Pioneer

The Miners and Peace. I IT would be almost impossible to iQver-estimate tlif importance and meaning of the S.W.M.F. conference of last week-end. We say this with a full knowledge of the vagueness of the reso- lution propounded, and of the not remote possi- bilities of delay that may be introduced in the execution of that resolution by officers of the Federation not intellectually in complete har- mony with its intention. Its tremendous import is to be found in the fact that its passage, nay, its very inspiration, is the result of a dictated policy by agents and headers, but «f a spontane- ous call from the united working-masses in the strongest districts in the coal-field. Its inspira- tion was primarily and largely due to the miners in the Merthyr and Dowlais Districts, and it is significant that John Williams, the Merthyr agent, has been too ill to take any part in the active realisation of this move, near as it un- doubtedly would have been to his heart had be been in a physical condition such as would have allowed him to take and maintain his fighting position in the, van, a position which, we think, it is no secret to say, lie was impelled to take up by the opinion of his own men, and one which has brought him nearer to the hearts of his dis- trict, and of the miners generally than any of the tactics of the vacillators have brought them. But more inspiring even than the genesis ef the Conference has been the spontaniety with which it has been taken up by the other districts, and the rapidity with which the enthusiasm evoked has bestirred the Executive Council in giving it a hearing in special session. It is this mass autonomy of its inception and swift growth that gives to the conference its special significance as an index to the feeling of the workers of the whole nation with respect to the war and its conclusion, for it is impossible to beliove that the psychology of Labour in South Wales is dif- ferent in nature and outlook from organised La- bour elsewhere. However much we may concede a difference in intensity of Democratic outlook and enthusiasm as between different members of the Labour world as a whole, ultimately the ex- pression of the sane desires, and demands proves the unity of purpose and outlook running through the whole. It is quite easy to conceive that owing to a less advanced stage in industrial consciousness obtaining in some unions or locali- ties or, maybe, the besmudging of issues by an- tagonistic leaders; or tactical falsification of is- sues by men with axes to grind, the intention of the South Wales miners may on this occasion be brought to nought, but in the long run Giant Demos will waken in all his parts, and what the South Wales miner seeks to-day, he will find, and find rapidly, and drastically. A contribu- tor in the present issue is afraid that the leaders in Soutfi Wales will themselves foul the issue by vacillation, but, after all, what actually matters most is not the action of these leaders, but the fact that after nearly twelve months in the air the right of Labour to take a real hand in the game of diplomacy and practical politics on a big scale has been brought to earth and given a concrete expression understandable to the people and understood by them. James Winstone and others have stated in unequivocal terms their interpretation of the miners' move, and those interpretations are those of the rank-and- file. If these men are possessed of the courage which we sincerely believe they are possessed of, and if in their zeal for the earliest possible reali- sation of the great humanitarian spirit that has moved the minerl they can forget the personal feeling in the execution of their duty, those who would holp up the intention of the men, or give it wrong direction will be brought to book at once. This great move must have fair play if it is to materialise into anything tangibly valu- able to the nation and to the world, but nothing can rob it of its importance to South Wales, or its expression of the universal feeling in South Wales to the rest of the nation. As a matter of fact, it comes opportunely at the heels of the publication of the findings of the Welsh Indus- trial Unrest Commission, whose diagnosis of public feeling in this moiety of the Principality it so manifestly confirms. (

I Political N otes. ———— BY F. W. JOWETT, M.P. I I, Lord Rhondda aud his Parliamentary assist-i ant, Mr. Clynes, are being driven to apply the system of price limitation far beyond the extent first intended. It was his refusal to give way t-o the inevitable in this connection that brought Lord Devonport down so heavily. As soon as a maximum price has been fixed for anarticle of food the profiteers make despei-ate efforts to maintain their profits by transferring their oper- ations to commodities that are not subject to limitation ifi price. The price of beef, for in- stance, is to be limited, but no sooner was the announcement made than it became necessary to fix maximum prices for mutton and pork. It will also be necessary to limit the prices of feed- ing stuffs for cattle. Otherwise cattle will be killed off and the consequences will be disastrous. There is, indeed, no stopping place in this matter and if Lord Rhondda fails to recognise the fact and act accordingly, he will fare little