Pioneer

I Cwmavon and Port Talbot Notes. Puzzled the Prosecutor. At the Port Talbot County Police Court on Tuesday, before Mr William Jenkins (chairman) Major Grey and Percy Jacob. Dan Morris was charged with failing to join the army.-P.C. Cole gave evidence of arrest, and in answer to the charge the prisoner said: "I have nothing to say but that I am a Conscientious Objector." Addressing the Bench he said: "der the New Army Order all Conscientious Objectors are to be released from the prisons to appeal be- fore the Central Tribunal, and I ask my case to be adjourned until my appeal be heard." Military Representative The Artuy Order was issued on June 24; he was a. deserter be- fore then. Prisoner: All the men are going to be re- leased irrespective of the decision of previous Tribunals. They were all deserters, too. They did not give themselves up willingly. Military Representative: He has been out of gaol for three weeks, during which time he has been evading the poliee. Dan then explained that he had been ill in gaol and went down to Pembrokeshire to re- cuperate in preparation for the trials he had to undergo under the Military Authorities. this time the Military Representative was i. n a quandary, and asked for an adjournment until Monday next, when the Hon. F. C. Bailey (Cardiff) would be called to conduct the pro- secution.—The Bench agreed to this, and he was bound over. Dan Morris' Evasion." You will remember that Dan MQrris was sen fenced to two months' imprisonment, but owing to a discrepancy in the commitment issued to the Governor of Swansea Gaol, he served only one month. It is not commendable in a man to affect to be wise whjen he is ignorant; but that is what the police and a number of interested villa- gers have been doing since he was released from gaol. In fact. his whereabouts have given them a series of mental gymnastics, and we sincerely hope, now that he has come home, that they have fully recovered tke normal working of their mental capacities. I Shocking Treatment of C.O.'s, Dan Edwards, Jack Woolcock, and Lemuel Emanuel, the three Conscientious Objectors who were arrested some time ago, have now been discharged as being indifferent and medically unfit for army service. They were detained at Cardiff Barracks for 12 days, and then sent to Buttrills Camp, Barry Dock, where they were subjected to cruel treatments. On July 23 they were asked to submit to a medical examinatoin for two reasons, viz.: they had come from a smallpox area; to see if they were fit for punishment consequent on court mar- tial. On the Monday following they were al- lowed to walk out under open escort; that went on for some time. They were again ex- amined, and within an hour from that time they appeared before the Sergeant of the Com- pany which they were placed in, who told them they were passed for service. They refused to wear khaki, and were consequently escorted to the guard room. The next day they were brought before the Commanding Officer, who sentenced them to 72 hours' detention, and stated that he did not want to hear more about "Oonscience." On the same day they wore ordered to break stones; this work they refused, and wece again brought before the Commanding Officer, who extended the original sentence to 168 hours-to be extended again in the event of their resisting to do the work. They refused, and were consequently subjected to the moat cruel treatment. The following treatment applies only to Dan Edwards and John Woolcock: -Khaki was for- ced upon them in the bath rooms by the mili- tary police. They were forced to face a wooden board for 8 days (for 4 hours each day), with their toes and noses right up against the boards and not allowed to turn their eyes in ;arw direction; and while in this posi- tion picks were tied round their shoulders. For that period they were fed on "skilly." Then they were taken out for pack drill and dragged about in handcuffs, and when refusing to fall in step were kicked on the feet; mar- ched through the oamp bare-footed; and their, hair forcibly cut. On the 7th of August they were taken to Cardiff in a weak state, and ordered to be discharged by Colonel Cox as suffering from heart disease. They were again taken to Barry Dock, and detained there until Augifct 10, when they were sent home as ord- ered by Colonel Cox. Their appearance is an adequate proof of the punishments they have undergone. I W. C. Anderson's Big Crowd. I A large and enthusiastic orowd gathered at Gallipoli Square, Taibach, on Sunday afternoon to hear Mr W. C. Anderson, MJP., speak. He (Mr Anderson) did not care if there was a reporter at the meeting to take down what he had to say. and probably to report it to the correct quarter." Mr Anderson was not then aware that the correct quarter was the Pioneer." It is very necessary," he commenced, "to-day that we be very definite on the right of free speech and free expression, and a all costs, the freedom of writing. If we are wrong the best way to show us that we are wrong is to reply to us. Every man and woman should have the right to express what they believe to be true. We stand for all that we believe to be true, and I believe that is the best basis in a democratic country. I am sorry to say that this liberty of speech and writing is in danger, and that men to-day — not very far from here-are actually languish- ing in prison for saying things that some of us have said more strongly. (Cheers.) I say that is wrong. Nobody in the House of Com- mons have replied to me—have tried to show me why people, for saying very material