Pioneer

Correspondents are requested to condense 1 ir their letters as much as possible. Letters of a personal character will not be inserted. The Editor wishes it to be distinctly under- atood that he will not hold himself responsible for the opinions or statements of correspond- ents nor undertake to return rejected manus- cripts. Correspondents -UST write on one side of the paper only.

I PEACE CAMPAIGN AND POLICE INTER-I FERENCE. F (To the Editor of the PIONEER.) I n view of the fact that in a few instances the Authorities have interfered with persons -Soliciting signatures or distributing leaflets in connection with the Peace by Negotiation Oam- Plalgn, I shall be glad if you will kindly give .publicity to the following letter, which clearly shows that in the opinion of the Home Office, such interference is unwarranted.— Thanking -You in anticipation, I am, Yours sincerely, HERBERT DUNNICO. 47 New Broad Street, London E.G., 23rd August, 1916. County Borough of South Shields.) Chief Constable's Office. South Shields, 14h July. 1916. Dear Sir-In reply to your letter of the 13th „ Jnstant, I beg to inform you that I have to- received the ruling of the Home Office on 'the iliattei- of the forms which came into the possession of the police. M;ay I point out that the forms were not ■confiscated, but held until the above ruling was ceired. r I have written to the person from whom they ame, and informed her that she may now I _'?pe them.— Yours faithfully. !| (Signed) WILLIAM SCOTT, Chief Constable. a g The Rev. Herbert Dunnico Chief Constable. 1-i11 i1-1: 47 New Broad Street, London, E.C. -I

T" 1 "IL THE THREE LLOYD GEORGES., I (To the Editor of the PIONEER.) I I pear Sir,—In last week's "Pioneer," Mr Jas. Winstone is reported to have said that there i. •are two Lloyd Georges—the old Lloyd George vho was known as the Leader of the elsh Revolt," and who had always blown the llpe of peace; and the new Lloyd George :fihose thirst for what he calls "Victory has him to sanction the over-riding of conscience "i4 the form of conscription. Mr Balfour has told us that there are three Lloyd Georges- the House of Commons Mr Lloyd George the Platform Mr Lloyd George; and Mr Lloyd veorge in Ills pnva te capacity. A few years j I honestly believed that my distinguished fj j^ow-countryman was the finest cavalry j| leader in the annals of British politics." He was the incomparable lea der of democracy." Now, am sorry to say. I sometimes think of him '=1 a flamboyant windbag." Some time ago he told us that he went in for politics to defend underdog." I know many of the underdogs believe that Mr Lloyd George 19 the man sent by God to lead us out of the ~f0 of Bondage. Whatever Mr Lloyd George I does it must be right. He is a way-maker for od; a saviour of men; a light-bearer and a •Joy bringer. Pulpiteers and profiteers speak Lïll of him. Woe unto him that speaks evil of I LINvYd Sior! Mr Lloyd George is not infallible. Those who look upon him as their hero should consider |" tbe possibility that he, even he, may be wrong. jt they are going to follow him blindly they i. hpth may fall into the ditch. We must not ✓! give up the use of our reasoning powers, not I for the sake of Mr Lloyd George. He penny in slot machine." Neither y ",alre we. Ir George is not one of those perfervid and r perspiring patriots who imagine they are doing their country a service by decrying everything Gerilia- ii He does not agree with Dr. Dillon, -^udjai'd Kipling. Robert Blatcliford and other Writers who tell us that there is nothing to er choose between the German rulers and the people. Probably he would agree with 1' Ine that war was the last thoughtm the minds 'Qfthe inajoi-ity of the German people. At the ? Wen's Hall, London. September 19, 1914, he — 1. æ I wiil not say a single word in disparage- j ttient of the German people. They are a t: great people, and have great qualities of head and hand and heart. I beheve in 0 spite of recent events that there is as great < a store of kindliness in the German peasant in any peasant in the world."  ?' The fact that the German people approved ? ?t War is explained by circumstances of war Exemplified in this country. We only hear one ?. ? of the case. Pati?lotic feeling, the fear of Pi Evasion, suppression of dissentient opinion, a ??j i ?'ess fanning the flames of national hatred are ? Actors which pervert the national judgment y -alad produce a public opinion ready to cond- j one any policy which conduces to victory. The merman people have been led to believe that iOj j the Russians are barbarians, the Belgians su- Perstitious weaklings, and the British and v French hypocrites. Their papers are also flood- re ed with stories of atrocities committed upon the German soldiers. Everyone who is not t" -deaf and blind knows that the German people II are fig" htting for their life as certainly as the Allies b believe that they are fighting for the 0 ?berties of Eur one. If Mr Lloyd George does f ?? blame the German people, what did he ? ?ean when, speaking at a concert at Llanys- j ?ndwy 1-9 --lie &aid:—"If there was traitor in the councils of Europe. that I ;aitor was not Great Britain, it was not ranee, it was not Russia, it was not Italy. All thoSc lands meant peace. When that peace ) broken, it was not broken by any of 60: 'hose countries" Here is the familiar picture bÐ ?f the ravening wolf of German militarism, set 111 the midst of a, flock of meek pacifist q. ^heep.—the other European powers. I suppose << flamboyant windbag" believes that the Governing classes of all Europe were lambs and •" Germany alone the ravening wolf; that all, "Ove the rulers of Germany, had but one de- | ^re, to live in harmony and preserve the aee0f the world. I am onlv a poor "under- og"; just a plain and simple citizen. But Mr Lloyd George can believe that the t"1 '"?leTs of Germany are solelv responsible for ?)'?? ??. is beyond my comprehension. Some 1 ?opie tell us that the question is not who 1% 1'esponsibl,e for the war. but who is respon- ? ?bJe for the continuation of war. That is, I ? ?lieve a delusion. Just as long as the masses ? ?e led to believe that Germany is the only #-■ ?'prit, so long will they acquiesce in ignor- 1 ^Jice to this hell of war and crime of hu- ?\'?n butchery. Does Mr Lloyd George mean  tell me that everybody in Great Britain and A% ussia and France and Italy was against this war if it could be honourably avoided Are there not men in all countries whose desire is to substitute national passions for social aspi- rations P Are there not men in all countries who are making a very good thing out of this terrible war? Are there not men in all countries who dislike something even more than war? And ,are they not willing to serve to keep off that something ? The aggressor is not necessarily the party who fires the first shot. Sixteen years ago Great Britain went to vrar to destroy the independence of small nationality. The Boers poured an army into Natal. Despite that, Mr Lloyd George felt that we were in no sense justified in taking up arms against them. Again, preparedness for war is not necess- arily evidence of moral perversion in a nation; it is the only logical policy while force remains the recognised arbiter in disputes. As Mr Win- ston Churchiil said: Preparations however elaborate, however extensive, however pro- longed, are not necessarily malignant. The rather dubious maxim, If you wish for peace, prepare for war,' can always be invoked." It was not a German who told us only two years ago that the German Army is vital, not mere- ly to the existence of the German Empire, but to the very life and independence of the nation itself. It was Mr Lloyd George. It was not a German who said that her army is to Germany what our navy is to us—her sole defence against invasion. It was Mr Lloyd George. Even if preparedness for war is a. sign of moral perversion the attempt to fix all the blame upon Germany is refuted by the proved fact that every nation prepared for this war. Germany prepared; France pre- pared Russia prepared; we prepared. The excess of war-preparation-expenditure by the Franco-Russian combination over the Teutonic Powers in the decade 1905-14 was £ 159,798,931. Was not our navy "always ready to strike"? Has not Mr Winston Churchill told us that the German Army was not more ready than was the British fleet? And it is all very well for the platform Mr Lloyd George" to talk of a land of peace, a land of prosperity, a land to love and die for, a land of which the poorest that dwell in it will be able to say, This is a glorious land to live in and to work for. What have the governing classes done for us that we should be led to regard death and mutilation on the field of battle as the sublimest manifesta- tion of human worth, the supreme achieve- ment of human duty ? When Mr Philip Snow- den proposed in the House of Commons that no additional taxation should be imposed upon wage. earning classes of the country he was ridi- culed by the House of Commons Mr Lloyd George." Mr J. M. RoT>ertson. M.P., has said that" Labour will.have to pay for the, war." Unconquered in the field, we are already con- quered in soul. Dr Charles Sarolea, Belgian Consul in