South Wales Weekly Post

MEN WHO FAILEDD I I ALONE, I H.A. VE WEPT. JOFFRE AND INCOM-j PETENT GENERALS. I Blunders That Lost I I i Battles I '< I j More light opon the bad etart made by the hrenca in tae early part of the war is shed in a conversation which Jotfre bad witn the editor of the Toulouse Depeche," an old luend. The French had to make extensive changes in iheir command. General J oft re wag first asked aboct tte battie of Cnarleroi. iixpiain to me," said the editor, if it were indeed true as was bejeved oy the public and even by the oom- batants themselves that we were crushed in Belgium by overwhelming numbers." General Joffre, a man "vho has never lied, answered as follows:— That is absolutely wrong. Our" army was numerous. We ought to have won the battle of Charleroi; we ought to have won ten times out of eleven. We lost it through our own faults. Faults of command. Before the war broke out I had already noted tbhar among our generals many were worn out. Some nad appeared to me to be incapable, not good enough for their work. Others inspired me with doubt. Some with disquietude. I had made up my mind tJ rejuvenate our chief commands, and I should have done so in spite of all the commentaries and against a. nalevoicnce. Some Disappointments. I But tins war cativ too SvUIl. And, be- sides, there were other generals in whom I had faith and who have mot responded to my hopes. The man of war reveals himself more in war than in studies, and the quickest intelligence and the moat complete knowledge are of little avail if they ure un- accompanied by qualities of action. The responsibilities of war are such that even in the men of merit they paralyse I their beet faculties. That is what hap- pened to some of my chiefs. Their merit turned out to be betow the mark. I had to remedy these defects. Some of these gene-1 rals were my best comrades. But if I love my friends much, I love France more. I I relieved them of their posts. I did this in 1 the same way as I ought to be treated my- eei, if it is f\cmght I am not good enough, I did not do this to punish them, but simply as a measure of public safety. I did it with a heavy heart. When I have been alone I h t'e went." The editor said he regretted that it was impossible to ichieve decisive manceuvres. "Manoeuvres?" (said Joffre). "We do noth- ing else. Napoleon professed to gain his battles with his soldiers' legs We gala ouis with our locomotives. That is the differ- ence. You must not speak too harshly of the slowness of the war. It has allowed us to increase our means, adapt them to this war, and create new ones. And it is an error to believe that an army beaten every day can rally indefinitely. Whoever dces not keep up the ascendancy is very near to panic. "We have that ascendancy beyond any doubt. The Germans have lost more than a HP 11 ion men to our armv. Yes. more than A million men who will never reappear on any battlefield. The famous Imperial Guard is only a collection of uniforms, a historic memory. Their officers were brate; they have nearly all fallen. The German troops are so weakened morally that their I' ehiefs are forced to lead them to tie fight in compact formation, eight men shoulder to shoulder in the front. Leading them to tlaughter-an easy prey to our gunners." "And our men?" "Our men?- There have been faintnesses at all times and in all plaoes, and it is pos- sible there have been such ihinga among us. But our heroes may be counted by thou- sands. Yes, by thousands. What a great' and admirable country! You may say so, and cry it aloud! We are living in a great epcch. To distrust when we have an army like ours? You know it would be a crime against France. I "THE BETTER MEN." FRENCH ON HIS ALLIES. THE GERMANS' CONDUCT. Field-Marshal French has also been inter- viewed by Air. Frederick Palmer, who re- presented the American Press in a tour of the British lines. After expressing anew his confidence in victory, he gave the following interesting reply to the question as to what was the most critical moment of the cam- paign. "On the retreat from MOM at Le Cateau 'A'e were in open country in a very dangerous position, and the German ambition ior the annihilation of our little Army might have been realised if our cavalry had not been equal to its task of covering the Hanks of our steady, disciplined Regulars." Mr. Palmer suggested that the present was 1 A war 01 artillery.. "1 think there has been an inclination to I exaggerate the importance of artillery," t?ht. Field-Marshal answered. "No doubt of the ¡ three arms artillery has increased in relative importance. It may take a dczen shells- to I get a man, and one bullet will got one man. The weapons wh.ch decide the day are the I rifle and machine guns. and the infantry is still the nueen of battles." His Opinion of the Cerman. As a soldier speaking oi the enemy. Sir I John French was far from depreciating the I lighting qualities of the Germans. T. the j troops of the Emperor William he paid a aoldier's chivalrous tribute. "But they are no greater than other aol- diers," he said. "I attribute their valour and their weii-disciplined cohesion to the fact; that from the cradle they are taught discip- line and to worship their Emperor and Fatherland, and that it is their duty to die! for the Fatherland when their Emperor com- I mauds. I THEIR CONDUCT. As to the conduct or the Germans, is it M bad as is represented?" waa asked of Sir John French. Have they condistently broken the rules of civilised warfare?" For the first time the British Commander- in-Chief hesitated before speaiing. Evi- dently a6 a soldier he wishes to be entirely Just to his enemy. Yes," he re-plied, "in many instances their conduct has been bad, very bad. I know it has been." This declaration was made with firm con- viction. But is h," varied. It hag seemed to de- pend upon the commanders. rf the com- mander approves of outrages, they occur. Yes, in the main the German conduct de- pends upon the character of the German geaeralfl. FRANCE'S RECOVERY. And the French army. You have been faulting as its Ally for elg-ht months. How II doe3 it compare with the German ?" the Cor- respondent asked. Sir John French replied: "The French at the start were laibouring tender the shadow of their disastrous defeat in 1870, which might weD have led both the French and tbe world in genera! to think j that the German military machine was beaven-born and irresistible. The French already have learned the contrary, and the world soon must if it has not. I need not Bpeak of their splendid generalship or their couraee in driving the Germans hack from I the }Iame. They have the eflan c1 Napo- leon's time. Thanks to the spur of renewed oon- ifdence, man for man thev arc better than the Germans to-day, and their army has con- tanually improved -tince the war b-gan, whiie the German army has deteriorated. j

