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Towards National Guilds. I
Towards National Guilds. I BY MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE OF THE NATIONAL GUILDS LEAGUE. IV.-FORGING THE WEAPON. The wage-system will and just so soon as the workers are determined that it shall end. No- thing bmt hard and persistent effort on the part of organised labour can bring into being a Society in which the producers will be respon- sible for the processes and management of pro- duction. and the great and immediate task be- fore the Trade Union Movement is the carrying out of a complete re-organisation on an Indus- trial basis. Craft unionism is essentially the weapon of reformism; it looks to the raising of wages, the safeguarding of standards, and the gradual amelioration of the present system. It sees in the future not Associations of prducers at work conjointly with the State, but highly efficient unions busy with defence, and acting on the principle that ultimately the interests of employers and employed are one and the same. More and mort, it will accept conciliation and compulsory arbi- tration as the right methods more and more it will boast of the absence of disputes and the es- tablishment of-standardised conditions, and even- trially it will be regarded as the watch-dog of private enterprise and State Capitalism. So patent indeed are these tendencies, that to-day very few unionists are prepared to defend Craft Unionism everywhere lip-service is paid to In- dustrial Unionism. But far more than talk is needed to create an efficient army of labour. Too often the advocates of closer unity take but a narrow view of the end they wish to achieve. Concerned mainly with the manual wage-earner they are apt to overlook the fact that a real industrial union must include every- body engaged in a particular industry, be they manual or brain workers. It is not enough, for instance, for the Railwaymen's Industrial Union to enrol engine-drivers, stokers, porters, shun- ters, shop-men, carriage-cleaners and so on; within its ranks must come clerks, inspectors,' superintendents and the whole of the managerial side. It is not enough for the miners to confine their attention to the actual coal-getters and the surface-men, they must secure as members of their organisation the deputies, the under-man- agers, the draughtsmen nnd office staff, and from their ranks must come the managers and direc- tive power. After +he manual workers have been brought in, there will arise the far harder ta-sk of persuading, or forcing, nil the other grades within the industry to unite and con- trol. This is the 'immediate urgent business of the Trade Unionists of this country, and to that end all their energies should he directed. During the period of industrial revival from I 1910 to 1914, there were many signs that Labour l was beginning at last to realise how vital the problem of organisation was. A wave of indus- trial unionism spread through the country • amal- gamation movements were started in all the main industries; ardent propagandists got to work, and it looked as thought at last things were going to move. But if we ask what has been the result of all this activity, the answer is in no wav cheering. The National Union of Railway-men has been formed; the Amalgamated Society. of Engineers has half-heartedly opened its ranks to unskilled workers; the Scottish Mining Associations have formed a National Union; there has been immense talk about a Triple Alliance, and a General Labour and Trans- port Amalgamation; another union has been formed on industrial lines in the Building In- dustry, and painful attempts have been made to provide the movement as a whole with some sort of central control. So, much for the credit side. What of the debit account? The unions of skilled engineers have declared war on the N.U.R.; the sectional unions in the engineering industry are no nearer amalgamation than they were twenty-five years ago; the miners, in prac- tically every area are met with the opposition of general labour and craft organisation; the Triple Alliance is further off than ever; the General Labour and Transport Amalgamation has hardly progressed an inch; the Building Unions are still as disunited and incompetent; the Joint Board is in imminent danger of dis- ruption, and any big disputes will at once bring the General Federation of Trade Unions to bank- ruptcy. Hardly a step has been taken to deal with the 9,000,000 unorganised workers; hardly a step has been taken to prevent demarcation disputes; the agricultural labourer still waits for an effective union, and general support; sym- pathetic action is still looked at with distrust And there are still 1,100 organisations quarrel- ling over the 4,000,000 members. If one asks why this state of chaos still exists, we can only reply that until Trade Unionism gets an ideal, progress will be delayed. Forti- fied with the ideal of Producers' Control, deter- mined to look ahead, the Trade Unionists of this country can create their Industrial Unions, and can out of the present chaos produce order.j u* i d ei.  