Edinburgh, and a friend of Mr Lloyd George, recently wrote — I am sometimes obsessed 'by an appalling nightmare. As the ultimate result of all this slaughter and all these sacrifices, are we not moving rapidly toward s the Germanisation of Europe? And may not Germany under any circumstances emerge triumphant from the conflict, whether in a military sense she is victorious or whether she is beaten Far even if Germany is beaten, shall we not, in order to beat her, have to fight her with her own political and spiritual weapons ? Shall we not have to submit just the same to German organisation, to German methods, to German education, to German State Socialism? Shall we not have to become Prussianised ourselves in (frder to crush Prussianism The danger is much more real than we imagine. A Prussianised Great Britain is the nemesis of docility. Like the Germans, our chief fault is docility and a belief in teachers and rulers. Sir Harry Hamilton Johnson has told us that our so-called "Labour leaders" are imbued with the spirit of servile docility. A people imbued with this spirit of docility can be organised to perfection but it is at the cost of surrendering their liberty and manliness to a dominating class. I rejoice to see in this country thousands of young anti-militarists who will not deviate from the line set them by conscience; men who will not palter with truth. For them the roughness of the track and the steepness of the hill are immaterial, for they know, as Lowell said, that they are slaves who dare not be in the right with two or three." One of these men is worth ten thousand sentimental, doctrine mongering, word spinning cultivators of pious feelings. Such a man may address his fellow- workers in the words of Giuseppe Mazzini: — The furious accusations, calumnies, and derision hurled at me will never make me betray you or your cause or desert the banner of the future, not even when you yourselves—led astray by the teachings of men, idolaters rather than believers—forsook me for those who having trafficked in your blood, turned their looks from you. The strong and sincere handclasp of some of the best of you, sons and daughters of the people, comforted me for the desertion of others and for the many most bitter disillusionments in- flicted on my soul by men whom I had loved well and who had professed to love me. The bond sealed with those few of you shall not be broken by anything which may come until my last day, and perhaps will" live beyond it. —I am, Yours sincerely. T. LLEWELYN THOMAS. Brynycoed, Heol-Jas, Llansamlet. Near Swansea, August 24th, 1916.

Abertillery Notes. Letters from Gaol. The friends of the conscientious objectors of Abertillery who are undergoing imprisonment at Cardiff have been very pleased during the last couple of weeks to have had such news from them after the long spell of si- lence. Tom Jones and Jim Jones have both sent letters to their purents. Amongst other things Tom says:- "Dear Father and Mother,—I am often thinking of you both, wondering how you feel home without us, and how you spend your time. Sometimes I think I can almost hear Dad's firm and regular step coming down the garden path with his usual punctuality at meal times. At other times I almost see Mother weeding in the garden, or tending the plants. Maybe home seemlS a little lonely, but I wiant you to think of the napidly approaching future when we, return. Some mornings when I have awakened the sky has been misty and cloudy: rain has fal- len for an hour or so heavily; then the sun has shone forth; the clouds have disappeared; and the day has been much improved by the little squall. At the barracks I used to review with my mind's eye some of the delightful country I had cycled through, and the splen- dour of the scenery seemed entrancing. Such an effect was wftpught by contrast. Things, principles, etc. I appreciated before I now adhere to more tenaciously. Try to see things in my aspect. You will be glad to know I am feeeling splendid; and you need not har- bour any fears .regarding our well being. You will see all rules respecting visits." After many personal enquiries the writer says about one friend left at home: -"I know he must make, pathetic and humoous allusions to myself. Inform all I am tip-ton and in the best of health. I know that since I have been here there has been some severe fighting. Of- ten I have wondered if any of my acquaint- ances. were injured. It is eight. weeks since court-martial day. I can scarcely credit such, time glides along so quickly. Erel long maybe I shall be with you again. Needless to say I am eagerly anticipating the day. Let, this be a, consolation to you. Believe such an experience has been greatly beneficial, nd the fruits more than recompense for the sacri- fice. Sincerely trusting that you are quite well and happy. —Your Affectionate Son, Tom." It is strange to reflect that the writers of such thoughtful and imaginative letters are inmates of prisons. Surely they are not of the worst class of young men? In the future they deserve that their positions be very much reversed. Perhaps the present is a prepara- tion for great things. LA full account of the Abertilleryy Trades and Labour Council meeting is held o.ve.r.-Ed.J