WALES EXEMPT. I THAT EARLIER CLOS-I ING ORDER. AUTHORITATIVE STATE MENT. The Timas" Chester correspondent is informed that the order issued by General Sir tleuc7 Mackinnon, commanding the Western Command, restricting the hours of opening public-housee from 10.30 a.m. to 10 p.m. on week days and from 12.20 to 2.30 p.m. and from 6.30 to 9 p.m. on Sunday, I applies exclusively to Lancashire and Cheshire, and not to Wales, Hereford, Cum- berland, and Westmorland, as was at firsti thought. With regard to the action of the General Officer Commanding the Western District restricting the hoars tor the sale of intoxi- cants, it is explained by the military auth- o ri ties that tnis constitutes no new de- parture. The General Commanding the North-Eastern District issued a similar order several weeks ago, and a diminution in drunkenness immediately followed. GENERALS' POWERS. I Is is pointed out that unuer the Defence I of the Realm (Cof}solidatd) Act the gene-I r?!s c?nmaiiding the various districts, acting upon reports supplied through officere at- tached to the War Department, have the power to close public-houses for such hours as they deem necessary in the interest* of discipline throughout their commands, sub- ject to the approval of the War Office. This right will be enforced whenever it is thought necessary. Generally speaking, as in the case of Liverpool and district, the military authori- I ties prefer to act after consultation and in. agreement with the local civil powers. The Western District called for a different mode of treatment, which has been employed. No action will be taken in the London District without the advice of the police authori- ties. MISUNDERSTANDING." Local Mllitary and PoUce in Ignorance. Enquiries of the military and police at Swansea fail to throw the slightest light upon what is evidently a misunderstanding. It seems clear, however, that the explanation from Chester f<hOW8 that Wales is not affected, and in the absence of any notices having been received, it can be talvn for granted that the inclusion of Wales was the result of a misapprehension Neither the police nor the military had anything to say upon the matter, one way or the other, and no notice of any kiud having been received by the licensed trad e at Swansea, it may be accepted that the assumed inclusion of Wales is a misapprehension. TRANSPORT WORKERS AND DRINK. A letter has been addressed to Mr. Lloyd Geurge on behalf of th-e National Transport Workers' Federatioo, sigued by Mr. harry Gosling and Air. lJbert Williams, support- ing the Government in any drastic restric- tions of hours at which intoxicants may be sold, provided they affect all districts and ail classes alike. They urge the Govern- ment to take immediate and decisive action to reduce the results of intemperance to a minimum, but suggest that wnerever work is conducted during the night in shipyards, docks, and other places of production some canteen provision should be set up in order to fulfil the requirements of men for ne- cessary refreshment.

GENEROUS TRIBUTE To Fallen Young Welsh Soldier. A striking tribute to a slain Welsh officer appeart in the Greek newspaper "Aletheia." The warrior in question is the late Lieut. Hilary Evan-Jones. B.A., youngest son of. the Rev. R. Evan-Jones, Llanllwchalarn Vicarage. The tribute is as follows "On the hills of Flanders, where snow has turned red from the blood of warriors, and the rivers do not flow with colourless and transparent waters, fell, brave vnong braves, Mr. Evan- Jones, an officer of the British Army, whom we remember gracefu! and youthful wntLg us. In August he was to be wedded to Miss Bolton, noble daughter of the Commissioner of Limasol, but his country called him elie- where, and there, fighting for the univ-,rtat liberty, he breathed his last, with the swoid in his hajids. Sympathies for such l'lhs are never expresse d by Greeks to Britishers. "The bitterness of the death is nullified by the incomparable pride which is Drought by the reflection that those whom we lose, faU- ing either at Eperus or Kilkoe, or m the trenches m France, are placing a stone on the edifice of the universal liberty, which edifice is being erected by the sacrifices of' great selected. Instead of tears for a glorious death we throw, from such a iong distance (to the bloodstained la-ids of Bel gium where he fell fighting against the raider), bunches of Cyprus laurel, the Greek symbol of immortal victory."