To do this. however, they must subordinate all their other activities to the main end—the crea- tion of a Trade Union movement that shall be blackleg-proof, wide in its range, and sure of its purpose. Here we can do no more than point out a few of the obvious changes that must be made if organised labour is to count as a factor in the life of society. ¡ First, and perhaps most important of all, is the problem of the unorganised. Hitherto each separate Union has been left to bribe, cajole or force the free labourer" into line with the or- ganised worker; no attempt has been made to direct or co-ordinate this activity no attempt has been made to share the burden of expense and trouble. Inevitably this has led to bitter I inter-union disputes. We need only mention the miners and the Amalgamated Union of Labour-, the Shop Assistants and the Amalgamated Union of Co-operative Employees, the Railway- men and the Engineering organisations, to show how serious the chaos has become. To put an end to this, one thing is needed. The Trade I U p Union Movement must delimit the spheres of the act;<'>n of individual organisations a central fund must be created and organisers appointed propaganda must be centrally directed and cen- trally controlled. Secondly, the Trade Union Congress and the General Federation of Trade Unions must unite to form a central organisation capable of carry- ing on this propaganda. The Federation, with its insurance against strikes, the Parliamentary Committee, with its ill-defined and badly exer- cised powers, should become the expressions of the whole movement the Trade Union Congress should IM the mouthmeee. not of a section of the workers 'but of ill:- -slioiild be elected for a year, and upon an i'mport?nt ques- tion- cf poJir-yit advice ?ho?Id be taken. By thus, co-ordinating the activities of the two cen- tnrl bodies, it would b' possiMe ?ot onlv to ??- ganise the unorganised, and to prevent demarca- tion. disputes and inter-union quarrels, but to utilise the possibilities latent in the sympathetic strike, and to lav down the lines upon which Trade Unionism should travel. Central Control is the only means for obtaining unity of action during the Transition period. Thirdly, the rank and file must again get to work and agitate ceaselessly for amalgamation. There should be no parleying with schemes of federation; there should be no surrendering of the vital principle of union by industry for any temporary gain; and, abeve all, officialism should be prevented from sidetracking movements to- wards closer-unity. We look not to the crea- tion of new unions, but to the gradual absorp- tion of smaller and sectional orga,nisaticons into the larger and more industrial unions; and within these larger groupings we look for craft representation and more and more local freedom. Fourthly, the Trade Unionists must see to it that the General Labour Unions become the clearing-house of the movement. This necessi- tates not only the ereatirn of a General Labour Union, but an entire change of outlook. No longer must the Workers' Union, the Gas workers, the National Amalgamated Union and the rest play for their own hands; they must begin to work for the movement as a whole, and must retain their members in trust for the in- dustrial unions that will arise from the unions of craft unionism. THE STATE FOR CONTROL. I Hundreds of other problems and difficulties face those who desire to see organised labour holding its rightful place, but this is not the time to discuss them. One further change must, however, be mentioned. The weapon of the strike and the power of organisation must be used definitely for revolutionary ends. Strikes and demands for higher wages must give wav to attempts to obtain a foothold in control; the right to dismiss foremen must be expanded into the right to elect; the refusal to work with non- unionists must be widened to include the refusal to touch tainted goods; conciliation boards must be changed into negotiation and control boards exercising a real share in the management of industry and the Trade Unionist must think more of the future and less of the immediate present. Given Industrial Unions, blackleg-proof and possessed of Craft-representation; given an effi- cient central control; given an enlightened and idealistic rank-and-file determined to pursue the class-struggle, the way to National Guilds and the' abolition of Wage-Slavery is easy and clear. But the preliminary steps to the Guilds must be the creation of Industrial Unions, for only by means o" associations formed on industrial lines can effective control be exercised. The unions out of which will grow the National Guilds of the future must include within their ranks all who work the industry, for all will have to share in the responsibilities of control.