-MERTHYR I I COMPENSATION APPORTIONMENTS — Apportion tionments of compensation awards with regard to a number of local public houses were ac- cepted by the Merthyr Licensing Magistrates yesterday (Thursday. The amount of compen- sation agreed to in the case of the Travellers' Rest (Heolgerrig) was jESOO, and the appor- tionments were --Pegiste,i-,ed owner and free- holder £ 718; licensee £ 82..For the Three Salmons Inn (Merthyr) the amount was £ 1200 and the apportionments —Freeholder 2803 8s; registered owner C296 12s; licensee 2100. Compensation for the Castle (Pengarnddu) was £750-Mortgagee £ 600; registerod owner £80; tenant £ 70. eRgarding the Clarence Inn (Troedyrhiw) compensation was R5000 regis- tered owner £ 350; freeholder £ 70 and tenant £80. z HopE oi-uitcn-On Sunday evening the Rev. J. Morgan Jones, M.A., delivered a brilliant and powerful address on the teaching of the prophet Amos. The address was one of a se- ries he is delivering on the Hebrew Prophets. He took as his text the 7th verse, 9th chapter of Amos: Are ye not as the children of the Ethiopians unto Me, 0 Cchildren of Israel? saith the Lord. Have not I brought up Is- rael out of Egypt, and the Philistines from Bapthor, and the Syrians from Kir?" He compalrèd the teaching of Socrates and Plato to that of Amos, and showed that while the former presented noble ideals of humanity they did not present the universal message of Amos. The Greek philosophers did not reach the height of regarding humanity as one. They made class distinctions, and to them there was a great difference between Greek and Bar- barian. Amos, however, declared the es- sential unity of humanity. He was the first great teacher to declare the super-national idea. He recognised nationality simply as a physical fact, as neither good nor bad in itself. Nationality became either good or evil by the use that was -made of it. Amos saw the profound truth that the unity of God involved the unity of Humanity. The prophet made no difference between the black-skinned barbarians and the Israelites. The pi-eaher here made an apt remark. I wonder," said he. "did people call him a pro-Ethiopian" Morality and reli- gion could not be national. A national religion was an absurdity. Men only began to be mo- ral or religious when they became super- national that is, when they grasped the idea of the Universal. The truth Amos re- vealed found its most glorious expression on Calvary. To Jesus there was "neither Jew nor Gentile, Scythian, bond nor free, male nor female, but all one in Him." He called Himself Son of Man." This is a most in- adequate summary of Sunday evening's address and is only intended as the barest possible outline. Readers should take advantage of hearing these addresses, which will be con- tinued next Sunday evening and on subsequent Sundays. It is refreshing these days to hear great universal truths declared instead of the narrow Nationalism which in miany minds is synonymous with morality and religion. All the nations now at war appeal to God as if He were a natural possession, and not the God of Humanity.

ARE WE DOING YOUR PRINTfNG<? We have the most modern equipment, and good work is quickly turned out by Trade Unionists at reasonable rates. NOTE THE ABBRESS THE LABOUR PIONEER PRESS Williams' Square. Morthyri Tydfif, NATIONAL Amalgamated LABOURERS' UNION. Registered Office -1 ST. DAVID'S PLACE, RUTLAND STREET, SWANSEA. I The Live Fighting Union for South Wales. We Don't Merely List Benefits on Paper-We PAY Them. General Secretary JOHN TWOMEY. Organiser: "BOB" WILLIAMS, 220 Blackfriars Road, London, S.E. District Secretaries: A. BARTON, 5 Stuart Street, Docks, Cardiff; JOHN O'LEARY, Century Institute. Winmill Street, Newport, Mon.; Coun. J. POWLESLAND, 10 Picton Place, Swansea ALL CLASSES CATERED FOR-MALE AND FEMALE. Affiliated to the National Transport Workers' Federation, Trade Union Congress, and National Labour Party. Approved under the National Health Insurance Acts.