1 CLERK AND THE LEVEL — PECULIAR THEFT CHARGE AT NEATH. A charge of stealing a 14in. engineer's level, valued at ?15 108., the property of Mr. E. Evans Bevan, J.P., colliery pro- prietor, was at Neath 011 Friday preferred agairuBt Samuel Baker, described as a clerk, oi Cardiff. Mr. A. Jestyn Jeffreys ap- peared to prosecute and Mr. Harold Lloyd j to defen d Mi. JeSre? said that defendant had been engaf; i y ihe Neath Rural Council from 1908 iu 1310 in supervising some drainage work j <i« v 'in Oaks. In January, 1909, the leveL was -aissmg, until eventually found at defen—vitx's lodging. When spoken to by P.S. Gr.fT whs, Baker, it was stated, said, I ne i.r bought it, borrowed it, or stole it. If tms gete into the papers I am a ruined StU Evidence was given by D. H. Thomas, manager of Seven Sisters Ciiiiery; Mrs. Gefchan, idefendant'e landlady, and P.Z Griffiths. t Mr. Harold Uovd said defendant, who ( pleaded not guilty, had an unimpeacha.ble II character. Acting under instructions, de- fendant had removed instruments of value, including the level, from a hut to his lodg-I ings, and reported the matter to the deputy surveyor, now at the front. There had been no attempt ,at concealment. When taken ill. defendant returned to Cardiff, and his sue- cessor fetched from defendant's lodgings everything belonging to the rural council, leaving the level behind. For the defence, evidence was given by defendant and J. M. Lucas, the latter stat- ing that before he relieved defendant Baker told him all about the level. Defendant was committed to the quarter sessions, bail being allowed.

SOMETHING LIKE A SPEHCH. In his opening statement for the prosecu- tion in the brides in the bath case, Mr. Bodkin, K.C., used 11.600 words and epoke for three borars and three-quarters.

In the second meeting between the Tlan- elly Conservatives and the 2nd 4th Welsh at billiards, the soldiers were defeated by 117 points, the Conservatives winning seven games out oi twelve.

I RUSSIANS' PROGRESS THROUGH THE PASSES. ALTHOUGH ENEMY I REINFORCED. (Press Associatio-n War Telegram.) I PETROGRAD, Friday. To-day's communique from the Russian Headquarters states: — The enemy counter-attacked west of the Middle Niemen. Figihtina, continues. TOWARDS BARTFIELD AND US- JOK WE CONTINUE TO ADVANCE SUCCESSFULLY, ALTHOUGH THE ENEMY HAS BEEN REINFORCED. SEVEN. JN HUNDRED PRISONERS AND TWO MACHINE GUNS WERE CAPTURED ON WEDNESDAY. "NATION IN PERIL." OFFICIAL ADMISSION IN I VIENNA. (Reuter's W ar Service). j ROME, Friday. I The "Giomale d'Italia" publishes a dis- j patch from Vienna telegraphed from the frontier saying that the Russians are at the gates of Hungary, and are meeting with the little resistance that Austria can offer, exhausted as she is by aeven months of war on two fronts, short of iood and ammunition, and morally depressed by defeats and humi-! hationa, the last of which, the fall of 1 Przemy&l, has produced ac enormous im- pression. The official "Fremdenblatt" aays that the whole people now knows that in the terrible I struggle imposed upon the Austro Hun- garian monarchy the existence of the nation is imperilled. Victory is only possible j through very grave sacrifices. The whole Prem trusts tha? the Austro-G?rmans will I have their reverge in the Caqi thians, where they have engaged large forces. I

THE PRIXZ EITEL. I REPORTED ATTEMPT TO BREAK OUT. I' AMERICAN FORTS AND WAR-, SHIPS ALERT. I I (Renter's Foreign Special.) I I NEWPORT NEWS, Saturday. I It is rumoured the German auxil.aiy cruiser Prinr. Eitf'l Friedrih made an at- tempt to put to sea yea.erlay evening, evad- mg the requirements of the American, neutrality. In connection with ths report, while it is denied there was any unusuall stir at Fortress Monroe at one side of the inlet, I and Fort Wool on the other, searchlights were Hashed across the waters, and a I SUBMARINE WITH THREE DE- I STROYERS I were anchored in the roadstead. I It is stated that all the soldiers at the I forts were at their guns, and that late in the evening smoke arcs?? from one of the funnels of the German vessel. One of the officers of the Prinz Ecteff Friedrich is said to have stated that the ship wotid not leave that night, but some other night. -———— ————.

EXTREMELY BAD." I THE POSITION IN CON- I STANTINOPLE. A distinguished personage who has just reached London a.fter having traveJled a tax given a through Austria and Hungary has given a. representative of Reuter's Agency some in- terestin and reliable information regarding the position and outlook in the Dual Mon- archy and the Near East. The continual passage of trains, especially through ii an- gary, full of Bavarian troops greatly im- preasod him. These trains were passing day and night, and the soldiers said they had come from Munich and were going to I the Carpathians. Thet"e was -in arnost equadly heavy traffic in the opposite direc- tion of trains containing Austrian and Ger- man wounded. The westward-bound trains alro contained large numbers of German officers coming from Constantinople and return:ng to Ger- many with their wives. In conversation they s?Id they might return later if it wa? possible j to get safely to Constantinople. The account: they gave of the  SITUATION IN THE TURKISH I CAPITAL was most gloomy. The position, they said, I was extremely bad. The Young Turks were against everybody, and there was widespread disaffection among the Young Turks them- selves. Some of these officers candidly expressed I themselves as disgusted that at a moment of! such vita! mterest to Turkev thpre should'be ? a complete absence of union. They felt that there was no hope. and were themselves in- clined to despair. They confirmed the offi- cial reports that the Gerinari banks had with- drawn their monev from Turkey and had sent it back to Germany. It wa? also openly stated (and this WAS confirmed in other quar- ters) that the Turkish Army had only enough ammunition to last for a few days.

