the modern Babylon tha.n ever was the stage version, helped though it was by the crisp and telling dialogue of a master of the dramatic art. The playing, too, was of a superior order, and in particu- Jar was 1: struck bv the work of Fred Morgan as "The Band Criminal." Burns and Stoll con- tiniie their peculiarly funny exploits and the Diamond from the Sky" is more than justi- fying the glowing things that its sponcers and myself have said of it. To-day the new programme was headed by a Selig 3-part star picture, The Isle of Con- t,e,nt, a picture play which I have an impres- sion is based upon some book I have read and one that is full of unique interest; excellent work and unexpected developments. The scenes are unusually vivid, and I class the picture amongst the best I have seen. "Greed the picture series that is attracting me like a mag- net, is better than ever this week, in its story of the foul plot of the Grain Trust to rob the people of their bread. We of the Democratic movement know the excellent work that Upton Sinclair's book, "The Jungle," did for the protection of the people from the grabbing of the Chicago pork kings, and I expect that "Greed" in a no lesser degree, will do the same for a more competent oversight of the Trusts, Rings and Combines the world over. There is a conviction about the whole series that inevitably must have a great effect upon those who witness it. "The Girl of Lost Is- land" grows more thrilling as the weeks pass by, and the "Gun Runners," this week's in- stalment, is a unique piece of filming, even fcr Pathe Freres. Next week is to witness the return visit, at the request of a great-number of Electric pat- rons, of that wonderful story of the slums, "As a Man Sows." The picture itself drew big houses when last screened here, and to the charms of the "Angel of the Slums" is to be now added a vocal accompaniment at each of the evening houses, by the celebrated Cy- farthfa Juvenile Choir of 40 voices, with music specially written for the film. It is to be a great week, and I have no doubt that the houses will be worthy of the programme that the prog- ressive management has provided. There will, of course, be the usually strong supporting pro- gramme. including "The Diamond from the Sky," and Burns and Stoll. From Thursday on there is to be an equally strong programme, topped by "Coral," a Bison new release that, has eome over here with a great name; another "Greed" episode, and "The Sun Womhippm," a further thrilling chapter in Ae "Girt of Lost Island." PLAYGOER.

BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS. COFF AD WRIAETllOL. THOMAS.—Er Cof Anwyl am Rosina, Merch Fechan Mr. a Mrs. D. J. Thomas, High Street, Penydariren. Blwyddyn aeth er pan y collais, Gwenau Rosy fach ddi-nam; Cofio'i llais, a i hysbryd llednais)- Dyna'n unig eill y fam." IN MEMORIAM. THOMAS.-In Loving Memory of dear little Rosy, who died July 3rd, 1915. Do not ask us if we miss her, There is such a vacant place. Can we e'er forget her footsteps, Or her dear beloved face?" —From Aunt Amy and Uncle Stephen.