better than his predecessor, Lord Devonport. The policy of limiting prices, however, will not suffice if the war continues until the food supply falls seriously short of the amount required; as it will, unless the extravagant war aims of the Allies are dropped. To enforce peace terms on the Central Powers which include annexations of territory by Italy, Roumania, Servia, and France, for which there is no shadow of excuse on the ground of kinship in race or speech, many more years of war would not suffice. Long before such terms were. looked at seriously by the Central Powers, let alone accepted as the cost of defeat, there would be famine in this country. Such war aims are, in fact, unattain- j able, and the only question of interest concern- ing them is as to the length of time it will take the Allies iro realise the fact. If it should take two or three years the British people will ex- perience a real shortage of food before the war is over. A Government embarking on such a perilous adventure as the present war should lay its plans to begin with to meet the economic consequences. Three years ago, therefore, arrangements should have been made to pool all the resources of the country to avoid profiteering and waste and en- sure to all the people a fair share of food and clothing and the necessaries of life. This was not done, and if the people of this country ex- perience famine later on the Government will be to blame for it. They were warned at the time and took no notice. — Sir Frederick Banbury is not taking Lord Rhondda's attack on profiteering lying down." He has carried the war into the enemy's camp by accusing Lord Rhondda in letters to the press of being interested in companies "making large profits out of the war." Investments in one of these companies is recommended on the ground that the products are used in the manufacture of daily necessaries, such as mar- garine, soap, etc." The second company is a ship-building and repairing company. The capi- tal of one of the companies is stated to be k207,100, and the profits for 1916, £200,1.000. The latest contribution to this most interesting con- troversy is a letter to the pre.ss. from Sir Freder- ick Banbury. In this letter Sir Frederick Ban- bury states that the London and Provincial Bank, of which he (Sir Frederick) was until re- cently a director, had lost a valuable account with one of the companies of which Lord Rhondda had been a director. Sir .Frederick was warned when his letter appeared that his action might prejudice the Bank, so he had al- ready resigned from the directorate before the account was withdrawn. The inference to be drawn from Sir Frederick's letter is that Lord Rhondda, also, is not "taking it lying down." -X- At last the Government has consented to con- sider the question of increasing the allowances of dependents of soldiers killed or disabled in the South African and other wars. Even yet, how- ever, there is no promise that the pensions of the men disabled in previous wars will be con- sidered. The statement made in the House on the subject, this week, relates only to allow- ances for dependents. The Homse of Commons has passed the third reading of the Corn Production Bill. In the course of the debate on the report stage of the Bill it was stated on the authority of official estimates, given in reply to a question, that taking into consideration the consumption of wheat and oats for cattle feeding, in addition to the corn for human consumption, either the pu blie will have to pay £ 96,500,000 more for corn during the five years ending 1922 than was paid during the five years ending 1914, or, the paid cl.urinwl,, ill have to pay that sum to make up the guaranteed prices promised in the Bill. On the other hand it was also stated on the author- ity of Sir Howard Frank, of the firm of Frank, Rutley and Co., Auctioneers and Surveyors, whose transactions in land are the most exten- sive in Great Britain, that land is selling better to-day than at any period during the last twenty- five years, and during the present month Sir Howard Frank's firm had sold to the value of tl,212,000 at prices varying from f,15 an acre in Wales to tSO in England, and that the rents now being paid are very much below proper rental value in most districts. Mr. Chancellor, the member who quoted the statement of Sir Howard Frank, to the effect above mentioned, said that he had reports of sales in his possession showing that land is being sold at present at fifty years and over fifty years' purchase—i.e., fifty and over fifty times the amount of the yearly rent. This means, of course, that the new owners, at the first oppor- tunity, will put up the rents and get the advan- tage of the Government's guarantee of high prices for the yield of the land in corn. It is true that under the provisions of the Bill a tenant who receives notice to quit because the landlord wants to increase the rent may appeal against his landlord, and, if it is proved that this is the reason for the landlords' action he will be protected in his tenancy. But a land- lord who is desirous of getting rid of a sitting tenant with the object of increasing his rent roll will have some other excuse for giving his tenant notice to quit. In the long run, by one process or another, the higher prices pair by the