LEAVING FOR U.S.A. I Swansea Plasterers' Presentation I Meeting. A social and concert was held by the Swansea plasterers at, the Hotel Grosvencr, Swaaisea, on Friday, in correction with the resignation of their secretary, Bro. Burman, who is leaving the town for the U.S.A. A large number of trad es unionists sail down to a good knife and fork supper. Coun. D. J. Bassett was also present. Afterwards a concert and presentation took place. Bro. Hobby was in the oh air. Solos were rendered by Messrs. Curtis, Albert Peters, George Parkes and Morse. A pianoforte solo was given by Mr. Jou, and a sofio was aim rendered by Mr. George Jones. The chairman, in his address, said that all of t.he members were jrreaUy Tarp,-ised when they heard of their secretary's intended de- parture, and it was with the PUTpose of pre- senting him with a "maU token of their appreciation of his valuable service for the last seven yesurs that the present gathering was had. Bro. I.. Lowis, senior, in making the pre- sentation, which took the form of a caee of I ebony razors and a purse of money, said I that all the members would he sorry to lose the secretary, who had rendered valu- able services for the past seven years. The recipient briefly returned tbanks and said that he would al ways look back on the days of his secretaryship with feelings of pleasure. He had received w-nro the M.S.A. that it was not at present advisable for him to proceed there, and to stay at Swansea uatil he received further instruc- tions. Mr. G. Deekes, secretary of the Brick- layers, Bro. Strawbrid^c, and Coun. D. J. Bassett also spoke in eulogistic terms of Bro. BurmaxL

THE FORCE AND THE FORCES. ELIGIBLE CONSTABU- II LARY RECRUITS. HOME OFFICE'S BELATED ADVICE. The Town Clerk of Swansea has received the following letter from the Home Office in reference to the recruiting of men of military age for the police force, a matter that led to a recent discussion and protest at Swansea Council "In reply to your letter of the 18th. inst., forwarding the resolution passed by the Town Council at their meeting on the 17th met., I am directed by the Secretary of State to say that as dictated in his letter of the 1st inst., all possible mea.surea should, in his opinion, be taken by county and borough authorities to enable the necessary police work to be carried on without re- course to the recruitment of men of military age. I am to enclose, for the information 01 the Town Council, the accompanying copy of the Secretary of State's repiy to an in- quiry to this subject from the Chief Con- stables' Association.—I am, sir, your obedient servant, Ed. Troon To the Chief Constables' Association. I Extract from Home Otioe letter, 20th ¡ March, 1915, to the hon. secretary Chief Con, fctables' Association "In the Secretary of State's opinion, it is desirable that the recruitment for the police of men of military age who might enlist should be suspended or reduced to the narrowest possible limits for the period of the war. If the" Vacancies in any Force can be temporarily made good by the temporary appointment as constables, or by the employ- ment as special constables, of pensioners, and others who are prevented from enlisting by age or other good reason, this should be done in preference to filling vacancies in the regular Force by the recruitment of men who might otherwise join H.M. Forces; and so long as arrangements are made for the effi- cient performance of uecesaarv police duties, no Force will be reported by the inspector as inefficient merely because the regular police is below strength." m I

TWO MORE HEROES. I I SWANSEA PRIVATES I DIE FOR COUNTRY. EASTSIDE AND GREENHILL I BEREAVEMENTS. Mrs. Whitty, of 4, Ann-street, Greenhill, Swansea, has beard officially of the death of Private (7192) J Whitty, of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, which occurred in France on Alarch 5th, from the effects of a shell wound in the head. Private Whitty is the eldest son of Mrs. Whitty, whose hus- bind is ?ervmg as a Royal Naval Reservist on H.1.S..Amphitrite, and whose other son is on the H.M.S. Devonshire. The unfortunate soldier is married, and if?vcs a widow and one chiSd. He was em-I ployed in Baldw1ns' Tinwl>rks, and was well liked by his mAte& &nd all who knew him. He was an Army Reservist, and was called utp for service last October. This is the second war bereavement in Ann-street within a week. KILLED NEAR LA BASSEE. I EX-SWAN SF A CJOAL-TRIMMER'S FATE. Pte. W. Hy. Bale, only son of Mr. and I Mrs. Hy. Bale, of 78, Yigol-strcet, St. Thomas, Swansea, was killed m action near La. Basfct. on February 18th. Pte. Bale was 28 yaais of age, and joined the colours last August, being attached to the 1st Welsh. He was formerly a coaltrimmer at the Swansea Docks, and bit. parents lived at Cwmavon, Port Talbot. Much sympathy is felt for them in their sad bereavement. 6TH WELSH MAN I KILLED. I RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN I FRANCE. News has been received by the "Daily Post" from the War Office,, in reply to in- quiries instituted, of the death of Private William Powney (No. 1610), 6th Welsh Re- giment, who was killed accidentally on the railway in France, on March 8th, whilst in the performance of his duty. The news of his death is much regretted by his friends locally. The late Pte. Powney's next of kin is Mr. E. Powney, of Walworth, London, S.E. This is the first casualty to the 6th Welsh roprted from France, and, as will be seen, I it is an accidental one. LORD KITCHENER. I PRESS BUREAU, Saturday noon. I Lord Kitchener left London this morning I for Aldershot in order to see the troops carry out some minor taotical operations in the course of their training. CHEAP AT THE PRICE. (Press Association War Special). PARIS, Saturday. The "Matin" announces that it offers a prize of 21,000 to the first airman who com- pels a Zeppelin to descend within the zone of the fortxew of Paris, and ten thoWlaJ1d francs to the gunner who brings it down. The awne newspaper reports tha.t about one hondred litres of benzine of foreign 1 manufacture have been found in a suburb of ) Paris, evidently thrown over by a Zeppelin hit by a Fx= &hail during the recent raid on Paris. I