Tonyrefail Notes. I Pit Head Baths. What has become of this question with the Coed Ely Lodge Committee P We hope it is not going to suffer the same fate as so many of our social improvements have done, and be shelved until the termination of the war. Judging by their conversation some of the comnlltteer are antagonistic to this improve- ment in our daily life. They would prefer to go on in the old dirty way, and take home a daily contribution of the dirt and the filth of the mine, for their already over-taxed wives to contend with. We cannot hope for much pro- gress in our social life when we are represented on our tirade. union committees by men with no better aims and ideals than these, but we do not think the majority of the committee are men of this type, and we hope to hear more of this question in the near future. The suggestion of one member, that it should be left to the conscientious objectors to carry ou this measure, is worth a little consideration although it was said in a sneering and con- temptuous way. Already one C.O. has sold more than four dozen pamphlets on this question in Tonyrefail, and the readers are anxious to know what the committee intend doing in the matter. Our wives and daughters are the most earnest C.O's in this matter, and their objection is based upon the principle that clean homes are happy homes, and they strongly object to the dirt and filth of the mine being brought into the home, thereby increasing their labour, and poisoning the at- mosphere. The women should make a practice of complaining to their men-folk of this nuis- ance, and insist on their co-operation with their fellow-workmen in bringing about this much-needed reform in our home life. Benefit Concerts. 1 I Two concerts were given on Thursday and Sunday, August 24 and 27. at Thomastown and Tonyrefail, on behalf of Mr S. Cook, who is suffering from a fractured spine. The con- certs were a great success financially many ticket holders having to turn back from the Cinema on. Sunday unable to gain admission. To meet this unlooked-for contingency, the committee are arranging another concert so that their patrons will not be disappointed. The chairman on Thursday was Mr D. Ed- wards. Pentwyn; and on Sunday Mr W. Mor- gan, M.E., Brynteg. Generally speaking, the concerts were good ones for local talent, but one or two artistes deserve special mention. The singer of the evening on Sunday was Miss Annie Jones, who gave a really good rendering of Alone on the Raftand two other songs. Miss Jones gave a clear demonstration of the superiority of a good voice scientifically trained over a good voice untrained. The second honours of the evening were easily gained by Mr P. Cannish, who treated the audience to two good recitations—"The Cow- ard" and "Christmas Bells." His mode of re- citing was not the usual demonstrative order, but of a quiet steady persistence that held the audience from the first line to the last, and we should like to hear both Miss A. Jones and Mr Oammish in future concerts. Now, just a word about the Coed Ely Male Voice Party. .For a number of young men, many of whom are singing in public for the first time, and who have only had a few weeks' training, they gave a very fair performance, and I felt a bit disgusted with some who openly showed their delight when the tenors went slightly out of tune. This is not the kind of spirit which is going to advance musical art in our district, and I would urge the Thomastown boys to treat it with the contempt it deserves. Pitch in, boys; rally round your leader (Mi- W. Francis), and spend the cmillg winter in good hard practice, and I believe the local parties will be hard put to it to retain their laurels in open competition. Handed Over. If ever Tonyretaii does play any part m re- corded history, there will at least be one item worthy of attention and repetition by -t h e recor d of the first posterity-and that is, the record of the first Conscientious Objector in Tonyrefail to resist the military authorities, and to claim and testify for the rights of the individual con- science. That person is Ivor Evans, who was arrested on Thursday morning, August 24, at 7 o'clock. and was brought before the bench at Porth Police Court the same day and hand- ed over to the military authorities. He has since been sent to Rhyl, and up to the present has refsued all orders. All who know Ivor know him to be a quiet and most sincere religious pea-son with very rooted conviction, and with a determination to abide and to re- spond to the call of his highest ideals. Although his health is not at all good, and his nerves somewhat shattered this long period, he aw- aited his arrest and took the ugly proceeding with a dignfied serenity, which gave one an inspiration. It was with a feeling of regret, co-mingled with a proud feeling that Tonyr- efail had at least one man who is prepared to stand for religious freedom, and who believed in what Christ taught and died for (the Bro- therhood of Man) that one left him to face such fearful odds. Whatever