The I.L.P.'s Gratitude.-
The I.L.P.'s Gratitude. PARTY'S THANKS TO PRESIDENT WILSON. "GREATEST SERVICE TO HUMANITY." The National Administrative Council of the I.L.P. has ordered the following letter to be for- warded to President Wilson: — "Dear Mr. President,-l am directed by the National Administrative Council of the Indepen- dent Labour Party to send, with deep respect, thier expression of profound gratitude to you for your noble and momentous action in addressing to the belligerent Powers your Note on the ques- tion of Peace. My Council, who speak with a. special knowledge of public opinion in Great Britain, particularly among the working classes, desire to assure you that your action is grate- fully appreciated by the sober and responsible sections of the British people. They know that the critical and unsympathetic response which has been accorded to your Note by certain jour- nals in this country does not represent the feel- ings of the British nation. The desire to see this terrible war brought to an end at once is widespread among all classes and your appeal has /raised a fervent hope that negotiations may be begun which will lead to a settlement on such terms as will be just and honourable to all the countries involved, and which will begin the for- mation of a league of nations for maintaining peace, to which idea you have given such valuable support. My Council earnestly hopes that you will con- tinue your great effort to bring the belligerent nations together, and they pray that a speedy success will reward you. You have already, by your Note, rendered the greatest service to hu- manity, and by the continuance of your efforts in this direction, you will earn the undying gratitude of this and succeeding generations,— believe me, dear Mr. President, your obedient servant. (Signed) FRANCIS JOHNSON, Secretary. I
I .A Pole's Adventures. I
I A Pole's Adventures. I BEFRIENDED BY MERTHYR CHIEF CON- STABLE. A Polish subject, Joseph Edward Friend, alias Alfred Dawson, pleaded guilty at Merthyr on Tuesday to stealing a wristlet watch, valued at 12s. 6d., from Mr. W. T. Flocks' jeweller's shop at High-street, Merthyr, and with being an un- Mrs. Flooks, in evidence, said prisoner came to the shop on Saturday night and chose the watch which he said he wished to give as a pre- sent to a little girl, who was waiting outside. Picking up the watch off the counter he went to the doorway as if to call the child to see it. Witness, growing suspicious, rounded the counter to follow him, but on getting to the doorway found he had disappeared and there was no child there. and tli.(,-re ivac,- no cliild Henry Win. Sp-inks, manager to Mr. Seidle, pawnbroker, High-street, said prisoner pledged the watch to him for 4s. 3d. Friend was arrestee d later on Saturday night by Police-constable Dumford at a RIversIde lodging-house. Mr. J. A. Wilson (chief-constable) proved pre- vious convictions against prisoner, who at Man- chester in 1912 was expelled from the country. He was then deported to Warsaw. Again he returned to England and in 1914 he was once more deported. Prisoner had been in Merthyr for about 12 months. On his arrival in the town he was be- friended by him (Mr. Wilson) and found work, but he did not then declare himself to be an alien. Of late he has been living by his wits very largely," added the Chief Constable. Friend was sentence d to six months' imprison- ment with hard labour on each charge and or- dered to be deported.
Advertising
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Tonyrefail Notes. |
Tonyrefail Notes. New Colliery Manager. Mr. William Davies, of Maerdy, has been ap- pointed manager of the Lockett's Welsh Atlantic Oilely Collieries, Tonyrefail, in place of Mr. Richard Lloyd, who has resigned to take up the duties of agent at the Glamorgan Collieries, Llwynypia. Mr. Richard Lloyd has been made the recipient of a geld watch, while Mrs. Lloyd was presented with a silver tea and coffee ser- vice, together with a cabinet of cutlery, by the officials and workmen of Lockett's Merthyr Cilefy Colliery, Tonyrefail. Workmen Counter-Demands. Last Sunday afternoon at 2.30 p.m. at the In- stitute a meeting of the Cilely workmen was convened for the purpose of receiving the audi- tors, report; the haulage contractor's applica- tion for an increase in the price of haulage, and other important matters. The chief item of in- terest is the contractor's application. This is the third application, if not more, during the period of the war. Although the previous applications had considerable opposition they were conceded. Encouraged by the previous successes the con- tractor presses for a further advance on similar reasons. This time the application was met with a counter-demand by some of the workmen for a reduction. The tactics of the employers have" been well observed apparently. You cannot preach without having some converts. What- ever may be the merits of the case, the contrac- tor was prepared, if granted, to accept half of his demand. But instead he was granted a de- putation to facilitate his work and to