A Reply to Mr. J. W. Beynon. I ILLUSORY FORTUNES. By JAMES WINSTONE, J.P. I am reluctant to enter into any controversy which may have a tendency to disturb the calm serenity of the poor South Wales coal owners in general, or my esteemed and im- poverished friend, Mr J. W. Beynon in particu- lar, but when I find him joining with others, adopting the role of the injured innocent, and at the same time in the same speech vilifying the Welsh miners, my nature won't stand it. According to the report of the annual meet- ing of the Ebbw Vale Steel, Iron and Coal Company, which appeared in the Western Mail on Friday last, he is reported to have said. lie would like to shatter another delu- siori in regard to the South Wales coalowner." I rather like that. "Shattering a delusion" is an occupation for which he would be special- ly fitted were not the terms so nebulous and he a Director of this and other prosperous col- liery companies in South Wales. In the same speech he said: There was an opinion that they (the coal- owners) amassed huge fortunes, but as a matter of fact, that existed III the poetic fancy of the penny-a-liner." Not an opinion only, my dear Beynon not an opinion; not even a poetic fancy but an actual fact, as will be seen when I call your own Chairman to witness. For at the same meeting he testified that the gross profits for the year amounted to £ 296,075. as against £ 160.930 in the previous year; this is the lar- gest profit ever made by this company in any year of its records; aRdaccording to my cal- culation is an increase of £ 135,145, or 84 per cent increase on the previous year's workings. This company has a, capital of £1,419,850, and in the last 18 years have made profits am- ounting to 1;2,346,649. The Company have, therefore, been able to pay back the whole of their invested capital, and still have J8026. i 99 to spare. For the year ending June, 1916, dividends of 6 per; cent on the Preference Shares and 12t per cent on the Ordinary Shares were paid. Not by any means an illusory record. But I iind that Mr J. W. Beynon is Managing Direc- tor of the Newport Abercarn Black Vein Steam Coal Co., Ltd.. and this company paid a divid- end of 7 per cent, less tax on the Preference Shares and 12J per cfiit free of tax on the Or- dinary Shares. It is hardly possible for one who is uninitiated into the mysteries of dividend hunting to say exactly what salary is paid to one in the po- sition held by Mr Beynon, but the report gives an mdice, for it says that Mr Beynon and Mr F. Mills were re-elected directors, and it was decided that the remuneration of the di- rectors be increased to £ 1,800 per annum—only £ 35 per week. A mere, bagatelle. If Mr Bey- non is the proud possessor of 25,000 ordinary shares in each concern, then his income for last year was £ 6,250; add £ 1,800; total, £ 8,050, or practically £155 per week. Yet so far as Mr Beynon is concerned, it is perfectly safe to say half has not been told. But for the moment we leave that phase of the question. I make no serious complaint as long as the workers are content to send men to Parliament who support this system which enables the few to so flagrantly exploit the many. The Chairman of the Ebbw Vale Company's meeting said: The Germans had certainly ex- celled in exploiting other people's ideas." But I am certain the Germans could never excel Mr J. W. Beynon and his colleagues in their exploitation of the Welsh miners. Not satisfied with exploiting, he must go out of his way to insult, misrepresent, and vilify the very men who produced the, wealth which enabled him to draw his salary and exception- ally high dividends. He further stated that "Recently the min- ers' leaders made an application for a" advance in wages equal to 22.5 per cent on the 1879 standard That statement is perfectly true, but had the workmen been as unpatriotic as Mr Bey- non, they would have asked for much more. No one should know better than Mr Beynon, but it did not suit his purpose to say so, that the Joint Audit of the Coalowners' books re- vealed an increase of 2/9 per ton in the price of coal which would have entitled the work- men on any of our past experience to an in- crease of more than 22.5 per cent. in their wage rate. Mr Beynon seemed to become more irritable and misleading as he proceeds, and said: "The leaders declined to allow their demand to go before the Independent Chairman." He will deceive no one by this statement, because it is common^ knowledge that no Inde- pendent Chairman existed before whom it was possible for the case to be heard within the time stipulated in the agreement; nor is there at the time of writing anyone filling that po- sition; but the workmen's case did go before the Chief Industrial Commissioner, and he was not long, after hearing the statement, in de- ciding in the workmen's favour. Mr Beynon went on te say: "He was not criticising the Government." I am sure there is no ground upon which he could criticise the Government. It has allowed him to do very well out of the war, when it is remembered that after paying for increased costs and wa- ges the firm of which he is a director is able to increase gross profits by 84 per cent. But I am going to criticise the memoors of the Go- vernment for their want of foresight in not taking control of the mines in the earlier sta- ges of the war. and thereby prevent the coal owners exploiting the British public as they have done, and will continue to d unless the mines are controlled by them. He seemed to have reached the climax in his peroration, when he said:" The country was in a death struggle, and yet they were faced with a strike the consequence of whioh would have meant the total paralysis of the British Navy This, unfortunately for Mr Beynon, is not true, and I defy him, or anyone on his side, to give one instance of anyone in an official position mentioning the word strike. But he might have told his shareholders that when tfue owners were appealed to by the Chairman of the workmen's side of the Board, they were adamant, and exercised no thought for anything but their own pockets.