things, are dragged before your magistrates and sent to prison for three or four months. It is to be resented by every working man to have his views and expression of opinion suppressed. This sort of thing is going on all over the country. Extraordinary police raids are going on. There is a city councillor—Councillor Kneeshaw, the Parliamentary Candidate for West Birmingham—his house was raided by the police and several letters, Government publications, and a statement of accounts is- sued by the political refugees of Russia were taken away by the intelligent police. These things were considered very seditious. Let us think a little of what has happened in this country as a result of two years of war. There are numerous pgople who are taking advantage of the war; that has happened in every war. Mr Anderson then proceeded to deal with the changes the war had brought about. He drew a distinction between the treatment of political refugees in France and this country, and said that we should follow the lead of France in not compelling them to join the army deplored the employment of soldiers in civil occupations at a soldier's rate of pay; and indicated that the War Office was doing a thing nothing short of robbery by deducting the difference between a soldier's and a civilian's rate of payment. Before the close of the meeting the following resolution was read by the Chairman (Mr Scott) and was carried unanimously — This meeting calls upon the British organ- ised workers to use every effort to prevent the abrogation of the Rig4 of Asylum in Britain, which is contained in the proposal of the Government to deport all Russians of military age unwilling to enlist in the British Army. It further considers the preservation of the Right of Asylum-an essential in- stitution in all democratic countries—is in- dispensable to the further development of the International Labour Movement and to its fight against growing capitalistic oppres- sion. It especially emphasises the fact that Russian political refugees, Jews and members of other oppressed nationalities would in case of their enforced return to Russia, as laid down in recent debates in the House of Lords and the House of Commons, certainly be victims of barbarous cruelty and persecu- tion." Well and Indomitable. "r" Letters received trom Selwyn Jones and Wil- lie Rees, who are undergoing two years' hard labour at Walton Gaol, Liverpool, state that they feel very well, and manifest indomitable spirits. Evan Mort Sentenced. Evan Mort was court-martialled at Cardiff last week and was sentenced to two years' hard labour. His sentence has now been commuted to 4 months.

Borough Finance Matters. CO-OPERATORS WITHDRAW R20,000 FROM MUNICIPALITY. BANKERS PREPARED TO ADVANCE AT 5 PER CENT. Mr W. R. Harris (Borough Comptroller) re- ported that the Plymouth Co-operative Society having issued process to compel the immediate repayment of the loan to the Corporation of £ 20,000. Although the Council's legal advisers endeavoured to stay judgment, an order was made for payment with costs. After the Com- mittee's Vice-chairman had been consulted, payment of the £ 202000 principle, £ 325 inter- est and tS 10s. costs was made. It was conse- quently necessary that a further loan to re- place the amount withdrawn should be ob- tained, and the Council's bankers were prepared to advance the sum at 5 per cent interest for 5 years. It was reported that on checking the salaries of the secondary schools teachers for the school term ended on the 28th ult.. it was found that one of the teachers had left school on the 2nd of June, and did not resume duties for the remainder of the term. Under the existing ar- rangement for the payment of these salaries, two-thirds of the salary for the term had been paid before the teacher left school, and thereby an overpayment of L-10 18s. lOd. was made in this instance. Similar overpayments had pre- viously been made and were likely to recur whilst the arrangement to pay these salaries in advance continued. The teachers request that their annual salaries should be apportioned by the school terms, and that each term's salary should be paid by three instalments during the term could be complied with by paying the proportion of salary actually due at the date of payment, and the Committee would not be paying salaries in advance for services which might not be rendered. The Borough Comptroller recommended the Finance Committee to order that future pay- ments of these salaries should not be made in,. advance, and the matter was referred to the Secondary Schools Committee for consider- ation. The balance of the Corporation's several accounts with the Treasurer on July 31 am- ounted to £21322 in favour on the general ac- counts, and 217,256 in favour on the Taf Fech- an Reservoir Works Capital Accounts, making a total balance of £211578 in favour of the Council. With regard to the increased price of elec- tricity it was reported that the opinion of the Town Clerk (Mr T. A. Rees) was that the Elec- tric Traction Company was entitled to make its increased charges to the Corporation. Mr J. E. Biddle (Deputy Town Clerk): This is only for schools, Mardy Hospital, Cyfarthfa Castle and those places. A further letter from the Municipal Em- ployees' Association respecting war bonuses was read According to that communication the Association understood that only a, 2/- increase had been granted employees of the Council since the war, and it was decided to write ag- ain to the secretary of the Association, pointing out two such advances had been made.

