The Amman Valley Chronicle and East Carmarthen News

THE GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN. IN DEFENCE OF THE LABOUR SUPPORTERS. To the Editor, Amman Valley Chronicle. Sir,-I feel constrained to utter a protest against the insidious suggestions made in your columns that the behaviour of the Labour sup- porters during the re,-ent Election campa -I was so bad as to have been responsibl ror th t: defeat of the Labour candidate. An outsider, perusing your columns, might very well L- pardoned for coming to the conclusion that our supporters are a gang of hooligans. In fairness to the Labour Party, I want to I emphatically protest against these suggestions. And let me straightaway admit that our sup- porters indulged in some heckling and inter- rupting. The Coalition supporters were guilty of the same crime. At Election time, when feeling runs high, this is inevit- able. And within limits I don't think is altogether a bad thing. A timely interjection adds a little spice to a political meeting, and there is a vaet difference between a wise or witty interruption and the silly shouting of Stuff to gie em," and the ringing of bells. What made matters rather bad in the local campaign was the introduction of personalities into the campaign. And I maintain that the Coalition speakers were responsible for this. I think I may fairly claim that we endeavoured to keep the political issues of the contest clear before the electors. We fought upon our programme, and the speeches made at our meetings were, in the main, confined to elucidating its proposals. Apart from a little mim;cry, not a word disrespectful of the Coalition candidate, as an individual, was uttered from our platform. It was some individual from Burry Port who aggravated matters by making absolutely false and groundless charges against the Labour candi- date, involving his honesty and integrity. Anc it was such tactics that were responsible for the major portion of the interruptions at that particular meeting. The meeting at the Palace, on the eve of election day, I attended myself, and I know what happened. Up to a certain point the meeting went well, and the speakers were listened to fairly atten- tively. It was only when a certain individual essayed to address the audience that the row began. The demonstrations made were not of a political character, but were spontaneous expressions of feeling against that person. 1 think every one who was at that meeting will agree with that view of wha< took place and what caused the rumpus. I can remember the time, Mr. Editor, when these people who profess to be so shocked at interruptions used to howl like wolves at Con- servative meetings at Ammanford. They have evidently forgotten those days, and it will not be amiss to give them a gentle reminder of their past. They may not then be so ready to blame others for following their example. We may have lost votes, as you say, be- cause we interrupted. On the same reasoning I the Coalition lost votes, for they were guilty of the same things; so we were quits. In any case, I haven't a high opinion of the man who would not vote for our principles becausa some of our men interrupted. He must hold poli- tical principles very cheaply if his vote depends on such trivial occurrences. have written in defence of our Parry. We are as jealous of the rights of free speech as our opponents claim to be. (By the way, Mr. Editor. they were responsible for D.O.R.A., which completely abrogated the right of free speech). Moreover, we endea- vour not to abuse those privileges by making false charges against any man. This is not characteristic of the Coalition. We are, for instance, still waiting for the promised sub- stantiation of those fearful charges made by the Coalition candidate against Robert Smillie. I-I am, yours, &c., JAS. GRIFFITHS, Secretary, Ammanford and Llandebie Trades and Labour Council. [In reply to the above communication, we may state that no charge whatever way made against the Labour Party; therefore, the need does not arise for any defence" by Mr. Griffiths. We simply stated that there are many who believe that but for the unseemly and unfair conduct of some extremists who obstructed the Coalition candidate' s meetings both at Llanelly and a t Ammanford the result would have been otherwise. It is a pity the cause should be jeopardised by these immature and unthinking adherents." The above remarks are substantially true, as there are scores of people who have expressed such an opinion. Mr. Griffiths should have recognised that we have nothing to say against the Labour Party. To the contrary, we deemed it only right to protest againsf the action of extremists who jeopardised the cause by their conduct. The paragraph which appeared in our Welsh columns was quoted from a contemporary, and did not emanate from us.—ED.]