speed up all his resources—so that he may either get a living or make a fortune. The war is moving things'. Presentation meeting. A presentation meeting was held last Satur- day, January 6th, at 7 p.m., in the Methodist Hall, when Mr. and Mrs. Rd. Lloyd were pre- sented with a magnificent case of cutlery and a gold watch, on their departure from Tonyre- fail, by the officials and workmen of Cilely Col- liery and also the principal citizens of the local- ity. A musical programme was provided by the Gwalia Glee Society. Mr. Lloyd has been manager at Cilely Col- liery about live years. As a mining engineer he does not lack any proficiency, and his, competence has been the means of practically re-m^delling the underground working of the colliery. In this direction he is worthy of praise; for, re- covering the mine from a state of inefficiency and for the health and working accommodation of the worker. During his short residence at Tonyrefail he has figured in various public in- terests. Very frequently since the outbreak of war he has occupied the chair at the local char- ity concerts. Also, he has presided over some of the various committee" formed in aid of sol- diers ,etc. The presents were displayed and exhibited in D. L. Jones' shop window at the Square, and were undoubtedly envied by the less fortunate majority of the public. It may be said that the workmen refused concerted action with the offi- cials in arranging and collecting for the presen- tations. It was left to each individual to deter- mine his own action. The response has been generous without a doubt. It is encouraging to know that the people are prepared to make sacrifices in the common interest, and at a time like this. Complexities of the M.S.A. It is war time. Acts of Parliament are rushed on the eountry so frequently that there is no time, even for' the adininistoi-s to understand what to do. Thus there, is no end to the com- plexities and perplexity of action and we hear continually of men being taken by mistake and often illegally" arrested. In one of these complex spider webs Duncan Kerr, a local married man with four children, j discovered himself during this last week. Kerr has been working at the coke-ovens for a long period and was in possession of an exemption card exempting him from military service on condition that he continued in a similar occupa- tion. Believing that there was no difference and that it did not matter if he went into the mine under the same company, he changed his work from a, coke-worker to a miner. In the mean- time his exemption was withdrawn, with un- desirable results for him. He failed to have an exemption as a, miner and is forced to join the colours. He reported himself at the Recruiting Office and was sent to Cardiff to be medically examined, and passed B (1). He was then given three days' leave to prepare his departure. In the meantime, while presenting himself at the Colliery Office for his pay, he was accosted by the police and taken to the Police Station and detained until proper information, with regard to his actions, could be got, in spite of his medical card. Subsequently he, was released when satisfaction was obtained. Kerr has made every effort to have the protection of the Feder- ation and has hopelessly failed. He was in- formed that he had committed a breach (by mis- take) of the conditions of exemption and that Industrial Conscription was admittedly in vogue and nothing could be done to prevent him from passing into the Army. So much for trade union I Gossio. Consternation is prevalent locally through the application of the Military Service Acts, which is visiting the homes of married men who never anticipated direct service with the colours. "The fight to the last man" i;, making people think, and even forcing them to utter the need for immediate peace. At the same time they fear to sign their names to the peace memorials; in. the hope that they may be shown some bene- ficient consideration by the military authorities. Fatality. I 1.1", A most distressing fatality occurred. v Coed Ely by-product plant on Saturday morning last, which resulted in the death of a young man named Wilson, of 25 Nantmelyn-terrace, who was suffocated by the escape of some nojaous gases from the interior of one of the depart- ments known as the Benzol House.
Enginemen's New Agent. "-I1
Enginemen's New Agent. 1 A meeting of tne executive or the ivxonmouLii- shire and South Wales Colliery Enginemen, Stokers, and Craftsmen's Association was held at Cardiff on Thursday. There were present Mr. H. Biggs (president), Mr. E.H. Faull (vice-presi- den), Mr. W. Hopkins (general secretary), and Mr. D. B. Jones (agent). The ballot papers for the election of an addi- tional agent were counted and resulted as fol- lows — Mr. J. W. Grant, Mountain Ash 3,125 Mr. W. Thomas, Ystradgvnlais 916 Mr. R. J. Griffiths, Ferndale 818 Mr. A. Davies, Treorky 757 A vote of congratulation was accorded Mr. Grant, whose clear majority over the other three candidates rendered a second ballot unnecessary, j He is to commence his duties on January 29th.