RHEUMATISM-KIDNEY TROUBLE. Rheumatism is due to uric acid crystals in the joints and muscles, the result of excessive uric acid in the system that the kidneys failed to re- move as nature intended, and this acid is to a great extent the cause of backache, lumbago, sciatica, gout, urinary trouble, stone, gravel. dropsy. The success of Estora Tablets for the treat- ment of rheumatism and other forms of kidney trouble is due to the fact that they restore the kidneys to healthy action and thereby remove the cause of the trouble, and have cured num- berless cases after the failure of other remedies, which accounts for them superseding out-of-date medicines that are sold at a price beyond all but the wealthy. 'w Women frequently suffer from ills, aches and pains under the impression that they are victims of ailments common to their sex, but more of- ten than not it is due to the kidneys, and in such cases Estora Tablets will set them right! The test is at least worth making, as woman's happiness and success in life depends on "feer health. Estora Tablets fully warrant their description —an honest remedy at an honest price, 1/3 per box of 40 tablets or 6 for 6/9. All Chemists or postage free from Eitora Co., 132 Charin? ,?oross Road, London. W Bargoed and Aberbargoed Agent—W. PARM WILLIAMS. M.P.S.

I Tonyrefail Notes. Lierty-or what? These are the days that put us to the test, and sound the depths of our souls and person- aliti-es. Every action speaks to-day whether we are made of the stuff that makes for progress and happiness. Every step that we take needs very careful consideration and discreet action. The feelings and passionate emotions are so predominant with the public that it matters not what one does—it appears to be the wrong thing. Opportunities to prove our worth are super-abundant. Never was there such a time when so much was at stake, and so many dif- ficulties to overcome. Nevertheless it is good to live to feel that we are the makers of the world, and it is good to feel that we are subjected to the test. No greater mistake can be made than to suppose that we are mere pawns in some vast cosmic game. The making of the would is a work that calls for infinite modes of service. To do the sanest and best thing under the present condition of time and place is without doubt fulfilling the obligations of our duty. In this spirit we work for the cause of humanity. Work alone that counts in the making of the world either for barbarity or civilisation. We are no mere atoms we count in the result. We join in the judg- ment and essay. It is our experiences, our tra- gedies, our ventures, our discoveries, eur tests, our painful doubts and struggling quests, our climbing, our audacities, are mightier for world making than all the pens and swords. It is the endeavouring soul that counts. Each con- tributes our personal share to the decision that will bring light to the mind of civilisation. We should strive for larger beauty and make order more certain. The creation of the world, that is, the creation of comradeship, science and the republic of man, is the sublimest work of art. Now is our time to work for all that I is worth living for. Week after week we aTe called upon to take some new action for some purpose or other. Let us be alert and do what is right and best for humanity and progress. Last week the miners decided to work in the interests of humanity, to produce wealth to save the population from being impoverished, and to keep the standard of our social and economic condition in a fanmrable state. Thus we maintain that the soul of the miner stood the test in this action. The value of any service and progress lies in the frew co-operation of souls, and not m coercion. Co- ercion is a reaction, and can only contribute to barbarity. The value of civilisation can be fixed in one temniiberty. Civilisation at the present time is in danger of being reduced to barbarity. And it calls everyone of us to its aid, to maintain that which is most dear to all aspiring souls. Free civilian life is consid- ered the highest attainment of the ages. To preserve and protect that precious condition, which has cost so much, we will have to strug- gle with the., reactionary forces. That, unhap- pily. has ali-nost overtaken us at the present time. An opportunity is presented to the mi- ners' lodges at the present to become affiliated to the National Council for Civil Liberties. It is to be hoped that the miners will stand the test and avail themselves of the opportunity to stand by liberty and progress, and to fight ag- ainst coercion and slavery. An Unavoidable Disappointment I We apologise for disappointing those who made every effort to be present at the meeting announced last week. Unavoidable circumtances prevented Comrade Mainwaring from fulfilling his arrangement. We hope that it will not in any sense prejudice our next announcement. It is with regret we think of what might have been done in the past in organising the local