CORRESPONDENCE. THE COST OF THE WAR. I (To the Editor of the PIONEER.) Sir -—The daily rate of expenditure of the war is 5 millions sterling, and the total am- ount of the war credits is 2,382 millions. These enormous loans involve a corresponding burden of taxation. This taxation will fall for the most part on those who are too poor to contribute to the war loans. The very soldiers who havte fought in the trenches must come back to pay interest and pay back their capi- tal to those who- have made this safe invest- ment. Thus the rich stand to gain largely as an indirect result of the war. On the other hand. the poor stand to lose. The cost of the war will be shifted on to the poorer classes of the community, and the rich will escape and win profit by this disastrous conflict. But for the ability of rulers to contract pub- lic debts, nine-tenths of the wars could never have been waged. The destruction of wealth and the shedding of blood, the agony of wives and mothers and children thus caused, cannot be computed, but to these items must be added the waste and loss and demoralisation caused by cqjistant preparation for war. not only on the Part of Germany, but also on tlae part of England, France and Russia as well. The passions aroused by war, the national hatreds, the worship of military glory, the thirst for victory or revenge, dull public con- science, pervert the best social instincts into that low, unreasoning extension of selfishness mi;,called patriotism; deaden the love of liber- ty; lead men to submit to tyranny and usurpation from the savage thirst for cutting ths throats of other people, or the fear of ha- ving their own throats cut. They so pervert religious perceptions that professed followers of Christ bless in His Name the standards of murder and rapine; and thanks are given to tlw Prince of Peace for victories that pile the earth with' mangled corpses and make hearths desolate! Public debt is the mainstay of tyr- rany. and the strongest obstacle to political refermYours fraternally, i.J?.LtAVii?. Trimsaran, July 1, 1916. '-L'. lj;.

Agreement Sanctioned. I ABERDARE AND ABERAMAN GAS BILLS I The Aberdare axcl Aberaman Gas Bill was on Wednesday considered by the Committee of the House of Commons, over which Sir Wm. Middlebraak presided. Counsel,for the Gas, Co. and for the Aberdare District Council intima- ted that an agreement was likely between them and the Committee adjourned the hearing for two hours for the purpose. When they resumed an agreement was submitted for the Commit- tee's sanction, and was approved by them. Mr Talbot, K.C., intimated that they had agreed that the amount of the new capital should be £ 50.000, stock and loan, contingent on the terns the parties had also agreed with regard to the price of public lighting, the clause with regard to the sliding-scale was to be deleted; I a, new testingstation away from the works was a, test' ii I to be allowed to the district council, construc- ted at the council's expense; the calorific test was to stand as in the Bill; special protection was to be given to the Council with respect to their roads, and the provision with regard to the conversion of capital was to be omitted.

Cwmavon and Port Talbot Notes. Bertrand Russell and Peace. When the Hon. Bertrand Russell rose to ad- dress a meeting at Gallipoli Square Taibach, j last Sunday afternoon, one expected to see a man of the Clifford Allen type. Here one per- ceived a man that suggested the carelessly- l| dressed student. Dressed in a suit of rough }- brown cloth, ravelled neck-tie, slouch hat and j; low boots, one could easily have mistaken this Professor of Mathematics for a typical work- ing class orator. His speech was tinged here and there with a little humour, and one really expected it from the habitual smile that char- acterised his face,. It was not an eloquent, but rather a simple and direct address for an age) of reason and rational thought; for a just, 'J lasting and honourable peace." We in this j| country," he said, "are not left any more than any people in any other country to know the true facts. Newspapers have kept from us the things which we ought to know. It is not largely known in this country that Germany, for some time past, has had no intention what- soever of retaining Belgium at the end of the war, and that they are willing to evacuate Belgium as a condition of Peace. We were told when this war began that it was a war on be- half of Belgium, and a very large number of men have losit their live); in that beMef." "1he Germans," he continued, are willing to evacuate Belgium on the day that peace is made. You cannot say that we are fighting on behalf of Democracy, an d you cannot say that we are fighting on behalf of France. You know that the French nation has suffered ter- rible and appalling losses of men. Those of us who are aware of the feeling in France, know that the French people are very desirous of Peace. The Germans and Austrians are very desirous of Peace, and you will find the same opinion in the United States." "The prolong- ation of the war," he cried, "is due to our unwillingness to enter into Peace negotiations, is due to our jealousy of German trade, and our accumulation of hatred." Dealing with the cost of the war, he said it would be far bet- ter to spend these enormous amounts of money on the education of the country, than in using it to waste human life. He deplored the war as a war between the respective governments. A Police Officer's Remark. After the meeting a police official was heard remarking to a fellow officer: We have just about finished them now." This was obviously made in reference to the activities of the local I.L.P. branches. Indeed, this august person- age should develop a keener sense of observa- tion.