con- sumer, or the State subsidy, as the case may be, will reach the pocket of the landlord. Colonel Burn, who combines the two functions of Member of Parliament and King's Messenger, and is said to have the privilege of close personal relations with Sir Douglas Haig, embodies all the distinctive qualities of a subaltern in the Prussian Army. If this were not so he would never have risen to the height of folly of asking the House of Commons whether it would not ox-I press its appreciation of the action taken by cer- tain persons in breaking up the conference (by means of violence) at the Brotherhood Church. Even the war at any price party in the House of Commons received the silly suggestion in dead silence. I wonder whether the extravagant testimonial given in the House of Commons last, week to the King by the Home Secretary (SIT Geo. Cave) would be appreciated if it were circulated among the soldiers in the trenches P Sir George said that the King was" doing perhaps as hard and, indeed, harder work in this war than any living man. Mr. Lees Smith, M.P., who has served at the front as a. Corporal in the R.A.M.C., startled the House of Commons when he said that in a town within two hours' distance from Westmin- ster, five battalions of soldiers elected delegates who met at a meeting and passed a series of resolutions in favour of the policy which the con- ference at the Brotherhood Church was called to advocate. When Mr. Lees Smith further said that the resolutions passed by the delegates of the five battalions of soldiers referred to had been sent to the Prime Minister, and the Secre- tary of State for War, and that the Prime Min- ister had been asked to receive a deputation in support of the resolutions, he drew a reluctant admission from the Under Secretary of State for War to the effect that he was aware of the pro- ceedings but he did not say whether any action had been taken in the matter. Mr. Lees Smith pointed out that it would be quite possible to get soldiers to defend peace meetings, if soldiers were allowed to attack them. At the very moment when our gallant troops are doing everything they can to beat the Ger- mans in the field a member of the Government contemplates an arrangement by which English- men shall meet Germans around a table." Thus spake the Viscount Duncannon in condemnation of the alleged crime of Mr. Arthur Henderson in regard to the proposed international confer- ence. But Duncannon overlooked the fact that his description of a meeting with Germans ac- curately represented an event that had taken place and proved successful. Lord Newton and two other British representatives have met an equal number of Germans representing the Ger- map Government and come to a mutual under- standing concerning the conditions under .vnh-h British and German prisoners shall be released in future. For over a year, at least, this matter has been the subject of contention between the two Governments—corresponding with each other through third parties. On meeting face to face and discussing the difficulties with each other a fair and just agreement was soon reach- ed. Seeing that this satisfactory result has fol- lowed a meeting between British and G representatives in regard to the prisoner's ??''?? why not try similar means to stop the war i. ? ? 1 azi?. put an end to the slaughter. ? Two leading Ministers have felt it neces recently to say under what circumstances it is necessary to speak the truth, and what they said is distinctly interesting. Mr. Lloyd George did not go further than to say that Prime Inn isters must tell the truth. Mr. Bonar Law oll his part, acknowledged that it was "not easy to CONCEAL the truth when it is ESSENTIA • Both statements leave large scope for prevail tion. A Prime Minister, for instance, may ds clare on his honour that the men he recoromen for Knighthood and for the Peerage have re dered distinguished and disinterested service to their country. He leaves it to the GovernIliellt whip, however, to arrange the transaction In, e turn for a suitable sum in cash. The PrID1, Minister-as was stated by Peers—is in ? P7L, tion ? know—takes good care not to asl?  details of the bargain—for Prime Ministers wlst n oIl speak the truth. Mr. Bonar Law's admission.^ the subject of truth reveals a. familiarity WI the ways of diplomacy. It was not easy to oOllt ceal, for instance, the existence of the sec-ret clauses of the Anglo-French Convention, Q¡. though the Foreign Office dipl<)ma,t-s thought was essential to do so. The truth came out 1 1911 and led to the Agidir incident and Ll?  George's Mansion House challenge to fi 1 b 0 to fight or submit to the tearing up of SCTR-P6of a paper, the Treaty of Algerias. Mr. Bonar ?" often speaks plainly, and, feelingly. This 1VnJ one ef the occasions. Mr. Lloyd George, by his speech last S?t? day again emphasidhis fatal gift of desti'oy??. the substance of his message by smothering in sheer Limehousing abuse. When he t00?, office his message to Germany was that thre could be no peace without reparation, restor?a'ti?? and indemnities. Last Saturday he referred 0? IY to one of these conditions: Restoration. :8u the language he used was of the sort that ob- scures the substances of a case. Likewise it WtI of the sort that the nation has to pay for 1. j LIVES Oil MEN.