individual Socialists. At one time there was a strong I.L.P. Branch, which succeeded in doing much work for the movement. And later there was a canvass made, and 70 names obtained to form a loca.1 society. This also suffered the same fate. But these failures will not deter another attempt to martial the individual Socialists together for a common understanding We shall announce the developments later, and hope that success will crown our efforts on behalf of Democracy. Dutch Conscientious Objectors. ,1 I ,1 We have received a maniiesto troin, tne juuicn I anti-militarists, making known the constantly increasing anti-militarist movement which ori- o-inated in the co-operation of Internationalists of different aims. Both clergymen and Radi- cal Socialists are taking an active part in this movement, which finds especial favour among the labouring classes. Since the publication of the manifesto, refusals of military service in Holland have slowly but surely increased; a score of young men are already detained in prison, sentenced to severe punishment. The Government is prosecuting; out of the numb- ers (already grown to 1,100) of signatories and distributors of the manifesto, almost exclusively those who occupy a leading position such as litterateurs, clergymen, etc. Nevertheless the action steadily increases in strength and in- fluence. The manifesto reads as follows: — -Fellow-men,-All of us who have signed the following declare here openly, that we revolt with heart and soul against everything per- taining to militarism; even in the form of a so-called popular army. In so far as many of us could be reckoned liable for military service, we hope to possess the power to refuse all personal, direct participation, the power rather to under- go imprisonment; nay, even to be shot, than to act unfaithfully to our conscience, our convic- tions or what we consider the highest laws of universal humanity. In so far as any of us- whether men or women—for various reasons should fall within the scope of military con- scription, we nevertheless, by this signature, give our moral support to those who refuse mi- litary service on the above-named grounds; while we should be only too glad to be able and to be permitted to share their liaoility to the full. In any case we consider the refusal of military service as one of the means which, in co-operation with others, will destroy militarism —in which connection personal refusal to serve has a great value, in order with its help finally to reach refusal in the mass. Attached to the manifesto are names of those who are against militarism.

I Ynysybwl and District Notes. I Important Tenant and Landlord Case. A case of considerable importance to tenants and other was heard at the Abercynon Police Court before the Stipendiary (Mr R. A. Grif- fith) on Thursday last, when Mrs. Bebb, car- rying on business as a milliner at Ynysybwl, sought to obtain an order of ejectment against Mr Thomas Da vies, occupying her house at 101 Robert Street. Mr Ivor Parrv (Messrs. Morg- an, Bruce and Nicholas), instructed by the Ynysybwl Tenants' Defence League, appeared for Mr Davies; and Mr Leonard Pocher, of Pontypridd, for Mrs. Bebb. Mr Porcher (in opening the case) stated that the house in question was let to Davies at a rental of 26/- a month. In May last Mrs. Bebb, desiring to get the house for herself, gave Davies a, month's notice, which he' disre- garded. probably at the instance of some outside' persons. She then sought his advice; and, act- ing on her behalf, another notice was sent to- Davies, which was also ignored—hence the pre- sent proceedings. There was no question about Davies being an undesirable tenant: the house- was desired by Mrs. Bebb- for her own business purposes. She had. in fact, carried on business- therein for a number of years before taking: the premises she at present held. Mrs. Bebb, being sworn, corroborated the' foregoing, and was afterwards cross-examined by Sir Parry.—She admitted that Davies had always paid his rent regularly, and she knew of nothing against him personally. The rent had originally been 24/- per month, but early last year it had been raised to 26/ Some time in May last, however, Davies refused to' pay the increased rent. She thought he did so on the advice of some of the Federation people- ( Mr Parry: When did you first serve Da- vies with a notice to leave the house?—I do not recollect for certain as I have so many things on my mind. Was it before or after he refused to pay the' extra, rent?—Oh, before. { You are stii-,eP-Yes, quite sure; it was a fortnight before. Mr Parry here handed the Stipendiary & form of notice and Davies' rent book which showed that the notice had been served on the- 6th of May, the actual date upon which Davies first withheld the extra rent. f Stipendiary: I observe from this rent book- that the rent is paid weekly, while the notice is a monthly one. Mr Porcher: That is for the convenience of r the tenant, your worship. Many of them pre- fer to pay that way. Stipendiary Whether they prefer it or not beside the point. As long as the owner receives- L his rent weekly, lie is entitled to give only week's notice. If a tenant paid his rwit every half-year, you would not give him a month S notice. Continuing his cross-examination, Mr Parry asked: Is it not true that you did not require the house for yourself?