the future may have in store for him, he has stood the test. He has protested; he has attempted to do for civilisation and humanity what Christ attempted to do 2,000 years ago, and until now apparently failed; but the day will come when success and victory over barbarism will crown all such efforts, "Ye noble few! who here unbending stand, Beneath life's bounded view, which only saw, A little part, deem'd evil, is no more; The storms of wintry Time will quickly pass, And one unbounded Spring encircle all." Quiet conscience, hopes to come, and dili- gence in duty." "Ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." Be good, and let heaven answer for the rest." There is no good that doth not cost a price." It may be noted that the local Vicar (Mr. Thomas) wrote to the Appeal Tribunal of Ivor's sincerity and genuineness in his con- victions, all of which proved of no avail so far as to grant him what Parliament had pro- vided for such persons. The tribunals will go down to history as a disgrace to our adminis- tration of justice. It is surprising that those who knew of his sincerity and sat on the tri- bunal were apathetic to his fate. and allowed their convictions to blind their sense of justice without even an attempt to grant him the provisions of the Military Service Act for Conscientious Objectors. An Approved Scheme. The suggested and proposed new depart- ment of the Miners' Federation to deal with the coal market is already finding much fa- vour with a great number of the miners at the collieries. Probably the scheme, when submitted for approval, will have the sole suport of the rank and file. The general feeling is that such ought to have been made long ago. The Federation moves slowly but nevertheless, surely. We hope that things will be expedited immediately, so that the markets and the law of supply and demand can be governed in the interest of the workers In- stead of in favour of the privileged few— the employers. Income Tax and the Miner. There. are a good many hard cases that should receive the earnest consideration of the Surveyor of Taxes in the mining industry. Through the generosity of the colliery manag- ers, many men with large families are allowed to have their boys to work on alternate shifts with them as a privilege. The father does all the repairing and deadwork, and allows the boys to fill coal. Thus they are able to carry on the work as well as if there were two com- petent shifts working. It is the custom to put half of the deadwork on each docket, and by this method the boys become liable to pay the income tax. which, in fact, is a tax not on their earnings, but on the father's earnings, and who could claim rebatement on the num- ber of children if he only had his own earnings otherwise arranged on the dockets We look to the Income Tax Committees to see that this injustice is not permitted to be established. These taxes on wages should never have been imposed upon wage earners. It iis for us t-o prevent any further extension of this unjust imposition on the workers.

SMALL PREPAID ADVERTISEMENTS. One In- Three In- Six In- sertion. aertions. sortions.. a. d. s. d. B. d. 20 words 0 6 10 19 words 0 9 1 6 2 9 40 words 1 0 2 0 3 6 4(j words 1 3 2 6 4 6 60 words 1 6 3 0 Õ 6 In all c sea the Name and Address are counted as part of the Advertisement. These prices apply only to Advertisement* ordered for consecutive insertions and which are prepaid. Trade Advertisements are inserted under the Heading Personal at 9d. per line. All Advertisements should be posted to the Office on or before Monday. Medical. .-ai Of-PAGE BOOK ABOUT HERBS AND D4- HOW TO USE THEM, post free. Send for ene. TRIMNELL,'THE HERBALIST, 144 RICHMOND ROAD, CARDIFF. Established 1879. Literary. TJNITARIAN PAMPHLETS on "The BiMe," Heaven," and Hell," gin poet free.—Miss BARMY. Mount PIent. Sidmoath Miscellaneous A STROLOGY. Life events, changes, for- tunate days, business success, matri- mony; two years' future added; send birth date, I P.O. PROF. GOULD, "The Nook," Heathfield Road, Cardiff.

I Ystradgynlais Notes. Cosigratulations. Comrade Gwilym Jones, the popular treasu- rer of the Ystradgynlais I.L.P.. has captured the prize for the baritone solo at the National Eisteddfod. He was accorded a magnificent re- ception on his return from Aberystwyth. Eight other members of the I.L.P. accompanied him to the University Town, one of whom- Com- rade Lewis Thomas—made a brave show for the tenor solo prize. Good luck to both! Holiday Making. Who were the other I.L.Peers who created a great impression at Aberystwyth by ad- vocating Socialism whenever they had an op- portunity and by actually sniffing contemptib- ly when their attention was drawn to Mr. Lloyd George's motor-car? The Coming Events. Mr G. H. D. Cole, M.A.. will lecture at the I.L.P. next Tuesday on "National Guilds." A good attendance is expected. On September 26 Mr. and Mrs. Philip Snow- den will make their acquaintance with Ys- tradgynlais. A great reception awaits them, and preparations are well in hand.