I The Doubting Thomas.
I The Doubting Thomas. j A REPLY TO "AFTERTHOUGHTS ON ABLETT'S ANATHEMA." BY NOAH ABLETT. What is the title, Mr. Thomas ? 18 it a pun bn your name, or a reference to a. well known bibli- cal cha-raoter ? It is unquestionably a wicked pun. But that won't be my worst sin, for I a.m going to immediately justify it as a correct description of your mental attitude in that part of your article to which I am replying. Let us see what it. is you are complaining of. Is it that I have perpetrated a pun on your dear colleague Clay's name? The first answer is Yes, because you say There was something repulsive to me in the way Ablett descended to the low-down game of punstering." But the second answer is No, because the very next words you say are Don't think for one mom Ait that I object to Ablett punning." Well, then, is your complaint that my punning was ineffective? Yes, because you describe the puns as pitiful and pathetic." But, again, No, because you say I do object to the dismissal of any book with the flick of a pUI." If the book was dis- missed the pun succeeded. LH us try again. Is it your complaint that my economic criticism was unsound? Yes, because you say "To his own mind he has torn Clay to bits, much in the way that I have seen many a pulpitarian think that they have pummelled and annihilated Dar- win." But on the other hand. yon go on to say I agree with and endorse a great deal of what I call real criticism of the theories of value by Ablett," and you even go on to take pride in tha.t both you and Hyndman disagree with your friend Clay on the very points that I'had already taken him to task upow. And then in your con- sistently inconsistent way you say that "the purpose of this article is not so much to parade my views on Economics," and then you devote your last column to Clay's economic deficiencies and your own views on positive and Normative economics. (Here I hope you will pardon me for econottii(!s. (Ht)j, I liope v<)u will 1),i.i-doti -.)ie for ,.f3osl.1:Is are "Like tlie lfowers that bloom in the spring They have nothing to do with the case. ") Well, Mr. Thomas, have I said enough to prove that the title is a justifiable pun on your name ? If I thought not you could have some more. But now, a word on puns. A pun of itself is neither repulsive nor excellent. It is the use of this literary device that calls either for praise or olaroe. Let us take for example the pun I used on Clay's name, which seems, at times (though I admit you later say you don't object), to have revolted your aesthetic soul. Let's quote it, "It is simply a Clayish touch. Oh, Most Right Hon- ourable Clay, why wasn't your name mud or slime?" Put there like that without" explana- tion, most people would agree with you—and those admirers of mine who seem to have given you their (-otifiderices-tliat it was a deplorable pun. But you had read the article, and seem to have conveniently forgot that most readers of the Pioneer had not. Why did you not ex- plain that before using that pun, I had given chapter and verse to prove that the Honourable Clay had wilfully and deliberately distorted, and dishonestly selected from, a Marxian theory in order to bolster up his case? Do you think that a. nice thing to do? Do you think it ought to be described in gentle and forbearing language 5, Old Dietzgen says In order to throw a man out of the temple you must first of all embrace him." If a colleague of yours is properly con- signed to be thrown out of the temple for de- filing the altars with pitch; if 1, in executing the sentence, and in order to throw him out have to embrace him; if after, finding my hands, previously clean, were now soiled; if now I were* to strongly express myself on this point; then your complaint is not with me for strongly ex- pressing myself (because language is given to us for that purpose) but with your colleague who oommitted the offence. It is not the strong de- scription, but the art that merits the descrip- tion, that is to be blamed. The chief point about the description is that it must be accurate. (Readers of the Pioneer might now ask Well, what is all this bother about, why doesn't Ablett get on with the point at issue P." I must reply that there is no point at issue. I criticised some chapters of Mr. Clay's book, chapters deal- ing with" Marginal Utility." Well. Mr. Thomas actually prides himself in agreeing with me. He says that both himself and Hyndman believe in the "Futility of Marginal Utility." He seems to strongly object to my punning. But veil he says specifically that he doesn't object. Seeing him so undecided I have written this article with the only object of helping the poor man to make up his mind on this vexed ques- tion and I am sure he will pardon'me for this little interruption of my admonitions.) Well, now, Mi. Thomas, have 1 convinced you that punstering is not half so vile, providing it be justified, as you formerly thought it was? I -wonder if you are aware of your own liter- ary viees P Do you know that vou are rather fond or auiteiation ? e.g., "Afterthoughts on Ablett's Anathema," pitifully and pathetically, etc.- I should say that it takes the same thought energy to produce twenty alliterative phrases as to produce one really good pun, and I am afraid that between your indignation, at my effective criticism of your dear colleague, and the mental I energy wasted to express that indignation- alli- terate eiy, you really forgot allahout. the ac- curacy, logic, and sequence of your article, and therefore gave a sorry exhibition of your pro- fbably otherwise greater reasoning powers. And now, in conclusion, let me remind you, that in ¡ spite of your one-time stated repulsion, to my punstering you could not resist the temptation of having a try at my name, by reminding me of my great ancestor/the Admiral of the Ark. I don't feel in the least repelled. On the con- trary I shall only reply in the most friendly spirit with an amateurish attempt on your name. If you will add an "s" to your surname and strike out the first syllable, there will then in- evitably rise in your mind a vision of what your friends will think of you after they have read this article.