-—No. It is not. Was it not your intention to get the house- vacant so that Mr James Owen, who lived in a sjiop further up the street, might have it, WhlØ' you would afterwards take his shop.P-No, It was not. Did you not tell Davies that you had a ten- ant for the house who was prepared to pay 28/- a month for it?—N o, certainly no-t. Was it not after you had consulted a solict" tor, and found that under the Rent Act yott >- could not get the tenant out in the way yoW. were proceeding, that you began to say y011 desired the house for yourself? —No, it waS- [ not; I wanted the house for myself to carry oO | my business. ¡ Without calling any evidence Mr Parry sub mitted his case. He pointed out that up the time that Davies declined to pay the ex'$ rent there had been no question of asking hun; to leave the house. It was clear that Mrs Bebb- desired to get the house vacant so that Owenfl' could go in at the increased rent, while she could move into the house occupied by hM?' which was more centrally situated for her busi- ness as a milliner. It was only after she bad' consulted Mr Porcher that ,?he began to ?ay she wanted it for herself, and it was faH? obvious that should she succeed in get??, v Davies out, and went into it herself it w'ouid?? be only for a short time, after which s" would exchange with Owens. It was an euor 1 to get behind the provisions of the Rent Act, dodge which a certain class of landlord  beginning to adopt, and he hoped the St'pen? ? iary would not grant the order. iar .,T wou l d not i His Worship, in giving his decision, states that the notice to quit was bad, and irreg 1 lar, and should not be allowed. In the ci?r- cumstances he refused to grant her the orde 1j asked for. 6

Tales from Gaol. f CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS MEET 111". f LONDON. f We are a meeting of criminals and ppt? tial Criminals," &aid Mr Clifford Allen, Chail"I man of the No-Conscription Fellowship. 31?.' king at Devonshire House. Bishopsgate, last! Wednesday night, at a gathering composed ?o ?Jf Conscientious Objectors awaiting arrest or 0X1 on furlough after a period of imprisoni?e?? under the new Government plan. Among thh latter was E. F. Everett. of St. Helen'8, t Ø¡ subject of the leaflet which involved the Bo?i Bertrand Russell in LIOO fine and the lo,- 0 his Cambridge lectureship. • These men, dæpIte the rigorous trea?eo ?. many had experienced, did not expatiate 0,0! their sufferings. Rather, as one of them ? ?, they felt that they had been through a gr? religious adventure. Another said that thel± treatment had been the same as that meted I to ordinary military offenders, but he adtd? it would be difficult to contrive worse." ø$;' Humor was not absent from the recitals, 3\- in the storv of one imaginative prison cic?? who spread legends about the objectors' lous wealth and their receipt of letters ^r0rt^f princesses, which he declared he had actull ilt?'i seen. A warning was also uttered 'i)- v thtt! same speaker as to the result of hav iog,?' asked that his monthly library book should aotf?. be "East Lynne." The result was a voluia? o Paley! On asking for modern poetry lie S r Shakespeare's historical playal l A tragedy from the battlefield was related <?Y? a Manchester speaker. During surreptitio conversation at exercise time he found that  man next to him was a soldier who had bool sentenced in France for refusing to shoot a  condemned to death by court-ma?rtial. condemned was a school chum who had e0 Y&'f ted and served with him. For his refusal himself was condemned to death but upon "'? circumstances becoming known, his s?nt? t was commuted to imprisonment. j was commuted to i!mprisoriment. Mr Clifford Allen (who on Friday was Pp,?4I £ 10 and handed over for service in i oomba?j regiment) made a moving appeal at the of the meeting. They were passivisæ and 031til militarists he said; but the world would lie'vle? be converted to their point of view rnof'elf by reason and argument. It was their It1 h which would tell, and they must show ?'? h}IT ideals of world reconstruction affol-dW just as much opportunity as warfare for sø fica, for heroism and for adventure. 

"PROPAGANDA, NOT PROFIT," is the motto of the Pioneer Press." If are alive to the tremendous social imp? ? m?nts that the Party the Pioneer repre6?.? stands for, then it is your duty to all all your Trades Union, Co-operative, *:J General Printing comes to Winiams' St!?? j Merthvr the Home .f the Pioneer."  —————————————————————_——  .? Printed and PttM&hed by the labow II PMaa. Dimited, WiBaMm' 8qtMtM< œebe Street, Merthyr Tydfil, August 19, 1916.