NEATH GASWORKS. I Appointment of New Manager and I Engineer. I A special meeting of nine members of I Neath Town Council, with plenary powers, on Saturday afternoon appointed Mr. W m. Clark Jackson, deputy manager of the Mer- thyr Tydvil Gae Company, as gas manager and engineer to the Neath Corporation gas undertaking in succession to Mr. R. A. Browning, retired. Originally there were fifty applicants for the post, which now carries a salary of L200 per annum, with house, coal and gas. This number was reduced to five, from whom Mr. Jackson was selected. j I

CHESTER RACES. I At the annual meeting on Saturday of the Chester Race Company, Sir Watkin Williams Wynn (presiding) said the directors bad decided to hold races for three days as usual in accordance with the resolution of the Jockey Club. An- ticipating a smaller attendance, the directors had reducod the v;Jue of the Chester Cup by a thousand pounds, and the Cheshire Stakes and Cambermere Handicap by a hundred pounds. Had not the races been closed, other reduc-, tions wouid have been made. J

BOMBS ON RAILWAY STATIC* i\l. FRENCH AIRMEN ALSO FRENCH AIEMEN ALSO ATTACK BARRACKS. (Press Association War Service.) PARIS, Friday night. An official communication states:— Six of our aviators have bombarded the dirigible sheds at Frescaty and the railway station at Metz. They threw a dozen bombs, which caused a panic. The aviators werd bombarded, but all re- turned. We have also bombarded the barracks to the east of Strasbarg. BOMBS ON LCMZA. (Press Association War Service.) PETROGRAD, Friday. A German dirigible dropped 14 bombnI at Lomza, wounding nine civilians. -.0

SKIRMISHES IN DESERT. TURKS DRHlEN OFF WITH LOSS. The Press Bureau on Saturday announced the receipt of a message from Cairo, dated March 25th, running British losses in skirmishes in the desert about ten miles east of Kubri on March 23 were three killed and sixteen wounded. The enemy left about 50 killed on the ground and 250 rounds of 3-inch gun am- munition. He succeeded in carrying away all his wounded. Aeropane reconnaissances show that the Turkish force has retreated to Mekhl. —————

KARLSRUHE WRECKED.1 STRUCK A WEST INDIAN 1 REEF. Confirmation of the sinking of the German light cruiser Karlsruhe has been received in the evidence of Captain Boyd, of the Carib (an American merchantman sunk in the North Sea), who returned to New York on Friday. Captain Boyd says that at Bremerhaven he became friendly with a German naval offi- cvr, and the latter assured him that Ihe Karlsruhe struck a reef in the West Indies. It was wedged fast, and soon began break- ing up. Finding it impowible to save their vessel, the German officers blew her np after hoist- ing the national flag and saluting, while the band played the German National Anthem. He adds that he met some of the crew in Germany, but others are not accounted for. 0-

FRENCH WIN IMPORT- ANT HILL. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS' FIGHTING. FRENCH OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE. oaturaay. The enemy bombarded Arras last night with shells of every calibre. The beginning of a fire was promptly extinguished. Mine warfare continues at La Baselle un- der conditions favourable to us. In the Argonne, at Bagatelle, bombs were thrown on either side, but there were no infantry attacks. In Alsace, after an energetic engagement of several days we have reached the summit of Hartsmaiinswcilcrkopf. Wi have also made progress on the north-east and south- east sides, making a number of prisoners, in- cluding several officers. The enemy left numerous dead on the ground and a quantity of war material. Our losses were slight, A German airman threw bombs on Werle (r.orth-wcgt of Thorn) and three young children were killed. ————— O —————