I I " From Bitter Experience,"
From Bitter Experience," BARGOED POWELL-DUFFRYN COAL LODGE AND GOVERNMENT APATHY. The Bargoed Powell-Duffryn steam coal work- men at their annual meeting passed the follow- ing resolution: "That the food conference held at London 011 December 7th failed to serve the workers, inasmuch as it had made no effort to find ways and means to force the Government to put the resolution into operation. We believe, also, from bitter experience, that any appeal by the Labour Party will be futile, and that the • only means to force the Government is by trades union action."
Ir INavvy Pat's Views. I
I r I Navvy Pat's Views. I   Pat, during the la?b couple of mon  ?)i.  has been ill, has been ?? been travelling, been desperately tin ally lucky, ha.s bee dœ'a,{}ly ullfortu?atel and during his various vicissitudes, the Tuw ville Tap Room Conference has iiiffered. Last Saturday we found him seated ? corner looking rather melancholy, and 0 I customary greetings he replied only by ? At and a feeble attempt at a military salute.^ length Sandy arrived and faced Pat. lvhat- the deevil'? the matter wi' ye, Pat? YVrelLil-in' like as ye were gaun tae be hanged the ci Is mornin'. What's up? Sure, it's the ehMer I'm worryin' o?er, ? c??? an' the war. If ye'11 take the trouble to.^ over the daily papers from August 4th, 1 L# date, y?'ll find bonderds or thousands ov llallle$ ov places where there's been flghtm' 311  a livin' human ivver heard the name ov 't onless, mebbee, them as lived there; an' a" names will have to go into the J ographys, that'll make the jographys six times as ?S ? they are, an' how are the poor little divvws r to larn them all? An' then there's the Ka.IeJllI victories. I have tried to keep count  ? but I've bruck down over an' over agm; } a.fther careful study I reckon that 5,499 00es, I widin' two deshimals ov the exact ngger? N OITY afther the war, ivry history book will have^ have full details ov ivry wan ov them victor or the Kaiser will stop the publication whethl"' its in Home, London, Paris or Petr?gr?d, ? ? just luk back at the tortures we had wid our small jography's an' history's at school, allI to fancy what the new wan's will do to the  jinneration, why! it will make them old   lem will be 4-5r, be- they're 15, and awh wan ov 'em will be 45  fore his eddication is finished. Ye're great on figgers, Pat, said Stndy) btit Taffy wants to see ye tied up m a bundle ??y own Jiggers. JJ1e Don't ye interfere between Taffy 'h an' i»e/„ boy, TaNy an' I will improve aicother &, has the pluck to continue the argyment; bute a last word to say about tha figgers I've 91" lye so liberally this last year or more. Ye'll derstand that I was makin' out a case t?' the miners wid them and didn't consa.rn iiivself Via the owner?s side, havin' no means ov getting ? liable information. I've had niauufacturea K (? formatIon from various sources ov which I J no notis; but if our leaders could have e those figgers properly, we cud long ago ???? force d a joint audit on cost ov production, 001 ■ have forced a Guvernment enquiry into the '?, struction an' dealin's ov the many coal exp?? [ companys, ov which many coalov ners are di rec- tors an' shareholders, an' could have found Otit |I. the exact relation between prices, an' adv? in wages. "l1EJ' That would be far greater satisfaction to 1& than to prove my figgers accurate. They a is, exact as far as they go; the other accuracy HI" what they were intended to