Socialism v. Capitalism. ANOTHER VIEW OF THE RATIONALIST DEBATE. The report of a recent debate on Socialism between Mr Forbester and Mr Jack Allen was a deliberate misrepresentation of the facts. The result of the debate was quite the reverse to what the press published. Comrade Allen traced capitalism up from its earliest stages, showing developments in prod- uction, which meant changes in the super- structures of society. He pointed out most clearly that it was economic laws which brought about the destruction of Chattel Slavery and Feudalism. and. these laws must necessarily bring aboiut the destruction of capitalism. The elimination of skill, the employment of wo- men, the formation of trusts, and so forth, were the consequences of the technique which must essentially be employed under capitalism, resulting in the widening of the working class, who are becoming more revolutionary, by a process of evolution and adaptation, until the antagonism in society ownership with co-operative working—must inevitably mean a. changing of the social system. Mr Forbester stood dumbfounded when he heard these facts. The subjects of Economics and the materialis- tic conception of history were unknown to him. He talked about capital and wages under So- cialism when every reader knows that these are only assets of capitalism—hence how can they exist under Socialism? Mr Forbester stated that under this system any worker could by thriftiness become a, capitalist. That all could now think and act as he wished could choose what profession one desired, which, without exaggerating these utterances are re- garded aS most illogical to any clear thinking individual. Questions poured in, most wqre unanswerable by him and the few he attempt- ed to answer were dealt with in a most ir- rational manner. Mr Allen only asked him two questions (1) Did he support this system— chaotieism ? (2) Seeing that nothing is eternal, and that capitalism is a product of .Feudalism, could he dispute that capitalism must inevitably give birth to Socialism P Mr Forbester's cofsssal ignorance' of Econom- ics prevented him ma-king any attempt to give any reply. Mr Allen, during his final speech, offered to continue the debate at any future date. No response was forthcoming, but the challenge still holds good.

4 LLANELLY CASEY IS SCATHING.—Casey is bringing his fiddle to Llanelly again in December, and he writes (what Miss Pallister would describe as a scathing letter) to the effect that the Welsh Comrades offer him dates when he is on the spot; with the result that he has to travel from Gorseinoll to Shoeburyness; from Shoø- buryness to Southampton; thence to Bargoed. We are selecting, one of the first three dates in December, and would suggest that any hranches of the I.L.P., Trades Councils and La- hour Associations and Co-operative Societies that want him should write to D. Rogers, 3 Coronation Road, -Llanelly. We can then start him at Llanelly, and he will be able to finish up near Pontypool about Christmas. —We have also booked W. Mellor or C. H. D. Cole to lecture on "National Guilds or After the War Problems," for September or October. and we have the authoritv to book as many dates as possible for them. The more the mer- rier Comrades, this is the opportunity for showing the other people that we can be busi- nesslike, sometimes, so send your requests for dates to above address. OVERJOYED?—The moulders and the engineers ar3 quite overjoyed with the resiilts of their recent applications for advances in wages; they really do not know what to do with so much money; fancy, having 1/- a week advance at one swoop. This brings their money up to 251 per week—I beg pardon, I mean R2 5s. The world is a bundle of hay, and mankind the asses that pull, they each pull in a differ- ent way." Which reminds me it's the mould- ers' turn to go in for an advance.