VOTING QUALIFICATIONS. To the Editor, Amman Valley Chronicle. Sir,—Now that the time for claiming votes has come round again, will you allow me a little space in order to try to answer some of the questions that I have been asked recently? I will give the ladies -first place, as the condi- tions as to qualifications are not so simple as in the case of men. Parliamentary Vote (Women) .-No woman under 30 years of age is entitled to the Parlia- mentary vote. Quite a number discovered that fact during the recent election. A woman over 30 years is entitled to the Parliamentary vote if:- (a) She is the wife of a man entitled to be registered as a Local Government elector in respect of premises in which they both reside. (See Local Government—Men). (b) She occupies a dwelling-house and is otherwise qualified. (c) If she is entitled to be registered as a Local Government electoj in respect of land or premises (other than a dwelling-house) of a yearly value of £5, Women Lodgers.—A woman who occupies a room or rooms (which must be unfurnished), providing her own- furniture, is entitled to the Parliamentary vote, A woman occupying as caretaker any pre- mises not occupied by her employer is en- titled to this vote. A woman moving about within the county can claim a vote by succession. This does not concern those who have lived in the same place during the qualifying period —July 15th, 1918, to January 15th, 1919. The age is reckoned as on the 15th of January for the next list, and it must be 30 years. Local Government Vote for Women.-A woman who is 30 years of age, and is the wife of a man entith to be registered in respect of premises in which they botF reside, is entitled to. this vote. A woman who is 21 years of age, and occupies as owner or .Enant (in her own right) any land OT premises in that area, is '-■titled to the Local Government vote. The r gulation as to succession is the same as in the Parliamentary vote. Women lodgers must occupy an unfurnished room or rooms in order to qualify. (N,?ote.-T?e qualification is? occupation as owner or tenant). A woman occupying premises not occupied by her employer is entitled to this vote. All women claiming must be British sub- jects. Note.— The 30 years limit applies only to married women living with their husbands, and, of course, to the Parliamentary vote. Parliamentary Vote for Men.—Any man, who is a British subject, is 2i years of age, is not a peer of the realm or subject to any other incapacity, and who has resided for the six months ending January 15th, 1919, in this county or in any county touching it, can claim a Parliamentary vote. If he resides in pre- mises not occupied by his employers, he can claim. Men Lodgers.—A man can occupy a roona or rooms, furnished. or unfurnished, and be entitled to claim, the chief qualification being residence. Local Government Vote (Men).-A man. to secure this vote. must be 21 years of age, and must occupy as owner or tenant land or premises in the area. Men lodgers occupying furnished rooms will not qualify for this vote those occupying unfurnished rooms will qualify. There is no value placed on this qualification-mere occupation. With your permission, perhaps I shall say a fe-.v words about the naval and military and other absent voters in your next issue.— Yours, &c., D. ROGERS. 21, Cowell Street, D. ROGERS. Llanelly.

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WELSH CHURCH: FOURTEEN POINTS. I 10 the Editor, Amman Valley Chronicle. Sir,—With profoundest apologies to Presi- dent Wilson, I beg respectfully to submit the following points for the consideration of my fellow-countrymen and women. The time has now arrived for the people's representa- tives in Parliament to press for the fulfilment of the promise for a re-consideration of the provisions of the Welsh Church Act of 1914, and to demand its removal from the Statute Book. I. That the four Welsh dioceses are of native growth, dating from the earliest period of Church history in the British Isles. 2. That the Asquithian Government had received no special mandate for their dis- memberment. It was only carried by a scratch majority, aided by a coalition of Irish dis- loyalists and a coterie of Welsh agitators. 3. That 100,000 Welsh Nonconformists of standing made a dignified protest against its passing. 4. That Mr. McKenna, its sponsor, has received his conge from a Welsh constituency. 5. The loyal, unselfish attitude of the Welsh Church during the war, and the nobl part played by her sons and daughters in winning it. 6. That the Welsh Church is the only pro- gressive religious body in th? Pnncipahty, as abundantly attested by th? findmg of the Commission issued by the authority of Parlia- ment. 7. The Church' s keen interest in missions, home and foreign.. Her well-known activity in the cause of national education. 8. The existing endowments are barely sufficient to carry on and develop her sacred mission. 9. That in many scores of Welsh parishes there are no resident Nonconformist ministers. 10. That the Welsh Church Act involves a menace to the security of property of all kinds. 11. That it involves an impious challenge to the Almighty to save and defend His Church, after the manner of the apostate Emperor Julian at Edessa. 12. That lay tithes, in respect of which no duties are performed, are to remain un- disturbed. 13. That General Allenby, on his entry into Jerusalem, declared that all Moskm rights and endowments were to be regarded as inviolate. If Mahommedan endowments are sacred, then why not the time-honoured resources devoted to Christian uses equally so? 14. That endowments originally bequeathed to her by the piety of her own children should not be devoted henceforth to pay the stipends of agnostic professors in the newly-constituted colleges-an unthinkable and "iniquitous sin. I am, &c., D., LLEWELYN. I Beaufort Vicarage, Monmouthshire, I January 6th, 1919.

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