reach. Bu* 'J' leaders lacked the capacity. ivow most companies are over-capitalised and cannot l11a. profits without hight prices; an' if the Guvvei A ment has to take over the collieries an' pay fol-, them, the price will be so big that our chaT1 e, ov big wages will be gone an' all because t" listened to me an' shouted hoor,ay, an then let" | things slide. r [ An' look at our new strong Guvvernment 311p the way they are makin' progress. Nlessin" fiddlin' wid King Tino ov Greece a.n' keøpJJt troops tied up in Salonika, whin a strong Gf"; verment wud have locked him up in the- Iver' ov London or struck his head off, an' sent 0 troops to smash 13ulgaria an' save Rumania^ | at home our strong Guvverment are tackhn"- food question an' shoutin' for us all to begA2 growin' potatoes an' breedin' pigs an' to save t041, much railway trwellin' have raised train  50 per cent., except season tickets, which,  I, tl1e property ov the wealthy, must be P?rtect? An' they've closed some stations an' stopP? some trains an' set ever so many parties ¡¡ grumbln'. If I wanted a doctor an' found  that tried to cure heart-failure by stoppin' ? circulation ov the blood, d'ye think I'd g°  him wid an achin' to6th? No, be jabbers, lie, .? be for curin' the toothacke by stoppin' all foo ) an starvin' me to death. Well, the late C?  verment took away the men that was groWJO\ potatoes an' breedin' pig? an' let honderds 0 _• crops ov potatoes rot in the ground they g?' in for want ov men to dig em, an' all the yoU!? pigs was sold an' killed for their feedm' cos? too much. f The present Guvverment want potatoes all ], pigs, an' they permit the export ov potatoes- to" newtrals, an' they want us all to get ground ari start food gi'owin', an' they raise Ü:ainfares !1J1 reduce train, facilities ;an' cure heart failure- by stopping the circulation of the blood. Vl€ cure for food scarcity should be a Consereptlo r Act for land, and let every one who can grow 01 breed food have as muchnd at a, nominal Tell as he can farm properly, reduce railway faxes b1 one-half instead ov raisin'?'em so that- I.I18:Il" 6?(?ast an' burden can reach any market qm?? an' cheaply an' that will soon settle the f<?" < all' thai soon vettle fh (I fo,) d I think there's a job here for the Pacivist8- I.Tl,ley have made a grand fight an' have raised themselves a bit in public estimation since the'' day of Charlie Stanton an' his mob ov patriots- The finest spell ov speeches I ivver listened to* was at the Rink, at the Merftliyr peace meeting- If all that talent was turned" to the land ana food questions, what a deal ov good could done aiH'uig an' after, the war. Their present ihggle will not affect the war the least « bit, but mIght. revolutionise home affairs be tot'1; the war ended, an' then they would find scope for their energies in devising means to*, prevent future wars. an' make peace eternal; a- P-J'oud man I'd be that day if they'd let jl1l) j if I'm alive then. 1
.. l I ?Editor's Appeal.…
 l I ? Editor's Appeal. ;1 I Week ending December 23rd, 1916. I NAVVY PAT. I "'l" Ù:s 3 f W. Roberts. 3 6 W. J. Phillips 0 f T.Philiips 0 S Ben.Phillips 0 6 110neef' 3 ? r" ('" "1 Tonyrefail "Pioneer" Committee ?..? 2 0 U"" 0 Week ending December 30th, 1916. NAVVY PAT. Pioneer" Week ending Jam.mrv 6th, 1917. J~' Pi oneer 2  J.Sp9rk<'s, Bedlinog 5 4 7 16 7 Printed and Published by the Labour Pioneer Press, Limited, Williams' Square, Glebelau^ Street, Merthyr Tydfil, January 13th, Ün7.. 1