WOMEN CAN DO THE; WORK. MEN WHO CAN AND SHOULD I BE SPARED. STRAIGHT WORDS BY BRIGADIER-GENERAL OWEN THOMAS. Speaking at & recruiting conference at Carnarvon, Brigadier-General Owen Thomas, said he thought the Government was making a great mistake in the matter of the censor- ship. The country "bould know the whole truth. ("Hear, hear.") Welshmen andi British did not want to be rrollv-mddled. I They were told that certain trenches had been rfte-ken, but they never knew they had been lost, and this they ought to have been j told. If they heard more of the. bravery of the British troops at the front no other stimulus to recruiting would be necessary. ("Hear, hear. ") It was time some <? the young men  in their oolleges in CMTiarvcf?iire came out. Brigadier-General Owen Thomas said he I had three sons in the Army to-day, and if he had twenty they would all be fighting. ("Hear, hear. "I Those men who would not, couip out and tho«e parents v.ho were I Not prepared to compel their sons to join in the defence of the Empire had no right to a single inch oi this country. There were men serving in shops ;i vorth Wales town-selling a pennyworth of ribben or a packet of pins—work which a child of fifteen could do.. He could not understand why this was going on when women could I' do the work and the need of the men was a matter of life or death to the country.

I BANKS OF FLOWERS. ANNUAL DISPLAY AT I SWANSEA MARKET. Though the quantity of flowers for Flower Sunday in Swansea Market and shops on Saturday was smaller than usual, the quality was well maintained. Prices I were a EttIe higher than usual. Business was not quite so large as formerly, hut aH the same there was bft?e or no indication cf the custom filing off. Many of the stalls in tlie Market were. banked with Sowers. j

SWANS AT STALY- BRIDGE. VISITORS DRAW FIRST BLOOD. Result of Previous Match. I At Swansei. -Swansea Town, 3; Staly-1 bridge, 2. ) All Swansea Tof f 's supporters awaited the result of the Stalybridgle match this after- j noon with much interest, for 't. was essential 1 the Swans should secure both points -it Bower Fold in order to make more certain of promotion. This game was reccgnised by ) all as a great test for the Swans, as the Welshmen only won by the odd goal in five at the Vetch Field last October. Since then tilie Celtic have done remarkably well and j have only lost two matches--Covetitry and Ton Pentre. Recently the Celtic have con- Fidexably strengthened their team by the in- elusion of Burkinskaw, of Sheffield Wednes- day, Wood, of Stockpcrt County, and An- thony. from Blackburn Rovers, all of whom ¡ turned out to-day. In the race for promo- tion the Celtic were only slightly above the Swans in the League table. The Swansea I team Proved a big draw, a large crowd coming over from Manchester, I' as there was no first division game in the city. The Swans journeyed to their destina- tion on Friday, and were determined to put up a gtxid fight. Fisher replaced Hurst in goal, and Bulcock again partnered Hewitt, V.a rest of the team bein,g as usual. The strongest possible side was placed in the I field. The teams were as follows:- SWANSEA.—Fisher Hewitt and Bul-I cock; Heath, Duffy, and Anderson; Read, Brown, Beynon, Weir, and Lloyd. STALYiiRIDGE CELTIC.-Maaan; Bar- ton and Brooks; Wilkinson, McGhii, and Lockett; Burkinshaw, Jones, Mosley, Wood, and Anthony. Beynoji missed for the visitors in the first minute. Swansea p-resried, hplviig the wind in their favour, and exciting play followed. A long struggle occurred, and both sides were playing grandly. Moseley, for the homesters, was fouled with an open goal. l Brawn scon afterwards scored for Swansea I after twenty minutes' play with a GREAT SOLO EFFORT. I The Celtic then took two fruitless comers. and a goal l was scored, but the referee dis- allowed the score for hands. Swansea Town were the better side. Weir I was badly kicked and had to be CARRIED OFF THE FIELD five minutes before the interval. Swansea fully deserved the leid im tn the interval. HALF-TIME SCORE: I SWANSEA TOWN-1 goal. STALYHRIOCE-Hil. Wood and Moseley scored for ^talybridge I in the second half, and there was a de- monstration at the end as to the legitimacy I of the goal scored by Wood, many of the spectators alleging that the ball did not go through the bar. FINAL SCORE: STALYERIDCE-2 goafs. j SWANSEA TOWN-1 goal.

I TEACHING HATRED OF! ENGLAND. I GOWERTON LADY AND I GERMAN TEACHERS. The annual meeting of the Glamorgan County Teachers' Association (N.U.T.) was held at Merthyr on Saturday. Swansea, with 399 members, is second only to Rhondda and Pontypridd, with 652, in this organisa- tion. War topics, as the war affects teach ers, were discussed and a resolution of warm,thanks to th.: N.U.T. and ,Nlr. Phys Nicholas was passed for their .servies in the case of Mr. Roger Howell, Bryncoch School. The presidential address was delivered Ly Miss R. Deacon (Gowerton Council School). It contained the following allusion:—"For: years the trend of German edudation h-^#. I been to instil into the minds of tihe young the immense superiority of their own country over other nations. England a,f¡d Lor Cobn- ies have been referred to in gecigraphy lessons in the presence of British visiting teachers, and no doubt the seeds of the present fierce unreasoning outburst of hatred against this country were sown in the German schools by German teachers. From their point of view it was patriotic teaching, but such a one- øidoed view of education contains within itself nothing that is truly noble and chivalrous. It is sad to think of teachers in Germany poisoning their scholars' minds to-day by teaching them a hymn of hate."