Workers' and Soidiers' Council. I THRIVING ON OPPOSITION. > SWANSEA COMMITTEE ACTIVELY EN- I GAGED ON NEW CONFERENCE. The. Workers' and Soldiers' Coimoil has 0? become the storm centre of the movei?c for a people's peace. Never before in the his^ of the public life of this country has a poP?" movement been assailed with so much bitter? and rancour, or been opposed by such dark malignant forces. The fury of the oppo?i?"} however, is but a tribue to our strength ?. e?ecttvene-ss. The reactionary elements fear Workers' and Soldiers' Council, otherwise th would not resort to the underhand, iin-,cl"ll pil- lous and despicable ethods they have ad61ptey to crush It out of e]tenœ. Such methods embarass us for L time, may temporarily add to our dimculties, but they are ultimately do??. ? to failure. A cause like ours thrives on   e tion. The result of the wilful wrecking of t'he t  o Brotherhood Church and the break-up of conferences at Swansea and Newcastle has d to to rally all our friends and sympathisers for- interest the m, of the people in the 1 inula ted at the Great Leeds Convention. t?  the Prime Minister was compelled in hie spe?? on Saturday last to refer to our activities to misrepresent our aims. The following particulars are of special public interest: — -j LONDON.—The, Workers' and Soldier? Cc"Lijacil has received notice to quit from its office. Thf men have been arrested in connection with the, organised wrecking of Brotherhood Church han been remanded. Arrangements are PJ ceeding for holding another conference in LoIl- don. Delegates will be notmed in due cou?i Trades Councils, Trade Union branches at)d other workmg-cla.s organisations have forwaaye, a large number of resolutIOns protesting ag^nS a. large number of resolutions protesting ag?  the acquiescence of the authorities in the riot at the Brotherhood Church, SANANSEA.Tjle., acting local committee is pro- ceeding to arrange for another conference. NEWCASTLE.—In her report of the. Newc?s?? conference, Dr. Ethel Williams, the local  secretary, says: It was quite obvious that to opposition had been carefully organised and tl3,5 most of those taking part in it had not the idea of the purpose for which the t I nbat been called, and so for as it was possible to ? ? them to understand, were in sympathy with it' BIRMINGHAM.—The local press is stirring tip opposition to the district conference which ??1 take place on Saturday, August 18th. PrIVtY C. F. Simmons, the acting local secretary; 1 ports some very successful outdoor meetings- SOUTHAMPTON.—It is reported that the lettillg, of the King's Theatre has been cancelled. acting local Committee feel confident of securI another meeting place for the conference to e- held there on August 12th. Acting local seclt- tary, Mr. L. Brighton, 54 Bellevue-road, Sou ampton. I IÆEDs.-rrhe letting of the Albert Hall, Leedt' for the Yorkshire District conference is in donP # The local reactionary press is very bittor. Act local secretary, Mr. I). B. Foster, 14 TJpP\ Fountain-street, Leeds.  GLASGOW.—The Scottish District confer? will, we believe, prove successful in every  While the press is hostile, the support fO'*tbl coming is suSicient to ensure a quiet apd orde?? gathering. It wiH. take place on Saturday, Ilth. Acting local secretary, W. ShaW, Church-street, 'Partick, Glasgow. BRISTOL.—The conference held at Bristol -j July 28th was a great success. One hundred S'? tewnty delegates attended, representing 100 or' ganisations, including 7 Trades Councils and^ Trade Union bodies. Councillor G. W. provv (Bristol N.U.R.) was .appointed district r?P- sentative. NORWICH.—The Provisional Committee y(S^mr0> )i sentative Mr. 0. G. Ammon, reports that Norwich conference was completely successf The chairman calculated that 100,000 Or$ f-i were represented theme. ig0 j;! LEICESTER.—The Leicester conference was a huge success. ) Local Workers' and Soldiers' Councils p. w coming active. Three local councils were j have been represented at the London n fer' en08. At Nelson the local council is carrYlng a vigorous out-door propaganda. I TOM QUBLCH,  ?)' I. (for the Provisional ComK11-j.^) •

Situations Vacant. 1.1? WANTED Boot Repairer, permanent J b to !j .VV suitable man.—Apply, by letter, "??j ?t- day, August 13th, stating age, I' e%" perienœDowlais Co-operative Sod*tY- i