GETTING HER OWN BACK. SKEWEN WOMAN'S VERBAL VENGEANCE. When charged with Sunday trading at Skewan, Mary H. Davies told the Neath County justioes on Friday that the police officer ought to be "out at the front insiead of skulking at home watching shops on Sun- days." P.C. Price (the constable in the case) said that defendant was very indignant and de- clinod to give him her name. Mr. L. J. Kempthorne (clerk) to the de- fendant: My good woman, never quarrel with the poLice. It is a huge mistake. Defendant: Well, gentlemen, my husband is at the front, and 1 Or,\n't "ord to pay the fine. I will go to gaol if ycu like. Supt. lien Evans: There is plenty of room in Swansea Prison to accommodate you. It you had kept a civil tongue you might not have baeu here. A fine cf 5i. and costs was imposed, and the defendasit left the box protesting that She would never pay.

DIVE TO DEATH. 1 M' AMERICAN SUBMARINE I GON.;3, (Reuter's Foreign Special). NEW YORK, Friday. A Honolulu telegram states the American submarine F4, whilst at target practice yes- ter day morning, dived and did not re- appear. The attempts to raise her from deep water have failed. It is feared the crew of 25 have t,r,en suffocated.

SUFFERED IN SILENCE. LLANELLY PAUPERS' OUT- DOOR RELIEF. I Llanelly Guard-ans have under considera- tion the question of an all round-advance in relief to outdoor pampers, and the House I' Committee on Thursday ad v;sed the Guar- ) dians to further defer the matter until their report 'Jas been completed. Mr. Elias Davies made a protest against deferring the matter. In the meantime ma.ny poor people would be starving. Mr. Thomas Jones said he would not like to say that. Advanoes had a ready been made at the rate of £ 1,103 per annum. The Guardians were dealing with the matter slowly and systemat.ca.llly. Each case would be dealt with on its merits. Mr. Elias Davies repli. d that he st:ll maintained people were starving, because many of them could not possibly live on the allowance. A sum of £1,100 was not very much in a year when distributed amongst 1'10 many people. The 003t of living in Llan- J eily had gone up at leart 2o per cent. ) Mr. W ? Pugh said the Finance Committpe had many schemes unc'er consideration, and it was only r ght that they should not come to any hasty decision. In the mean- ) time any urgent Ca.MS would be dealt with. Rev. D. Davi,?9 ftated tbit the dncers were given full power to d-ed., with all urgent car e., i. Mr. Elia-5 Davies replied that there were paupers who suffered in .^iilenipe and pre- ferred dying in their homes to asking for help.

BELLS PEAL. CASXOJ THUXDKH, SWANSEA SCOTS GUARDSMAN. YIVID TALE OF HIS EXRERI NCES. Private J. Lillie. ind Scots Guards. trritlntf to his wife at Swansea, states:— "(J"Oe ;tgain 1 arv. sale and sound, bat very lucky. We have been in beil and out again. Since I w-ote you iact we have been very b-isy !ttti.in, part of the German line. I an, pleased to say we have made good pro- press, anl it is otily a niatter of time betore Wt. pet them on the run. Weight ot num- hers rtnd mt:t are beginning to ielL No doubt you have read all about it in tie Mapers. It ha.3 been a case of attack and counter-attack, WP. of course, setting the oeao of it all the time. "W3 took up a potion the other ircmirs ready to advance, and whilst waiting orc .Lers we came under a tj-rrific shell Are, which was nerve racking, but Never a man flinched. rresntJ" tne oraer cauie to aavance, and we started off in extended order across open country, very soon coming under rifle-fire. I had to stick to the captain, and follow where he led. We 1 ame to a etream, and Sid Frederick threw his rifle on the opposite bank, and without hesitation took to the water. I followed buit and went in up to the neck We clambered out the other side, and rar for cover, as we were still under fire. Coming to a .rench, we etopped for a breather; then on again, another stream, but bridged this time. "We were coming Per-rer to our position. when a bnllet hit :he man in my left. It went through his hand, and the man on his left was bit in the arm. Finally we reached a trench occupied i y our troops, and thia proved to be our stepping place. We made ourselves as comfortable as possible in a. small space. Everything was wet, of course. everything ruined, it took sonae time for our clothes to dry on us, but J am glad to say we are none the w< rse for our wetting, but had it been oold frosty weather, there would have been a far different tale to tell "Our artillery kept shelling hard that afternoon, and with the Germans replying the noiee was awful. The Germans had strengthened their position by bringing up moie guns, aid they also imported acme Jack Johnsons' from somewhere, as we soon found out. They sent over about 40 heavy shells, which burst juet behind otir trenches: lucky for us they didn't buret in the trenches. During the night the enemy counter-attacked, but, without t>ucc<-63. "The following morninj the prisoners be- gan to come in, most (f them wounded. A lot of our wounded men were with the party, and it was a strange sight to see a German prisoner carrying one ot our wounded on his back, and ours helping the German wounded along. Most of .he prisoners .eemed to be frightened; I suppose they expected to be treated as they have treated oure, but they were Quito safe in our hands, vre are not savages. We were relieved in due oouripo, and went back for a bit- Now we are billeted in a nouse,, cut not beyond the range of shell- fre. jLps?tui?y, about 10.? a.m. I could £ hurch bell@ rinv'in. At the .? time ? bis: guns ?' banging ?ay. deat. hlg out death and deatriMtioc all round. What a coatrMt-th,. bei? calling the p?p;. to worship, and on the other hand m/n kill- ing each other. rf«^y°Vmacil^ sn?t a ?ne of ntt<-r f, ,1°r,0uses o!ow.. ? piecc. Others on fl- the ?pt?ds pitted wit.? ho!€?. &eme blg enough to bury a hor-,e- ?? blLl'StH\ -??- ? ?'?.uder of the big '&ns >Ve have had ? few c?uaiti? in the a?ht. ?? t? is StiU ?oiu? on, but ?be fieS ca8t:aItip<\ arT much ?'?' aian. ours. ana wp have made a good haul of yijeoneis.- t  wi» soon in the t £ ?f it a?a.D. ?? :Hf ah ,n ,*obd bee?uea w L « are on tl? olde. Th* wither has much improve, it -o tgSwid ??rmer at ,,?ht. which 12 a (JÙd thin* £ ve are glad the winter i? o?r. a. v?h'??T?. had a rough time.

"POP SHOP" CHAMPION. MIRTfI AT X3TRAX3G YNLAI3 COUNCIL At lstradgyniai? Council rr^tirg' ca Thur,-da,,r. ,i?. hilarity over a dise?sion ar?in? from' thE Coimcu ? request to the- oonntv authority to put the Shops A ot into operation with In rur?l d trict. Mr- S. J. Thomas a-sked thai Cum- £ and C. wmtwrch should h- ioir out ot the Ori, r He was proud oi districts. (Laughter.) They had pop shore and candy shops at these places, kept open so that the youticj p&o-ple could spend their time in them, alel it would be a shnnie to do«e the shops and keep them out. (Loud laughter.) It would really be robbery. (A Voice "Hocfberv at what. their fXi find more laughter'. Mr. T. Williams (grooer) He is at iibertv an day hini.ieif. and he is not willing for the poor assistants to have their iibertv after seven o'clock. Mr. Tnomaw: Lloyd George. is keeping them out of tins pubIi<?-hou4?e by idie cost of beer, and now you are going to try and keep the youn; pl'Ür'e out of the pop shops. (More bilatitv). Not a single grocer will be hofro on the Cornell next time ifvou do this. They'll put you all out. (llanewed laughter.) Aft. further humour, the members de- cided that Mr. Williams should arrange the Council's case for a Closing Order, and that it shoald he forwarded to the county autho- rity at Brecon.

I ——————' OPEN AND PILFERED." I I REMARKABLE LLANELLY I RAILWAY CASE. I CHECKER WHO HELPED HIMSELF. At Lianeily, on Thursday, Wm. Williams, High-street, and Aneurin Evans, Bryn-road, were charged with stealing what the prose- cuting solicitor (Mr. T. R. Ludford) de- scribed as "all kinds. of goods" betongtng to the G.W.H. and L. and N W.R. Mr. Ludford said the thefts extended ovw a long period. Week after week and month after month the defendants had been help- ing themselves to the pile of goods before the court, which aiter all were oniy a p-A c.f what they had stolen. The goods wero being sent from large centres to stations an tine Mynydd Mawr line. At Lianeily, said the advocate, they were collected and sent to the Mynydd Mawr siding, where it would be the duty of Williams, who had been in +hs employ of the Mynydd Mawr Company for 25 years, and of Evans. who was otuy a years of age, to check them. In every case (said Mr. Ludford) in which the G. W, R ac.d L. and N. W. Railway Com- panies made a claim the Mynydd Mawr Com- pany repudiated liability, and said the pilfer- ing must have taken place before the goods were handled by their men. It bad simme been found that the defendants had been Pilfering the whole time. 1 he Mynydd Mawr Company had actuaU1 put Williams off his ordinary duty to try and detect the culprits, but, of coarse, he was not a success at the job. Then, again, it was Evans had to c.hecte*the goods, and it was he himself who wtota on the invoioes^ Open and pilfared Of course (continued the advocate) they were "open hnd pilfered," but not by other L-rvants upon whom suspicion had been cast < they were opened and pilfered by the very man who wrote the n.-te on the invoice, and it was only found out by Deeective-Inspsctor Morris, who opened a box consigned to "Gealy, Tumble," examined the contents and, after repacking it, placed it back in the waggon. The very next morning the box wae found open and pilfered and marked on the invoice as such by defendants, who bad done it between them, the tins of cigarettes beyijf subsequently found in their homea. Evans pleaded guilty to the three charrei preferred against him. and he was fined £ 5. j Williams, who reserved his defence, waa committed for trial tt the Quarter Sessions on fliur of the five charges preferred agaiost hvp-